How to Get a Switch Controller WRONG! Gamesir T4 Pro Controller Review
69In this episode, we unbox and test out the Gamesir T4 Pro Wireless Controller for the Nintendo Switch and other devices.
Chapters:
00:00- Introduction
1:36 - Unboxing & Initial Setup
7:34 - Mario Kart 8 Deluxe
11:04 - Street Fighter 30th Anniversary
12:14 - Super Mario 35th
16:13 - Star Fox
18:36 - Initial Thoughts
20:31 - Final Thoughts
In late 2020, a random box showed up in our mailbox, and inside was what you see here in this video, the Gamesir T4 Pro wireless controller. It promises to deliver some amazing features for Switch, PC, Mac, iOS, and Android users who are looking for some sort of wireless game controller. Will it live up to its promises? That's what we're going to check out.
In the box, you get the controller itself, a wireless dongle, a USB-A to USB-C cable, and a multi-language instruction manual. Before pairing to my Switch, I connected the controller to a charger and set to read the manual. I am glad I did as there are some pretty cool features that this offers:
- Programmable Turbo Functionality
- LED lights under face buttons
- Adjustable Vibration intensity
- Gyro Controls
- 4 Programmable Back Buttons
- 600mAh Battery
The controller itself seems to be built decently, however, my right analog stick felt draggy or grindy from the box. As I played it did free up, which tells me there was something internally that was either not molded correctly or had a burr on it from the factory. That was disappointing, as now there's likely some plastic bits floating around inside the controller. On the bench I also thought the D-Pad felt pretty bad. The membrane between the D-Pad and the PCB is either thin, not very dense, or a combination of the two. The plastic also felt rather cheap as well.
With this information under my belt, I started my testing on my Switch. Pairing was super easy, simply go into the controller settings on your switch, hold the Home and Y button to enter pairing mode, and after a few seconds it was paired! This was a very painless process, something I was very pleased with.
In addition to the Switch, I also tested the included dongle with some other USB systems. I tried my New Wave Toys 1/6-scale Dragons Lair, my TurboGrafx 16 Mini, and my Genesis Mini, and it didn't work with any of these. I also tried using the USB-C cable with these systems, no go either. That was a definite bummer, and yes, I did try all the controller configurations and nothing worked.
I did screw around with changing the LED intensity a bit, it was clever but also felt like a gimmick. This is not something that would be visible during game play, unless you're in a dark room. At that point it may become more of a distraction than a positive.
When I went to play some games, I realized the biggest flaw about this controller. They screwed up the button locations! A & B were flipped, as were X & Y. "But that's how the Xbox controller is, just deal with that!" Ok, if this was an Xbox controller FIRST, and then also compatible with the Switch, I'd grant you this. However, from what I'm reading and seeing, it is a Switch-FIRST controller. To me, this is unforgivable.
With these gripes out of the way, I got to some game play. It actually felt really good in-game, although I did occasionally hit the wrong button if I was looking at the controller. The Analog Stick and D-Pad actually both worked well in every game, and I was able to pull off all the moves in Street Fighter without an issue. I was even able to win a round of Super Mario 35th! I'll be uploading that full, un-edited run in a future video.
Why it RoX:
- Compatible with many devices
- Relatively inexpensive
- LEDs with adjustable brightness
- Adjustable rumble intensity
- Good battery life
- Programmable Back Buttons
What Could Be Improved:
- Face Buttons mis-labeled for the Switch
- I never got Turbo to work, not once
- No Amiibo support
- Seems to have many gimmicks which don't help game play
- I have no desire to use the back buttons
- My controller had some dragging on the Right stick out of the box
- Not compatible with Genesis Mini, TG16 Mini, or the New Wave Toys cabinets
- Does Not wake the Switch from Sleep Mode
Should You Buy One?
If you are a fan of programmable back buttons and want a controller you can use on multiple systems, the T4 Pro is an ok choice. That being said, there are other controllers out there that offer similar or more features for similar or less money. For me, having XBox-themed buttons on a controller designed for the Switch is pretty unforgiveable. I also could not get the turbo to work, no matter how I pressed the buttons. But, I was able to complete and win a round of Super Mario 35th, which was awesome! Overall, I think the Gamesir T4 Pro has a lot of potential, but doesn't deliver as well as other options in it's price range.
The footage used in this review are used under the Fair Use laws, referenced below:
https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/17/107
#NintendoSwitch #Gamesir #T4Pro
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