Overview
A high-precision vibration wireless controller designed for the Switch, which also works with PC, Steam, Android, and Apple devices. It features two back buttons that can be programmed with a single button or a button combination, customizable light rings around the joysticks, and a calibratable gyroscope.
Features
- Three connection methods: Bluetooth, a wireless receiver sold separately, or a Type-C cable.
- Hall Effect joysticks with magnetic sensing and specially optimized algorithms to prevent stick drift.
- Responsive clicky triggers instead of analog triggers, for faster actuation and less fatigue.
- Two programmable back buttons, L4 and R4, with no default value; they accept a single button or a combination of up to twelve buttons.
- Two linear vibration motors: one linear motor in each handle for high-precision vibration.
- Two light rings around the joysticks with six lighting effects, with adjustable speed, brightness, color, and saturation directly from the controller.
- 20Hz Turbo for supported buttons; the setting remains saved after restart.
- Calibratable gyroscope directly from the controller via a button combination.
Device Layout and Button Names
| Position | Buttons and Ports |
|---|---|
| Front Face | Minus button, A B X Y buttons, M button |
| Top Edge | R button, L button, ZR trigger, ZL trigger, Type-C port |
| Back Face | L4 back button, R4 back button |
Specifications
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Supported Platforms | Switch, PC, Steam, Android devices, iOS devices |
| System Requirements | Switch, Windows 10, Android 8.0 or later, iOS 13 or later |
| Connection Method | Bluetooth, wireless receiver sold separately, or 1m Type-C cable |
| Vibration Motors | Two linear motors, one in each handle |
| Back Buttons | Two buttons that accept a single button or a combination of up to twelve buttons |
| Mobile Companion App | GameSir App |
Box Contents
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Controller | 1 piece |
| Type-C cable | 1 piece (1 meter long) |
| User manual | 1 copy |
| Thank you and after-sales service card | 1 card |
| Certificate of Conformity | 1 copy |
Requirements
Switch, Windows 10, Android 8.0 or later, or iOS 13 or later.
Connection and Play
Power On/Off
| Operation | Method |
|---|---|
| Power On | Short press the Home button, or use the combination of one of the buttons B, X, or Y with the Home button to enter a specific mode |
| Manual Power Off | Press and hold the Home button for five seconds |
| Auto Power Off | Ten minutes of inactivity, one minute without connection in pairing mode, or three minutes without connection in reconnection mode |
The Home button is the power on/off switch.
Connection Modes and Indicator Patterns
| Mode | Power-on Combination | Indicator Pattern | Supported Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wireless Receiver mode (Receiver sold separately) | B button + Home button | Indicators 2 and 4 light up | Windows 10 or later, Android 8.0 or later |
| Switch mode | X button + Home button | Indicator light rotates vertically | Switch and Apple devices |
| Android mode | B button + Home button | Indicators 3 and 4 light up | Android 8.0 or later |
The face buttons used with the Home button determine the connection mode.
Connecting to Switch
- Bluetooth Connection: From the Home screen on the Switch, go to the Controller menu, select Change Grip/Order, and wait on this screen.
- While the controller is off, press and hold the X button + Home button for about three seconds until the indicator light rotates vertically quickly, then release your finger and wait for the connection to complete.
- A steady indicator means the connection is successful. To reconnect later, simply press the Home button if the mode has not changed.
- Wired Connection: From System Settings on the Switch, go to Controllers and Sensors and enable Pro Controller Wired Communication.
- Place the Switch in its dock, then connect the controller to the dock using the included Type-C cable. A steady indicator means the connection is successful.
- If you want to connect to the Switch alone without the dock, you will need your own adapter that supports direct connection.
Connecting to PC
- Wired Connection: Connect the controller to the PC with the included Type-C cable. After a successful connection, indicators 2 and 4 will remain steady white.
- Bluetooth connection requires button mapping via Steam to play PC games.
- While the controller is off, press and hold the X button + Home button for about three seconds until the indicator light rotates vertically quickly, then release your finger.
- Open the Bluetooth menu on the PC, select the device named "Pro Controller," and click to connect.
- If the controller signal does not appear, delete the name "Pro Controller" from the list of paired devices on the PC and try again.
The Switch mode combination is also used for connecting to PC via Bluetooth.
Connecting to Android Devices
- While the controller is off, press and hold the B button + Home button for about three seconds until indicators 3 and 4 flash quickly, then release your finger.
- Open the Bluetooth menu on the device, select the device named "GameSir-Nova G/W," and click to connect.
- Indicators 3 and 4 staying steady means the connection is successful.
- To reconnect later: If the controller mode has not changed, press the Home button to turn it on, and it will automatically reconnect to the device.
Connecting to Apple Devices
- While the controller is off, press and hold the X button + Home button for about three seconds until the indicator light rotates vertically quickly, then release your finger.
- Open the Bluetooth menu on the device, select the device named "Pro Controller," and click to connect.
- A steady indicator means the connection is successful.
- If the controller signal does not appear, delete the name "Pro Controller" from the list of paired devices on the device and try again.
The Switch mode combination is also used with Apple devices.
Indicator States
| State | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Slow flash (once per second) | Reconnection mode; the controller only connects to the last device it was paired with in the current mode. To force pairing mode, press the Screenshot button + Home button for three seconds |
| Fast flash (twice per second) | Pairing mode; devices can discover the controller. After pairing in the current mode, it will automatically enter reconnection mode upon every startup |
| Steady | Connection established. To turn off, press and hold the Home button for five seconds |
The indicator is located in the center of the front face.
Button Combinations
| Function | Combination |
|---|---|
| Manually switch between XInput mode, Switch mode, and Android mode, and fix the mode for the current connection method. This combination is supported in wired mode only. To return to automatic platform recognition, press the Home button for ten seconds to turn off, then power on again | Plus button + Minus button for two seconds |
| Enable or disable the dead zone for the corresponding stick; the setting remains after restart | M button + press Left or Right stick for two seconds |
| Swap A/B button values and X/Y button values; the setting remains after restart | M button + B button for two seconds |
| Set Turbo for a specific button | M button + the button you want to activate Turbo for |
| Clear Turbo from all buttons | M button (double press) |
| Program or unprogram a back button | M button + L4 or R4 button |
| Calibrate gyroscope | M button + Screenshot button for two seconds |
Turbo
- Turbo speed is 20Hz. The buttons that can be set are A, B, X, Y, L, R, ZL, ZR, and the Screenshot button.
- To set Turbo: Press and hold the M button, then press the button you want to activate Turbo for. Repeat the same process to cancel it.
- To clear Turbo from all buttons: Double press the M button.
- This setting remains saved after restarting the controller.
Top edge buttons and triggers accept Turbo.
Programming Back Buttons
The L4 and R4 buttons have no default value and accept a single button or a combination of up to twelve buttons. The programmable buttons are A, B, X, Y, L, R, ZL, ZR, Left stick click, Right stick click, Plus button, Minus button, D-pad, Left stick, and Right stick.
- To program: Press and hold the M button + L4 or R4 button until the corresponding light ring flashes white slowly.
- Press the button whose function you want to transfer once, then press the L4 or R4 button. The light ring returning to its original color means programming is finished.
- In a button combination, the interval between each press is recorded according to the programming time.
- To cancel: Press and hold the M button + L4 or R4 button until the light ring flashes slowly, then press the L4 or R4 button again. The light ring returning to its original color means cancellation is complete.
- If ten seconds pass without any press during setup, it will automatically exit setup mode and the previous programming will remain as is.
The M button is the key to enter programming mode, and the back buttons are on the back of the controller.
Lighting Customization
| Function | Combination |
|---|---|
| Cycle between six lighting effects: Monochromatic, Breathing, Fantasy (default), Rainbow, Radar, and Off | M button + move Left stick right or left |
| Decrease or increase movement speed in Breathing, Fantasy, and Rainbow modes in five levels (third level is default) | M button + D-pad right or left arrow |
| Increase or decrease brightness level in five levels: 0%, 25%, 50% (default), 75%, 100% | M button + move Left stick up or down |
| Adjust color value in Monochromatic, Breathing, and Radar modes based on Right stick position | M button + rotate Right stick |
| Increase or decrease color saturation value in Monochromatic, Breathing, and Radar modes in five levels: 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, 100% (default) | M button + D-pad up or down arrow |
Calibration
Joystick Calibration
- While the controller is on, press and hold Minus button + Home button + Plus button for two seconds until both light rings around the sticks flash.
- Rotate the Left and Right sticks fully in both directions three times each.
- Press the B button afterward.
- Wait until the light rings return to their original color, which means calibration is finished.
Gyroscope Calibration
- Place the controller horizontally on a flat surface.
- Press and hold the M button + Screenshot button for two seconds.
- The light rings around the sticks will flash in red and blue alternatingly and rapidly.
- Wait until the light rings return to their original color, which means calibration is finished.
Reset
- If the controller buttons stop responding, use a thin tool the size of a paperclip to press the reset button inside the circular hole on the back of the controller.
- This forces the controller to power off; then, turn it on again.
Companion App and Firmware Update
- Access the official GameSir website from your mobile or scan the QR code printed in the manual to download the GameSir app.
- Use the app to update the controller firmware.
Charging and Battery
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Charging | The two light rings around the sticks show charging progress in five colors: Red (0-25%), Orange (up to 50%), Yellow (up to 75%), Green (up to 90%), then green light pulses every two seconds until fully charged |
| Low Battery Alert | The light rings flash red twice every ten seconds when the battery drops below 15%; they retain their original color the rest of the time |
FAQ
What are the supported platforms? Switch, Android devices, Apple devices, PC, and Steam.
Is the controller wired or wireless? It has three connection methods: Bluetooth and wireless receiver for wireless connection, and Type-C port for wired connection.
Does it have Hall Effect joysticks? Yes, joysticks that work with magnetic sensing with specially optimized algorithms.
Does it have analog triggers? No, it has quick-response triggers that provide faster response, higher accuracy, better continuous shooting, and less fatigue, which suits those who need quick response.
How many vibration motors are there? Two linear motors in the handles.
Can the lighting be customized? Yes, effect, movement speed, brightness, color value, and saturation can be adjusted by pressing the M button with the Right stick, Left stick, or D-pad.
Can back buttons be programmed with more than one button? Yes, they accept programming for a single button or a combination of up to twelve buttons. If ten seconds pass without a press during setup, it will automatically exit setup mode.
Does it have Turbo? Yes, at 20Hz. The adjustable buttons are A, B, X, Y, L, R, ZL, ZR, Plus, Minus, and Screenshot button. The setting remains after restart.
The controller turns itself off. This is auto power-off behavior: ten minutes of inactivity, one minute without connection in pairing mode, or three minutes without connection in reconnection mode.
The controller doesn't connect and the indicator flashes slowly. Slow flashing means reconnection mode; it only connects to the last device it was paired with in the same mode. Press and hold the Screenshot button + Home button for three seconds to force entry into pairing mode.
Documentation Notes
- The official manual does not include a specification table and does not mention weight or battery capacity; therefore, neither is included here.
- The official connection page states that the minimum requirement for Apple devices is version 16 or later, while the official manual states version 13 or later; both versions are reported as they appeared in the sources.
- The Turbo section in the source mentions that the adjustable buttons are A, B, X, Y, L, R, ZL, ZR, and the Screenshot button, while the FAQ answer in the same source adds the Plus and Minus buttons to the list.