Key Takeaways
- GameSir Kaleid Flux provides reliable, lag-free gameplay with professional features.
- It’s a wired controller with a very long 3m braided USB-C cable.
- The GameSir Nexus app offers great customization options to fine-tune your experience.
When I got the chance to review the new GameSir Kaleid Flux, I was intrigued. It had been a while since I’d used a wired controller and I wasn’t sure if I would like the plug-and-play design. My fears were erased after feeling the familiar contours and perfect button placement I’m used to from years of Xbox gaming.
So why choose a wired controller in the first place? Wired controllers work with Xbox consoles and most laptops and desktops without lag or the need for Bluetooth connectivity, so their simplicity is synonymous with reliability. Standard Xbox controllers often power down in the middle of the action. For those looking for uninterrupted play with professional features and great customization options, we think the Kaleid Flux is a viable alternative, which we’ll discuss later.
What if you want to sit on the couch away from the TV? GameSir offers a detachable braided cable that’s 3 meters (9.8 feet) long enough to reach your living room, with enough room to comfortably hold the controller whether you’re sitting upright or lounging lying down.
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GameSir Kaleid Flux Controller
GameSir’s Kaleid Flux wired controller packs professional features like rear paddles, hall effect sticks, and awesome customization into an affordable wired package for PC, Xbox, and Steam.
- Great price
- Hall effect analog sticks and triggers
- Great software customization options
- Wired only
- Not compatible with Switch and PlayStation
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Pricing, Availability and Specifications
Great prices and free Game Pass membership
Pocket Lint
GameSir is an affordable wired controller for Xbox, PC, and Steam that retails for around $50 at most major online retailers. It comes with a durable braided USB-C cable, a handy cleaning cloth, and a GameSir sticker. And to make it even better, it also comes with a free 1-month Game Pass Ultimate subscription so you can start playing some of the newest titles right away.
The GameSir Kaleid Flux’s all-black design follows a proven formula that will be familiar to Xbox players, with extra texture on the grips and sticks to keep your hands and fingers secure without feeling too aggressive or uncomfortable, and it comes with two large rear paddles for added functionality.
No discussion of Kaleid Flux design can leave out the transparent top cover with vibrant RGB strips on either side. The colored cover gives a premium feel and gives a glimpse into the inner workings, while the lighting adds a splash of glamour or can be subtle and classy with the right settings.
On the tech side, GamerSir uses Hall effect analog sticks and triggers that work with magnets to measure movement, distance, etc. These are more accurate and responsive than standard controllers, and because the moving parts don’t come into physical contact with each other, there are no dead zones or controller drift, and they tend to last longer.
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What I like about the GameSir Kaleid Flux controller
User-friendly software with great customization options
I love the simplicity of the Kaleid Flux — my laptop automatically detected it as an Xbox controller and I was up and running within seconds. The thick braided cable is long enough to play from across the room, and it fits snugly into the recessed port to protect it from damage, eliminating any wired concerns I had.
It looks great even at night in low light conditions, with subtle backlighting provided through the transparent housing.
The GameSir Nexus software is one of the best features of the Flux, as it offers great customization options, allowing you to tweak every aspect of the controller to your liking. The app lets you customize the travel range of each analog stick, and there’s a RAW feature that disables the outer dead zones for improved speed and precision.
You can also adjust the trigger’s range of motion, and the handy hair trigger feature converts analog input to digital input for faster response times in shooters.
While I prefer to turn off vibration in some online shooters, I appreciate that the Kaleid Flux has separate settings for the left and right triggers and grips, and you can also adjust the vibration levels for each individually, up or down, or sync both sides together.
I’m not normally a fan of bright RGB lighting, as I find it distracting and of questionable benefit, but I’ll admit that at night, at low brightness and providing subtle backlighting through the clear housing, it looks great.
As for the gaming experience, I had a lot of fun using the controller and testing different software settings in Borderlands 3, Naraka Bladepoint, and one of my favorites, Soul Caliber VI. The controller is responsive even at the default settings thanks to the smooth sticks and triggers of the Hall effect, and gets even better with some tweaking. I used the RAW option to make the sticks faster and more accurate, enabled the hair trigger mode, and blasted away bad guys in Borderlands 3 with ease.
Another feature that impressed me was the cushioned switches. Despite using membranes rather than micro-switches like other GameSir models, they still provide a satisfying click with every press. I also liked the large rear paddle, which is perfectly positioned under my middle finger, allowing for quick access to health power-ups, throwable equipment, and other in-game utilities.
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What I don’t like about the GameSir Kaleid Flux controller
No one controller to rule them all
Wired connections are fine for their simplicity, but cable management can’t match the freedom of a wireless connection, which may put off some buyers.
It would be great if the Kaleid Flux was the perfect controller for all platforms, but we understand that GameSir can’t offer compatibility for Switch and PlayStation because it has to work within the constraints of its licensing agreement with Microsoft to bring Game Pass membership and Xbox branding to its products.
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Should you buy the GameSir Kaleid Flux controller?
There is no doubt
Pocket Lint
While I was initially skeptical due to its wired design, I was pleasantly surprised by the comfort and performance of the Kaleid Flux and have no hesitation in recommending it to others. Its familiar shape should be comfortable for most players, and the combination of Hall effect sticks and triggers, plus the extra paddle buttons on the back, gives it a premium feel that justifies the price.
You can’t go wrong spending $50, especially when you also get a free Game Pass subscription worth an additional $10. To get the true value of Kaleid Flux, though, you’ll need to download the free GameSir Nexus app, which unlocks its potential with advanced features for customizing your gaming experience.
Recommendation
GameSir Kaleid Flux Controller
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