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GameSir Cyclone 2: two-minute review
The GameSir Cyclone 2 is a wireless gamepad compatible with PC, Nintendo Switch, and mobile, thanks to its various connectivity options.
Its design hardly pushes the boat out, with a near-identical form and layout to the Xbox controller. However, the translucent panels and RGB lighting at least add some vibrancy.
It’s also hard to fault the Cyclone 2 for build quality. It’s light yet solidly constructed, while the plastics are refined for the most part; however, in some areas – notably the grips – the Cyclone 2 fails to match the premium feel of some of the best PC controllers around.
The buttons, on the other hand, are engineered to a higher standard. I personally liked their mouse-click-esque actuation, which eschews the heavily damped approach of more traditional gamepads – although I’m sure there will be gamers who won’t find this as desirable. Thankfully, the sticks should prove less divisive, as I can’t imagine any who wouldn’t appreciate their smooth operation and premium feel.
One aspect of the Cyclone 2 that’s less impressive, however, is the charging dock. Unlike the excellent dock included with the GameSir Super Nova, the one here is less stable, takes up more real estate, and is too difficult when aligning the charging pins, which can easily result in the Cyclone 2 failing to charge even when seated.
GameSir Connect can be used to customize the functions and features of the Cyclone 2, with a wealth of options available – more so than I’ve seen in other gamepad software, in fact. There are multiple curve profiles and deadzone settings for the sticks and triggers, as well as plenty of rebinding options; you can even substitute motion controls for mouse and joystick inputs.
The Cyclone 2 is also impressive when it comes to performance. Those clicky buttons are certainly responsive, while the D-pad offers slightly more dampening but still provides plenty of feedback – a combination that results in accurate and easy actuation.
The TMR sticks also live up to their promise with their ultra-precise and smooth inputs, while the triggers offer plenty of control despite having less travel and resistance than your typical gamepad.
I didn’t experience any connectivity issues with the Cyclone 2: it linked easily to my PC, Nintendo Switch, and Android smartphone. However, switching between devices on the fly isn’t the most seamless and requires you to memorize various button combinations to achieve this.
I wasn’t able to test the battery life to its limits during my time with the Cyclone 2, but I can say that after a couple of days of varied use, it remained green. Unfortunately, I can’t be more accurate than this, as no percentage is given for battery life in Connect, which is an oversight. GameSir does claim it can last around 10 hours, though, which is on the lower end of the spectrum.
In line with GameSir’s other offerings, the Cyclone 2 is well-priced compared to some of its rivals. It costs the same as the GameSir Super Nova, which uses the technically inferior Hall effect stick technology rather than TMR, but slightly less than the GameSir Tarantula Pro, which has the latter.
GameSir Cyclone 2 review: Price and availability
- $49.99 / £49.99 / AU$79
- Available now in two colorways
- Well-priced compared to rivals
The Cyclone 2 costs $49.99 / £49.99 / AU$79 and is available now in two colorways: Phantom White and Shadow Black. The edition that includes the charging stand is only slightly more at $55.99 / £55.99 / AU$89. All editions come with a 2.4GHz USB-A dongle and a USB-A-to-C cable.
It’s the same price as the Super Nova, another gamepad from GameSir with a similar design and feature set. This uses Hall effect joystick technology, though, which isn’t considered quite as accurate or as energy efficient as TMR.
If you’re after another TMR controller, then GameSir has another offering in the form of the Tarantula Pro. This is more expensive than the Cyclone 2, but not by much, and it has more buttons to play around with. However, it adopts a layout akin to the best PS5 controllers (despite not being compatible with the console), with its symmetrical sticks and long grips, which some gamers may balk at.
GameSir Cyclone 2 review: specs
|
Price |
$49.99 / £49.99 / AU$79 |
|
Dimensions |
6.1 x 4.1 x 2.5in / 156 x 103 x 63mm |
|
Weight |
8.1oz / 229g |
|
Compatibility |
PC, Nintendo Switch, Android and iOS |
|
Connection type |
Wireless (Bluetooth, 2.4GHz USB dongle), wired (USB-C) |
|
Battery life |
About 10 hours |
|
Software |
GameSir Connect |
GameSir Cyclone 2 review: design and features
- Familiar design
- Good build quality
- Many customizations available
The Cyclone 2 has a familiar look and layout, following the fashion of the best Xbox controllers (despite not being compatible with the platform), with its asymmetrical joysticks and thick body.
Two colorways are available to choose from, although I personally prefer the white option with its red and gold accents, which looks more slick than its black counterpart. Both variants feature a translucent front plate and underlying RGB strips, which add more interest to proceedings.
Build quality is impressive too, considering the price of the Cyclone 2. The light yet solid chassis feels good in the hand, as does its smooth texture. There’s some pitting on the handles to aid grip, but this doesn’t feel as luxurious as the rubberized and silicone materials used by more premium gamepads.
The buttons and sticks are all generously spaced apart yet still easy to access, and feel solid with little wobble. The sticks follow suit, and their thumb pads offer sufficient levels of grip and comfort while feeling durable at the same time.
The two back buttons are similarly well-designed, and they perfectly align with my natural finger placement. Combined with their large size and ergonomic shape, they’re more practical than other back buttons I’ve experienced.
One design drawback concerns the charging dock, which is included with certain editions. It tries to adopt a more interesting form with its splayed legs, but this makes it impractical as it takes up an unnecessary amount of space.
It also fails to provide a stable platform for the Cyclone 2, as it’s all too easy to knock the controller from it. What’s more, the charging pins are awkward to align, and there were numerous occasions where I’d failed to seat the pad correctly to initiate charging. The dock included with GameSir Super Nova is far superior, and I wish the same design had been used here.
It’s also a bit of a shame that the face buttons can’t be swapped around to match the platform you’re playing on, as you can with the Super Nova, since the Cyclone 2 lacks the same magnetic, removable face plate.
The Cyclone 2 can be customized using GameSir Connect, the brand’s peripheral software for PC. There are an impressive number of tweaks available here, more so than in other tools I’ve tried. You can rebind the buttons to other controller inputs, or to mouse and keyboard inputs. There’s also a macro creator, and up to three inputs can be assigned to a single button, with Continuous Trigger and Turbo modes available.
There are curve and deadzone adjustments for the triggers and sticks as well, while motion controls have plenty of parameters to tinker with, including the ability to substitute them for joystick inputs or even mouse movements. However, this latter feature failed to work with the first review unit I received, even after troubleshooting, so another test unit was issued, which thankfully did work. Hopefully, this isn’t a pervasive issue, but it’s worth mentioning given it’s a potential cause for concern.
GameSir Cyclone 2 review: performance
- Responsive inputs
- Super smooth joysticks
- Clicky buttons won’t be for everyone
In the main, the Cyclone 2 is a joy to game with. Those clicky face buttons feel very snappy and precise, although I’m sure there will be gamers out there who’ll lament the lack of dampening and prefer the more traditional feel.
The D-pad, however, provides slightly more dampening, but still retains the snappy, tactile feel that provides plenty of feedback. It’s also very easy to use, with plenty of accuracy to avoid mispresses. When playing Tekken 8, it was very conducive to the rapid succession of directions, including quarter-circle rolls, which were comfortable to perform.
What’s more, the TMR joysticks held true to their claim, as they felt smoother and more precise than their Hall effect counterparts – although the difference isn’t massive. This was a real boon when I played FPS games such as Goldeneye 64 on the Switch.
The triggers on the Cyclone 2 are quite light and have less travel than those on other controllers. However, I didn’t have any issues performing controlled movements, such as when modulating the throttle and braking while playing Art of Rally. The motion controls proved accurate as well, as I found when aiming bows in The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom.
Connecting the Cyclone 2 to various platforms was easy enough, even via Bluetooth, and was as amenable in this regard as the best Nintendo Switch controllers. Hot-swapping between platforms, however, is a little more onerous, as you have to remember various button combinations for changing modes; at least the Home button LED provides some indication on this front. It’s a shame the Cyclone 2 doesn’t include a handy flip switch on the back to toggle between 2.4GHz and Bluetooth modes, as the Super Nova does. But from a performance perspective, I found little wrong with its connectivity.
I didn’t manage to test the battery of the Cyclone 2 to exhaustion, and rather annoyingly, Connect relies on imprecise color codes rather than percentage points for life remaining.
I can say, though, that after a few days of play, the Cyclone 2 remained green, which seems reasonable. However, having reached out to GameSir, it estimated that the Cyclone 2 can last about 10 hours, which is disappointingly low compared to many other wireless controllers – and surprising given that TMR technology is supposed to be more energy efficient.
Should I buy the GameSir Cyclone 2?
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
GameSir Cyclone 2 review: Also consider
If you’re after some great alternatives to the Cyclone 2, then take a look at these recommendations:
| Row 0 – Cell 0 |
GameSir Cyclone 2 |
Xbox Wireless Controller |
GameSir Tarantula Pro |
|
Price |
$49.99 / £49.99 / AU$79 |
$59 / £54 / AU$74 |
$69.99 / £69.99 / AU$95 |
|
Dimensions |
6.1 x 4.1 x 2.5in / 156 x 103 x 63mm |
5.9 x 4.1 x 2.4in / 150 x 105 x 60mm |
6.2 x 3.9 x 2.4in / 157 x 99 x 61mm |
|
Weight |
8.1oz / 229g |
8.5oz / 241g |
11.5oz / 325g |
|
Compatibility |
PC, Nintendo Switch, mobile |
Xbox, PC |
PC, Nintendo Switch, Android and iOS |
|
Connection type |
Wireless (Bluetooth, 2.4GHz USB dongle), wired (USB-C) |
Wireless (Bluetooth), wired (USB A-to-C) |
Wireless (2.4GHz, Bluetooth), Wired (USB Type-C) |
|
Battery life |
10 hours |
40 hours |
12 hours |
|
Software |
GameSir Connect |
Xbox Accessories app |
GameSir Connect |
How I tested the GameSir Cyclone 2
- Tested for several days
- Used on various platforms
- Plentiful gaming experience
I tested the Cyclone 2 for several days, during which time I used it on PC, Nintendo Switch, and Android.
I played a variety of games, including Tekken 8, Art of Rally, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and GoldenEye 64, all of which provide a thorough test for the various inputs of controllers.
I’ve been gaming for over two decades, and during that time, I’ve experienced many different gamepads across many different platforms. I’ve also reviewed a number of controllers previously, including other GameSir models.
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lewis.maddison@futurenet.com (Lewis Maddison)
