As over-the-top as its RGB features may seem, there’s more to the GameSir T4 Kaleid than its tweakable lighting effects. We’re not complaining about its RGB features, not least since we’re writing this sitting in a light-up RGB chair. But if that’s all you see, we wouldn’t blame you for passing on by the GameSir T4 Kaleid.
But give the T4 Kaelid more than a second glance and you’ll discover it’s one of the most capable wired third party controllers out there for Switch and PC. This was our go-to controller for the whole of Tears of the Kingdom and it never once let us down.
GameSir T4 Kaleid review: cable woes
It’s a wired controller, but don’t let that put you off – some of the best quality controllers out there require a wired connection. While you can use this with Android phones, the lack of Bluetooth connectivity means you will need an adaptor, which is sold separately. We didn’t have one to hand, and so we were unable to test it out with Android. Clearly, there are more suitable controllers out there to sync to your phone, but that doesn’t stop the GameSir T4 Kaelid being a great choice for PC and Switch. What proved problematic for us, however, was the length of the cable.
It just wasn’t long enough for us to sit on our sofa and play our Switch on the TV. So we ended up digging out an extension cable and using that. You can, in theory, switch out the detachable stock cable for a longer one but we’ve had issues with cable tips being too fat for similar controllers, so we chose the safer option.
But that’s the worst thing we can say about the T4. The gyro controls worked well and while they didn’t seem quite as sensitive as the Nintendo Switch’s own, they still did the job.
Excellent quality, from switches to grips
It sports Hall Effect magnetic switches meaning the controller should be less susceptible to wear and drift. We haven’t quite hit the 5 million clicks GameSir reckons the T4 is good for but it had a good amount of heft. The sticks were as responsive as any of the other controllers we’ve tackled, that’s for sure.
The textured rear of the controller helps it sit easily in your hands. And while Call of Duty players may balk at having just two remappable rear buttons, that’s not the end of the world. What is a particularly excellent feature is being able to switch to hair triggers with the push of a button. That was a real boon when we put in some time with Street Fighter and so on. Left 4 Dead, an oldie but a goodie (sorry, Back 4 Blood) was also a blast with the T4.
Speaking of switching buttons, you have to use the PC or Android app to switch or remap buttons. But we’re happy to report that if you’re using the controller on Switch, there’s a built-in the ability to change the Switch button layout. If you’re a frequent Switch player you might know where the buttons are. But if you’re more used to an ABXY layout, Tears of the Kingdom would have been a pain without this feature. Until we meddled we had to keep reminding ourselves that the controller’s ‘A’ was actually ‘B’ and so on.
For some people, the T4’s wire will be a deal breaker. For us, it’s just a shame that the cable is a little on the short side: the fact it’s wired in the first place simply means we don’t have to worry about charging or changing batteries. But if you can overlook that you’ll find that the GameSir T4 Kaleid is a flexible, eye-catching and comfortable controller that, at just over $40, represents excellent value for money.
