GameSir T4 Kaleid review: Built to last

The GameSir T4 Kaleid offers undriftable hall sensors, a clear plastic shell, and heaps of RGB and functionality, and we’ve tested it for weeks to give you the lowdown.

When shipping for a new PC or Switch controller, it can be tough to figure out exactly which one you should grab. The Nintendo Switch, and most game controllers all suffer from one principal problem: they use potentiometer-based sticks which are prone to drift over time. Even the mighty DualSense Edge and Razer Wolverine V2 Pro fall afoul of not offering the best the industry has to offer.

Certain companies, like Gulikit, 8BitDo, Ayaneo and now GameSir have taken notice of this, and are now offering higher quality sticks compared to the competition. GameSir’s brand-new T4 Kaleid is the same and comes in at a palatable price point to boot.

We’ve had hands-on with the controller for a few weeks, and have even put it through the rigor of playing The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. We dive deep into all of its quirks and more.

Key Specs

• Connectivity: USB-C, 3.5mm headphone jack
• Compatibility: Switch, PC
• Price: $47.99
• Features: Dual programmable buttons, dual rumble motors, gyroscope, hall-sensing analog sticks, turbo function, dedicated software app

Design

The GameSir T4 Kaleid is one of those controllers that make you do a double-take when you see it. Flushed with a translucent body, the controller stands out from a crowd of bland, uninspired black shells by giving something for you to look at.

The RGB is not for everyone, granted. But, the controller’s transparent front blends into a frosted gradient that we think is absolutely gorgeous when paired with its black and copper layered PCB.

Up top, you get the usual assortment of shoulder buttons and triggers, while on the bottom you also get a 3.5mm headphone jack. The hall-sensing sticks feel great, while the buttons and directional pad are adorned with a tactile click.

The buttons feel great, and with a light actuation, you can easily hear a click when pressed. The D-pad, on the other hand, is a bit of a disappointment. While you can’t go wrong with tactile buttons, pressing up on the controller feels a little different to the rest of the directions, and diagonal inputs can feel odd.

On the face of the controller is every button you need on both Xbox and Switch, with an additional “M” button in order to assign two additional back buttons. The back buttons themselves feel good, and it never feels difficult to press them.

The only downside we can see to the controller thus far is the lack of a wireless variant, as you’ll need to hook yourself up via USB-C. Its looks will polarize some, but we’re huge fans of the diffused RGB glow here.

Features

The T4 Kaleid is flush with features, thanks to its back buttons and RGB implementation. But, you can get even deeper customization with the T4 Kaleid app for Windows. Here, you can customize everything from stick dead zones, lighting, vibration strength, and the gyroscope housed within.

These are relatively straightforward to load up, and you can also assign a Turbo function or map the back buttons straight from the controller using the included “M” button, too.

It’s nice that this exists, and we always appreciate having the option of having software in the first place. It is fairly straightforward to use, and we were able to set up our profile in minutes.

Gaming performance

We immediately headed into Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom to test the controller, and it was a joy to play the game with the back buttons. Although, the lingering cable was somewhat of an annoyance. You cannot really refute the value that the controller offers, though, throughout our sessions, we could see the transparent face of the controller getting pretty dirty after hours of play.

When testing the controller in the Street Fighter 6 demo, we found that the D-Pad felt just a bit too shallow, with not enough travel to really be confident in the input, we wished that the actuation felt slightly sharper for play. Though, the buttons and shoulder buttons all performed flawlessly.

Should you buy it?

If you don’t mind the polarizing aesthetic of this controller, then it could be a fantastic option for Switch gamers or PC gamers on a budget. You’re getting sticks that will last forever, in addition to premium features that all work incredibly well in modern games.

However, we fear that the acrylic at the front could potentially scratch over time, meaning that the fresh, out-of-the-box looks might not last forever, with several visual scratches on our unit just after a week of testing.

The verdict: 4/5

Considering the price of the controller, it’s difficult to go wrong with the GameSir T4 Kaleid. While you will be making a compromise with a wire, the controller itself feels and looks fantastic, and we think that the more high-profile manufacturers should put more effort into creating controllers that are built to stand the test of time, as the T4 Kaleid is built to do.

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