Charging Tower Enters The Game

Gamesir has been quite active in the recent years, releasing newer and refreshed gaming controllers. Having used and tested a few of Gamesir’s controllers, I can say that I am a bit more impressed with their mid-range offerings, like Gamesir Tarantula Pro than the budget ones, like GameSir T7.

The company is back again with another controller, the “Gamesir Cyclone 2”, a successor to the first Cyclone controller. There are already some visible changes when you keep both side by side but apparently, the layout isn’t changed. There are some small changes on the outside but some are significant, which you can only tell after using it.

In this review, I will be analyzing the features, specifications, upgrades, and user experience of Cyclone 2 in detail, followed by the verdict, which should give you an idea of how good the latest iteration of Cyclone is.

Packaging and Contents

Cyclone 2 comes well-packed, unlike other budget controllers. Inside, you will find the controller sitting on top and the charging tower on the bottom with its dedicated place. The rest of the stuff is underneath. The contents of the package include:

1. Cyclone 2 controller
2. Charging tower
3. USB Type A to C cable
4. 2.4G Receiver
5. User Manual
6. A Sticker

If you don’t want to use the User Manual, you may refer to the back of the box to understand its basic features and connectivity. The text is in Chinese but with the images, you will understand most of it.

Specifications

Model	Cyclone 2
Connection	Tri-Mode
JoySticks	TMR
Triggers	Hall Effect, Hair Trigger
Mappable Buttons	TBD
Gyro	6-axis
RGB Lighting	Yes
Battery Life	860 mAh
Compatible Platforms	PC, Switch, iOS, Android

Cyclone 2 Summary

Cyclone 2 succeeds the Cyclone and features multi-platform compatibility. As per the company, the Cyclone 2 sets new standards in ‘precision’, ‘durability’, and ‘immersive gameplay’. The controller looks pretty much similar to the Xbox controllers but it isn’t aimed to compete with those. One of the biggest changes in Cyclone 2 over the original Cyclone is the joystick technology. The first edition uses the Hall Effect joysticks while Cyclone 2 adapts the latest Gamesir’s Mag-Res TMR sticks.

These are aimed at quick response and deliver better accuracy than regular hall effects sticks. Apart from this, another major difference is the presence of micro-switches on both triggers, which lets you quickly change the trigger mode from analog to Hair Trigger. The switches lock the mechanism right from the triggers themselves and aren’t placed on the back of the controller, making them more convenient.

The Cyclone 2 brings a 1000 Hz polling rate for competitive gameplay and offers tri-mode connectivity, including Bluetooth, Wired, and 2.4 GHz wireless modes. We will take a look at that in the next section in detail but continuing to its core features, we have asymmetric rumble motors on the controller whose vibration intensity can be adjusted with a simple button combo.

For even more immersion, it is equipped with a 6-axis gyroscope for games that support motion control on Nintendo Switch devices. If you compare its features to the Cyclone edition, there are definitely some major changes that make it stand out but the overall appearance is quite similar except that it now also has built-in RGB lighting, which is also customizable.

Connectivity and Compatibility

The Gamesir Cyclone 2 offers tri-mode connectivity, including Bluetooth, 2.4G wireless, and Wired connections. However, there is a slight and interesting twist here. Gamesir also offers a charging station for the controller that is multi-purpose. Instead of connecting the 2.4G receiver on the PC/device, you can simply connect it to the USB port present on the charging case itself.

The charging case has a dedicated USB Type C port at the back as well. Now after connecting the USB C to A cable to your device, you are able to make a versatile setup that allows you to use and charge your controller after use.

If you want wired connectivity, you will find a Type C port on the top, which is convenient if your battery is fully depleted. Apart from pairing/connecting your controller to your device, the Cyclone 2 also offers a 3.5mm jack at the bottom, which is convenient as well, particularly when you are sitting far away from your device and display.

The Cyclone 2 is compatible with multiple devices, including PC, Switch, iOS, and Android-based devices. Unfortunately, it’s not compatible with major gaming consoles.

Polling and Latency Test

Gamesir claims that the Cyclone 2 offers a 1000Hz polling rate on its joysticks when connected via 2.4G or wired connection. We tested the claim along with the latency and here are the results:

Polling Rate Max	1000 Hz
Polling Rate Avg	1025.85 Hz
Stability	102.58%
Minimal Latency	0.5 ms
Average Latency	0.97 ms
Maximum Latency	2.0 ms
Jitter	0.15 ms

Not only do the joysticks offer a 1000 Hz polling rate on 2.4G mode, but the latency results are incredibly impressive. The Cyclone 2 latency is incredibly low with less than 1 ms on average and doesn’t go beyond 2 ms. The jitter is also literally absent, making the controller flawless and smooth in gameplay just as you would see with a wired connection.

Controls

The Cyclone 2 brings an Xbox controller layout and offers plenty of buttons for performing multiple functions. The controller has the basic face buttons, a D-Pad, two joysticks, triggers, bumpers, and back paddles. Let’s take a quick look at these.

Face Buttons and D-Pad

As you can see, the white Cyclone 2 edition has fully white face buttons with grey markings. These are although clearly visible, in the dark, it’s difficult to see the markings since the contrast isn’t high enough. With time, newbies can also adapt well without having to see the button markings but having good contrast or RGB lighting is convenient.

The D-pad isn’t very big nor it is too small. It’s just the right size and has a golden accent that stands out. The D-pad and the face buttons are all clicky and are pleasant to press. Most budget and mid-range controllers settle for mushy buttons but the Cyclone 2 is different in this regard.

Joysticks And Triggers

The joysticks on Cyclone 2 use Gamesir’s Mag-Res TMR Sticks, which are also present on the Tarantula Pro we recently reviewed. These have excellent accuracy and tracking compared to regular analog sticks and are even better than the Hall Sticks. The joysticks feature a 1000Hz polling rate as we just tested previously and offer a better lifespan than Hall Effect sticks.

As you can see in the second image, the bumpers are golden as well, adding a unique identity to Cyclone 2. However, the triggers are completely transparent, which is pretty unique. You can see through those clearly and if you can spot it, both triggers have a micro switch that turns on the Hair Trigger mode.

Compared to the Tarantula Pro, I liked this approach more since you can turn either of the modes via your index fingers while on the Tarantula Pro, you have to reach to the back to use the switches. In a couple of seconds, you can turn on the Hair Trigger mode for both or either of the triggers for FPS games or use the analog trigger mode with Hall Effect technology for racing games.

User Experience

The controller has a good feel and functions like some of the best budget controllers on the market. There are plenty of buttons and all of them are remappable, including the addition of two buttons at the back that offer additional functions. Their locations are excellent and feel quite natural.

The controller has an ok grip but isn’t exceptional. As this one is completely white with a somewhat translucent body, you won’t be able to see the grip textures but they extend from top to bottom and are present at both the front and back of the grips.

The clicky aspect of the face buttons and D-pad are wonderful and I prefer these over the regular mushy buttons. The triggers and joysticks are great as one should expect looking at the specs. However, there is more than just what you see on the paper. One of the reasons why this one stands out is due to extensive customization support through Gamesir Connect software.

The Gamesir Connect currently has support for only three Gamesir gaming controllers and the Cyclone 2 is among them. The other two are Tarantula Pro and Nova Pro. I was amazed by the number of possibilities there are for each and every aspect of this controller. From regular button mapping to tweaking the parameters of the joysticks and triggers, everything can be done from there.

You can manually choose the presets for changing the behavior of your joysticks and triggers or you may make your own curves. You can adjust the dead zone range, customize the whole layout, adjust the vibration level, and do tons of tweaks and save them in four individual profiles, which are easier to select on the go by pressing a particular button combo from the controller.

The RGB lighting is quite unique as well. Most controllers have a few LED-lit areas that bring an LED strip bar or RGB rings around the joysticks and such, but the Cyclone 2 RGB lighting expands to the whole grip on both sides. While you can simply toggle through different lighting modes from the controller itself, the Gamesir Connect allows you to change the colors, modes, and speed as per your needs.

Battery Life

The Cyclone 2 is equipped with an 860mAh battery and as per my testing, it is going quite well with a single charge. I wouldn’t say it’s the best but it’s adequate, particularly when you can charge it right from its charging tower after usage. In case the battery goes down mid-game, you can always switch to the wired connectivity.

The Verdict

The Gamesir Cyclone 2 is one of the best budget controllers I have used that offers tons of features I always wanted in my controller. The functional layout and the quality controls are its best selling points, ready to be deployed for any genre to get one of the best possible gaming experiences on a budget. That said, the additional stuff it brings, is actually one of the reasons why it stands out.

Tri-mode connectivity and the charging tower are exceptionally convenient for different scenarios. Apart from excellent connectivity, the Cyclone 2 is on par with most budget controllers in compatibility with multiple devices in a similar price range. However, the customizability of Cyclone 2 takes a big lead over its competitors, allowing you to take full control of each and every aspect, which really can’t be beaten easily.

I think the Cyclone 2’s design is more practical for real-world usage compared to the Tarantula Pro and considering it’s a bit cheaper, I definitely recommend this one over the latter if you don’t want fancy moving parts. Gamesir is surely making some great progress in controller innovation and considering how I was disappointed with the generic features of the Gamesir T7, the Cyclone 2 has definitely changed my mind on whether companies can still manufacture highly functional budget controllers.

8.8

WCCFTECH RATING

The Gamesir Cyclone 2 delivers exceptional value for its price, bringing tons of convenient features and incredible customizability that are more than enough to satisfy any hardcore gamer, all at a price that’s hard to resist.

Pros

• Beautiful design with built-in RGB
• Wonderful clicky switches for face buttons and D-pad
• Micro switches for changing trigger modes
• Accurate TMR joysticks
• Fully mappable buttons
• Great onboard customizations
• Natural back buttons placement
• Gamesir software support
• Tri-mode connectivity
• Extensive customizations

Cons

• No visible indicator to know the current face button layout
• Face buttons are difficult to see in dark

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