After coming away unimpressed with the original GameSir VX AimSwitch, I have to admit that I was skeptical about the new VX2. Could GameSir really turn things around in just over a year? Well, it turns out that the company can, as the VX2 is a huge improvement over its predecessor. Read on for my full thoughts in this GameSir VX2 AimSwitch review.
GameSir VX2 AimSwitch Review | First impressions are everything
Right out of the box, it’s clear that the VX2 is aiming to provide a more premium experience than the VX. While the general packaging has definitely improved, it’s the satisfying weight of the keypad that first impressed me. The aluminum alloy used here is a welcome sight. In contrast, the mouse is super light, as is on-trend with top-tier gaming mice nowadays, like the Glorious Model O. It’s a promising combination that demanded I take it seriously.
ALSO: Avermedia Live Gamer Bolt is now available, able to externally capture 4K HDR and 240 FPS
I was also immediately impressed by the sound and feel of the 36 “TTC Red” switches, which I definitely prefer over the almost-too-clicky Blue switches found in the VX. I use Cherry MX Reds on my daily driver and the Gamesir VX2’s switches felt similar, albeit with a slightly more pronounced click. Overall, they are satisfying to use and never skipped a beat during my 10+ hours gaming with them in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Apex Legends. (It took 9 hours for the battery to completely drain with the RGB lights enabled at their brightest.)
The lighting on both the keypad and mouse is, again, superb. Per-key addressable RGB is great to see and offers a bit of that “PC gamer flair” that console owners usually miss out on. The GM 400 mouse uses a semi-transparent material to enhance the RGB further and it looks damn good! The remaining lights on the device come from the LED screen sitting at the top of the keypad. This quickly relays your connection status and remaining battery.
Below the keys, you can spy a little control stick. This is yet another new addition to the VX2 and, while it’s small and clearly not intended to be used as a primary control, it works great when inputting D-pad controls.
While the wrist rest is no longer adjustable, I didn’t suffer from any discomfort when I was able to also rest my arm on my desk. However, if you’re trying to game with this on a couch, with the VX2 resting on your knee, things can get a little more awkward. I’d say you either want to be at a desktop or using a lapboard surface to take full advantage of this product.
Combining the keypad and mouse is simple, with a long USB cable joining the two together. The GM400 mouse has side-buttons suited to a righthanded player, but you can swap it out for your own preferred mouse (even a wireless one like the G502 Lightspeed!) and retain similar functionality. Once your keypad and mouse are ready for action, it’s time to connect to your chosen system, be it a PC, PS4, Xbox One, or Nintendo Switch.
GameSir VX2 AimSwitch Review | Version 2.0
It’s when I started gaming with the original VX that things started to fall apart. I play a lot of PC games at 144 FPS and have become very sensitive to input lag, where my actions on a keyboard and mouse aren’t immediately carried out onscreen. Thankfully, through whatever witchcraft GameSir has done here, the “Agility X 2.4 GHz” wireless connection of the VX2 is a massive improvement.
Buy a GameSir VX2 AimSwitch here
Honestly, it’s shocking to have this new product in my hands, barely a year after reviewing the VX, and have it work so, so much better. When you consider that you’re playing at 60 FPS on console (and sometimes 30 FPS), the responsiveness in games like Apex Legends and Destiny 2 on PS4 is fantastic. Even Fortnite on Nintendo Switch played well, with my keyboard and mouse skills coming in useful against other Switch, Android, and iOS users through cross-play.
I also tried Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, which was an interesting experience as it natively supports keyboard and mouse without the need for additional peripherals. While Call of Duty is certainly playable with the GameSir VX2, I found that it’s a downgrade over just plugging a keyboard and mouse straight into the console’s USB ports. Of course, for most other games that don’t support PC peripherals natively, the VX2 appears to be the next best option.
While the latency has seen massive improvements, there are still a few niggles that are outside of GameSir’s control. The main hiccups you’ll run into are aim assist and acceleration. Depending on the game, these “game assists” can take a bit of getting used to. If they can’t be disabled, you just have to deal with sometimes snapping on to enemies and being unable to easily move away. Acceleration can be especially problematic when making big swooping movements. Again, this is not necessarily GameSir’s problem to fix here, but worth mentioning for those looking to buy.
Another thing to note is the setup process for each new game that you play. Once the keypad and mouse are paired with the system, you’ll then want to dive into a private match or single-player mode to tweak with your keybindings and mouse sensitivity. Obviously, the in-game menus can only do so much when it comes to customizing controls, so you’ll need to download the G-Crux app for iPhone and Android to personalize further.
Being able to set up to five presets for my favorite games was great to see, and means that I don’t have to revisit the app very often. This is a good thing, as the app is can be cumbersome to use. It’s also worth mentioning that it takes some time for the app to be updated for new iOS and Android software, meaning it could be temporarily unusable if you’ve recently updated your phone.
For anyone looking at the GameSir VX2 because they can’t stand using a controller, due to poor ergonomics and/or being too used to a keyboard and mouse, then the time needed to fine-tune settings is likely a worthy sacrifice. Just realize that the GameSir VX2 takes some tweaking to get it working optimally, with it taking around 15-30 minutes per game to fiddle with settings and have your muscle memory lock in on the new sensitivity.
GameSir VX2 AimSwitch Review | Don’t call it a comeback
Not only has the GameSir VX2 massively improved on the VX’s latency issues, it has also overhauled the entire design of keypad and mouse to look and feel more premium. At the time of writing, the VX2 is available on Amazon.com for $129.99, which I think is a very solid price for the quality of components and features on offer here compared to the competition.
When I agreed to review this product, I wasn’t expecting to come away so impressed. And yet here I am, very happy to recommend the GameSir VX2 AimSwitch to anyone looking to enjoy the precision of PC gaming peripherals on a console, especially if you’re big into shooters and don’t mind spending a little time fine-tuning settings.
GameSir VX2 AimSwitch review unit was provided by GameSir.
When you click on a link from an online retailer on GameRevolution, we might earn a percentage of the value of your purchase. Learn more here.
