Gamesir Nova HD review: A budget controller contender

Price When Reviewed

$34.99

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Controllers are expensive. They always have been, at least if you insist on buying the first-party gamepads for consoles or Microsoft’s de facto standard for PC, the Xbox controller. And there have always been cheaper alternatives, the bane of visiting gamers and younger siblings everywhere. Gamesir’s Nova HD hopes to buck that trend. 

And it does. Shockingly well, in fact: Not only does the Nova HD have several features you won’t find on standard console controllers, it can go multi-platform, switching between PC, mobile devices, and the Nintendo Switch with ease. And unlike some other controllers that require adjustment for Nintendo’s stubborn insistence on its weirdo layout, the Nova HD can swap between standard and Nintendo face buttons on the fly, no driver software required. 

Michael Crider/Foundry

Michael Crider/Foundry

Michael Crider/Foundry

While it lacks the fit and finish of “premium” controllers, its extra features — specifically that layout swap option and hall-effect analog sticks — mean that Gamesir’s option is a legitimate contender for anyone who wants to save a little cash. For $35, you give up nothing versus the Xbox controller or Switch Pro controller, and even gain a few options. 

Gamesir Nova HD features

I was sent the Nova HD in its “retro” colorway, with muted beige, grays, and purples clearly meant to evoke the Super NES. Not really my style, but I appreciate the theming, especially since Gamesir’s logo goes along with it — not every brand is that flexible. It’s also available in a more radical ’80s-flavored transparent teal.

The rear of the controller is more monotone, but once you turn it on you get a bit of a light show. Multicolor circles light up around the analog sticks, a trend that’s common enough to be spotted here on budget controllers and on premium devices like the ROG Ally. Again, not to my taste, but you can turn it off if you like. More on that later. 

Michael Crider/Foundry

Michael Crider/Foundry

Michael Crider/Foundry

Other than that, this is a bog-standard Xbox-style controller. Buttons feel good if not amazing, the layout is nice and familiar, the sticks are a bit on the loose side (common with hall effect). If I have a complaint, it’s that the triggers, which feel more like the PS5 controller than anything else, are a little short on the travel. 

In addition to a mode switcher on the front and one extra contextual button to be compatible with the Switch, you get two assignable buttons on the back, a feature that’s become more and more popular as of late. While you’re back there, note a very light diamond texture on the back of the grips — appreciated if you’re prone to sweating in long sessions, like a gamer who shall remain nameless. (It’s me. I’m talking about me.) 

Michael Crider/Foundry

Michael Crider/Foundry

Michael Crider/Foundry

The package also includes a free carrying case. I’d have preferred a USB dongle instead, but hey, at this price beggars can’t be choosers.

Good all-round, not great for driving

Playing through an unhealthy amount of Hades II, I never encountered any serious issues. Initially the sticks were prone to float a bit, causing Melinoë to walk slowly in a circle. Call it a side effect of those hall-effect components having no friction points. But it seemed to work itself out after a few hours and never showed up again. Well worth it for a design that is, as far as I know, immune to the dreaded stick drift. 

Michael Crider/Foundry

Michael Crider/Foundry

Michael Crider/Foundry

Playing plenty of Brawlhalla left me with no complaints, though I imagine that a more serious fighting game fan might wish for clickier face buttons. When trying racing games I found the Nova HD passable, but those triggers are much more prone to clicking at full throttle than slowly ramping up to it. Any driving-heavy game is one I’d avoid with this controller. 

Pairing and layout options

The Nova HD offers three pairing modes in addition to its generic controller default: Switch, Android, and “Receiver,” activated by powering on with the home button + X, B, and Y, respectively. I didn’t get to try the controller’s USB-based receiver, I was all-Bluetooth, all the time. I don’t even see a receiver on Gamesir’s store, so I’m not sure what the deal is. 

Michael Crider/Foundry

Michael Crider/Foundry

Michael Crider/Foundry

Anyway, I found very little difference in the pairing modes, especially since Steam lets me customize controls already. And I was already anticipating that need, since the default layout is Switch-style, with the A button on the east position. But it turns out I needn’t have bothered. In addition to a bunch of other settings adjustments baked into the firmware, the Nova HD lets you swap between the Nintendo default layout and the Xbox, with A on the south position. 

All you have to do is hold the Mode switch button, M, and B, for two seconds. Bam! The controller swaps between the two primary layouts used in just about every game platform, and it remembers it when you turn off the power. This is the first time I’ve seen a controller with this option, no external software required. It’s freakin’ brilliant. Though there’s nothing it can do about the actual legends printed on the buttons, this means it can effortlessly swap between my gaming PC and the Switch that also lives on my desk. 

Michael Crider/Foundry

Michael Crider/Foundry

Michael Crider/Foundry

The Nova HD needs no other software to pull its party tricks. The LED lights on the sticks can be adjusted — brightness, effect animation speed, or general color — with the M button and other combos. Ditto for enabling dead zones in the sticks, and programming macros or turbos into the rear “paddle” buttons. You’ll probably need to keep the manual handy (or download the PDF) for a while as you learn all the combinations, but before long you’ll be doing it without thinking. 

Compatibility issues

There is one big let-down for this otherwise excellent controller, and it’s that games that just don’t like the Switch Pro gamepad (which it emulates, including a gyroscopic sensor) don’t like the Nova HD either. For example, Rocket Racing in Fortnite just would not cooperate and detect the controller’s triggers. This, even though the closely related Rocket League worked fine, caused it to instantly default to both Xbox-style inputs and matching interface indications. 

So yeah, there may be an occasional headache with some games. I think you’ll be able to overcome them between individual game settings and Steam’s excellent “all are welcome” controller support, but consider yourself forewarned. 

Should you buy the Gamesir Nova HD? 

For just $35, the Nova HD is a fantastic budget pick, rivaling even the excellent 8BitDo in terms of value and capability. For someone who wants to use the same affordable controller on Switch, mobile, and PC, it’s darn hard to beat. 

Michael Crider/Foundry

Michael Crider/Foundry

Michael Crider/Foundry

Racing fans won’t like the triggers, and I wish it came with a USB dongle in the box. But considering that you get a full controller with customizable rear buttons, rumble, and hall-effect sticks, plus the option to swap between the two most common layouts on the fly, I’m more than willing to forgive those shortcomings. 

If you need a multi-platform controller for dirt cheap, Gamesir’s Nova HD should be at the top of your shopping list.