EasySMX X10 Mechanic Master gaming controller review

REVIEW – I will start this review by dropping an honesty bomb. Ready? I’m not a gamer. Yes, I know this is a review of a gaming controller, so the pre-requisite should be that a gamer reviews it. Right? But I was curious to try the EasySMX X10 Mechanic Master controller because it has hall effects, and that’s the hot new feature in both gaming controllers and even mechanical keyboard switches, so I wanted to see what the fuss is about, so here we are.

What is it?

The EasySMX X10 Mechanic Master is a game controller for PC, Nintendo Switch, iOS, and Android devices that features hall effect switches. Don’t know what hall effect switches are? I didn’t either. From Windows Central:

Hall Effect joysticks are a type of joysticks that use magnets and electrical conductors to measure their position, distance, and movement when in use. Unlike standard analog sticks, which use electrical resistance to detect movement, Hall Effect joysticks have no physical contact between the moving parts.

What’s in the box?

• EasySMX X10 Mechanic Master game controller
• 2.4G dongle
• USB cable
• 2 faceplates
• 2 sets of grip plates

Specifications

Design and features

I have already told you that I’m not a gamer. That doesn’t mean that I never play games or that I’ve never used a gaming controller because neither is true. In fact, I purchased a SteelSeries gaming controller a couple of years ago just to have around in case the urge to play a first-person shooter, racing game, or some other type of game would hit me. That’s one of the main reasons why I accepted the challenge to review the EasySMX X10 Mechanic Master game controller. I wanted to see if I could tell the difference between regular and hall effect switches as a casual gamer.

The EasySMX X10 Mechanic Master game controller looks like a typical Xbox-style controller that you hold between two hands with dual joysticks on top and the diamond-shaped layout of the ABXY buttons. You also get a Dpad, home button, back, start, and settings buttons.

The front edge of the controller has left and right bumper buttons, trigger buttons, and the USB-C charging port.

You’ll also see an open slot on either side of the USB-C port. The user manual does not mention the reason for these slots, but after surfing around on the EasySMX site, I found that it’s for an optional phone holder. Unfortunately, they didn’t send me one…

On the underside of the EasySMX X10 Mechanic Master game controller, you can see that there are two more control buttons that flank the connection mode selection switch. These control buttons are programmable keys that you can customize based on the game that you’re playing.

There are also two small buttons between the grips. The left button is the turbo button which allows you to adjust the auto-fire settings. The right button is the vibration adjustment button that switches the vibration intensity from 0% up to 100%.

Now that we’ve covered the buttons, it’s time to talk about the physical customization features of the EasySMX X10 Mechanic Master game controller. If you notice in the images above, the controller appears to be white.

If you aren’t into white, you can switch up to a silvery purple. This controller comes with an extra faceplate and extra grip plates.

The plates are held in place with magnets.

EasySMX also sells a silver version of this controller if you’re not into purple. 🙂

I also wanted to mention that the grips on the controller have some knurling to add some tactile texture to the handles.

To start using the X10 controller, you first must charge it using the included (or any) USB-C cable. While charging, the status indicator glows red.

Let’s go!

I tested the EasySMX X10 Mechanic Master game controller with my iPhone 15 Pro Max playing games like Jetpack Joyride and T3 Arena. Both are free games; Jetpack Joyride is a side scroller, while the T3 Arena is a team-based shooter.

I haven’t played games for a really long time, and I have to say that I am having a lot of fun with T3 Arena, which puts you in a team of two other people against three others. It’s a quick game of kill or be killed and it’s fun as heck. Having the X10 controller makes game playing so much easier than using on-screen controls, which I’ve never liked.

I started playing with the X10 controller and then pulled out my SteelSeries controller to see if I could feel the difference between the controller itself and the switches. For the overall feel of the controller, both have a nice weight, but I like that the X10 has the knurling on the grips.

The difference in the feel of the switches is where I appreciated the X10 more. The joysticks on the EasySMX X10 are much smoother and have a better spring back to center than the joysticks of the Steelseries controller. I feel the same way about the Dpad buttons. The SteelSeries Dpad buttons feel like junk compared to the X10’s Dpad buttons.

Note that I couldn’t test the vibration features, which require a Nintendo Switch or PC. I don’t have a Switch and I don’t own any games for the PC.

This controller is also supposed to have a 6-axis motion control feature, but apparently, that only works on a Switch, so testing that left me out.

What I like

• Joysticks and other buttons are smooth and clicky
• Nice weight
• Knurled grips
• Interchangeable faceplates and grips

What I’d change

• Including the phone mount would be nice
• Allow 6-axis motion control on other platforms besides the Switch

Final thoughts

The funny thing is that I received the EasySMX X10 Mechanic Master game controller and let it sit in my box o’stuff to review until the review was due. I even offered it up to the rest of my Gadgeteer team because I decided I didn’t feel like reviewing it. When no one else volunteered, I released that I needed to suck it up and get busy, and I’m glad that I did because playing (I mean testing) this gaming controller helped me realize that I have missed playing casual games.

I realized that I only tested this controller with an iPhone and not other dedicated gaming consoles like the Switch, but I think I tested it enough to let you know that it feels good in the hand; the switches perform well and, with my limited experience, feel better than a controller with non-hall effects. The EasySMX X10 Mechanic Master game controller is well-made and affordable.

Price: $49.99
Where to buy: EasySMX and Amazon
Source: The sample for this review was provided by EasySMX.