JYSW Controller Review: This Budget Nintendo Switch Controller is Only How Much?!
Purchase Price: $12.99
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Everybody loves it when they open a box and receive something better than they expected. Our over heightened anticipation of things we buy online make the reality of the actual product difficult to live up to. For $13, we were able to purchase a fully functional Nintendo Switch Pro controller that not only performs well, but actually feels pretty good in the hand. Oh and did I mention it’s fully wireless and charges via a USB-C cable? Sounds too good to be true right? This is the JYSW Switch Controller and it is worth at least 3 times the price they sold it for on Amazon.
Out of the Box
This controller is made by a company I honestly have never heard of. I’m pretty well versed in the Switch third-party gaming accessories market that seems to be dominated by Hori and PowerA. On Amazon, JYSW seems to sell a few different Switch gamepads along with a dog nail grinder. Seriously. Skepticism aside, I was pleasantly surprised once I pulled this controller out of its box.
This Switch Pro controller replica isn’t necessarily a carbon copy of Nintendo’s official gamepad. JYSW sells another version that resembles a Switch controller a bit more. This particular one that seems to circulate the frontpage of Slickdeals looks more like a dead ringer for an X-Box One controller. The shoulder triggers protrude from the body more profoundly than on a Switch controller. The LT and RT triggers are also shaped out in a winged manner like on Microsoft’s build.
This may look like an X-Box controller and also pair with your PC seeing as it’s simply a bluetooth controller, but the button layout on this device is catered for Nintendo lover’s hearts. The Y, X, B, A button layout matches the Switch Pro controllers, while the triggers are the only thing that takes a cue from it’s X-Box heritage. JYSW also threw in a screenshot hot button on the controller alongside a home button which is also used to pair with bluetooth. It’s literally as simple as holding the home button down for three seconds to get it running with the Nintendo Switch. I’ve had other bluetooth controllers from bigger brand names that gave me headaches over connectivity. I have yet to lose connection here and I like what I see.
Pleasantly Surprised
There is a T button that pushes the controller into “Turbo Function” when pressed. I assumed it’s the equivalent of controlling the DPI of your gaming mouse. I’ve read and re-read it multiple times and still don’t fully understand what it does. To my untrained eyes and aging hands, I honestly don’t notice any difference at all toggling through the three settings.
What I do feel are the 3 levels of vibration. I’m very surprised at the feedback this controller supplies especially due to how light weight it is. Speaking of which, this is a cheaply built controller. There’s no way around the plastic build material. From the tacky click of the triggers and the two joysticks to the concave mushy sound of the directional pad and control buttons, there’s no way you can mistake this for an OEM product.
This doesn’t mean the JYSW isn’t serviceable. In fact, I am floored by how insanely light weight this feels while there is a 600 mAh non-removable battery inside. I do prefer to have a bit of heft on my controllers for longer gaming sessions, but this makes a great second controller for children. Battery life also seems up to par with other controllers in the field. I played with it for a few hours at a time and the four tier battery light seems to drop one bar per 4 hrs.
From what I can tell, there really wasn’t any latency difference between the JYSW and a Pro controller from Nintendo or from a better known entity like Hori. Ultimately if you’re playing a platformer like Shantae rather than a competitive shooter like Fortnite, this should be plenty enough for you.
A Good Buy
For $13 on Amazon, I am beyond thrilled with what I received. I’m giving this to my nephew who spends hours a day playing Fortnite on his Switch. Even if it dies within half a year from the wear and tear of an elementary school gamer, it’s easily replaceable at this price point.
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Alex
Caught in between the conundrum of his fascination with retro and the future, Alex has a very unique taste in technology. Never one to follow trends like his millennial peers yet constantly desiring to get ahead of the curve, he sees technology like he does his other love: comic books. Always looking for the best value or a hidden gem, his collector mindset reflects on some of his favorite gadgets: the Moto X (2015), HTC U11 and the Google Pixelbook. If there’s a good tech deal out there, Alex is on the hunt!