Nintendo Switch Joy-Con Charging Dock from PowerA
If you were planning on grabbing Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, or even Splatoon 2 on the Nintendo Switch, you also probably snapped up a couple extra Joy-Con controllers so you can engage in some four player local multiplayer! If you are like me, and have multiple Switch units in your house, you might have purchased even MORE Joy-Cons. While having a ton of Joy-Cons is great, and although the batteries in the controllers last a fair amount of time, you still need to charge them all, sometimes at once.
If you only have the standard Switch system, finding a charging solution for your Joy-Cons probably isn’t high on your priority list. After all, your Joy-Cons will charge when docked with your switch, so why do you need anything else. Once you grab extra Joy-Cons, however, charging does quickly become an issue. Enter the Nintendo Switch Joy-Con Charging Dock from PowerA, a small, effective charging solution for up to 4 Joy-Con controllers.
Sliding the Joy-Con controllers onto the dock is as easy as sliding them onto the grips or the unit themselves, and like all the Switch products, it gives a very satisfying sound when connected. Thankfully, however, you won’t need to push the eject button to get them out, as there is technically no locking system. Each specific dock – one for each of the 4 units – will have LED indicators for whether or not your battery is charged, something Nintendo doesn’t do well when using the system to charge.
I’ve never been a huge fan of charging docks in the past – I own them for both the PS4 and Xbox One – because the docks usually take up one of the few precious outlets I have around my TV unit. Thankfully, the PowerA dock charges via USB, and work whether I’m plugging it into my wall USB outlet, or into one of the ports on the Nintendo Switch.
Aesthetically, the Joy-Con charging dock looks great next to the unit. Many of the other charging peripherals available for consoles are big, bulky, and fairly ugly, but PowerA has done a great job of creating something that will look great next to your unit. If you purchased the black and grey Switch model, this device will match that perfectly; however, even if you got the neon red and blue model, it will still look professional and classy within your entertainment setup.
The only downside to the dock is that the USB cord isn’t all that long, so if you were hoping to have the Switch on one side of the TV and the dock on the other, depending on the distance that USB cord might have to go, it might not reach. Another downside is for those who like having their charging stations separate from their systems. With my couch a good 10 feet from my television, I tend to put charging stations on a side table as opposed to up near my entertainment system. While this is easily fixed with a USB wall plug, it could potentially be another purchase one might need to make.
If you bought a Nintendo Switch, I would argue that you probably picked up some extra Joy-Con controllers as well. If this is the case, the Joy-Con Charging Dock from PowerA is an easy, worthwhile purchase. For only 29.99 USD, you can be assured that your Joy-Con will always have the necessary charge. There is nothing worse than having friends over to play Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, and realizing one of your Joy-Con is dead. And thing about it this way, there is no way to charge it an play, so having them ready to go is paramount for a great, party experience.
Article By Adam Roffel
Adam Roffel has only been writing about video games for a short time, but has honed his skills completing a Master's Degree. He loves Nintendo, and almost anything they have released...even Tomodachi Life.
Follow Adam Roffel on:
Twitter: @AdamRoffel