I've had this joycon replacement for a few months, and I thought I would share my thoughts on it for people on the fence about this product and help explain who it might be for and what it does well. Just a quick summary for people just looking to get a quick impression:
Pros:
- More comfortable than standard joycons
- Improves ability to aim in FPS games like Overwatch
- Sticks much more comfortable than standard joycon sticks
- Adds two user-programmable buttons
- Switch can dock with grip connected
- Officially licensed by Nintendo
- Has a D-pad on left controller
Neutral:
- Doesn't impact battery life any more than attaching regular joycons (in my experience)
- Adds two turbo buttons
- Face buttons and triggers not 'clicky' like standard joycons, more 'mushy' (not in a bad way though)
- Texturing is molded into plastic for added grip, instead of using rubber
- No NFC
- No motion controls
- Can not be used disconnected from Switch
Cons:
- No rumble
- Shoulder buttons above triggers are 'mushier' than the other buttons
- Can not wake Switch with button press like on standard joycon, have to hit Power
Alright if you're still with me let's get into a more detailed review. I initially bought this because I was unable to aim satisfactorily in FPS like DOOM or Overwatch with the standard joycons. I picked this over a simple grip because a.) the sticks weren't simply easier to reach, they were more comfortable in general and b.) it added two programmable buttons on the back, which is one my favorite features of my Xbox Elite controller.
Upon getting the controller, it was super easy to get up and running. You simply remove the joycons, and then slide these two accessories in their place. They make the Switch more comfortable to hold in general, making it possible for longer play sessions without your hands cramping up. The sticks in particular are more comfortable, being larger and easier to reach. I found aiming in Overwatch to be much easier, making it viable to play in portable mode without using the kickstand and a pro-controller. One of my favorite added features is the two back buttons. You can program these easily, simply hold the 'Assign' button and press which button you want the back button to emulate. The light above 'Assign' will stay lit to affirm it's bound to a button, and you're done. I like to use it when playing Pharah to hover with my jets while not having to take my thumb off the right stick, allowing me to maneuver in the air while picking people off. I'm sure you can think of a use for them, but if you can't their location on the back makes it so they don't detract from the controller any. Now there are plenty of grips you can add to mitigate the cramped feel of the default joycons, however whenever switching from one mode to another you have to put the grip on or take it off. This accessory is designed so that it can fit in the dock without the need to disconnect the controllers, which is awesome. Done playing? Just plop it into the dock, no need to mess about with a grip. This also replaces the four buttons on the left controller with an actual D-pad, and it feels great. Lastly this is officially licensed by Nintendo, so you know that it won't mess up your console and it won't get patched out in some random update.
More neutral aspects of this accessory would be the texturing on the grip. I've never felt like I was going to drop this, as the texturing molded into the grip is sufficient, but I would prefer rubber inserts. This doesn't improve your battery life by removing some features, but it doesn't hurt it either (in my experience and in some testing I've seen in other reviews). Let's talk about those features by the way. There is no NFC support or motion control support with this accessory. I don't know that I've met someone who is particularly invested in these features so I've put them in the neutral category, but it is worth a mention. The buttons and triggers are a little more 'mushy' than the standard joycons. Not in a bad way, they're still firm and do click, but worth mentioning. This is a 3rd party controller, so the obligatory 'Turbo' button makes an appearance. These also have to be connected to the Switch, they don't have their own batteries. I think a cool feature would be to have something you could slide these into to make a full grip controller, like you can with the default joycons. I think it would be an easier sell for sure, an extra controller for when you want to play with friends, that doubles as an extended grip when you need it.
As for what I don't like, probably the biggest thing was no rumble. I feel like this was a more significant feature to delete, as people seem to like rumble, with many Nintendo consoles having rumble packs made for them to support that reasoning. It probably would have made the weight more unwieldy, so I can why it might not be added, but still is a feature I miss. Earlier I mentioned that the buttons and triggers were 'mushier' but still good. This is excluding the shoulder buttons, which have more travel and a barely perceptible click when they bottom out. Additionally while the programmable buttons are great, they can only be paired to a button that is on their controller side. So you can't do 'A' to the left one and 'B' to the right. This limited the usefulness of the left one for me, and may limit it for you if you want to remap two buttons that happen to be on the same side. This accessory also makes the system less portable. It won't fit in standard cases, and Hori doesn't make any for it so far as I'm aware. I've heard that it may fit in a case made for other grips, but it still detracts from the 'take it anywhere' feature the Switch has. Lastly you can't wake the system with a button input, you have to press the power button every time. This isn't a big issue, but one I found annoying enough to add in this section.
I really like this accessory, and only attach the regular joycons if I'm using the Switch while I'm out of the house. It makes longer play sessions possible, and makes certain genres more viable in handheld mode. The convenience of being able to dock the console without removing the grip, the nicer sticks, and the added programmable buttons, all make this worth the extra money over just a basic grip to me.
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Customer Review: Incredible disappointment
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HORI Split Pad Pro for Nintendo Switch
Hori
Reviews with images
Great product, but a little overpriced
Reading through the comments before purchasing this product made me almost not buy the product. I am glad I took the chance.First, the product is well built, but is super light weight since the controllers do not have rumble motors, motion, or batteries. These controls will not work detached from the switch. Light weight does not mean poor quality though. These are well built.Buttons: The sticks are better than the ones the original Joycons by far. They are larger and feel exactly like ps4 controller sticks. The analog sticks feel far more durable than the Joycons. All the face and programmable buttons work well and give good feedback and I also prefer them over the Joycons. The trigger buttons are okay, they are soft press and have less feedback than I prefer but it is not bad, just not as good as the joycons.Size and fit: These are the perfect size for average adult hands. Satisfye and other cases and grips do not compare. These feel like the Pro controller in my hand. My 4 and 8 year old prefer joycon due to their hand size.Other: These controllers do not have rumble. I would prefer HD rumble, but not many games I play make use of it. Not a big deal. When I feel I need it, I can attach Joycon. These controllers do not have battery or motion. Again, not a deal breaker since I use pro controllers and have joycon when docked.I have a first release Switch and 2 other newer Switch consoles for my children. I have repaired drifting joy con dozens of times. I carry stock of replacement analog sticks due to the low quality of the sitcks in the Joycon. That's why having this option of better analog sticks is so compelling.I would only change the price. Hori left out rumble, battery, motion and they did not have to fit components into a small form factor, the price should reflect that more. $35 seems like more of a fair price for this product comparing to the price of Joycon.
Top reviews from other countries
B. Longo
Indispensável para quem usa muito em modo portátil.
Reviewed in Brazil on January 5, 2021Edgar Gallardo
Artículo totalmente recomendado, Amazon falló está vez
Reviewed in Mexico on August 18, 2020Farhan Malick
An amazing product with few issues
Reviewed in Canada on May 29, 2020
ANUDEEP K JYOTINAGAR
Great! Absolutely great!
Reviewed in India on December 21, 2020
ANUDEEP K JYOTINAGAR
Reviewed in India on December 21, 2020
That being said:
To me, personally, these are fantastic! Incredibly comfortable and feel amazing! The back buttons are a nice addition. Buttons, sticks, triggers and bumpers are neat, the grip is fine. It is dock compatible; no need to remove these to dock the Switch!
Absolutely great for portable use, makes the Switch look wide, but you'll get used to it. Not sure about the dreaded, eventual stick drift; will update the review if I face any.
If HORI adds some missing features from the regular Joy-Cons and make wireless an option with a second generation of the Split Pad Pros, perhaps a "HORI Split Pad Pro V2", I'll gladly buy it! ( HORI, if you're reading this, please make it happen!)
I'm very satisfied with the product, Amazon's delivery & services and packaging!
Overall, an awesome product by HORI. I recommend it!
(NOTE: THE ANALOG STICKS IN MY PICTURE LOOK DIFFERENT BECAUSE I ADDED MY OWN THUMB GRIPS)
Images in this review
pirinto
Best attachment for playing FPS games, fighting games and platformers on switch
Reviewed in Sweden on December 12, 2020