ECHTPower Wireless Gamepad Controller for Nintendo Switch 2

Popping onto the ever-growing number of marketplaces like AliExpress, Temu and TikTok Shop, you could end up stuck in a doom-scroll loop of gadget hunting. Video game controllers and accessories with all sorts of brands attached, some familiar and others a bit more obscure – each vying for attention with a funky array of aesthetics.

ECHTPower is one of these brands, founded back in 2022 and dabbling in budget-friendly tech as an alternative to some of the more premium outings. With a relatively cheaper price tag compared to the likes of the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller, can a third party take offer a similar play experience?

It is quite the challenging, going up against the official Nintendo outing. The original Nintendo Switch Pro Controller review was met with critical acclaim, and the revised Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller dialled up the quality a notch. It is expensive, though. The ECHTPower Wireless Gamepad Controller for Switch 2 comes in at a far more accessible price point and tries to serve up a similar feature set.

At first glance, the controller bares a strong similarity to Nintendo’s offering. It’s a similar form factor in width and length, with a build that feels comparable in the hands – if not every so slightly bulky at the top corner, where the index fingers wrap round. Button placement is also similar, with the typical four buttons, analogue sticks and shoulder buttons placed where they should be, with a good amount of travel between each.

Face buttons, like a lot of these third-party controllers, are ever-so-slightly smaller than Nintendo’s own, coming in at a still full-sized 1cm, with a nifty colour variant that’s reminiscent of the GameCube. Despite nostalgia strings being tugged, there is a slight comfort issue on the face buttons – they are more rounded at the top, meaning fingers don’t quite sit firm as they could do. With frequent button presses, this may not be a big issue, but for when buttons are held down – say accelerating in Mario Kart World, it can start to bring on thumb fatigue. The A button on the right being at a slope doesn’t help much, either.

Shoulder buttons have a nice click to them, with the lower set of triggers having a slightly padded “thock” for a satisfying press. It’s a shame, though, that the upper set of shoulder buttons are odd in angle in smaller in width – leading fingers to wrap round too much ornot sitting flush. This reviewer’s fingers aren’t particularly long, so for those with larger hands and digits, it could well not be as comfortable as it could.

Like a lot of contemporary controllers and unlike the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller, the ECHTPower Wireless Gamepad boasts hall-effect sticks, useful for reducing the likelihood of getting the cursed stick drift long term. Hall effect sticks, unlike more traditional mechanisms, use a magnet to determine direction, leading to a more durable lifespan. Hall-effect doesn’t eliminate drift entirely, but it’s a nice addition to have, especially in a budget line. They are ever-so slightly shorter in height, which could be an issue for some, but doesn’t have any noticeable impact when moving about in-game. There’s still a good amount of travel, plus a responsive snap to each. Together with a GameCube yellow secondary stick and nifty RGB lighting for gamer prowess, the sticks are arguably the best part of this controller.

The D-Pad is a standard, rubbery membrane. It’s nothing ground-breaking, nor won’t excite fighting game fans all too much. It’s there, press it or don’t. The unit also boasts additional buttons in the standard Nintendo layout – plus, minus, home and capture – there’s even a nifty turbo button for those who need it. Programmable back buttons are a handy extra, too. Again nothing to write home about, but a nice to have. Also on the back is a handy toggle for RGB lighting, plus a vibration option to reduce the rumble, useful as it’s quite intenseout the box. Wrapping up the feature-set is six-axis motion control, handy for a session of Splatoon Raiders.

One feature that is an omission, but listed, is the ability to wake up the Nintendo Switch 2 console using the home button. Like some hardware, it could point to a firmware issue – however the firmware software is elusive: broken pages on the company’s website and a sales email that bounces back. Not a good look, ECHTPower!

Technical Specification

Cubed3 Summary

The ECHTPower Wireless Gamepad Controller for Switch 2 is a budget friendly alternative to the more premium Nintendo Switch 2 offerings, with a similar form factor and modern performance additions like hall-effect sticks. There are some comfort issues with some of the buttons and concerns over post-purchase support, but overall a decent option for those who want a wireless controller on a budget.

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