Turbo, Gyro, and Hall Effect Joysticks. Need we say more?
Product Specifications
Platforms: Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch – OLED Model, Nintendo Switch LiteStyle: Black | Type: Controller | Weight: 197 grBattery Capacity (mAh): 500 Dual BatteryDimensions: 14.6 x 14.5 x 6.6 cm | Price: $58.99 / €54.38
Although the Nintendo Switch is into its eighth year since its launch, there has been no shortage of third party controllers during its lifespan. The most recognised names being PowerA, HORI, and Gulikit, but now there is another contender that may be able to challenge these powerhouses for the title of best 3rd party controller for Nintendo Switch. The contender being QRD Game with their own Stellar T5 Joycons controller for Switch and the Switch OLED.
At, first glance, the Stellar T5 Joycons give off major HORI split pad vibes. They are two individual Joy-Con controllers with ergonomic grips that can be combined to be used as a Pro Controller with and attachment that is included in the box. They are lightweight and yet surprisingly robust. While they are obviously made of plastic, they don’t feel plasticky, and are very high quality with rubber textured grips on the back of each controller.
So, “What do the Stellar T5 Wireless Joycons offer?” you may say. Well, the controller comes with all the typical functions and features you would expect from a 3rd party manufacturer. It has all the necessary buttons, it is compatible with all Nintendo Switch Models, has Rumble, gyro controls, turbo controls, mapable buttons, RGB lighting, yada, yada, yada. Where it differentiates, however, is how it manages these features. While it may not have the Pro Controller’s HD rumble function, it does have five different settings for the dual-motor rumble so you can adjust it to your preference.
Each controller also has its own Turbo button so you can map turbo to any of the buttons on the same controller. There is also a back button on each controller that you can map one of the other buttons to for ease of access (for example a trigger button for FPS games or perhaps a button that would normally require your thumb to press but is now easily accessible to the ring finger).
The Stellar T5 Controller is ideal to use in both “Pro Controller” Mode with the center attachment and connected to the Nintendo Switch in handheld mode. The controllers are very comfortable to hold and during my time with them, they fitted quite snuggly in the rails of the Switch, although I have heard some reviewers found them to be a little loose. I didn’t have that with the Switch in handheld but it was noticeable for me on the attachment piece that came with the controller. It isn’t a case that the controllers slip out of the rails but that they feel a little flimsy when attached and could do with being firmer.
The six-axis Gyro controls are a very nice touch and are very responsive, making them ideal for games that require precision aiming. The button controls also feel very responsive and have a crisp “mouse-click” sound when you press them. The shoulder and trigger buttons have nice large surface areas and are a godsend for someone like me with meaty fingers as I always found the one’s on Nintendo’s own Joy-Con too small for my liking. I should also note that the controller also has SL and SR buttons should you wish to use the controllers singularly like individual Joy-Con.
One of the biggest highlights to this controller has to be the Hall Effect joysticks. These bad boys take movement precision to a whole new level and best of all, they don’t drift. The thumb grips on top of the joysticks are concaved, allowing your thumbs to apply pressure across the majority of the surface with minimal effort.
The last notable feature that I should touch upon before rounding out this view are the RGB light rings around the Joysticks. There are eight available colours and two different modes: Stationary, and Breathing. You can swap through the colours by holding down the turbo button and pushing down on the Joysticks and can also adjust the brightness of the lights and change the mode as well. RGB lighting has starting to become quite the norm for gaming controllers and keyboards these days and I must admit, they do look rather cool on this controller. I particularly like the fact that due to this controller being in two parts, you can assign a different color to each side for a more unique style.
A small setback to the Stellar T5 Wireless Joycon controllers is that while, you do get a USB-C charging cable included in the box. The controllers have to be charged individually as each controller has its own USB-C port at the bottom. The center attachment is much like the standard Joy-Con grip in that it is unable to charge the controllers together. You can get arround this though by connecting both controllers to the Switch and leaving them connected while the Switch is docked and not in use as the controllers can take a charge while attached to the console.
Wrapping up. The Stellar T5 Wireless Joycons from QRD Game are probably the best 3rd party controllers I have used in terms of design, functionality, and most importantly, responsiveness. They look and feel robust, and are very comfortable to hold for long periods during intensive gaming sessions with buttons and joysticks with such superb responsiveness. The best thing is that the Stellar T5 Wireless Joycons aren’t particularly expensive for what you are getting either at $58.99. USD. You might be able to get them slightly cheaper at some online retailers but if you are having trouble finding them, you can get them directly from the official QRD Game website. You may not be able to scan amiibo with them like the official Joy-Cons but they can do everything else and so much better too.
*Special thanks to QRD Game for providing us with a product sample for the purposes of this review.
