The JSAUX Switch 2 Charging Grip managed to finally make me see the docked mode light | Review

I'm a handheld-mode player through and through, but the JSAUX Ergonomic Switch 2 Charging Grip has finally brought me over to the dock side.

The Nintendo Switch 2 accessory acts like the official grip packaged with every handheld, and magnetically snaps to both Joy-Cons to form one controller. Its existence isn't special, as Nintendo has its very own charging grip on the official Nintendo store for $39.99. However, JSAUX's version is not only cheaper at just $21.99 / £15.99, but it comes packaged with optional ergonomic handles, which give it a comfortable and more premium Pro controller feel.

With the JSAUX Charging Grip at my disposal, I've spent countless hours playing Animal Crossing New Horizons in docked mode on my TV, experiencing the full Switch 2 Edition splendour that I'd not have appreciated fully had I stuck to handheld mode.

Design

JSAUX accessories aren't exactly known for their impressive looks. Instead, the accessory manufacturer is recognized for pumping out gadgets that keep a plain and simple all-black aesthetic to help keep costs low and their devices more accessible than first-party alternatives. Talking of plain all black-aesthetics, the JSAUX Switch 2 C Charging Grip is definitely rocking that look.

Without any Switch 2 Joy-Cons attached, the main section of the grip is essentially just a rectangular base with the JSAUX logo engraved on the matte surface and two plastic tongs poking out from underneath. It's either side of these that magnetically connects to the Switch 2 controllers yet, without them, the grip looks pretty insubstantial.

It's charged via a USB-C port on the top edge, and there are two charging status indicators sitting below that logo. There's also four tiny square-shaped cutouts facing each edge where the Joy-Cons connect. These light up corresponding to your controller layout, for example, with a left and right setup, both the first squares on each side will light up yellow.

The grip looks far funkier once it's all set up and ready to go. Slotting in the Joy-Cons is just as easy on the Switch 2, as the system is entirely the same. The grips are just as easy and just slot on the back of each Joy-Con, and there are even small, sticky silicone pads on the inside to keep them from moving around.

When attached, there's a thin black edge around the exterior of each Joy-Con. Additionally, each pad will now have a curved ergonomic grip, which features a rigid plastic texture to give your hands something extra to hold onto. I'd have preferred if JSAUX opted for a rubberized finish on top of these, instead of just adding a grip to the hard plastic mould itself, but it's still far more comfortable to hold than the basic flat-backs of the Switch 2 Joy-Cons, or the official grip that comes packaged with every Nintendo Switch 2 console.

Features

The features of the JSAUX Switch 2 Charging Grip are pretty light. By nature, it's a charging grip, and so it can keep your Switch 2 controllers juiced up when not hooked up to the handheld itself. This is really helpful for docked mode, as there's no official way to charge the Joy-Cons with what you get in the box besides popping them back on the handheld.

The Joy-Cons charge when clicked in place on the grip, so long as the device itself has enough power to pass on. It can also be charged via the accompanying cable via the USB-C port on the top of the device. The main attraction for this model, as opposed to Nintendo's official one, isn't that it can charge your controllers, but that the grips are entirely optional.

Nintendo has them fixed in place, which not everyone is going to prefer. I cannot stand the bizarre and strained feeling of the flat blacks of the Joy-Cons, and so used the grips pretty much during the entirety of the time I spent testing this JSAUX accessory, but I'm glad the option is there.

Performance

As a handheld mode girlie, I was genuinely taken aback by just how comfortable I found using the JSAUX Ergonomic Charging Grip. When it comes to the Switch 2, I much prefer lying back in bed and chilling with the Switch 2 in hand, and unless I'm testing a brand new accessory, or kicking my friends' butts at Super Mario Party Jamboree, I rarely bother with docked mode. Before now, it's never been a truly comfortable experience, but this grip changed all that.

Setting up the accessory was incredibly easy, from the magnetic snapping tech of the Joy-Cons to the base, to slipping on the ergonomic handles, which was nice to discover. It was equally as pleasant to discover how easily my hand and fingers wrapped around the grippy handles on either side. I was a bit worried at first, as they felt pretty rough to the touch, but the entire Charging Grip sat in my hand like it was built for it.

The small recesses between the shoulder buttons and the start of the handles are so perfectly moulded that this is the most comfortable experience I've had with any Nintendo Switch 2 controller or add-on since I took a look at the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Wireless controller late last year. Comfort was also something I needed, as I was about to embark on multiple hours returning to my Animal Crossing New Horizons island thanks to the new Switch 2 Edition of the game, and the brand-new Version 3.0 content update - and comfort is exactly what I got.

Decorating the new Resort Hotel on my island of Fairdene was an absolute treat with this grip in the palm of my hands. Never once did the texture make my hands itch or give me a sensory overload, and better yet, I was finally able to stop worrying about the battery status of my controllers.

While playing the Switch 2 in bed, I often find myself having to try and find a charger, as I can get maybe 2-4 hours out of these official pads. With the Joy-Cons attached to the grip, I haven't charged them in over a week, and there's been no annoying notification alerting me that my controllers are on their last legs ever since.

I'm actually incredibly thankful that this charging grip arrived at my door when it did, as it's made me appreciate the new Switch 2 visual updates of Animal Crossing more than I would have previously. Seeing the gorgeous enhanced visuals on my 55-inch TV has been a treat, and its large size means I can fully appreciate the full adorable splendour of it, which doesn't quite come across in handheld mode.

The grip even made playing through the Nintendo Switch Online game libraries more comfortable, which is not an easy feat. I normally only use the official Switch 2 N64 controller to play officially emulated N64 games, but this has been with me through multiple temples in Ocarina of Time, even that of the water variety, without fault.

The only hindrance I have is that its handles feel pretty brittle in certain areas, so I was in fear they would break the entire time I used them. The sections that wrap around the shoulder buttons are incredibly thin, and I'm not entirely sure they can withstand how clumsy I can be with my Switch 2 gadgets. That being said, the PC+ABS-made handles still look brand-new after multiple weeks of testing, just like they did in the box. So the fears have been entirely that of my imagination for now.

Should you buy the JSAUX Ergonomic Charging Grip for the Nintendo Switch 2?

If you're a docked mode fan and you're on the market for a charging grip that doesn't match the $39.99 cost of Nintendo's official version, I'd highly recommend you grab this JSAUX version instead.

Not only is it more affordable, but it does the exact same job as Nintendo's version, and adds the advantage of optional handles for those who need them. While I assume most people after grips would always want the handles on, it's nice to have the option, especially as the extra parts easily slide on and off at a moment's notice.

The only annoyance is that having three parts to this grip and no accompanying case can make the handles prone to getting lost, especially if your house is as much of a Nintendo gaming hoarding nightmare as mine. It's not a huge grievance, yet it'd have been nice if JSAUX provided a baggy case to keep everything together.

Honestly, the fully set-up grip is so comfortable to hold, it's likely you'll find yourself playing your Switch 2 with the handles attached at all times anyway, making them very unlikely to go missing any time soon.

How I tested the JSAUX Ergonomic Charging Grip for the Nintendo Switch 2

To fully test the JSAUX Ergonomic Charging Grip for the Nintendo Switch 2, I added the accessory to my Nintendo gaming setup for a minimum of two weeks. During that time, I used them to play everything from Pokemon Legends Z-A, Animal Crossing New Horizons Switch 2 Edition, to The Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time via the Nintendo 64 Nintendo Switch Online game library, to see how they performed with a variety of genres and releases.

For more information on how we test Nintendo Switch 2 accessories, please read our full GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy.

Our team has also rounded up the best Nintendo Switch 2 controllers, the best Nintendo Switch headsets, and the best Nintendo Switch cases that are worth your time and attention.