If we rated things based solely on looks, the Gioteck WX5+ would immediately score top marks. This wireless controller for Switch, Switch 2 and PC boasts Hall Effect sticks and triggers and a pair of pro back buttons, but it’s the visual design that immediately grabs you. The delightful ‘Crayons’ livery is tied to RGB lighting, making this one of the most visually appealing controllers we’ve seen in a very long time.
At £24.99, Gioteck has also made one of the cheapest wireless controllers out there, especially considering all the features that Gioteck have crammed in. In terms of value, you’re simply not getting Hall Effect, programmable back buttons, RGB, a 3.5mm headphone socket, gyro and vibration anywhere else at this price point.
That budget pricing isn’t even immediately obvious when you pick it up. It is quite light in the hand, but the plastic that’s been used feels solid, and the textured grips help to keep it set in place.
While the Crayons livery is my personal favourite – who doesn’t want their controller to look like melted cake? – the other options are equally eye-catching, especially the 60s-flavoured Spiral and the multi-coloured mess of Doodle. If you’re a more serious type – or a teenage boy – there’s Dark Camo which is much more understated. There’s probably more chance of losing it, though.
Each of the analogue sticks houses colourful RGB rings as well, but it’s the performance of these Hall Effect sticks that’s most impactful. They’re pleasingly taut, returning to centre with a reassuring certainty, and they feel excellent in use. The Hall Effect tech should also mean that they are exceedingly long-lasting, outperforming standard potentiometer-equipped controllers that are more likely to suffer from stick drift.
The triggers are also Hall Effect, meaning that they’re a touch more accurate, while also benefiting from the frictionless tech. You can also switch them between analogue and digital performance, potentially cutting out a few more milliseconds of reaction time when playing shooters and other competitive titles, even without physical lockouts, which are ultimately the only thing the WX5+ is really missing. If you’re playing on Switch or Switch 2, the whole analogue trigger thing will be lost on you, but in a multi-platform house it’s a nice thing to have.
The only component that I’m not entirely sold on here is the cross-shaped D-pad. It feels too large under your thumb, and the left and right response feels slightly different. It didn’t cause any problems while playing, but there’s something about it that doesn’t feel as well-made as the rest of the WX5+. The other face buttons, and the shoulder buttons too, are reliable and responsive, and it’s just a bit odd that the D-pad feels as different as it does.
Around the back of the controller, there’s two programmable ‘pro’ buttons. These sit well under your middle fingers when you’re naturally gripping the controller, but with enough resistance to ensure you don’t accidentally activate them when you’re getting increasingly frustrated with purple shells ruining your peerless driving in Mario Kart World.
The Gioteck WX5+ is practically a no-brainer in a household that’s looking for a great-value second controller, and it even makes a compelling cost-effective argument against the official Switch 2 Pro Controller as a daily driver. In the hand, there is an obvious difference in terms of quality, particularly in the plastics used, but when you’re in the midst of the action, the WX5+ is a deeply reliable performer.
