A lot’s been said about controllers on Switch over the years, whether it’s just how generally overpriced they are or how they tend to emulate the 2006 Fast and Furious entry after a short while. If you want to save some money and also avoid the dreaded drift, the PowerA Spectra Enhanced Wired Controller For Nintendo Switch is probably the best option on the market.
Available for $34.99/£29.99, the elevator pitch for PowerA’s Spectra Enhanced is quite compelling: the Pro Controller, but half the price and wired. It’s also lacking vibration and gyro, which might be a bit of a bummer for Nintendo’s first-party games that really come to life with HD Rumble. However, for anyone looking for an affordable second controller for co-op or something to use for competitive multiplayer games, it’s difficult to see how many third-party controllers can compete with the Spectra in terms of price and general quality. Heck, even the box the controller comes in seemed a step above.
Setting the controller up couldn’t be simpler. Take the controller out of the (lovely) box, attach the cable, plug it into your Switch’s USB port, then hit your bumpers to confirm the controller. That’s your lot.
In terms of actually using it, though, the Spectra feels just as — perhaps more — comfortable than the Pro Controller in the palm of your hands. While it lacks the satisfying heft of the Pro, the Spectra’s matte finish feels softer than the Pro’s, and the almost identical button and stick placement mean it’s an easy transition. I played through all of DOOM II with the Spectra and found zero complaints, even using some of its “new age” features to slay demons in quite a weird yet amazing time warp. The face buttons and d-pad are just the right amount of “clicky”, and the anti-friction sticks make getting around a doddle with your thumbs comfortably staying in place the whole time.
The Spectra’s “Advanced Gaming Buttons”, two programmable buttons on the back of the controller, are also easy to set up and use. Just by holding a couple of buttons down, you can double up a particular button so you can move a resting finger on the back of the controller to press the input rather than having to move your thumb. For instance, if you like to slide and jump around in Apex Legends, you can map those buttons to the back of your controller as well to allow for even smoother movement. While competitive multiplayer is hardly the first thing you think of when the Switch springs to mind, the Spectra comes across like the best way to start cranking some (very low-poly) 90s in Fortnite.
This is backed up by the almost surprising presence of a headphone jack, a feature that is bizarrely missing from Nintendo’s first-party offering. Just plug in some headphones and all audio comes through immediately, no fiddling required. Add in eight LED colours (I was super keen on the orange) that are easy to cycle through, as well as a very forgiving 9.8ft (3m) cable that will stretch from most Switch-dock-to-couch set-ups and you have a controller that’s thought of pretty much everything. Even the cable, thanks to its double-check breakaway, will disconnect should someone trip on it to save the Switch dock being pulled along for the ride.
Really, the only things to ding the Spectra on are features that you wouldn’t really expect for a controller in its price range. Its wired nature perhaps won’t make it as appealing to some, and the lack of rumble will likely be disappointing (if not a hindrance) in lots of single-player games. I also noticed that my controller would randomly light up on occasion when the Switch was on standby, but considering how long the cable is, you’re probably going to want to store the controller when you’re not using it anyway.
All in all, if you like playing against or with others, or just want a midway option before you can get a Pro, the PowerA Spectra Enhanced Wired Controller is a really surprising treat on Nintendo Switch.
Review unit provided
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