It was easy to crown the EasySMX S10 the best Switch 2 controller last time. The $60 wireless gamepad, which is often well below $50, mimics or improves on many of the best features of the $90 Switch 2 Pro controller. The S10 has a thunderous feel that feels great in games, a TMR joystick that will last longer than Nintendo’s, plus amiibo support, a comfortable grip, and buttons and triggers that provide satisfying clicks. The new S10 Lite removes some of those, but builds on EasySMX’s lead with a big, new feature that I hope other companies will copy.
EasySMX S10 Lite is the first third-party controller to offer native support for Switch 2. This is an improvement over all non-Nintendo wireless controllers, which rely on macros to execute system-level commands like GameChat, and require an awkward, yet common first-time setup process (EasySMX’s S10 included) to be able to activate the Switch 2. Instead the S10 Lite is treated like a first-party controller by the console (the system interface even thinks it’s a Switch 2 Pro). It can connect instantly to your console and activate it remotely by tapping the home button, just like Nintendo’s expensive controller. Despite EasySMX’s site saying otherwise, it’s also compatible with the original Switch, though the S10 Lite’s native OS-level integration and GameChat button doesn’t work on that platform.
This native support also lets you configure the S10 Lite’s GL and GR rear paddles through the Switch 2’s operating system by pressing the controller’s home button during a game. It is the only controller not made by Nintendo that can do this. This lets the S10 Lite take advantage of the fact that the console can remember custom GL/GR mappings on a per-game basis, which is easier than manually configuring button mappings every time you change games on other third-party controllers.
Native support is the most obvious advantage of the S10 Lite compared to the S10 and other controllers. However, it has a few omissions that make deciding between it and the original S10 more difficult than necessary. For example, the S10 Lite lacks amiibo support, and its rumble doesn’t feel as high-quality as the S10’s (although, the Lite’s rumble is still better than 8BitDo’s offering of Switch 2-compatible controllers). Finally, it features a Hall Effect stick, not the more efficient TMR stick in the S10, although the stick technology is better than the $90 Switch 2 Pro controller.
The $39.99 S10 Lite simplifies connectivity and customization — two huge accomplishments — at the expense of some small, yet nice features. If easy setup and seamless integration matter to you more than amiibo support and a better rumble effect, the S10 Lite is a better, cheaper option than the S10. However, it would be ideal to have an EasySMX controller that is good at everything – maybe that day will come.
Photography by Cameron Faulkner/The Verge
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