The PowerA Advantage Switch 2 Wired Controller has brilliant lighting, but everything else left me wanting more

PowerA Advantage Switch 2 Wired Controller: One-minute review

If you’re after a wired Nintendo Switch 2 pad that comes in at a relatively low price and offers a decent range of features, then the PowerA Advantage Switch 2 Wired Controller is a solid choice, though far from any of the best Nintendo Switch 2 controllers.

It features all the required Nintendo Switch 2 buttons, including the new C button for GameChat, plus two extra rear inputs that you can quickly remap without any software. It also has a 3.5mm headphone jack, compatible with many of the best gaming headsets or gaming earbuds, and offers three equalizer modes. They’re nothing groundbreaking, but a good inclusion at this price point.

I tested the ‘with Lumectra’ variant, which also boasts some pretty incredible RGB lighting that beautifully illuminates its entire faceplate. That’s aside from the giant red Nintendo Switch 2 logo that’s positioned right in the middle of the gamepad, which spoils the clean look. The lighting can be customized with a few pre-sets, or entirely personalized using four distinct lighting zones if you’re happy to spend time fiddling with the cumbersome button shortcuts.

The PowerA Advantage Switch 2 Wired Controller also boasts Hall effect thumbsticks, which is great on paper and should mean this controller lasts quite some time. Sadly, the thumbsticks themselves aren’t the best and feel very loose in comparison to alternatives. Fine control is difficult, which isn't a huge issue when you’re playing a casual game such as Mario Kart World, but it is extremely annoying in a title like Splatoon 3, where accuracy really matters.

The top of the thumbsticks features a knobbly texture that’s rather harsh on the fingers too, leading to some soreness over prolonged periods of use. This won’t be a dealbreaker if you’re after something for player two, but for your main gamepad, consider more expensive alternatives like the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller or 8BitDo Ultimate 2.

You get what you pay for with this one.

PowerA Advantage Switch 2 Wired Controller: Price and availability

• Starts at $39.99 / £29.99
• Lumectra variant is $49.99 / £34.99
• It’s frequently on sale for much less

Buyers in the UK are getting a better deal on the PowerA Advantage Switch 2 Wired Controller, which starts at $39.99 / £29.99. That’s for the plain version. The Lumectra variant I tested goes for slightly more at $49.99 / £34.99.

This makes it a little cheaper than previous wireless options from the brand, such as the PowerA Enhanced Wireless Controller with Lumectra for the original Nintendo Switch.

These prices are frequently subject to discounts, though, especially if you’re not after a particular pattern. At the time of writing, the ‘Mario Time’ edition costs just $28.68 at Amazon in the US, while the black version is down to £24.99 at Smyths Toys in the UK.

Its wide availability means that it’s one of the cheapest Nintendo Switch 2 controllers that you can get at most retail stores, putting it firmly into impulse buy territory. If you’re shopping for a spare gamepad ahead of a multiplayer session, it’s going to be a really tempting option.

PowerA Advantage Switch 2 Wired Controller: Specs

PowerA Advantage Switch 2 Wired Controller: Design and features

• Lightweight
• Lengthy 10ft USB cable
• Doesn’t feel premium

The PowerA Advantage Switch 2 Wired Controller is extremely lightweight and doesn’t feel the most premium. It’s constructed from a basic, almost brittle plastic and seems hollow in the hands.

It doesn't help that there are a few spots where you can actually peer at the circuitry inside the controller, around the thumbsticks and triggers, for example, which is a little strange and will surely lead to dirt and dust accumulating inside in the long run.

That lightweight feel does at least mean that it’s comfortable in the hands, though, and even young children shouldn’t struggle to hold it for extended gaming sessions.

On the front of the controller, you’ll find the two thumbsticks and all the expected inputs. This includes the face buttons, d-pad, plus and minus (which are located towards the bottom), a home button, C button, and capture button. The thumbsticks use Hall effect components, which is a good sign, though unfortunately don’t feel very high quality. They offer practically no resistance, gliding around quickly and making them difficult to control precisely.

They’re also made from a hard, plastic-like material with little abrasive bumps that left my fingers feeling sore after a few hours of play.

I tested the ‘With Lumectra’ version of the pad, which comes in a clean white. When plugged in, the face plate illuminates brightly thanks to loads of hidden LEDs in an impressive rainbow effect.

PowerA really knows how to make good RGB lighting without breaking the bank, and it leads to a very attractive-looking controller. Unfortunately, it’s somewhat spoiled by the giant Nintendo Switch 2 logo that’s been awkwardly slapped in a giant red square in the middle of the pad.

It clashes with the lighting effects and looks incredibly weird and out of place. Luckily, if you’re buying the cheaper regular version of the controller, you won’t need to worry about this, as the logo comes in more reasonable colors, like a dark grey on the black colorway.

On the back of the controller are the two remappable buttons, customized by holding a small program button next to them. There’s also a button to control the LED lighting, plus a dedicated audio button that cycles through EQ presets when you have headphones plugged in via the 3.5mm jack. There’s a standard preset, plus a bass boost and an ‘immersive’ option.

The only other thing of note is a small LED bar towards the bottom of the controller. It can be easy to miss with all the lighting turned on, but it’s a clean white when the controller is on and blinks blue when you’re remapping buttons.

As a wired gamepad, the controller is only usable when connected to the Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch 2 via a USB Type-C cable. A 10-foot-long PowerA-branded cable is included in the box, which should be long enough for most setups.

PowerA Advantage Switch 2 Wired Controller: Performance

• Gets the job done
• Ideal as a spare gamepad
• Thumbsticks could be better

At the end of the day, the PowerA Advantage Switch 2 Wired Controller gets the job done. If you’re after a cheap controller to use when you’re playing with a friend or to give to a child, then it performs as you would expect for the price. The buttons aren’t the most tactile, but they are perfectly responsive to press, and the d-pad is a decent size and easy to use.

The plug-and-play compatibility makes the controller incredibly easy to set up, and the ability to tweak the rear button mapping or lighting effects without the need for any software is handy - though the process of doing this is cumbersome even with the instruction manual on hand.

The biggest area for improvement is easily the thumbsticks. As I already mentioned, they’re harsh on the finger and could really do with being made from a much softer material. They’re also quite loose, which makes them a poor fit for games that require precision.

Don’t get me wrong, they’re perfectly usable still, but they hardly compare to those offered by more expensive controllers such as the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller It’s the one thing that really stops the PowerA Advantage Switch 2 Wired Controller from netting a more enthusiastic recommendation, given its modest price tag.

The addition of a 3.5mm jack is useful for voice chat, as it allows you to connect a pair of earbuds or headphones with a microphone. The three EQ settings are also nifty.

The standard and bass boost options are self-explanatory, while the ‘Immersive’ preset subtly increases both low and high-end sounds. Is it particularly immersive? Not really, but it’s still fun to play around with and might even help a cheap headset sound a little bit better.

Should I buy the PowerA Advantage Switch 2 Wired Controller?

Buy it if…

Don’t buy it if…

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How I tested the PowerA Advantage Switch 2 Wired Controller

• Tested for over two weeks
• Tried with a wide range of games
• Compared to other Switch and Switch 2 controllers

I tested the PowerA Advantage Switch 2 Wired Controller for over two weeks, trying it with a range of Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2 games, including the likes of Mario Kart World, Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition, Hitman World of Assassination – Signature Edition, and more.

Throughout my time with the controller, I compared it to my hands-on testing of other Nintendo gamepads, including the official Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller and Joy-Con 2.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed September 2025