Hardwired: TekBotic Switch Charger Review

Since the release of the Switch, I have been waiting for TekBotic to come along with a few products tailored to the device. As a fan of everything I own of theirs so far, I knew they would eventually work up something that would do wonders for fans of them and the console itself. While the latest product is not breaking any boundaries, it is much needed in the still developing atmosphere of the hybrid console. I recently got hands on with their version of the consoles charger, and it does everything it is supposed to without issue or failure.

The AltCharge is an alternative to using the base consoles charger, one that is 5ft long and sports the qualities below.
 

• Safe, reliable, fast, and convenient charging
• The AltCharge connector head is specifically designed for the Nintendo Switch
• Pumps optimally protected charging power, at the same (5V 1.5A/15V 2.6A) rate or better, than the original Nintendo Switch wall charger
• Charger also functions with other devices that require USB Type-C
• 12-Month Warranty

Now for that first line, I am not sure the extent of its safety, but I will take TekBotic’s word for it. What I am more concerned about is the latter two portions: Fast and Convenient charging. Speed wise, you get pretty solid results and about what I would expect a device of this nature to do.  During my testing, my typical charge rate was about two hours and 15 minutes to a full charge. It is actually a step up from base charger speed wise, as Nintendo lists the Switch’s full charge time at three hours even. It also offers up consistent charging while playing. I played a variety of games while charging, like Mario Odyssey and Gear Club Unlimited, and never ran into stunted charging. This is the real deal and your money will not be wasted if looking for that convenient back up. And convenient is exactly what it is. Since purchasing, I have run into the issue of not having another charger when I wanted to continue playing in handheld mode with a low battery or when traveling. Obviously I could take my base, packaged charger, but undoing my set up each time is a bit of an annoyance. This remedies that in a flash.

At just over or under $20, you are going to have a quality charger for your precious Switch. If you think you can find cheaper options, I would not bank on it. Any cheaper ones are probably not going to have the specs to cut it. They may charge it, but the results are probably going to be less than desirable. This is a product you can trust will work. While I would have liked a slightly longer cord, the 5ft is a modest length that makes its ease of accessibility still worthwhile. If you have been in the market for a secondary Switch charger, look no further. TekBotic has this one in the bag.

*Note: The product was provided by TekBotic for the purposes of the review
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FINAL SCORE: 
HIGHLY RECOMMEND