EasySMX S10 review – A solid controller, despite some issues on Switch 2

With the Switch 2 being only a few months old, third party controllers for the system are few and far between. Thankfully, unlike the PS5 and Xbox Series, you can use most Switch controllers on Nintendo’s new system. You do lose out on the C button and waking up the console from sleep, but most people don’t actually need to spend anything on a new controller.

That means that any controller aiming to support the Switch 2 specifically needs to have a C button and wake up from sleep. The EasySMX S10 bills itself as “Optimized for Switch 2 Gamers”, in theory having features that a Switch 1 controller does not. And yet, while it’s a pretty solid controller overall, it’s not exactly the ideal choice for Switch 2.

Specs

• Compatibility: Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, PC, Android, iOS
• Connectivity: Bluetooth, Wired
• Buttons: Mechanical (micro-switch “triggers”)
• D-pad: Mechanical
• Sticks: TMR
• Polling rate: 1000Hz wired, 125Hz Bluetooth
• Battery: 1200mAh
• Colour options: Midnight (black), White
• Other features: HD rumble, minimal RGB, motion control, NFC, swappable d-pad and faceplates, 2 back buttons.

Design and Usability

Compared to the Xbox-styled controllers I end up reviewing most of the time, the S10’s design leans slightly closer to the Switch Pro controller. You obviously have the Switch button layout, but the body itself is also shorter with thinner grips.

On the front you have a transparent plastic faceplate, held in by magnets. The default faceplate has a wavy design, though you can replace it with a plain one that’s included with the controller. It’s not an awful idea, though EasySMX currently doesn’t sell any extra faceplates, and the current transparent ones don’t actually allow you to see the controllers internals or anything like that.

The S10 is quite a comfortable controller to hold, with the textured back plastic offering enough grip alongside the ergonomic shape of the handles. I wouldn’t say it’s any better or worse than Xbox-styled controllers when it comes to the shape, more a side-grade that some people might prefer.

On the back you get two extra buttons that can be mapped to single or multiple inputs (no macros as far as I could tell.) They get the job done, though they’re not the easiest to press. While it does mean that you wont accidentally hit them during regular play, I found them a little too awkward to use as replacements for frequent actions like reloading in FPS games.

When it comes to RGB, the S10 uses it rather sparingly. It’s relegated to two small strips on the bottom corners of the controller’s front, along with the lit logo in the middle. You can customise the lighting using a few button combinations, changing its brightness and colour (or just turn it off entirely.) There’s no software to allow for editing the RGB on your phone or PC.

Top Tier Components, With a Few Caveats

As with the EasySMX D10 I reviewed earlier this year, the S10 makes use of TMR sticks. They offer good accuracy while eliminating the potential for drift later down the line. They’re not quite as smooth as the sticks on the S10 (mostly due to the plastic faceplate being used instead of a standard front with anti-friction rungs), but still an improvement over the DualSense or Xbox controller. The tops also make use of slightly harder texture plastic, another change that is more up to preference but one that I like over the softer D10 sticks.

I’m also a big fan of the mechanical face buttons. They’re somewhat flat, with that satisfying click you expect from buttons like these. Unlike the S10, they don’t have a habit of pressing against the plastic on the controller, feeling smoother as a result. This is mostly due to the buttons wobbling a little less in general, something I’ve found to be an issue on a lot of other controllers with mechanical buttons.

Being a controller that’s aimed primarily for use on the Switch / Switch 2, the triggers are digital rather than analog. This means that, while they wont be that great in racing games on PC or mobile, they’re far more responsive in all other games that don’t need analog triggers. The micro-switches used on the triggers are clicky and responsive, though they do have a little bit of extra movement (you have to press down a little bit before the press is actually registered.)

On the other hand, the shoulder buttons are somewhat less impressive. They do have a little bit of a click to them, but they’re slightly more mushy than the other buttons on the S10. My closest comparison would be to the shoulder buttons on the QRD Spark N5, where they almost feel like they’re sticking when de-pressed.

The d-pad is also merely okay. By default the EasySMX S10 comes with a smooth, slightly curved circular d-pad. While it looks like a flatter take on the Xbox controller d-pad (you do get a similar level of clickiness), it ends up being less precise. Part of this is due to how much flatter it is — there’s not much distinction between each direction — and the fact that the plastic used is a slippery. Switching it out with the more standard d-pad helps somewhat, but that also comes with the downside of being stiffer.

Not a True Switch 2 Controller

Despite a few gripes with the buttons, my time with the S10 has mostly been positive. But as I mentioned at the start, this is a controller that exists for use with the Switch 2 first. And in the ways this matters the most, it doesn’t quite live up to what a Switch 2 controller should offer.

Pairing is where the oddities start. Like other controllers on Switch 2, you can pair the S10 to your console from the controller menu. However, to enable waking up from sleep mode, you also have to disconnect then reconnect the Joy-Cons right after connecting the S10. This took a few tries before it worked for me, though you thankfully don’t have to do this each time you turn your Switch 2 on.

It’s something that, while minor, makes it clear that this is not a true Switch 2 controller. This fact is made even more obvious by the S10’s take on the C button. On an official Switch 2 controller, the C button opens up the chat menu straight away as you’d expect. On the S10, the C button acts as a macro specifically to access the chat option on the home screen.

Because of this, it will only ever work if you’re already in a game, as the macro always follows the same pattern of pressing Home, down, right, then A. It’s technically an improvement over other non-Switch 2 controllers, though not by much.

EasySMX S10 Review – Final Thoughts

The S10 is a solid controller for roughly half the price of an official Switch 2 Pro Controller. While it might not truly offer everything you’d want for Switch 2, it still features components that are a big step up over what Nintendo offers. If future revisions can improve upon some of its weaker aspects (perhaps even offering a true C button) then it could easily become a top tier choice for Switch 2.

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We reviewed the EasySMX S10 using a sample provided by the manufacturer. You can buy it via the official EasySMX store or Amazon (UK link.)

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