🎮 Gioteck Controllers Review| WX-4 and JC-20 🎮 @GioteckArmy

Gioteck WX-4 Wired (2.5m cable) / Wireless & JC-20 

Gaming controllers are expensive (I look at YOU Nintendo Joy-Cons) and it’s always good to have a solid replacement available at a decent price. 

Gioteck’s WX-4 range caters for PC, PS3 and Switch whilst the JC-20’s are their version of the Nintendo Joy-Cons. 

Here, I’ll be taking a look at how they rate as replacements for the inevitable Joy-Con issues or simply an addition to your accessory collection for multiplayer action.

Gioteck WX-4 Wireless & Wired

I’ll review this together as the only difference appears to be the connection style (and the fact that the wireless controller I was sent has a Minecraft design, very nice).

I’m familiar with the Gioteck WX-4 as I’ve owned a plain black one myself for over a year, with no issues and so I feel comfortable in stating that these are reliable controllers. 

I wanted a wireless controller for my Games Freezer cohort, Co-Op Chris as he has large hands and finds the standard cradled Joy-Cons to be too small and fiddly... but I didn’t want to spend £50+ on something just for him to spill bourbon over it when we are playing Mechstermination Force (what a blinking good game that is) and so I grabbed a Gioteck WX-4. 

The first thing that grabs you as you grab it from the box is the lack of weight. I can imagine that this is a sticking point for some people that want some heft in their controllers but it doesn’t bother me, personally. 

The layout and feel (weight aside) are very much like an XBOX controller with the off-centre thumbsticks illustrated here being my preference when compared to the PlayStation-esque layout. 

I can’t express how satisfyingly ‘clicky’ the D-pad is, the perfect match to the smooth rolling of the thumbsticks, the triggers and face buttons too are responsive and whilst I have only had these review versions a week, from experience with my existing WX-4, I know that the buttons don’t seize or drift. 

I will say that they appear to have an in-built function which turns them off after a minute or two of non-usage to save battery, so be prepared to turn them back on if you make a drink or stop gaming for a few minutes. Again, not really an issue but I thought it worth mentioning. Battery-wise. 

Gioteck state that the life is between 8-20 hours dependent on how rumble-tastic the game that you are playing is but I’ve never had a single issue and even when the battery is low, you can still squeeze an hour or so out of it, a huge plus for the controller (naturally, battery life is void on the wireless version)

In summary, I’d heartily give these controllers an 8/10 (ICE COOL) rating. 

At around £20, they are less than half the price of a Switch Pro Controller and that certainly doesn’t mean half the value. 

Solid design, saucy battery life and a nice, ergonomic build mean that these are well-recommended accessories, especially at their price. 

I’m also a big fan of the Minecraft-inspired design of the version I received, for my partner it was love at first sight!

Gioteck JC-20

The unfortunate truth is that Joy-Cons can be expensive to replace. At an RRP north of £60, should one get lost or damaged, it’s a teeth-grinding cost to replace. I mean, that £60 could have been better spent on buying the Limited Edition of West of Loathing...and posting it to me. 

Available now from £30, the Gioteck JC-20 is a far more inexpensive option which does, unfortunately, come with a couple of caveats. Again, weight is minimal here (although the controllers do have rumble support) and this time, it does feel so light that, when kept in the Gioteck cradle and due to the small size of the Joy-Cons, it felt almost toy-like and it was only when they were connected to the Switch in the portable mode that the combined weight felt robust and natural.

Whilst the more rounded design and bright colours look and feel great in the hand, the facial buttons (X, Y, A & B) have a very slight sponginess to them, they still have a definitive click but do have a different feel to both the official Joy-Cons and the WX-4. That said, the shoulder buttons feel great with a definitive clickiness and the Thumbsticks feel smooth in use. 

I did notice that there was a very slight difference when playing twin-stick games in how movement registered, it was almost like the Gioteck wasn’t quite as precise as the standard Joy-Cons. It didn’t affect gameplay but it did affect feel when pin-point precision was required.

With 12-hour battery life, the Gioteck JC-20 is a fair replacement should your Joy-Cons fail or a second controller is needed for multiple players. 

However, for reasons above, I’d definitely lean towards the WX-4 although if you intend to play in portable mode the JC-20’s would be the best-suited option. 

With the points above, I feel comfortable in giving the Gioteck a 6.5/10 (Melting)

BRITT