As a Switch enthusiast, I love the console a lot; it’s unique and creative. However, I also acknowledge that one of its drawbacks are the Joycons. Stick drift has been an issue from the get-go but I’ve also noticed they feel quite small in my humongous adult hands, because… I’m a big boy!

This is where the QRD Stellar T5 wireless joypad comes into play! Now, there are many Pros and Cons (last pun, I swear) available for the Switch, so is the Stellar T5 worth investing in?

Yes! I’m delighted to report that this controller is worth your money. If you’re using a Switch Lite, fear not, as this controller is compatible with Switch, Switch OLED, Switch Lite, PC, IOS and Android. 

As Detective David Mills would say, what’s in the box? Upon unboxing this bad boy, you’ll find the controller itself, which consists of left and right controllers attached to the centerpiece, making the controller itself. These are detachable from the centerpiece. Included in the box are instructions, a USB C to USB A charging cable and a spare D-pad that can be swapped out. 

Connecting the controller was pretty simple and straightforward. There are instructions to guide you through how to pair to your Switch, or you can simply press the pairing keys on the controllers or use the USB cable that is included. The instructions were helpful as they also covered how to use the LED lights, turbo functions and more! 

At $89.65 AUD, you get a lot for your money. As stated before, this controller connects to various systems, has macro and micro buttons (which allows users to have them run multiple actions), a big and comfortable design, a six-axis gyro so you can use motion controls, eight LED light colors with two different modes – they are SO PRETTY. And finally, this controller boasts hall effect joysticks, which allow precise execution for actions in gaming as well as drastically reducing stick drift.

First things first, using this as a normal controller is great, and I would say that it gives the Switch Pro controller a run for its money. The Stellar T5 is nice and big for your hands which has made it super comfortable for my late-night gaming sessions. It’s nice to use a controller where my hands don’t feel constricted or cramped up. The back of the controller has rubber grips, which adds to the comfort. Buttons are laid out really well on this controller; triggers, home buttons, main buttons and the micro and macro buttons are all easily accessible. The buttons all feel great! They are nice and clicky and feel sturdy, along with the joysticks feeling smooth to use. It is reassuring to know, at least by feel, that these buttons will hold up.

My only complaint when using it as a regular controller is that when the left and right controllers are connected to the main centerpiece, it can feel a little wobbly and loose, which worried me at first because I wasn’t sure if they were just going to slide out or not. They didn’t though,  but it did bother me, at least enough to mention here in this article!

I was particularly interested in the hall effect joysticks. Hall effect sticks use magnets and electrical conductors to detect user inputs and movement, resulting in decreased stick drift. So far, the joysticks are a…joy! However, I suspect this will be more of a “time will tell” situation and I am very interested to see if they hold up, but so far, so good!

Now, using this controller in handheld mode! These controllers quite literally turn the Switch into a beast! They fit nice and snug into the left and right sides of the screen where the Joycons would go. Honestly, if you’re using these controllers in handheld mode, there is quite literally no excuse if you drop this thing. It extends the Switch’s length and honestly feels super comfortable. I used the controllers in handheld mode for 95% of the time. It is quite literally the best way to play in handheld mode, and I don’t think I want to go back to my regular Joycons. I noticed that when sliding them into and out of the left and right-hand sides of the Switch, some force is required, which I wasn’t fond of. 

That being said, I feel like this is the best way to play in handheld mode at home. Due to the big size of this controller and having it drastically extend the Switch’s length, it takes away from the portability aspect. Also, if you have smaller hands, this may be a tad big for you. Keep this in mind if you are looking to take this on the bus or in your bags, as this won’t fit in any regular cases when attached to the controllers.

This controller is pretty, really pretty. The LED lights surround the joysticks and look super aesthetic when playing games. There are red, yellow, blue, green, purple, orange, cyan and rainbow to choose from. By default, they are set to red, but once looking at the instructions, it is easy enough to change. Personally, I have mine set to rainbow because I can’t settle on one color. I can’t stress enough how much it adds to the gaming experience having a few colors come out of the controller.

I was playing Mario Wonder, which is already a colorful game, and then to look down at my controllers and see a beautiful rainbow…it made my gamer brain very happy. I believe this is also due to the semi-see-through shell of the controller and the four brightness options you can adjust on it. There are two modes for the lights – auto cycle and static. Auto cycle was my second favorite choice as it slowly fades between all colors included, but having a static rainbow just worked for me!

If you’re in the market for some affordable Joycon replacements or alternatives or a Switch Pro controller alternative, this controller is a great choice. As I said, there is a lot to like here on this unit. However, if you’re looking for something with more portability or if you have smaller hands, this may not be for you. Overall, this is a solid controller, and I can wholeheartedly recommend it.

If you are interested in picking one up, you can find it here. 

Score: 8/10