G-Case Grip with Battery Pack For Nintendo Switch Review
149In this episode, we share with you our latest Kickstarter campaign we are backing, the G-Case, ONEDOCK, USB Controller adapter, and Carry Case from Plenbo.
In late 2021, I was contacted by a company called Plenbo, a relatively new company in the gaming world. They let me know that they had a number of new accessories for the Nintendo Switch and Switch OLED on Kickstarter that they were wondering if I would like to take a look at. I hopped on their Kickstarter page, saw what they had coming to market, and was instantly intrigued. The results are what you see here today, the G-Case, ONEDOCK, USB Controller Adapter, and Carry Case. They sent me some pre-production samples to check out, and if these are pre-production, I'm really excited to see the production versions!
The flagship item here is definitely the G-Case, a really a unique way to play, transport, and charge Your Nintendo Switch. The graphic design reminds me very much of something out of Gundam or Macross, I love the artwork on the back of it. Your Switch clips into the center section, retained by a rotating lever or flap. Your Joy-Cons slide into place on the left or right side, per normal, but there's some special things going on under the hood.
You can detach the sides of the G-Case, and they will still hold your Joy-Cons. Magnets in the rails allow you to attach these pieces back together, to use as a pseudo pro controller. It's really interesting how this works, it makes me wish that the Joy-Cons had larger buttons and analog sticks because the overall layout is super comfortable and just makes sense. While the Joy-Cons are detached from the body of your Switch, you can flip out the integrated kickstand in the back of the G-Case to play in tabletop mode as well. That's right, you essentially have a pro controller and a tabletop stand all integrated into this case!
One thing that has plagued the Switch since its original launch has been battery life. On the original Switch you were lucky to get 3 to 4 hours on a charge, on the OLED you might get a little bit longer. Depending on whatever game you were playing, you could extend your playtime a little bit more, but the battery has never been a strong suit of the Switch. The G-Case addresses that, with a removable battery pack. There are no complicated keepers or tabs that hold the battery in place. Instead, a series of extremely strong magnets, similar to what's implemented to keep the controller grips in place, are used to retain the battery. Another benefit is the fact that you can actually charge other devices with this pack if you remove it from the G-Case. It's pretty ingenious.
When the G-Case is fully assembled, you have one beefy unit. There are three different grips available and easily swappable to tailor the comfort level to your personal desires. Underneath each grip, you also have a storage slot for one cartridge on the back of each. Joy-Con on each side. Finally, even though the Nintendo Switch now has built-in Bluetooth, many users have reported noticeable lag when playing games and listening to Bluetooth headphones. The G-Case incorporates Bluetooth radios, so you can actually pair two sets of headphones and listen wirelessly at any time.
The ONEDOCK is an all-in-one compact Nintendo Switch dock, all built into the size of an AC adapter. It features a USB-C input to connect to your Switch itself, a USB 3.0 port to connect any accessories, and an HDMI port to connect to a television. It's simple and it's elegance, and I'm glad to say that it simply works. Stay tuned for a separate video on this soon.
Plenbo also provided one of their Wireless Controller Adapters, which allows you to connect PS3, PS4, PS5 controllers to the Switch. I had to research how to pair my DualShock 4 controller to a Bluetooth device, but once I figured that part out my controller paired to the adapter in a few moments. The connectivity was exceptional as well, as there was no inherent lag, delay, or latency that I noticed. This was cool.
Why it RoX:
- Can be used in handheld or tabletop mode
- Multiple grip options to tailor your comfort level
- Removable battery pack to extend playtime
- I love the graphic design
- ONEDOCK is an all-in-one portable dock and charging solution.
- Tons of storage in the case
- Integrated Bluetooth for less lag and latency
What could be improved:
- Way too large to be docked
- More color options
- Greater range of angles for the kickstand
- A little on the hefty side
Should you buy one?
I love seeing what creative things people can do, and the G-Case is absolutely amazing, and it's actually a really good value for what they are providing. At the time of this video going live, it is still on Kickstarter, and they still have a number of stretch goals they are trying to reach, including an optional black color. If you are looking for what could be the ultimate handheld Switch grip, look no further than the G-Case.
#NintendoSwitch #Kickstarter #GCase #Plenbo