PowerA Fusion Pro Review: A Switch Pro Controller Alternative With Some Caveats


The Nintendo Switch Pro controller is, whisper it, an understated classic. It's solid, dependable, and it's able to scan your amiibo every once in a while.

PowerA has its own alternative, though, but for everything it adds, it has a couple of drawbacks.

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More Pro Than Pro

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The Fusion Pro, at least at quick glance, is almost indistinguishable from the Pro Controller. Aside from the swappable faceplates (white or black options are included), you'd be forgiven for thinking it's the same as you've been using.

In reality, though, it's more akin to Microsoft's Elite controller for the Xbox. Concave and convex thumbsticks can be swapped out, and there's a mappable set of paddles on the back that can be attached or detached depending on your preference.

Each of the four paddles can be used instead of the face or shoulder buttons, and mapping is simple - you hold down a button on the back, press the face button, and then press the paddle. It's that simple.

Fusion Pros and Fusion Cons

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While the controller works perfectly well wirelessly, its battery life comes in at quite a chunk less than the standard Pro Controller.

The Fusion Pro will last for twenty hours, but Nintendo's own option will get close to double that. Thankfully, the included charging cable is almost comically long at 9.8ft.

You'll want to use it, too, if you want to take advantage of the controllers 3.5mm audio jack port. The controller will only pass audio to a headset if you're playing in wired mode.

Perhaps the biggest caveat, however, is the lack of HD Rumble. In fact, there's a lack of any rumble. Whether that makes a huge difference to you or not is entirely subjective, but at this price point it's a tough pill to swallow.

That said, we love the carry case that holds all of the included accessories.

Verdict

At $100, the PowerA's extra features come at a premium, but also with a series of tradeoffs. Twenty-hour battery life is nothing to be sniffed at, sure, and a 3.5mm jack is handy even if it does require being plugged in.

Still, if you're looking for extra input options and aren't fussed by making rumble part of the equation, the Fusion Pro is worth a look.

3.5/5

Review unit provided by the manufacturer

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