NPC: Next Portable Console Third-Party Switch 2 Controllers Check-In
8 snips
Mar 17, 2026 They untangle the messy state of third-party Switch 2 Joy-Con replacements and why feature tradeoffs are causing headaches. They test Android gaming on phones and tablets, comparing cooling, drivers, and which PC ports actually run. They place bets on Valve’s delayed Steam Machine and the outlook for its controller. Short takes on SSD buying and dual-boot pain round things out.
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Switched Back To Windows Just For One Game
- John Voorhees switched his mini PC back to Windows solely to play Marathon because its kernel-level anti-cheat blocked Bazite/SteamOS compatibility.
- He struggled with creating a working Windows boot key and limited storage, highlighting how one game forced a full OS rollback for playability.
Switch 2 Controllers Are Fragmented By Tech Choices
- Third-party Switch 2 Joy-Con replacements are fragmented because manufacturers must choose between Switch 1 features (like HD Rumble) and Switch 2 features (like new gyros and C button) due to unfinished reverse engineering.
- Mobapad shipped two separate models (M12 HD and M12 Pro) splitting features, which leaves no single third-party controller with all Switch 2 capabilities yet.
Wait For Full Feature Joy-Con Replacements
- Wait before buying third-party Switch 2 Joy-Cons if you want full feature parity; manufacturers are releasing partial-feature models that may lack HD Rumble or NFC.
- Brendon suggests holding off until someone figures out Switch 2 HD Rumble and releases a controller with everything.