HyperX ChargePlay Clutch review: A solid Nintendo Switch charging case and stand

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Techaeris Rated 9.1/10

While the Nintendo Switch is a great mobile console, its battery life leaves something to be desired. If you’ve had your Switch for a while — especially an original launch edition, its mobile battery life can be even less than it originally was. We previously reviewed the HyperX ChargePlay Quad Joy-Con Charging Station and the company’s latest Switch accessory aims at improving battery life. Our HyperX ChargePlay Clutch review takes a look at a charging case and grip for the Nintendo Switch. Read on to see how it performed in our full review.

Specifications

The HyperX ChargePlay Clutch Charging Case for Nintendo Switch has the following features and specifications:

  • Extended battery life for long gaming sessions
  • Detachable Joy-Con™ Grips
  • Stable kickstand for Tabletop mode
  • Secure, convenient docking
  • LED indicators display charge status
ModelHX-CPCS-U
Battery capacity6000mAh
Input5V ⎓ 1.5AMax
Output5V ⎓ 2.0AMax
Cable1.8m USB Type-C to USB-A
Weight400g
Dimensions (L x W x H)273.9 x 40.2 x 114.1mm

What’s in the box

  • HyperX ChargePlay Clutch Charging Case for Nintendo Switch
  • 1.8m USB Type-C to USB-A cable
  • Quick Start Guide
What's included with the HyperX ChargePlay Clutch Charging Case for Nintendo Switch
What’s included with the HyperX ChargePlay Clutch Charging Case for Nintendo Switch.

Design

We’ve reviewed a number of HyperX products in the past and for the most part, the design and build quality have been pretty decent. The HyperX ChargePlay Clutch Charging Case for Nintendo Switch is no different. Black in colour and comprised of three main pieces, the ChargePlay Clutch is constructed from sturdy-feeling plastic.

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The middle piece holds the Nintendo Switch console and is just over 4 3/4-inches in width and 4 1/2 inches in height. The front has a bottom ledge with a USB Type-C connector in it and a latch at the top to lock the console in place. The sides both have a nub and a hole which line up with the Joy-Con grips to hold all three pieces in place magnetically.

Front view of the HyperX ChargePlay Clutch Charging Case for Nintendo Switch
Front view of the HyperX ChargePlay Clutch Charging Case for Nintendo Switch.

The back of the main center piece has a rather large 4 3/8-inch wide by 3 1/4-inch high kickstand. This kickstand is much better than the built-in Nintendo Switch one, that’s for sure. Across the middle of the kickstand is the HyperX logo in white. Centered near a cutout in the bottom of the kickstand is a USB Type-C input for plugging in and recharging. On the lower left is another cut out that houses the power button and four LED battery status indicators.

The other two pieces are left and right Joy-Con grips. Roughly 3-inches wide and 4 1/4-inches in height, the outer edge is nicely rounded and has a groove in it for your Joy-Con. When used with just the Joy-Cons, the middle pops up and forms a rail for the controller to fit snugly inside. The inside of the grip is lined with a foam material. The inner edge of each grip has nubs and holes opposite to those on the center piece. Again, these attach and hold in place via magnets. Additionally, the grips snap together as well so you can use the Joy-Cons as a larger style controller if you want, roughly 6-inches wide and 4 1/4-inches in height. The back of each grip has a nice textured motif that is fairly comfortable to hold and definitely adds some grip when used.

Regardless of whether you are using the ChargePlay Clutch as one unit or in kickstand mode with the Joy-Cons in the grips, the Nintendo Switch and controllers fit snug. As for the charging cable, it’s your typical coated USB Type-C to USB-A cable. It is quite long though at just under 6 feet in length, giving you lots of options when it comes to plugging it in.

As far as comfort goes, I actually like using the Switch in the ChargePlay Clutch. It does add a bit of weight but I do like the bulkier feeling and it does fit in my larger hands better. On the other hand, my son found the ChargePlay Clutch uncomfortable at first but as he used it more and more, he started getting used to it. At the end of the day, he does like the idea of the ChargePlay Clutch, but for comfort reasons, would rather play on his Nintendo Switch without it.

Ease of Use

As alluded to above, you can use the HyperX ChargePlay Clutch Charging Case in two different ways: handheld mode and tabletop mode. In handheld mode, simply flip the console latch on the ChargePlay Clutch up and slide your Nintendo Switch with the Joy-Cons attached into the Clutch. Once in place, the USB Type-C port lines up with your Switch and you can then snap the console latch down to secure the Switch.

The HyperX ChargePlay Clutch Charging Case for Nintendo Switch with Nintendo Switch and Joy-Cons inserted in handheld mode
The HyperX ChargePlay Clutch Charging Case for Nintendo Switch with Nintendo Switch and Joy-Cons inserted in handheld mode.

In tabletop mode, remove the Joy-Cons from your Nintendo Switch. Flip the Joy-Con rails in each side grip up and slide the Joy-Con in the appropriate side. Next, hold the two grips close to each other and they will snap in place, giving you a somewhat standard console controller form factor. As before, you’ll want to flip the console latch up and then slide the display portion of the Nintendo Switch into the middle section. Once inserted, snap the latch shut. you can then pull back at the bottom of the kickstand to extend it and place the middle main unit on a table or desk and your good to go.

In both cases, you’ll want to press the power button in order to start feeding power to the Switch from the ChargePlay Clutch and extend your battery life and play time.

Battery Life

As my son has an original Nintendo Switch, the battery life isn’t that great. In fact, he’s lucky to get 2 1/2 hours of playtime out of it. With the HyperX ChargePlay Clutch, he is able to extend his playtime to between 6 and 7 hours depending on the games he’s playing.

With its 6000mAh battery, it does take a bit of time to recharge — depending on your power adapter of course. We recharged it via the Nintendo Switch dock and each time it took about 5 hours to fully recharge once fully depleted.

Price/Value

With an MSRP of US$59.99, the HyperX ChargePlay Clutch Charging Case for Nintendo Switch is pretty reasonably priced. It is solidly built, allows for two modes of use, is fairly comfortable, and can extend your Nintendo Switch battery life by up to 5 hours.

Wrap-up

If you’re tired of running out of battery life while playing your Nintendo Switch, you’ll want to consider the HyperX ChargePlay Clutch. Not only does it extend your battery life, but it is also pretty comfortable to use.

In some of our articles and especially in our reviews, you will find Amazon or other affiliate links. As Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases. Any other purchases you make through these links often result in a small amount being earned for the site and/or our writers. Techaeris often covers brand press releases. Doing this does not constitute an endorsement of any product or service by Techaeris. We provide the press release information for our audience to be informed and make their own decision on a purchase or not. Only our reviews are an endorsement or lack thereof. For more information, you can read our full disclaimer.

Last Updated on February 3, 2021.

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