A curated list of gear and accessories I regularly use with my Nintendo Switch.
Honestly, my Nintendo Switch console is more precious to me (insert Gollum impersonation here) than any other of my material possessions. Take them all, and leave me with my Switch and accessories. I’ll be fine, thank you. That may sound ridiculous to a lot of people but it’s true. Being a home console that doubles as a handheld, the Switch is blessed with an endless stream of new accessories. Some are more useful than others. We have everything from 3d-printed Etsy creations to authentic Nintendo products available. (Oh Etsy, you’re my favorite copy-infringement riddled marketplace!) There’s more out there than most people even realize. Figuring out what’s necessary, what’s a luxury, and what’s a waste of money can be difficult at times. (personal tip: never go to Reddit for feedback and opinions.)
Generally speaking, there are four types of accessories I find necessary or helpful to use with my Nintendo Switch.
- Storage/Protection/Expanded Memory (e.g. cases, screen protectors, memory cards)
- Quality of Life Improvements (QoL) (e.g. grips, stands, chargers)
- Controllers
- Cosmetic (e.g. skins, custom joy-con)
My problems when looking for accessories begins with the fact that I’m on a fixed income. I’m not able to order a dozen different cases just to figure out what’s going to work best for my needs. Since I need to have a cautious attitude towards literally every penny I spend, I’ve become something of a professional (very humble of you Chris), when it comes to finding quality accessories at reasonable prices. Knowing that there are countless other people in the same financial situation as I am, I figured it would be a good idea to share which accessories I’ve found that not only serve a purpose but are also easy on the wallet. Granted, not all of the items listed, are in the “budget” category. After all, you can’t find a cheap memory card with a decent amount of storage unless you’re talking about those unreliable knockoffs some people buy. With all of that said, let’s get to the good stuff…
(Please note: I have personally paid for everything listed. Nothing was sent to me for free and none of the links below are affiliated in any way.)
My Must-Have Accessories
- amFilm Tempered Glass Screen Protector (A Must Have!)
- UGREEN Ethernet Adapter (Works perfectly and is faster than the crappy wifi chip inside the Nintendo Switch. A must if you play online at all.)
- SanDisk 200gb u1 Memory Card (My first SD card with “real” storage capacity. I use it to store any games I’d otherwise archive off my primary SD card.)
- Samsung 512gb u3 Memory Card (My primary storage. having my physical games stolen repeatedly has led me to only buying digital games.)
- Nintendo Switch Pro Controller (It’s official but fuck that poor excuse of a d-pad)
Comfort & Protection
- MIBOTE Joy-Con Thumb Grip Gel Guards (Not good. The fit is loose and they just get in the way. Avoid.)
- Skull & Co Joy-Con Thumbstick grips (These are for the Joy-Con ONLY. They have different grips for the Pro Controller. Be careful when ordering!)
- numskull Joy-con Controller Grips DISCONTINUED (Perfect for those spontaneous Mario Kart sessions.)
- Satisfye Pro Gaming Grip (THE best grip on the market. Ergonomic design is perfect for all sized hands.)
- Satisfye Mini Grip (Ergonomic just like the full-sized Satisfye grips)
- Satisfye Pro Elite Case (Holds a LOT, including an external battery. Well made and very sturdy.)
- JETech Protective Case (The case I used before I bought my Satisfye Pro Combo)
- Anker 30w USB-C PD Charger (My secondary charger)
- Anker PowerLine+ 6 ‘ USB-C to USB-C 2.0 cable (for the above charger. Extra durable cable.)
- Nintendo Adjustable Charging Stand (The only thing missing are a couple of extra USB ports)
- TECBOSS Foldable Stand (Phone/tablet stand that works perfectly with the Nintendo Switch)
- Tyrone Gooseneck Stand (The ultimate lazy-gamer accessory. Clips anywhere so you can Switch and chill.)
Personal Flair
- dbrand Skin (Black Camo – console/joy-con) (Easy to apply. Leaves zero residue when removed.)
Unique, Interesting, and Very Handy
- Flip Grip (A must-have accessory for anyone who enjoys playing retro arcade games. Check out my review to see why you probably need this in your life.)
- Fixture S1 (A unique and interesting accessory. Allows you to use your Pro Controller in handheld mode. It’s ingenious and shouldn’t be missed.)
- HomeSpot Bluetooth Adapter (aptX low latency with zero lag. Can connect 2 pairs of headphones at once!)
- Anker 2-in-1 USB 3.0 Card Reader (For easily transferring all screenshots/videos from my Switch to my laptop)
If you have any questions about any of the items listed, please leave a comment below or reach out on Twitter. I’d be excited to hear from you. And, if you have any favorite accessories of your own, I’d love to hear about them as well! I’m always looking out for new and interesting accessories to try.
I’ve created a dedicated, permanent page to go along with this article. The page includes everything mentioned here and it’ll be updated with each new accessory I purchase. You can see the page by going here.
Featured Image “Joy-Con (Nintendo Switch controller)” by James Sarmiento is licensed under CC BY 2.0
