PDP Afterglow Wireless Deluxe Controller Review

In this review, I shall be taking a look at the Afterglow Wireless Deluxe Controller from PDP for my beloved Nintendo Switch. This is not my first review for PDP I also checked out the PDP Pokémon Poké Ball & Pikachu Deluxe Travel and Commuter Cases, which you can read here if interested, trust in my words they are GOOD.

The first thing that took my attention was my Son who is only 11 months old grabbing the product off the shelf of our local superstore over all other controllers. Then he started to bang it on the floor like a drum stick, not quite how you use a controller but near enough. As some gamers throw and even bang their controllers on walls and floors when they can not get passed a certain section in a game, or they keep dying in multi-player.

For me when I first saw the controller was its exceptional design of the packaging which PDP has chosen to sell their Afterglow Wireless Controller in. It really shows off everything, mostly what they are selling the controller have a look yourself in the below pictures;

PDP does not bother putting a picture of the controller on the front, no, they make the case clear, so you can actually see the controller and all the selling points on the front is the term wireless, PDP really wants you to know that. Then right in the top right-hand corner is ‘Prismatic Colour Select Lighting‘, which does not make much sense till you turn the box over and see the controller in the top picture using RBG Lighting.

Check out this video created by PDP that showcasesPrismatic Colour Select Lighting.

On the back, PDP provides some key features which include the following;

• Bluetooth Wireless Gaming
• Customisable Lighting
• Rechargeable Battery
• Motion Controls
• Duel Programmable Buttons 

There is one feature missing ‘HDRumble‘ or any type of ‘Rumble’, which might be a deal-breaker as some games use the rumble feature to a good degree. As an example, The Legend of Zelda Links Awakening uses the feature to give you a clue that you are close to something hidden.

Let us not dwell in one missing feature lets look at the actual product, inside the box you will get an instruction manual, the controllers obviously, and a Micro USB Charger Cable.

The instruction manual is rather detailed compared to some I have seen from other companies which normally give a website link to read how to use their product.

Now let us look at the actual controller, which I must admit looks very similar in design to the Official Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, I took some pictures below have a look for yourself

The actual design, its weight, its dimensions all make moving from one to the other and back rather easy and you do not have to get used to new positions, like some third party controllers want you to do, like the Snakebyte Game:Pad S Pro which has a similar layout to a PlayStation controller.

The controllers finish is clear throughout and polished, so it does get a little slippy underhand after a good amount of playtime. What this controller could have used was a textured clear grip area around where your hands grip the controller, this would have helped when it comes to your hands sweating or getting greasy during those long gaming sessions. Greasy hands equal fingerprints, loads of them, but lucky for us thanks to the design of this controller, they are not that viewable, which is great as I would be cleaning it all the time, as I hate when things get dirty.

The next slight change to discuss would be the analog sticks which have a raised ridge all around, then they dip in which houses a little texture to give you thumbs some grip, they are also slightly higher than the Official Pro Controller Sticks. I must admit the extra height and slight design change took me off guard when I first started using them, but nothing, that told my brain to not like the alterations, it was more towards, these changes are good.

Then we have one other change the placements of the +, -, Home and Screen Capture buttons, they are a little higher but nothing to complain about.

Some time ago I mentioned that this control pad was missing any sort of rumble feature, this can be a deal-breaker for some gamers that like to experience games in the way the game developers designed them. Instead, PDP has given us ‘BLING’, RGB Lighting Effects known as Prismatic Colour Select Lighting’. This is not going to be for everyone but for gamers like me that sort of love RGB lighting on all his PC peripherals I rather like this nifty little addition. There is also plenty of customisation to play around with, from Static Colours, to Fade in and out, Cycle through all colours to the colours reacting to analog stick movements. Everything is controlled by holding down the small button by the right analog stick and pressing down L or R Buttons. To change static colours, again press the button next to the right analog stick known as the function button and then left/right on the DPad. To adjust the brightness as you might feel it is a little too bright at night, press the function button and either ZL or ZR.

Another extra feature would be the button on the back, two of them see image below

You can assign/ map any button to these back buttons, just by holding down the function button, then pressing the back button you want to map, then choose any button, movement pad on the front and that will then be mapped to the controller. I do not understand why anyone would need this. If the buttons had the ability to record a macro for a set game and had some sort of memory, then I can see a much better use for them. If you like me and do not see the point in these back buttons you can remove the plate, just below the plate you will find a small switch, just move that to one side and the plate will come loose.

Let us keep going and one feature I love in all my controllers this would be Motion Controls known as Gyro Sensors. It is the way we aim in games, instead of using the inaccurate analog stick the Gyro Sensors allows us to aim more precisely, bring games to life. I find Gyro Sensors a must-have for console gaming and I do not think I could live without them. The best things the Gyro Sensors used within this controller is just as good the Gyro Sensors used in the Official Nintendo Switch Pro Controller.

The wireless reach is amazing, and the battery life is on par with the Official Nintendo Switch Pro Controller.

You can purchase your brand new Afterflow Wireless Deluxe Controller here for $49.99.

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