The Venom Power Pack & Stand is an essential accessory for hardcore Nintendo Switch gaming, providing a significant boost to the console’s battery life and a solid kickstand base for travel stability. With its sleek design and ease of use, the device is easy to recommend for any Switch gamer.
The power pack base fits easily over the Switch via lockable clamps, encasing it in a sturdy, but heavy bundle. The Power Pack nearly doubles the weight of the Switch, making for a somewhat unwieldy handheld experience. Despite this, the thin and ergonomic design maximises comfort, and the balanced kickstands mean that it’s stable on any surface.
The twin kickstands solve a key problem for the Switch — the relative instability of the smaller, single kickstand. Here, the device is supported by two larger kickstands that maintain support across a variety of surfaces, including carpet. They fit easily into the device and are a simple but effective addition to the pack.
The most important aspect of the device is, of course, its charging capabilities, and it’s here that the power pack shines. It’s no secret that higher powered games such as Breath of the Wild, Super Mario Odyssey and Skyrim are a drain on the Switch’s life, and those looking to marathon these games in handheld mode may find themselves quickly disappointed.
Playing Skyrim with brightness on full blast with the aid of the power pack, I was able to play for around 10 hours without charging it. When calculating that relative to the current battery life for the Switch, a reasonable statement to make would be that the power pack is able to carry around 1.5 – 2 full battery charges for the console. The power pack is also easily chargeable via USB cable, and can be fully charged in around 4-5 hours. The case also comes with an additional power port for charging additional devices.
When playing less intensive games at a lower brightness, it stands to reason that the console should last significantly longer than 10 hours. Given the average battery life for the Switch sits at the 3-4 hour mark, the Venom power pack represents a serious upgrade.
The device does come with minor caveats, but relatively insignificant ones. The weight of the pack does become an issue after extended handheld use, and the kickstands are finicky and difficult to flick out. In addition to these issues, the case makes accessing the power button and game slot more difficult, adding minor inconvenience.
For those seeking a quick fix for the Switch’s short battery life, the Venom Power Pack & Stand is a godsend. It’s a sleek and well-designed device with high compatibility and ease of use, extending the high-powered fun of the Switch by a significant margin. For long haul flights, extended work trips or even public transport, the Venom Power Pack & Stand is an essential, worthwhile accessory that comes highly recommended.
FOUR AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Highlights: Great extended battery life; slim design; stable kickstands
Lowlights: Weighty in handheld mode
Manufacturer: Venom
Price: $69.95
Available: Now
Website: https://venomuk.com/
Review conducted with a retail unit provided by the distributor.
