- Budget-friendly controller for mobile, switch and PC
- Decent battery life
- Companion App to help customize some features
The price range on controllers is absolutely massive. There are very expensive controllers, there are more reasonably priced controllers, and there are controllers that fall into the “anyone can really afford this” budget category. The PXN P5 is an extremely affordable controller that you can connect wirelessly to your mobile device, Nintendo Switch, and to your PC via a receiver.
PXN P5 Looks
When I unboxed the PXN P5, I was surprised instantly by how lightweight the controller itself is. The grips are slightly textured, feeling like an Xbox Controller, and the buttons have a similar layout. It’s not going to blow anyone away with its looks and the buttons are a bit stiff, but it does the job.
The back of the controller has two trigger gear switches and two programming buttons, along with the switch to tell the controller what you are connecting to. The buttons are easy to press and feel a lot less stiff than the others, which is good if you use them!
PXN P5 Battery Life
I am big on forgetting to charge devices, so I always want a long battery life. The PXN P5 doesn’t have any flashy lights or the like to drain the battery faster. It charges via a USB-C cable, which is provided. I was surprised to find that when charging, it doesn’t light up to show that it is, in fact, charging properly. The controller takes two to three hours to fully charge, and then lasts up to 20 hours, which feels pretty good, especially for the price.
Nexus app
If you are looking to further customize your PXN P5 Experience, there is a Nexus App that you can connect to your device, which allows you to map the back buttons and change things like the stick dead zones. It’s useful if you want it, but you can also never use it, and still have a good controller for everyday play.
For a budget controller, the PXN P5 is a good option. It works, has a strong battery life, and can easily re-connect to your mobile device. There isn’t a lot of flash to the controller or customization options, but that’s often not something you need in a budget controller!
I do wish it was easier to turn on for the first time, giving me some trouble as you do need to read the manual to understand how long you need to hold down the buttons, but once you have it down, you’ll be all set.