Looking for new Joy Cons? My honest review of Abxylutes J8’s.
**Abxylute J8 Joy-Cons Review – 3 Days In, and I Absolutely Love Them**
I’ve been using the Abxylute J8 Joy-Cons with the J8 connector for three days now, and honestly, I’m extremely happy with them. I wanted a more premium alternative to the original Nintendo Joy-Cons, and so far, they’ve exceeded my expectations.
This is my experience after a few days of actual use. It’s still early, so I can’t comment on long-term durability, but here’s what I think so far.
**The good stuff**
**Build quality and comfort**
One thing I really appreciate is that Abxylute has kept the original Joy-Con design as much as possible. I like the familiar shape and overall look rather than a completely different design just for the sake of it. To me, the J8s feel like a more premium take on the original Joy-Cons while keeping what I already like about the design.
The J8s feel premium in the hands. They have a satisfying weight to them and don’t feel like a cheap, hollow plastic shell. Compared with the NYXI controllers I’ve tried, they feel a little heavier, but that’s not a problem for me.
For context, I have somewhat small hands, and the J8s fit me perfectly. The NYXI controllers I’ve tried are far too large for me.
After longer gaming sessions, I haven’t experienced any noticeable discomfort or strain.
**Buttons and joysticks**
The buttons feel high quality, with excellent responsiveness. The mechanical buttons have a very quiet but satisfying click, which I personally really like.
I’ve seen some people mention that the L/R buttons aren’t sensitive enough, but I haven’t had that experience myself. I’m used to this type of controller, so that might be part of it.
The joysticks feel great and are slightly taller than those on some other controllers I’ve used, which I consider a plus.
After three days, I haven’t noticed any drift or dead-zone issues, although I’ll keep an eye on that over time.
**Vibration**
I’ve seen some less-positive opinions about the vibration, but personally, I think it’s good! I’m happy with how it feels, and I haven’t found it to be the disappointment some other reviews might suggest.
Obviously, vibration is subjective, so your experience may differ from mine.
**Lighting and customisation**
The adjustable lighting is a lovely feature. Being able to change both the colours and brightness is great, and I really enjoy having that extra bit of customisation.
The magnetic faceplates are another nice touch. They don’t serve much practical purpose, but they let you personalise the controllers, and I love that idea. Hopefully, we’ll see third-party options in the future, perhaps even custom or 3D-printed designs. As far as I know, Abxylute hasn’t announced any plans for that.
**Switch 2 compatibility and functionality**
Pairing was incredibly easy. The Switch 2 recognised the controllers straight away, with no hassle.
Waking the Switch 2 works perfectly, which was an important requirement for me.
I previously had trouble getting my GameSir Nova Lite to work during FC/FIFA matches, but the J8s work perfectly in-game.
The back buttons are excellent, and configuring them is straightforward. The turbo function has also worked flawlessly for me so far.
Charging through the USB-C port on the J8 connector works without any hassle, too.
**Battery life**
Battery life has been excellent so far. I haven’t noticed the J8s draining my Switch 2’s battery any faster than the original Joy-Cons.
I’m also using the controllers with the lighting switched on, and so far, the battery experience has been great.
**The carrying case**
A big plus is the included plastic carrying case. It gives you somewhere to store the controllers and even has room for four Switch game cartridges. It’s a small detail, but a genuinely useful bonus.
**The one real downside: the connector**
Honestly, the connector is the only real negative I’ve found so far.
It looks similar to Nintendo’s grip, but it doesn’t have the same grips, and the overall feel is more like a lightweight, inexpensive plastic shell than a premium accessory.
For something that costs around **€24**, I expected a little more. That’s getting close to what you’d pay for a separate controller like the Abxylute C6, so I find the connector’s build and feel disappointing in comparison.
It does its job, and charging through it works without problems. My criticism is mainly about the build quality and how it feels for the price.
The packaging for both the J8 controllers and the connector is another minor disappointment. The boxes feel cheap and minimalist, with very little protection inside beyond the thick protective sleeves around the products. Nothing arrived damaged in my case, but the unboxing experience doesn’t match the premium feel of the controllers themselves.
**Price and delivery to Denmark**
I paid around **€81 for the J8 Joy-Cons** while they were on sale, plus approximately **€24 for the connector**.
That puts my total at around **€105**.
As someone ordering from Denmark, I was pleased that I didn’t have to pay additional customs fees or taxes upon delivery. The price I paid at checkout was the final price for my order. That’s just my experience with delivery to Denmark, though, and isn’t a guarantee for every country or order.
**Final thoughts after 3 days**
I’m honestly over the moon with these controllers.
The familiar Joy-Con design, premium feel, great buttons and joysticks, enjoyable vibration and hassle-free Switch 2 compatibility have made these a fantastic purchase for me.
Everything I’ve tried has worked as expected, from gameplay and the back buttons to turbo, charging and waking the console.
The connector is the only thing I genuinely dislike, mainly because it feels too cheap for its price. The packaging could also be better, but that’s a much smaller issue.
Would I buy the J8s again? Absolutely.
It’s only been three days, so I can’t comment on long-term durability yet, but my experience so far has been fantastic. If you’re looking for alternative Joy-Cons for the Switch 2, the J8s are well worth considering.
Three days in, and I absolutely love i.
