General Information
Stunning in the Looks Department
Out of the gates, these controllers look fantastic. The Regular Hyperion is dressed in a GameCube-esq coating of color and vibrance which looks great. The buttons pop and that iconic yellow stick stands out, but is it all fur coat and no knickers?
The Pro model brings a gorgeous white finish that works beautifully when illuminated with white or purple. It has captured an authentic "RGB gaming" vibe and looks fantastic when in use, or stood on the side. Yes, the Hyperion controllers stand up unassisted, in docked or controller modes. I did freak out that my Switch's little kickstand wouldn't reach the surface I wanted to stand it on, and though it didn't even nearly reach, it stood perfectly with the Hyperion attached.
What are the key differences between the two models? Well, the regular model and the pro are merely separated by weight and the better quality sticks. The other key difference is the $9 in pricing, where they retail for $56.99 and $65.99 respectively but both sport the "SJ02" model identity.
Not Much Difference
Both versions have a 2-hour charge time and 6.5-hour battery life, but both come with just one USB-C cable. I would have thought that NYXI could have sprung for two USB-C cables per pack, or even a 2-into-1 USB-C charging cable so you could charge both at the same time, but as it stands, out of the box, you can only charge one after the other, which amounts to 4hrs charge time if for whatever reason you don't have a second cable knocking about already. Crazy.
186g vs 203g probably accounts for the sticks and the metal ring thumbsticks on the Pro model, but you couldn't feel that difference in hand, it's very minute. The 8bitdo controller I am still using daily weighs 245g and the official Switch Pro controller 246g and both have a far more comfortable and substantial feel to them.
Hall Effect for Best Effect
Pro has fantastic Hall effect sticks, but no charging bridge is included, no dual USB-C charging cable, and no enhanced battery life over the regular. It's not even a metal D-Pad, it's painted. The difference is one thing; the sticks, and the peace of mind they grant, so I think calling this a Pro model is a bit of a stretch personally when it's only one additional feature.
NYXI really could have gone all out and given you something like a case, swappable sticks, dual charging cables, and even full metal parts to give it some much-needed weight. Heck, even just the bridge could be the weighted piece to purely add a little heft in controller mode because no extra weight would be wanted in portable/handheld mode. Genius.
Both controllers feel flimsy when clipped together with the bridge piece. There is an unnerving flex to the controller that feels cheap. I didn't like the feel of these controllers in my hands, they're thin, feather-light, and while it is comfortable, the buttons are clicky, and the sticks responsive, the Hyperion pads just don't quite hit the mark for me in this setup.
Using the controllers in handheld mode is another story. They feel superb, they're bigger, bolder (less flexible) and more comfortable than the stock Joy-Cons, and they have all the functionality bar the NFC and HD rumble. The rumble effect is still pretty rough, Nintendo has spoiled us with their proprietary HD rumble, especially in AAA games like Super Mario Odyssey.
Pricing and "Pro" Predicaments
The NYXI Hyperion series should retail for a far more competitive price in my opinion. They could completely dominate the budget space, but instead, they feel budget but have a premium price tag and very few premium features, even with the "Pro" moniker. $65.99 equates to £51, and $56.99 is roughly £45 and I could get wireless controllers that don't light up for under £30. However, it must be said the split-pad feature is its complete redemption here because if you have destroyed your Joy-Cons, these are a more than worthy replacement for handheld mode.
If you have the choice, get the Hall effect version as a replacement for handheld mode, with the option to use it as a wireless controller, it's a no-brainer for $9 more. If you are purely after a wireless controller there are better options out there like the 8BitDo Ultimate Wireless which works out to be just £3 more than the NYXI Hyperion Pro.
