As technology has progressed, the wireless solution has begun to hit home. Your phone has become mobile. Your personal earbuds are probably bluetooth. Your home network is wireless. Your console controllers have ditched the cables.
But there is still a place on this earth for a cable. And PDP have decided that place is in charging your Xbox One controller, preferably with a magnetic play and charge kit that ensures quick release and long battery life are at the forefront of your mind.
The PDP Energizer Magnetic Play and Charge kit for Xbox One charges your controller via the USB port on your console. Now, you’ve got a few of those to choose from on Xbox One but chances are you’ll find the one on the left side of your machine the easiest to get to. Plug the USB cable into the port, grab the other end and you’ll find it almost magically, magnetically attaching to your controller with ease. It must be said that it initially takes a couple of attempts for you to work out how the connection fits, but once you get the hang of it, will find it super easy to attach. Locating the small catch and lining the retractable teeth up with the contact patch on the back of your controller is a simple process.
Once clipped in place, the charger sits pretty, is unobtrusive to your gaming time and charges your controller nicely. With a simple white light to prove that a connection has been made and that charging is in process, you need not worry about having to change batteries, or indeed controller, mid way through that intense session.
To make all this work, you will of course need to use the included battery and controller back plate. Discarding those dodgy old AA power units is quite obviously a simple procedure and the new Energizer branded battery fits inside perfectly. It is then with ease that you can slide the compartment cover over as well. As you can imagine, this also fits brilliantly. I’ve used other charging plates from numerous third parties previously and these can sometimes be a pain to take on and off. This one from PDP however fits like a glove, and is removed with little effort. The slightly raised design helps the magnetic charger clasp on properly, but it is so minimal, you’d never notice the difference.
So, you may be sitting there wondering why on earth you should choose the PDP magnetic charger over the better known play and charge kits that are on the market. Well that’s simple. It comes at a minimal price, it’s just as well made as anything else you can buy and, god-forbid, should the dog, the kids or your own clumsiness mean that the cable is tugged quickly, will easily become detached, keeping the controller safely in your grasp and your precious Xbox One controller staying nicely on the shelf. The last thing you want is for a controller to go flying through the window or seeing the sight of a crumpled console hitting the floor.
However, and this will probably be a big issue for many. Whilst the PDP Energizer Magnetic charge kit is one of the most simplistic problem solvers in the video game world, I can’t for one minute get my head around the length of the cable that the kit comes with. Now, 9ft (2.7m) may initially sound like a fair old amount, but in reality, I need more length in my life. In fact, an extra 3ft or so on top of what is already in place would be ideal. I’m not someone who gets down and dirty with a gaming session in some huge cold mansion either. I’m just a regular guy in a regular house looking for a regular charging solution. I’m guessing that many others may also have this issue and for that reason alone, I can’t rely on the magnetic kit as my only charging solution, especially when it comes to ever needing to pass the controller between mates. All too often I’ve found the cable taut, at best, with many needing to move closer to the console for optimum effect.
I have to also say that on a personal level, I prefer a docking station over a play and charge kit to charge my controllers. As a cheap, cheerful and damn clever idea, the PDP offering can prevail and could well be used in place of any other play and charge kit – especially if you find yourself sat fairly near your TV. The quick release magnetic mechanism ensures that disasters won’t ever happen and I’ve also been mightily impressed by the power that the battery holds. In fact, after testing for a good few weeks and using the included battery and charge cable as my only source of power over that time, I can honestly say that it has delivered a longer charge than I could ever have imagined. How long it will continue to hold that charge once we have used and abused it further down the line is however another matter and only something that long term use can dictate.
If you’re after a super simple, super effective accessory for your Xbox One, then the PDP Energizer Magnetic Play and Charge Kit for Xbox One is most definitely that.
You can check out PDP‘s charging effort over on the site itself. Go check them out, give them a follow on Twitter, like their Facebook page or be a cool kid and check out their Instagram photos. I’m sure they’d love to hear from you.
Related: Unboxing the PDP Energizer Magnetic Play and Charge Kit for Xbox One.
