snakebyte TWIN:CHARGE SX Review

A charging station is a must-have piece of kit for any console. snakebyte has, of course, made one for the Xbox Series X|S. You know that, you're reading this review. Do note, the battery compartment on the new controllers is very slightly different, so previous battery packs & chargers will not work with them!

The TWIN:CHARGE SX comes in a box with a 2m long USB-C cable and two battery packs (also available separately). In an effort to cut down on plastic waste, the box has very little of it inside. Weirdly, however, the box is about 5cm too long, with a cardboard insert keeping the TWIN:CHARGE from touching the bottom. I wouldn’t point it out, if not for how curious it is to have so much wasted space in a box labeled with text about reducing waste.

The design of the unit is made to look like the top of the Xbox Series X|S, with a pitted texture on parts of it. The two controller cradles have connectors for the battery packs to connect to charge. The cable is long enough so that you can pretty much plug it in anywhere, though I just rest it next to the Xbox Series X, plugged into the USB on the front.

Placing the controllers down can be a bit touchy, occasionally needing a bit of a jiggle to get them to sit properly. The light on the front of the unit is also quite small and dull, so it’s not always obvious if you’re successful.

One worry I had is that the controller once got quite warm after charging. However, I’ve put that down to having the controller turned on the whole time it was on the TWIN:CHARGE SX, so that it could be used for scrolling menus & Netflix.

The battery packs last for a good few gaming sessions before needing to be charged, and charging doesn’t take very long. Admittedly, I haven’t timed it because I usually charge the controller overnight, but when I’ve popped it on for a quick boost it’s certainly helped it last much longer.

The snakebyte TWIN:CHARGE SX is a decent piece of kit, though I do wish it was easier to ensure the controller was sitting correctly. It’s well made, and since it comes with two battery packs it’s perfect for if you have a second controller - of just want to ensure you always have a full battery ready.