The XBox Series S|X comes with quite a nice controller. There is one thing I don’t like though; there is no rechargeable battery and the official ones cost a bomb. Luckily there is no end of third-party chargers and batteries and the Gioteck Duo Charging Stand For Xbox Series X|S & Xbox One Wireless Controllers includes both.
What Do You Get?
The Gioteck Duo Charging Stand for XBox (or Gioteck Solo Charging Stand) lets you charge one or two Xbox Series S|X or XBox One controllers at a time, depending on which model you have. This review is looking at the Duo model but will mention the Solo occasionally. There’s also a PlayStation 5 version (pictured below) if that’s of interest.
The box includes the charging stand itself, two batteries, battery covers in several colors, an alternate faceplate, and a USB-C to USB-A cable. No socket is included, but it can be powered via the XBox console or another USB power source. A socket would have been a nice inclusion here – my XBox Series S doesn’t have many USB ports!
Setup is in two parts. The first is a simple dock connected to a cable and then connected to a power source. The next is replacing the XBox battery and the cover. Both are fairly easy, with the battery only fitting in one way.
Convenient Features
This is a cradle-type charger. It’s easy just to place the controller onto it and it’ll start charging. The battery cover has a hole it in to allow contact with the battery. Essentially it’s just dropping it on and then it works. That said, in exchange for the convenience, I have had occasional issues with the controller losing contact with the charger when the floor shakes. This has happened with other similar chargers too.
An LED on the front indicates the charging status, which is always a helpful feature. It’s yellow when charging and white when charged. On the Duo model, there are individual icons for each controller.
I was surprised to note that there is an extra USB-C port on the back. This allows for charging an extra controller or another device. As it requires a USB-C to USB-C cable (not included), I couldn’t test it out. A USB-A port would have been more useful here, but it’s not a feature often included on other devices, so it can’t be held against it.
Less Money, Less Power
It’s worth noting that the two batteries that come with the Gioteck Duo Charging Stand for XBox are only 800mAh batteries. This is notably less than some of the alternatives.
While not ideal, this feels fair since it is a very cheap set of items. Both batteries and the charger cost as much as one official battery.
Customization and Appearance
As briefly mentioned, the Gioteck Duo Charging Stand for XBox includes an alternate faceplate. It comes with one white and one black, so it matches the default XBox Series S and Series X.
It’s an easy snap-off, snap-on system. It took me a few seconds to figure it out and switch them over.
The plastic itself is sturdy enough, though still appears somewhat cheap. It is a budget accessory, so this isn’t surprising. More positively, having the controller resting on a charger looks nicer than laying about on the desk.
Verdict
The Gioteck Duo Charging Stand For Xbox Series X|S & Xbox One Wireless Controllers easily fits in the cheap and cheerful box. Despite this, it looks good and makes charging that bit more convenient. I would like to see a model with higher-capacity batteries, but it’s certainly a good charger considering the price. This isn’t surprising considering it describes most of Gioteck’s accessory ranges.
GIOTECK DUO CHARGING STAND FOR XBOX IS RECOMMENDED
Looking for more hardware? Maybe a headset? How about our review of the Gioteck TX70 Wireless Headset or the Logitech G432 Headset?
Many thanks go to Gioteck for providing a review unit for this title.
A gamer since the days of Amstrad and DOS and someone who has dabbled in a variety of professions. He enjoys a wide variety of genres, but has been focusing on visual novels and virtual reality in recent years. Head Editor of NookGaming. Follow him and the website on @NookSite.
