Managed to snag a PlayStation 5? While it’s not been the smoothest launch, I do like the console. One issue I have though – it doesn’t have enough USB ports. If you’ve got more than one controller and a bunch of accessories, this is where the Numskull PlayStation 5 Fast Charge Twin Charging Dock comes in handy. For brevity, I’ll be referring to it as the Numskull PS5 Charging Dock.
Unlimited Power
As the ‘Twin Charging Dock’ implies, you can attach and charge two PlayStation 5 controllers at the same time. It comes with a convenient feature that tells you whether the controller is charging by way of an LED indicator. More on that later.
The Numskull PS5 Charging Dock comes with the dock itself and a 1.8-meter USB-C to USB-A cable, but does not include a socket. It mentions that controllers may not charge as fast when charging from the console itself, so an appropriately rated USB socket would’ve been a nice inclusion here.
Convenience
This is the type of dock where you can just easily drop the PlayStation 5 controller into it. It looks quite nice while doing this, so this may be appreciated by people with nicely presented consoles on shelves, rather than my nest of cables. I certainly appreciate how it keeps things tidy, unlike the other controllers I have laying around.
The drop-in function works by attaching a magnetic USB insert in the controller, which can be left in when not charging without any negative effect. This helps to hold it in place and connect without any trouble.
Set up was easy too. It was just a case of removing it from the box, connecting the cable, putting the magnetic USB connector into the controller, and then dropping the controller in. The USB connector was the only thing that had me think for more than a second.
Going back to the lack of USB ports briefly, after connecting up the PSVR and the PS Camera, I have one standard USB port left. The dock itself makes things more convenient than switching things out if I need to charge more than one. Though the downside here is that charging two controllers simultaneously only works when connected to a higher power source than the console.
Shining Bright
The most noteworthy feature of the Numskull PS5 Charging Dock is that it has two LED indicators on the front. When they’re charging, they’re red. When fully charged it stops charging and they turn green.
I’ve left the controller in charging long past when the PlayStation 5 says it’s full, but it remains on red for quite a while after, though eventually stops charging and turns green. If I take it out while red, then drop it back in and it’s already charged, it tends to stay green. This is a pity, as it’s the standout feature of the charger and it makes me less than confident about it.
Verdict
The Numskull PS5 Charging Dock is a convenient charger. It looks nice when displayed with the console and saves you a USB port. It’s not perfect with the LED indicator issues and the lack of included socket, but it has the same features as the official charger, with the LED in addition, and comes in at about 60% of the price.
NUMSKULL PLAYSTATION 5 FAST CHARGE TWIN CHARGING DOCK 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 Numskull Designs 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.
