Product Review: Nyko Charge Station Quad
Posted by Ramon Aranda on 03.12.2009
We take a look at the charging dock and rechargeable battery pack for the Nintendo Wii.
Nothing is more upsetting than being in the middle of a game and having your controller suddenly crap out because the batteries just committed suicide. To be honest, I’ve used another company’s charge kit and quite frankly, it sucked big time. Needless to say, I’m not very high on buying batteries constantly so I’ve been using rechargeable energizer batteries which work pretty well. Still, it’s nice to have a battery charging solution that works even better and Nyko’s Charge Station Quad does that job quite beautifully. The station, as hinted by its name, features four slots on the dock so that you can place up to four Wii remotes for charging simultaneously. The batteries themselves which are NiMH (four are included) have color coated rubberized grips making it easier to hang onto those remotes during heavy gaming sessions. You also don’t have to remove the batteries to charge them as there are pass-through connections on the back. My only issue with the dock is that gamers who have the wrist strap attached to the Wii remotes will have to watch how they put the remotes on the dock. Since the dock doesn’t take into account the straps, there isn’t an opening or a spot for them to rest on so they sit kind of clumsily on the dock. However if you’re not using the wrist straps, then there’s no issue whatsoever. I suppose the rubberized grips are a nice trade off for not using the straps.
As for the charging itself, I realized that it took less than 10 minutes to fully charge all four battery packs. The dock has an LED light that tells you that it’s charging when it’s green and then turning blue when the batteries are ready to go. My AA rechargeable batteries that I had been using take much longer to charge than these battery packs which is great, especially when I have other people ready to play.
The 411
The Charge Station Quad retails for $49.99 which might sound steep but is really a pretty good deal when you take into account how many batteries you’d have to buy otherwise or even buying rechargeable batteries. If you find yourself playing often with other friends or family members, this makes a nice investment that will save you time and aggravation, leaving your focus on the important things – playing your games.
Graphics
9.5
Comfort - The rubber grips are great for the Wii Remote though you'll want to remove the wrist straps to charge comfortably.
Gameplay
10.0
The batteries stay charged for over 20 hours and they recharge quickly.
Sound
8.5
Value - $49.99 might seem like a tad much for some, but it's still a pretty good overall deal.
Lasting Appeal
10.0
Well built like the rest of their products.
Fun Factor
10.0
We can't complain when we can play for hours at a time and not have to worry about our batteries dying so quickly.
