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The Best Nintendo Switch Accessories

 & Will Greenwald Principal Writer, Consumer Electronics

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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Editors' Note, April 26, 2026: With this update, we added the SanDisk 256GB microSD card. The existing picks have been vetted for currency and availability.

The larger and more powerful Switch 2 is Nintendo's focus right now, but the original Switch (and OLED Switch) is still a brilliant game system and the least expensive of any major game consoles by far. It has a deep library, a cool console-portable hybrid design, and plenty of new titles steadily coming out. That said, you can make the Switch better with beefier controllers, more storage, and a faster network connection, just to name a few potential improvements. If you're ready to level up your Switch, start with these recommended accessories and peripherals. And if you're wondering what to play, check out the best Nintendo Switch games.


Best First-Party Gamepad

Nintendo Switch Pro Controller

4.0 Excellent

Nintendo makes excellent accessories, and the Switch Pro Controller is one of the company's best. It feels good in hand, performs well, and has almost all of the same features as the Joy-Con, including the motion-sensing and Amiibo-scanning tech. If you mainly play a docked Switch, this is a far more ergonomic choice than using the Joy-Con and grips.

Nintendo Switch Pro Controller review

Best Budget Nintendo Switch Pro Controller

8Bitdo Pro 2

4.5 Outstanding

The Switch Pro Controller is a good gamepad in its own right, but the more affordable 8Bitdo Pro 2 beats it on almost every front. It works seamlessly with the Switch, PC, and Android devices; features programmable rear buttons; and supports full control remapping with macros via its Windows app, all for less than $50. It can't scan Amiibo, but it's otherwise a Switch Pro Controller killer with even more to offer.

8Bitdo Pro 2 review

Best Nintendo Switch Arcade Stick

8Bitdo Arcade Stick

4.0 Excellent

The Switch has many classic arcade games, so you'll want to capture the authentic feel with a stick. The 8Bitdo Arcade Stick is just that—a sturdy joystick controller that connects to the Switch or a PC through Bluetooth or a USB transmitter. It works well, and though it might not have the authentic component bona fides of more "serious" fight sticks, it's also much less expensive than that class of competitive controller.

Want more buttons? 8bitdo also offers a leverless, Hit Box-style All-Button Arcade Controller that replaces the stick with buttons. It's an affordable alternative for anyone interested in getting into fighting games.

8Bitdo Arcade Stick review

Best Joy-Con Replacement

Hori Split Pad Pro for Nintendo Switch

4.0 Excellent

Joy-Con controllers are clever and flexible, but they aren't the most comfortable input devices. However, the Hori Split Pad Pro is an excellent alternative for when you're using the Switch as a handheld. These Joy-Con-like controllers only work when connected directly to the system, but they're large, satisfying to hold, and have a well-designed direction pad for playing fighting games and platformers.

Hori Split Pad Pro for Nintendo Switch review

Best Budget Wireless Headset

Razer Barracuda X

4.5 Outstanding

The Switch supports Bluetooth, but not all headphones handle multiple connections well. The Razer Barracuda X does, using a USB-C transmitter that works with the system and can provide even better sound than most Bluetooth connections. It also has Bluetooth, so you switch between your Switch and your phone with the push of a button, all for well under $100.

Razer Barracuda X review

Best for Expanding Your Switch's Storage

SanDisk - 256GB microSDXC UHS-I Memory Card for Nintendo Switch

The Nintendo Switch and Switch Lite each have 32GB of storage, and the OLED Switch has 64GB. That's enough to get you started in the early days of Switch ownership, but not enough to build a decent game library that doesn't require you to constantly uninstall games to make room for new ones. Fortunately, the Switch has a microSD card slot that accepts standard microSD cards up to an impressive 2TB. MicroSD cards have gotten pricier in the past year, but you can still get a 256GB card like this SanDisk unit for less than $80. It doesn't have to be a Nintendo-branded card, either; any UHS-1 microSD card will work with the system.

Best for 4K Video Capture

Elgato HD60 X

4.0 Excellent

The Capture button on the Switch lets you grab screenshots and short video clips, but that isn't enough for streamers and other content creators. If you want to record or stream your gameplay, you need a separate capture device like the Elgato HD60 X. This small box lets you capture video coming from the Switch while still displaying it on your TV via an HDMI pass-through. It supports 4K video at 30 frames per second, but the 1080p60 mode is more important for Switch video.

Elgato HD60 X review

Best for Wired Networking

Nintendo Switch Wired Internet LAN Adapter by HORI

This is an accessory that's specific to the original Switch, since its dock doesn't have an Ethernet port like the OLED Switch or the Switch 2. The Switch's Wi-Fi is reliable, but if you want the fastest internet speeds when the console's docked, you need a wired network connection. This Hori-made Ethernet adapter plugs into the Switch dock so you can connect a cable from your router. Now, enjoy silky multiplayer action.

About Our Expert

Will Greenwald

Will Greenwald

Principal Writer, Consumer Electronics

My Experience

I’m PCMag’s home theater and AR/VR expert, and your go-to source of information and recommendations for game consoles and accessories, smart displays, smart glasses, smart speakers, soundbars, TVs, and VR headsets. I’m an ISF-certified TV calibrator and THX-certified home theater technician, I've served as a CES Innovation Awards judge, and while Bandai hasn’t officially certified me, I’m also proficient at building Gundam plastic models up to MG-class. I also enjoy genre fiction writing, and my urban fantasy novel, Alex Norton, Paranormal Technical Support, is currently available on Amazon.

The Technology I Use

Where to start? I have a standard IT-issued Lenovo Thinkpad for writing and editing, supplemented with an iPad Air and an 8Bitdo Retro Keyboard when I want to write on the go. I also have a Lenovo Legion Go as a platform for running Portrait Displays’ Calman software and controlling the Klein K-10A colorimeter, Murideo SIX-G signal generator, and Leo Bodnar 4K Video Signal Lag Tester I use for testing TVs. 

For gaming, I use a Nintendo Switch 2, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X, and a GeForce 5080-equipped MSI gaming laptop. I like collecting retro games as well, and have an Analogue Pocket and a ton of classic consoles and portables. Photography is another interest, and I use a Sony A7 IV when I’m shooting products and events, and a Fujifilm X-Pro3 for my own attempts at visual creativity. And for reading and writing, I’ve become partial to the Kobo Sage for books and the ReMarkable 2 with Type Folio.

When it comes to phones and tablets, I’m pretty platform-agnostic. I use a Google Pixel 8 for my phone and an iPad Air for a tablet. Android, iOS, and iPadOS are all totally fine, but I need a Windows PC. MacOS just isn’t for me.

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