We were lucky enough to attend the virtual product launch of Snakebyte’s upcoming accessories range.
During the presentation, we got to talk with Marc-Alexander Knipschild, Head of Marketing for Snakebyte, who as well as answering our questions about the products gave us some insight into Snakebyte’s goals.
Snakebyte is known for producing great value third-party accessories and peripherals, and they take a lot of pride in their products. As you’ll see from the products below, these are all exceptionally well designed, and of a quality that surpasses what you would expect at the price point. It’s easy to just assume cheaper products are made without the care and attention you would prefer, but Snakebyte really seems dedicated to making high-quality products.
Something else that came up during the promotional event, was the environmental impact of plastics used in packaging.
I don’t think anybody could argue that single-use plastics aren’t an issue, so it’s always great to see manufacturers doing what they can to minimise the amount of plastic they use. Snakebyte has gone one step further, and rather than gradually reducing the amount they use, they have completely eliminated all superfluous plastic from their packaging, which will apply to all products released from here on out. It’s an initiative that I hope all manufacturers get on board with.
There are new products on the way for the PS5 consoles, Xbox Series X|S consoles and even the Nintendo Switch gets some love. The new range is due to start rolling out from the 10th November 2020, coinciding with the launches of the new consoles.
Charging Solutions
TWIN:CHARGE SX – £29.99
The TWIN:CHARGE SX comes in two colourways, created to match the styling of the new Xbox consoles.
A pair of colour-coded 800 mAh batteries are included, that are compatible with both Xbox One family controllers and the Xbox Series X|S controllers. The LED bar at the lower-left of the stand gives an at-a-glance indication of when the controllers are fully charged.
Doubling as complementarily styled storage, the TWIN:CHARGE SX will look at home in pretty much any setup, keeping your controllers accessible and fully charged ready for your next gaming session.
The previous TWIN:CHARGE was among the best charging cradles available for consoles, and while its actually still compatible with the new controllers, the new styling of the TWIN:CHARGE SX makes this a desirable purchase.
BATTERY:KIT SX – £19.99
Once again matching the colourways of the new controllers, the BATTERY:KIT SX allows you to simultaneously charge two batteries through a single included USB-C Y-cable. The only disappointment is that the 800 mAh batteries will only provide up to four hours of gaming, which admittedly is on the short side if you are a total gaming addict like us.
TWIN:CHARGE 5 – £19.99
Like the TWIN:CHARGE XS, the PS5 charging cradle comes in both black and white, and emulates the styling of the PS5 consoles.
For me, the TWIN:CHARGE 5 actually looks even better than the official charging dock. Unlike the Xbox, the PS5 controllers have integral rechargeable batteries, so using this is as simple as nesting your controllers onto the cradle. A pair of LEDs glow orange when charging, turning to the iconic PlayStation blue when fully charged.
I’m sure you’ll agree, that’s a great looking way to keep your controllers stored and charged up ready to play.
DUAL CHARGE:BASE S – £24.99
The CHARGE:BASE S is a stylish and compact solution for keeping your Switch and accessories fully charged, and features slots to hold up to ten game cases. An integrated LED display shows the current charging status, and there’s even space to fit the Switch Docking Station, which can be used to power the DUAL CHARGE:BASE S.
ARROW:CHARGE S – £17.99
We’re big fans of the styling of the ARROW:CHARGE S. You can use it to charge a Pro Controller, along with two pairs of Joy-Cons, with individual charging indicators for each. If space is at a premium, the compact design should make it very appealing.
Gaming Headsets
HEAD:SET X / HEAD:SET 5 – £17.99
The HEAD:SET X / 5 are remarkably cheap gaming headsets. Features include foldable over-ear design, 40mm dynamic-driven speakers, a removable fixed-boom microphone, and a 3.5mm jack that give you compatibility with most devices. There doesn’t appear to be any inline or headset mounted volume control, though.
We’ve had mixed results from budget headphones, so it’s too soon to comment on whether these are going to be a good purchase. If the sound quality is good, though, these could be the bargain of the decade.
Switch Accessories
RING:KIT S – £19.99
Designed for Ring Fit Adventures, the RING:KIT S contains two grey padded handles, as well as a black adjustable leg strap, ensuring your Joy-Con controllers stay safe and in place. The robust leg strap is made of a material designed to feel soft on the skin for maximum comfort. It can be adjusted to fit a leg circumference between 30 and 60 cm, so should suit most players.
Snakebyte Cables
A good quality cable is often under-appreciated when people build their setup. Why would you spend hundreds, if not thousands, on high-tech devices, only to let the performance suffer by using the often cheaply manufactured bundled cables that come with your devices?
Snakebyte’s range of cables are all braided for durability and feature high-quality connectors and excellent performance.
CHARGE&DATA:CABLE SX (2m) – £17.99
CHARGE&DATA:CABLE 5 (2m) – £17.99
The CHARGE&DATA:CABLE SX can be used for charging your controllers, but it’s also rated for up to 10 Gbps data transfer rates. When many external storage drives come fitted with prohibitively short charging cables, the 2m braided cable could be very handy in streamlining your setup.
CHARGE:CABLE SX (3m) – £14.99 / SX PRO (5m) – £19.99
CHARGE:CABLE 5 (3m) – £14.99 / 5 PRO (5m) – £19.99
Designed for gamers with larger living rooms, the 3 and 5 metre charging cables are bedecked in black and green for the Xbox cables, and black and blue for the PS5 cables.
HDMI:CABLE SX PRO 8K (2m) – £19.99
HDMI:CABLE 5 PRO 8K (2m) – £19.99
The HDMI:CABLE PRO 8K is rated for HDMI 2.1, which supports the data transfer rates needed for both 8k displays and for running at 4k/120Hz. It enables low latency through ALLM (Auto Low Latency Mode),
improves the frame rate through VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) and optimized data transmission through FRL
(Fixed Rate Link).
The HDMI 2.1 standard is backwards compatible with all HDMI equipped displays, but to take full advantage of the full next-gen feature set, you will need to use an HDMI 2.1 rated cable.
For those who don’t want or need HDMI 2.1 support, the HDMI:CABLE SX/5 PRO 4K is available in a 3m length cable for £19.99, with both cables following suit with the console specific colourways.
GAMES:TOWER 5 – £19.99
The GAMES:TOWER 5 has storage for ten games, side mounting racks for up to four Dual Sense controllers, and a convenient storage tray for charging cables/gaming accessories/snacks (we won’t judge).
They haven’t announced an Xbox alternative, but once we get our hands on one we’ll be sure to let you know if the GAMES:TOWER 5 is compatible.
GAMING:SEAT EVO – £159.99
The final new product in the Snakebyte range is also one of our favourites.
GAMING:SEAT EVO is a highly competitively priced gaming chair, and it has some standout features that move this chair onto our must-have list. Neck and lumbar cushions are included, and wide wings provide ample shoulder support. The chair will support weights of up to 139kg, with a large 50x50cm seating surface, which should make it very comfortable.
The gaming seat is made of high-quality vegan friendly PU leather, and comes in three attractive colourways; blue, green, and black with contrasting white seams.
If you’ve scoured the market, you’ve probably noticed the majority of gaming chairs have multi-adjustable armrests. Yes, the adjustability can be useful, but they often cause the armrests to be loose-fitting when fully extended, and are not always comfortably padded.
The biggest issue with them, though, is that due to how they are attached, they don’t move with the backrest when it’s fully reclined. On the GAMING:SEAT EVO, they move with the backrest, giving you added comfort even when fully reclined.
(Due to safety compliance testing, the GAMING:SEAT EVO won’t be available in the UK until around Q1 2021)
So there we go, there’s a whole load of new accessories perfect for your brand-spanking new consoles. Stuck for a gift idea for the gamer in your life? Snakebyte has you covered.
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