Review: Nyko Charger Grip Lite

Nyko Charger Grip Lite
Manufacturer: Nyko
Site: Buy from Nyko
Price: $24.99

Overview : Increase the battery life and comfort of the Nintendo DS lite with Nyko’s Charger Grip for the DS lite. The Charger Grip lite has a built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery that adds up to 8 hours of additional playtime. The batteries are encased in an ergonomically designed case designed to minimize discomfort and provide a more comfortable grip for extended playing sessions on road trips, plane flights and more. The ChargerGrip lite utilizes the existing DS lite AC adaptor to charge both the DS lite’s battery and the Charger Grip’s internal battery simultaneously. Attaching and removing the Charger Grip is simple and requires no additional hardware or installation.

Features :

• Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery
• Up to 8 hours of additional play time
• Uses existing DS lite AC adaptor
• Enjoy longer periods of gaming without having to recharge
• Ergonomic design meshes with the décor of the DS lite
• Built-in stylus slot

Quality/Usability : Nyko announced and unveiled the Nyko Charger Grip at CES 2007. Since then, DS Lite owners have been wondering how the Charger Grip works out and how well it works. And we're here to bring it to you!

The Charger Grip comes only in one color and thats white. Installation and removal is fairly simple. First you'll need to remove the DS stylus. Fully extend the Charger Grip sliding power connector and place the DS Lite into the Charger Grip. Once the DS Lite is on the grip, slide the power connector down into the DS Lite power connector. Since the stylus has been removed from the DS Lite, Nyko uses a locking pin to secure the DS Lite in place. Where does the stylus go? It goes on top of the grip.

You can charge the Charger Grip alone, or both the Charger Grip and the DS Lite at the same time. Of course, you'll need the AC adapter in order to charge the Charger Grip.

There is a switch on the back side of the Charger Grip and consists of two modes, Charge Mode and Play Mode. Charge Mode is used to charge the Charger Grip by itself. This does not charge the DS Lite system. Play Mode will simultaneously charge the Charger Grip and DS Lite, or you can use the Charger Grip to charge the DS Lite if you are running low on battery.

There is an LED on the left side of the Charger Grip. NO LIGHT obviously means it is not charging. SOLID RED LIGHT means the unit is in Charge Mode. SOLID GREEN LIGHT means it is in Play Mode.

The Charger Grip has a foam cushion to prevent any scratching on the bottom of the DS Lite. With the DS Lite in the Charger Grip in place, the Grip feels comfortable in the hands and it doesnt add much bulk or weight. Access to the volume switch, headphone jack, power switch and both Slot-1 and Slot-2 are all easily accessible.

Conclusion : Overall, the Nyko Charger Grip does its job at supplying additional power to the DS Lite. It takes about 3-4 hours and lasted a little over 8 hours from our testings. If charging both the Charger Grip and DS Lite, it can take longer to charge. Having the Charger Grip would defeat the purpose of portability since it does add some thickness to the DS Lite. It would have been nice if Nyko offered a variety of colors such as black or pink to match the colors that Nintendo released in the US.

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