November 29th, 2012

Nyko releases a USB charging cable for GamePad

23 Comments
Charge Link from Nyko

For folks wanting to charge the GamePad via a USB connection, Nyko has you covered. I’m unable to test the product myself, but the option is there for people who want to give it a go.

(via gonintendo.com)

  • Marty

    cool, I guess.

  • SuperBrony64

    I bought the cable a couple days ago. It advertises on the back that it also works for 3DS and DSi, but that was a mistake on their part. Works like a charm and the cable feels of high quality.

    • Hybrilynx

      how was it a mistake saying it also works for ds’s?

    • SuperBrony64

      The connector on the GamePad is larger than the one on the DSi/3DS even though they look similar.

    • Hybrilynx

      someone’s getting sued.

  • Andrei

    Some people say it works on Wii U but not on 3DS/DSi (even though it says it does so on the back) and others say with only works on 3DS and DSi. Can someone PLEASE check if it works on Wii U?

    • SuperBrony64

      It does indeed work with Wii U. I think what MAY have happened is they packaged these things with cables that were designed to work with the 3DS/DSi originally thinking they were the same. They realized their mistake and repackaged them with newer ones that worked with the Wii U.

      However, if you buy one today in store, they should work for just the Wii U.

  • Pixelshop3

    It’s worth noting that while the charging port on the Gamepad is similar to the one for the DSi/3DS, it’s actually larger. Unless the cable splits into two tips at one end, it’ll only work on the Gamepad.

  • Robert14789

    Its it bad CPU or Bad developer?

    Remember looks at Assassins creed 3….

    Or is it Just totally a bad port

    Or is this Clam that people are talking about is false and any link to prove it or how do you know?
    games that are poor:

    COD Bo2
    Madden 2013
    And others…
    What does you Guys think it is?

    • Omarsonic9

      What the hell are you talking about?!

    • http://profile.yahoo.com/WMBSGLJINFQL3F4EIFQOUQ73KA Quan

      Black Ops 2 on Wii U is awesome.

  • Tails the Foxhound

    Gonna have to grab this so that I have a place to plug up my hard drive when it gets here. Still need someone to release that bigger battery though.

  • http://www.facebook.com/AlexAtkinUK Alexander Atkin

    This is a terrible idea as the gamepad PSU outputs 4.75V at 1.6A but the Wii U USB ports only output 5V at 500mA. That means its highly unlikely it will output enough to even power the gamepad never mind charge it at the same time.

    Its the same with most smartphones. Yes you CAN charge them over a standard USB port, but you can’t use them at the same time or the battery will continue to drain as USB doesn’t provide enough power.

    So unless you are charging the gamepad while using the Pro controller, its just not going to work.

    • Stephini

      That is very odd since I charge my smartphones by USB all of the time, heck most of them only come with a usb cable now days.

    • Alex_Atkin_UK

      They can charge over USB, as long as you aren’t using at the same time. Even then they MIGHT charge, it depends how heavily they are being used, screen brightness, etc.

      The last three smartphones I have had all use standard USB connectors an I have charged them over USB. However they also come with a 1A or more USB charging PSU to plug that into for optimal charging.

      Granted, my current phone is a beast (Galaxy Note II) so naturally it has a huge battery, but my previous phone had approx the same battery as the gamepad and even that would drain unless running from the mains.

    • Stephini

      Sony Xperia Play running on max brightness and max volume with bluetooth and phone radios both active and in use while playing games and emulators. The battery still charges in approximately the same time when plugged into the wall or PC. Usage barely even seems to matter. Maybe you just haven’t caught up with the times of USB 2.0 and USB 3.0?

    • Alex_Atkin_UK

      Xperia Play had bad reviews for a pretty dull screen, so its likely they really cut back on power consumption there. Plus, its only a single-core phone, so doesn’t compare to dual or quad cores of today.

      I am using a high-powered USB 2.0 port that supposedly handles 1A rather than 500mA, although I’m not sure if the phone recognises that fact.

      Besides, we are referring to the Wii U which uses a standard USB 2.0 ports so is limited to 500mA max. That is why they say it wont work with self-powered HDDs as most need slightly more than 500mA to initially spin up.

    • Stephini

      Not a hardware nut but wiki rates USB2.0 as 1.5A with high speed chatter and 5A Max current presumably with no chatter. So your information sounds a little wonky if that is to be believed. But as I said without being a circuit junky it’s a bit of a head scratcher.

      Note: unlike DS3 for PS3 the GP for WiiU has no usb chatter so it would be capable of using the “Maximum current”.

    • Alex_Atkin_UK

      If you look again you will see that is a battery charging specification. Its so that manufacturers CAN include special high current USB 2.0 ports on their hardware, but its not mandatory.

      Nintendo clearly stuck to the standard as they recommend NOT to use USB powered HDDs. However the only reason a USB powered HDD might be less compatible than one with its own PSU, is because they often needed more power than a standard USB 2.0 port can provide to power up.

      It makes sense, as the more current the USB 2.0 ports can draw, the bigger the traces on the motherboard have the be, the more heat is generated and the bigger the Wii U PSU would have to be.

      Nintendo made the GamePad use its own PSU for a good reason. Not least that if you plug it into the Wii U itself then it will only charge while the Wii U is powered on.

    • Stephini

      I think the primary reason was because of the Wii U needing to be on, as for self powered USB HDDs even the Wii supported 2 head style USB powered HDDs so I don’t see how that supports your argument much, at any rate time will tell, I assume that you know more about circuits than I but surely Nyko who tend to make pretty good third party gear would test it out, if it was insufficient one would imagine they would just make a double headed cable.

    • Alex_Atkin_UK

      Because you NEED a two head USB cable BECAUSE the Wii only output 500mA per port. However a two head cable is breaking the USB specifications as its electrically connecting two USB ports together. There is always a slight chance you could short out the ports, although I have never heard of it happening.

      To charge a GamePad at the same current as its PSU you would need a FOUR head USB cable, although a THREE head would probably be close enough. Obviously that is not practical.

  • John

    This is good news. My dog chewed my adapter’s cable in half and Nintendo wants $30 + Shipping for a new one.

  • Zack

    My first thought is can it be used to charge via the Wii U’s USB slots? That would be very convenient