Thank you Turtle Beach for sending us this controller to review!

We have reviewed quite a few of Turtle Beach's Switch-compatible controllers lately. When it comes to their Switch 2 wireless lines, we've covered two main families: the Rematch and the Afterglow lines. They are largely similar except for two major differences: the Afterglow has RGB colors but only lasts 20 hours on battery, while the Rematch has pretty art but lacks RGB colors and lasts 40 hours. The other differences are really minor, but I prefer the shape of the Afterglow with its slightly larger triggers.

In late 2024, I reviewed the then PDP model of the Afterglow Wave.  This new updated model is virtually identical to that old one, with the addition of the C button for Switch 2 being the main physical change. The other difference is the replacement of the joysticks with their new TMR sticks. Unlike older analog sticks that can eventually start to drift when they wear out, TMR sticks are based on magnets, not unlike hall-effect sticks, that make them impervious to stick drift. TMR are even better than hall-effect sticks because they are known to be more accurate with less smoothing necessary in the controller's firmware. This leads to a quicker-responding and more accurate stick, while also being drift-free. This means this controller should last for many years.

If you are already familiar with the PDP Afterglow Wave, then most of the below may seem largely familiar as it's otherwise the same. Feel free to skip most of this review in that case. If not, then I hope you enjoy what's next!

The Turtle Beach Afterglow Wave is a Switch 2 Pro Controller alternative offered by Turtle Beach at a more affordable price than Nintendo's more expensive option. The Switch 2 Pro Controller is an eye-watering $89.99. It has a lot of features, including more obscure ones like Amiibo NFC support. However, it does stand alone supporting HD Rumble; it's a real shame that no licensed 3rd-party controllers support this, as it really benefits certain games. Turtle Beach sells only licensed controllers, so if a feature isn't available for licensees, they don't offer it. I don't know this for certain, but looking over Nintendo's list of 3rd-party licensed controllers, I don't see a single one that supports HD Rumble, so Turtle Beach isn't alone in not supporting it. Some 3rd-party controller offer some form of Rumble, but they aren't licensed by Nintendo. Fortunately, motion controls are available on this Afterglow Wave.

The Afterglow Wave is extremely similar to previous Afterglow models. They have largely the same feature set, like two rear buttons and motion controls. They both also offer RGB lighting. If you set them side by side, the familial resemblance is obvious.

The controller feels nice in your hand, with solid plastics that this Afterglow Wave uses. The front of the controller is mostly smooth, while the rear of the handles have a nice textured plastic that I prefer on my controllers, as it helps keep your palms from feeling sticky during long play sessions.

The analog sticks feel nice, and are virtually identical to the older ones. You can't tell that they are TMR joysticks from feel alone, as they feel just like the older models. In operation they work really well, though. The stick caps use the signature style of stick for PDP, and are ridged with horizontal rings around the outside, with a textured crosshatched circle in the center of the concave ring. While it doesn't look as premium as it could be, it feels great to use and maintains a solid grip when in use.

The buttons are membrane, and I would say they are somewhat loud. The Pro Controller has quieter, softer main B/A/Y/X buttons, than this Wave. The bumpers and triggers also feel great. The Rematch line has tiny triggers that are nearly impossible to use at the same time as the bumpers. These Wave ones are not quite as large as Nintendo's Pro Controller, but are a nice middle ground that makes the bumpers a bit larger and meatier, and the triggers are nearly as nice as Nintendo's. I really appreciate that about the Wave over the Rematch design.

Like the previous model Wave, the D-Pad also feels great. It's kind of strange that Nintendo, who invented the controller D-Pad and even patented it (they since expired), has made such terrible D-Pads on the Switch generation. They feel okay, but it's so easy to get unwanted diagonals that it's hard to do well in games requiring precision. The Afterglow Wave's D-Pad is much, much better; enough so that I would pick this controller over the Pro if I was playing a 2D precision platformer or shooter. The Switch 2 Pro controller is probably the best of them all, but it's pricey.

The built-in lighting has several modes, including solid colors, a fade in and out effect, constantly rotating between them all, and reactive colors based on the movement of the analog sticks. You can also adjust the brightness, which has five settings and off, and the color, which has pretty much every common bright LED color. I also like that the LED colors are confined to the side by your hands and the ring around the analog sticks; this means it's a tasteful accent without brightening the room you are in.

This controller has been flawless in use, as I would expect from a Nintendo-licensed product. (A lot of the cheaper controllers are not licensed, and may have mixed results.) It also has a two-year warranty, which most cheap clones do not have. While unlicensed controllers have come a long way, and we have even reviewed some that work well for us, you just never know what you're getting. Some third-party controllers work well, while others have a hard time pairing or connecting when you want them to. The quality level is going to vary greatly with unlicensed controllers, where with this Turtle Beach, it's going to be reliable every time, and you can contact technical support if you have a problem. Sometimes reliability is worth that piece of mind of a licensed product.

The Turtle Beach Afterglow Wave Wireless Controller for Nintendo Switch 2 is a perfectly usable and downright decent third-party Pro Controller replacement or supplement. I also love that it has TMR joysticks, so they should last as long as the battery does, since embedded batteries don't last forever. Speaking of which, I do wish this better-designed Afterglow Wave had battery life that matches the Rematch, with its 40 hours; instead, we get 20. That's an unfortunately oversight, perhaps caused by the bright LED lights on the side of this Afterglow Wave.

I used this controller some with Metroid Prime 4, and the Gyro motion controls worked flawlessly. I primarily played that game with Joy Con 2s since I prefer motion pointer controls, but during testing it worked great with the Afterglow Wave. I also used it while playing a classic-style shoot 'em up called Sonic Wings Reunion, a game that requires the most accurate control since bullets fill the screen and you have to dodge them. The Afterglow Wave put up a great show and performed without error. The many deaths are purely my fault.

While I am likely to grab the Switch 2 Pro Controller for single player experiences since I really love haptic feedback, for large group games like Smash or Mario Kart, these Afterglow Wave controllers look and feel great in operation. They also work on Steam because Valve added Nintendo Switch controller support, which was a welcome surprise. If you are going to do that, you need to sync and connect via Bluetooth; a wired connection doesn't work. Regardless, while the lack of rumble is regrettable, the Turtle Beach Afterglow Wave is a perfectly fine controller if you don't need every feature under the sun. After all, Nintendo's own Switch Lite console doesn't even include HD Rumble, so many gamers simply won't miss it - and your wallet will be all the happier. Recommended.