My latest video is a review of a set of replacement joycon sticks from a company called Gulikit. What makes these sticks unique is that they make use of the “Hall Effect” to track their position.
Hall-based joysticks use magnets for better accuracy and don’t tend to develop drifting issues over time. But they are usually more expensive. The Gaming Setup has a good explanation of how they work.
Nintendo Joycon sticks suffer from drifting issues where the stick reports movement even when it’s not moving. Nintendo has likely resolved the issue in more recent versions of their hardware but there are likely millions of faulty sticks out in the wild.
Nintendo eventually acknowledged how wide spread the problem is and have set up a free repair program for customers impacted by it. But if you’re a “do it yourselfer” these sticks are a good alternative to the originals.
Installation was not too difficult but does require some patience and caution as there are small delicate parts inside the Joycon that have to be manipulated. You can see my livestream of the installation process here. I suggest checking out iFixit’s helpful guide for a great step-by-step guide.
I found the Gulikit sticks feel smoother and track more accurately versus the original sticks. The only issue I encountered is that the tops of the Gulikits are a little more slippery vs. the stock Nintendo sticks and might require some extra grip to be applied. Gulikit says the stick tops are replaceable so you might be able to find something a little grippier.