After purchasing an Avantree Leaf for my PlayStation 4, I recently got the urge to find a similar product that would allow me to seamlessly pair AirPods with Nintendo Switch when playing portably. After a bit of searching, I came across HomeSpot. This nifty device plugs directly in via USB-C, which ensures it is always powered up and ready to go. I purchased both HomeSpot and HORI Split Pad Pro (recently reviewed). Continue reading to learn about the pros and cons HomeSpot.
HomeSpot shouldn’t be necessary, but I am glad it exists
Given the age of PlayStation 4, I reluctantly give it a pass for not working natively with newer devices like AirPods. Sure, Sony made the decision to push its own propriety headsets, but the console came over three years before AirPods hit the market and pushed the industry towards adopting wireless headphones.
Nintendo Switch was released several months after AirPods hit the scene. On top of that, Nintendo’s flagship console is pitched as a portable device. A product category that arguably stands to benefit the most from wireless headsets. As my use of wireless headphones has increased, I’ve been on the hunt to streamline my headset collection, something that HomeSpot has helped me to accomplish.
Simple pairing, minimal latency
Despite the fact that HomeSpot comes with a booklet, I have never needed to crack it open. It worked exactly as expected. Simply plug it in to the Nintendo Switch’s USB-C port and hold down one of the two buttons along the front to pair. One neat feature here is that you can actually connect two headsets, making this device great for multiplayer games as well. With a month of HomeSpot use under my belt, I have yet to notice any latency issues.
It works in both portable and docked modes
Yet another area that HomeSpot excelled in was its inclusion of a USB-A dongle. This means that players are able to enjoy wireless headphones in both docked and portable modes. Take note that once connected it does look a tad silly, but I think that is a worthy trade-off.
Conclusion
As mentioned earlier, I really think Nintendo dropped the ball here and products like HomeSpot should not need to exist. That being said, having spent a month or so with HomeSpot, I can highly-recommend this $40 accessory to anyone with a desire to pair wireless headphones.
Not only does it pull off the basics, it manages to slide in extra features like a built-in microphone, USB-A dongle, and the ability to pair with two sets of wireless headphones. The only capability that I consider to be missing from HomeSpot is USB-C passthrough so I wouldn’t need to unplug it when docking, but I am not even sure if that feature is technically feasible.
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