New consoles are always a massive deal in any gamer’s life: the sights, the smells and the smooth untarnished edges. With new hardware, however, comes the fear of a pristine new piece of tech being damaged in any small way for the rest of its lifespan. Enter Venom, looking to fulfil the promise of safe portability as well as providing an air of quality to ensure that no harm will come to the shiny new bundle of joy. Do these new additions hold up? Cubed3 takes a look at the Venom Gaming Essentials Kit and the Venom Switch Lite Charging Stand.
Starting with the Venom Gaming Essentials Kit, everything that would be expected is included, as well as one or two welcome additions. Towering over all other pieces of kit is the staple hard case. Constructed in a durable EVA material that to the touch brings back memories of all the cool kids in school with those shark shaped pencil cases, the first thought is “quality”. A nice rubbery textured case that the Nintendo Switch Lite fits snugly into without the worry of wobble when thrown into a satchel. The standard webbed storage pocket is also included to house all the extra goodies and has enough length and space to also throw in a couple of cartridges, should the desire arise to take everything and risk losing it all in one fell swoop. The most important thing to focus on is always going to be if the case can withstand a beating and, indeed, the Venom hard case is going to be the only case needed for years to come.
With the main attraction out of the way, what about the backups? Firstly, the headphones are, well, fine. These will easily provide the quality needed for a short commute or holiday trip but are never going to challenge a separately bought pair of ear comforters. They do feel slightly flimsy and might not last as long as the case with prolonged usage although, again, that is not unexpected. However, they fit snugly into the case compartment with no concerns about them scratching across the console, which is a welcome bonus.
The staple Microfibre cloth is present, as well. A Nintendo Switch seems to be addicted to collecting dust so throwing one in is always a welcome addition. The real surprise however is the inclusion of additional silicone thumb grips. After a thorough test they showed no signs of slipping and any additional coverings protecting the main sticks are always welcome.
The final nugget of equipment included is the screen protector. Alcohol wipes are included to ensure the cleanest and easiest method of application. No issues were had when applying the protector and it certainly has enough quality to keep the screen scratch free. It is worth noting however that no instructions are provided on how to apply it correctly, so newcomers might need to do a little research to ensure a smooth, correct finish. For value for money the Venom Gaming Essentials Kit can’t really be beaten and there are certainly a few surprises thrown in to set it apart from other kits on the market. Most importantly however is that the case provided is going to not only be a case for life but is also going to protect a shiny new Nintendo Switch Lite for the same amount of time. If inclined to always play on the go, safety is assured.
A different product is the Venom Switch Lite Charging Stand. For the at home gamer, Venom has also covered the market with this item. A small affair powered by a standard USB-C cable. Unfortunately, no cable is included so the standard charger is needed to accompany it. What it lacks in peripherals is made up for in its ease of travel. Basically palm sized, it will sit nicely on any surface and can be innocuously tucked away so that it won’t disturb any other items on a desk when not in use. With the angled back it is also perfect for using as a screen stand when using external controllers. Finally, Venom has ensured that different models are covered by offering the stand in grey, turquoise, coral and yellow.
