Gioteck has been around for some time already in the gaming accessory sphere and has traditionally stood out with the affordable price tag of its devices. The Solo Charging Stand, the company’s new controller stand and rechargeable battery pack kit,  is no different, retailing for £14.99. There are both PS5 and Xbox versions of this accessory but we will be looking at the latter in this review.

The package comes with the following items:

• Gioteck Solo Charging Stand
• Rechargeable Battery Pack
• Battery doors for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One controllers
• USB-C charging cable
• Faceplates for charging stand

Further specs details can be found below:

• Dimensions: Width:15.00 (cm); Height:13.70 (cm); Depth:6.60 (cm)
• Cable length: 1m (~3 feet)
• Battery: 800 mAh Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH)
• Battery run time: 4-10 hours
• Charging time: ~2 hours

Despite its size, the Gioteck Solo Charging Stand is surprisingly lightweight, with the integrated rubber pads underneath keeping it safe from slipping and sliding around on your desk. While the lightweight is attributed to the plastic shell, the material feels plastic-y and a little more heft might have given a more premium feel to the accessory.

The main groove accommodates the Xbox controller like a glove to charge the battery pack once fitted in and also handily doubles as a display/storage stand. This display aspect is one of the main features of the Solo Charging Stand as it features swappable faceplates. The package includes two of the latter, one while and one black, to suit your Xbox setup. However, there are only two colours of faceplates available for the Xbox version while the PlayStation version is more customisable in this regard as it comes with 6 differently coloured faceplates. Having more options to suit more preferences would be welcome, especially given how much Gioteck touts the swappable feature of the charging stand.

Despite being limited, this customisable aspect of the product is original and adds to the uniqueness of the charging stand. But a noteworthy issue I came across is that the plate can require some struggle to take out once it has been inserted. It’s a finicky process requiring some force which isn’t ideal given the whole swappable and customisable aspect of this accessory.

Fitting the battery pack though is easy and the battery door also fits at the back of the controller easily. The opening, while looking awkward, enables the battery pack to be in contact with the charging pin on the stand once placed.

While the mileage will vary depending on individual use, the 800 mAh battery pack should provide ample juice for your gaming sessions (anywhere between 4-10 hours). I can myself easily get one week of gaming out of it and it offers some peace of mind to not require charging it every day or needing to find extra batteries once they die out.

To charge the pack, you just need to place the controller (fitted with the battery pack and battery door) on the charging stand while the latter is plugged to a USB source; and the indicator light will change from white to orange (and back to white after it's fully charge). The power source can even be your Xbox console, so all of your accessories can be within close proximity for better convenience. There’s also a welcome extra USB-C port on the stand that enables you to charge other devices.

For £14.99, the Gioteck Solo Charging Stand is a fairly decent accessory. Its build quality could be improved and the faceplate swapping process can be a struggle but these are the quirks that come with the affordable price tag. But should you be looking for a rechargeable battery pack for your Xbox controller that won’t break the bank, then the Gioteck Solo Charging Stand is worth considering.