For most people with drifting Joy-Con that have already been opened, or who have had drift more than once, yes, Hall effect sticks are worth it. They read the stick with magnets, so there's no contact wearing away inside. If your Joy-Con have never been opened, though, try Nintendo's free drift repair first, because free is hard to argue with.
What's different about a Hall effect stick
A standard Joy-Con stick is a potentiometer. A small wiper slides over a resistive track every time you move the stick. Over time the track wears and dust gets in, and the reading starts to wander. That's drift.
A Hall effect stick measures the stick's position with magnets and a sensor. Nothing rubs across a track to report where the stick is. That's the key difference, and it's why Hall effect sticks don't wear in the same way.
The pros
- They don't wear like a potentiometer. With no wiper on a track, drift caused by that kind of wear is very unlikely.
- They fit the original-style Joy-Con you already own. You keep your controllers, colours and pairing. No new set to buy.
- They're an option when Nintendo's route is closed. Nintendo can refuse a free drift repair if the Joy-Con has been opened or modified. An upgrade gets a controller like that working again.
- You're not putting the same design back in. Nintendo's free repair fixes the drift with its own part, which is the potentiometer type again. If you've already had drift once, a different stick design is worth considering.
The cons
- They cost money, and Nintendo's fix doesn't. Nintendo UK repairs Joy-Con drift free, even out of warranty, until further notice. My upgrade is £35 for one Joy-Con or £59 for both.
- Nintendo's free route may close. Once a Joy-Con has been opened, Nintendo may refuse to repair it. That includes one I've upgraded, so think of the upgrade as a choice to step off Nintendo's route for that controller.
- They won't fix other faults. A worn rail, a weak battery, a broken button or a connection problem is a separate fault. New sticks don't change any of those.
- They won't feel identical. A stick from a different maker isn't a copy of Nintendo's, and the feel may differ slightly. Calibration is still needed after fitting.
- Magnets bring their own trade-off. Hall effect sensors can be affected by outside magnetic fields. TMR sticks are also magnetic but less affected by that, which is why I fit TMR, not Hall effect, in Joy-Con 2. TMR sticks vs Hall effect explains the difference.
Who should upgrade, and who shouldn't
Worth it if
- your Joy-Con have already been opened, so Nintendo may turn them away;
- you've had drift before and don't want the same stick design back;
- you play a lot and would rather deal with this once than keep sending controllers away.
Probably not worth it if
- your Joy-Con have never been opened and you're happy with a free repair;
- the controller's real problem is connection, charging or a button, not the stick;
- you have Joy-Con 2. They use a different stick, and I fit TMR sticks in those instead (see Switch 2 Joy-Con drift).
Will Hall effect sticks stop drift?
They remove the part that wears in a standard stick, so drift from track wear is very unlikely. They're still electronic parts, and no stick is immune to every fault. If you want the longer answer, read does Hall effect stop drift?
What the upgrade involves
My Joy-Con drift repair replaces the original sticks with Hall effect sticks in original-style Joy-Con, the ones that work with the original Switch and the OLED. For a Switch Lite, where the sticks are built in, it's a separate service because the whole console is posted.
- Book and pay online: £35 for one Joy-Con or £59 for both.
- Post just the Joy-Con, well packed. You don't need to send the console.
- I fit the sticks, calibrate and test them, then send them back insured and tracked.
You pay postage in; the return is included. It's no fix, no fee, and the work carries a 12-month warranty. I've been repairing electronics for over 25 years, and I'd rather you took the free Nintendo route than paid me for something you don't need. For every Switch price in one place, see the Switch repair cost guide.
Frequently asked questions
Can I still use Nintendo's free drift repair after a Hall effect upgrade?
You should assume not. Nintendo can refuse a repair if the fault comes from modification or an unofficial repair, and an upgraded Joy-Con has been opened and modified.
Do Hall effect Joy-Con need calibrating?
Yes. I calibrate them after fitting, and you can recalibrate at any time in the console's Controllers and Sensors settings.
Can you fit Hall effect sticks in Joy-Con 2?
No. Joy-Con 2 attach with magnets, which can interfere with Hall effect sensors, so I fit TMR sticks in Joy-Con 2 instead.
