Towards the end of 2024 and the beginning of 2025, one of my favorite value controllers was the Aolion K10. For $25, you get a hall effect controller with connectivity up the wahzoo and a charging dock to boot. Since then, most controllers have been in that $40-$50 range if you’d like to have a decent upgrade. However, Aolion didn’t seem to stop there. The K20 is a $35 controller that seems like everything the K10 was, but with some quality of life improvements that might make it the one to beat.
So let’s see if it’s worth the pick, or if there are better options out there already.
Aolion K20 Specs
When it comes to specs, usually you wouldn’t expect too much for $35, but the Aolion K20 delivers in spades, and gives you a package that seems to be complete at first glance.
- Sticks and Triggers: Hall-Effect
- Face buttons: Mechanical
- D-pad: Membrane
- Extra Features: M1-M2, Swappable d-pad and Stick heights, Turbo, Rumble, Gyro, Charging Dock, Dual-Stage Trigger Stops
- Battery: 1000mAh
- Polling Rate: Up to 1000Hz
- Connectivity: Bluetooth, 2.4GHz, Wired
- Platform Support: PC, Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch
- Colors: Black, White, Pink
- Weight:
- Controller: 258g
- Dock: 103g
What I Like
Improved Materials
One of my biggest complaints about the original K10 was the choice of material. Last year, you received this shiny glossy plastic all over that provided grip, but also gave you a spot for hand cheese to stick. This time around, though, the front of the controller has a transparent, matte faceplate that, in the pink model, shows off some interesting art.
On the back, though, you’ve got a solid back that’s properly ribbed for your hand’s pleasure. When it comes to the overall feel, I’d say it’s seriously improved from the original K10, and while the texture isn’t too strong, it’s enough to make a difference over smooth plastic. And in my opinion, it’s way better than soft plastic.
Customizability
The next thing that’s a nice upgrade over the original is the additional customizability. Out of the box, Aolion includes a set of taller sticks, as well as a dish-style D-pad if that’s more your jam. In combination with all of that, the faceplate of the Aolion K20 is attached by magnets and is replaceable, if you can find an alternate faceplate. Though if someone felt like trying to 3D print a faceplate, I can see that being a good option as well.
The Controls
I’ve actually been really happy with the controls on this unit. My D-pad isn’t as stiff as the original K10, the sticks are even smoother than the original, and in this case, I really prefer the clicky face buttons to the original membranes. While the shoulder buttons are loud and clicky, they’re nice and responsive and match well with the customizable height of the trigger buttons.
As a whole, the quality of the controls is a solid improvement over the Aolion K10, and the K20 probably falls closer to the quality of its competitors like the Cyclone 2 or the Super Nova.
The Charging Dock
The last thing I’m super happy with is the charging dock. Aolion followed a strong “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” attitude, as it looks almost identical to the original dock. The only major changes are the readjustment of the pin positions, and the button up front that is very clicky. Just like the original, it’s well weighted, holds the controller well, and has some lovely RGB underglow if that’s what you really want.
What I Don’t
The Macro Buttons
This is probably my least favorite pair of macro buttons. They were this awkward clam shape that sticks out the back of the controller at a strange angle. Alongside that, they are also a pain in the butt to remove. Enough so that I had to use a keycap remover just to manage to pry mine off the back of the device. I usually dislike back buttons, but these specifically, I have a much stronger distaste for.
The Quality Control
The other thing I want to mention is that I’ve noticed Aolion controllers don’t quite have as strong quality control when compared to the competition. On the K10, for example, my left shoulder button is clicky while the right is mushy. The Aolion K20 isn’t quite that bad, but my left trigger is much clackier than the right trigger. It’s not the biggest worry in the world, but it’s worth noting that you might not have a consistent experience versus controllers from other brands.
What’s In the Middle
Trigger Stops
“The Middle” is a section I don’t talk about too much, but this is one thing I couldn’t decide how to feel about, and that’s the trigger stops. Unlike most controllers, this one has three total stops, which allows for a much larger range of customization. The longer choices I don’t have the biggest concerns with, but just like other controllers, my issues come from the hair trigger stop.
Maybe it’s just me, but I’m not the biggest fan of having some additional travel when you’re meant to be on the shortest stop of the bunch. I’d say my favorite implementation of hair triggers is the Gamesir Cyclone,2 which holds a nice little click when you have it set for the short stop.
It’s not a bad set of triggers, but this, combined with the difference between left and right, makes it not my favorite situation.
Final Thoughts: Worth the Upgrade?
If your choices are going to be $25 for the Aolion K10 and $35 for the Aolion K20, I’m going to fully recommend spending the extra $10 to get the K20. It’s got better controls, better grips, and matches in terms of connectivity as well as holding the charging dock. In terms of budget controllers, especially under $40, it’s going to take a top spot for me. But at $35, it definitely comes closer to other competition.
The Competition
While going down by $10, you land on the K10, EasySMX X05, and the 8Bitdo Ultimate 2C, you have just as strong competition going up. For $45, you can find things like the EasySMX D05, Gamesir Super Nova, as well as the 8Bitdo Ultimate. The Aolion K20 falls into a nice middle ground that holds a lot of features from the more expensive options, as well as some of the drawbacks from your cheaper controllers.
The K20 is super easy to recommend if you’re looking for something in that price range, but if you end up having to spend more money than that, you may end up being better suited with something else. The Cyclone 2 still takes my top spot, even though it’s almost $20 more than the K20. This is the truest representation of value in the handheld market. If you ask me, of course.
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