Adapex R100 Pro Wireless Adapter (Hardware) Review

Connecting Core Controllers to Most Modern Consoles

In a world of competitive games, one’s input device is one of the most important choices a player has to make. At the least, comfort with a controller can make a world of difference. However, moving from platform to platform can be tricky and that’s where adapters come in. There are several big names in the adapter scene, many of them trusted by some of the most skilled players on the planet but it is always interesting to see potential solutions from smaller developers. I was recently asked to try out a competitor, the Adapex R100 Pro Wireless Adapter from BIGBIG WON and it seems to work fine enough but certainly could use an update or two. 

At a cheaper price than most adapters, retailing at $35.99 USD, the Adapex R100 Pro seeks to connect most controllers to a PS5, PS4, Switch, or Windows 10 system. I tried to connect on an Xbox One S just to see but that didn’t work and it’s not listed in the documentation; it was worth a shot. This simple USB dongle is a wireless connector that works with a DualSense, DualShock, Switch Pro, or just about any official Xbox controller including the Elite Series 2. Simply put the controller in question in pairing mode, plug in the dongle and it usually pairs immediately, noted by a pulse of the controller's vibration. In addition to a general connection, this wireless adapter boasts turbo function for all controllers, vibration adjustment, and joystick calibration but I would argue that the main selling point is the general connection. 

There are a few issues I have with the claims on the site about these functions. For one, I could not initially find documentation about how turbo is activated. I later found this on the company’s YouTube channel, which also led to more information about how the other functions work. To start adjusting, one must hold a start button (plus, options, hamburger button) for five seconds and then use combinations to enter certain functions. It technically works but it’s tough to figure it out without a visual aid. I thought I was overlooking something but it turns out the information is just in video form and isn’t on the product page as expected. The tutorials I found on the product page to adjust vibration are actually wrong, giving the right directions visually but saying that holding start is used for pairing when it is instead how one accesses the menu. If anything, the tutorials are well produced, they just need some correction and clearer directions. 

I was able to quickly connect controllers without much fuss, the extra stuff was just buried. 

As of this writing, there isn’t software to fine-tune things like one might find on other third-party controllers or devices. I did find a firmware update, which is standard for a wireless adapter and easy enough to do – just don’t expect this to be for tinkering with individual presses or functions, though that does appear to be a selling point of the company’s controllers. The extra functions for the R100 Pro are fine for specific needs like adding turbo to a shoot-em-up but they certainly are not intuitive. Navigating invisible menus is just not fun. 

There is an app available on iOS and Android for the company’s controllers but not for the adapter and there doesn’t appear to be a PC app yet. Hopefully, there is eventually PC software that enables changes and automatic updates. 

Judging from the website, it’s clear that things are still a work in progress for this line of products and I imagine much of my confusion comes from the localization from (I assume primarily) Chinese to English. Bits of information, like the turbo tutorial, are missing or at least hard to find. The included manual points to the website’s tutorials for extra functions which were not as accurate as I hoped. There is seemingly a lot of work to do for BIGBIG WON but at least the product itself works as intended as a basic way to connect to modern consoles, aside from Xbox systems. 

Outside of directions and documentation, I’m impressed with the R100 Pro. 

As for my methodology, I see this device as something for players who want to get the most out of their controllers, particularly for competitive titles. I’ve been more involved with fighting games and competitive play than ever before so when companies reach out to me with new tech I always consider general users and more advanced users to reach balanced conclusions. For the past year or so I’ve been working as a Media Specialist for Black Ice eSports in Minneapolis where I’ve seen some truly incredible players crush the competition with all manner of devices. I always make a note to ask them what sort of things they look for in a controller and I use that knowledge to build off of my personal preference. I also play as much as I can to train my own skills but I still have a long way to go in most games. 

Being in this environment most of my work week eventually led to doing a simple button and stick mod of an 8BitDo Arcade Stick for Switch/PC that I use just to get the arcade feel for games like Tekken 7 and Soulcalibur II. Since we mostly play FGC games on PS4 though, I picked up a Brooks Adapter which is what the fighting game players recommended. It works well enough but connecting can be a weird juggling of syncing up controllers and it rarely works wired for me. Granted, my stick is weird, and once it connects it works fine but eventually I’ll put in a universal board or upgrade my stick altogether. Funny enough, the Adapex R100 Pro does not list the 8BitDo Arcade Stick as compatible but it worked for me and it connected faster on my PS5 than the Brook adapter. Button latency seemed fine with it too but I probably wouldn’t trust it in a tournament setting. 

Bringing the Adapex R100 Pro to a tournament is not personally recommended, primarily because it is solely a wireless connection. Although, this adapter needs more testing in extreme conditions by players who know exactly what to look for. I did a ton of testing but I can’t confidently recommend it to EVO warriors just yet. First impressions though are strong for a wireless solution.

BIGBIG WON makes a wired adapter (the R90) but for this review, we’re focusing on the R100 Pro so I’m unsure how they compare. That said, I think for casual play, the R100 Pro works great and it could save players a few dollars which is always a plus. 

When controller adapters first hit the market in the 360/PS3 era they were terribly pricey and complex so I’m glad that a simple USB dongle with one button works as well as it does, even if it is tough to mess with the extra functions. 

In my testing, I was able to not only play comfortably on Switch with an Xbox Series Core controller or a DualSense but I swapped around a lot and the adapter kept up, always making a zippy pairing. I tried a bunch of games that I would feel latency with such as fighters like Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike and Monster Hunter Rise to name a few and all of them worked perfectly fine for me. I even grabbed that same Xbox controller to play through HunterX, an indie on Switch and the adapter didn’t miss a beat which is funny because that game is a little too responsive sometimes. I even tried connecting while at the Black Ice venue, a setting with a bunch of wireless gadgets and it worked faster than my Brooks adapter. 

Overall, it is pretty cool that such a cheap, simple device allows one to use a core controller on another console. Even some third-party controllers work but mileage will vary since there’s not an extensive compatibility list. I’ll leave the extreme testing to the greater gaming communities or for BIGBIG WON themselves. The Adapex R100 Pro claims to connect most first-party controllers to a PS5, PS4, Switch, or PC and it works great for that. If one is looking for a Bluetooth controller adapter to play on PC, having the R100 is just as good with an added benefit for gamers that enjoy bouncing from platform to platform. 

Outside of tournament play and lacking tinker software, the R100 Pro is a solid buy. 

SCORES

VISUAL APPEAL - 8/10

BUILD QUALITY - 8/10

FEATURES - 6/10

USABILITY- 9/10

PRICING - 9/10

OVERALL - 8/10

Learn more about the Adapex R100 Pro on the official website. A unit was provided for the purpose of review. Featured image courtesy of BIGBIG WON.

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