Hardware: AirFly Pro Review

The whole “the Switch doesn’t support Bluetooth headsets” thing is still a bummer to this day. So in place of common sense from Nintendo, several companies have offered up products to fix this issue. The latest one sent to us is the AirFly Pro, but it’s more than just a way to listen to Bluetooth on the Switch.

The AirFly Pro comes from TwelveSouth, known more for their Mac accessories than anything to do with gaming. So the AirFly Pro, while it works on the Switch, it’s more that the Switch has a 3.5mm headphone jack and can’t pump out music to Bluetooth.

Using the AirFly Pro is simple, turn it on, plug it into any 3.5mm headphone jack you can find and then pair your headphones to it. Ta-da, your device is now Bluetooth enabled. You can even pair up to two sets of headphones. This could be handy if you’re on a plane (someday in the future) and want to play two-player on the Switch. But don’t think about games for a minute; where else could this be used? Again, on a plane, you could share Bluetooth on a tablet, a laptop in a study room or just watching a movie in bed.

Then there’s the reverse functionality new to the AirFly Pro. With the same 3.5mm jack, you can make something that doesn’t have Bluetooth to be able to suck in sounds from your phone or Switch. Got a fancy sound system that’s pre-wireless? You can bet it has an AUX in.

What about when you’re with a mate travelling in their old busted car? You can plug the AirPlay Pro into the AUX port again – no need to pair your phone to their car. There’s a little tiny switch on the side of the device to change modes.

You can tell this wasn’t designed for the Switch first in mind. In handheld mode, you’ll have this little while dongle hanging off the top of your Switch and docked; it’s not much more pleasing either. In other use cases like the car or on a plane, it would be fine. Luckily the AirFly charges with USB-C, so you can at least charge it with the Switch charger and not have to take another one with you. It should last about 16 hours, but I’m not going on a long enough play trip any time soon to test it. In the small package, you get a little felt bag to keep it all safe.

Pricing on the AirFly Pro seems to be all over the place, the recommended retail price is a little high, but it’s a quality build and the support would be there over something from eBay or Amazon. Shop around for pricing on this one.

TwelveSouth makes great stuff; their computer accessories are top quality and well designed. The AirFly Pro is just as well made, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say it doesn’t “fit” with the Nintendo Switch. It’ll do what you want but you’ll look a bit silly with it hanging off the top of your console. At least it solves multiple problems all in one device.