Verdict
The Trust GXT 542 Muta is a well-made normal fashionable gamepad. It has just one extraneous function, its different swappable D-pad covers, although these are actually cool. The controller appears high quality, not ugly, simply by no means fascinating. It feels good in your hand, not low-cost. The most interesting options are it’s smartphone-compatible in addition to being PC- and Switch-compatible, and it has a number of conection choices: Bluetooth, cable, and wi-fi dongle.
Pros
Uses sustainable materialsCompatible with a number of platforms and connection optionsAffordable worth
Cons
Bar a turbo button, no programmable buttonsNo supporting softwareVery primary
Made from sustainable supplies75% of the Muta is constituted of recycled supplies.
Connection choices aplentyThere are three connectivity choices: Bluetooth, wired, wi-fi.
Playstyle choicesThe Muta comes with D-pads, which permit for extra customisability – or a minimum of help you select a favorite.
Introduction
Controllers have develop into fairly subtle peripherals, containing microphones, audio system, movement sensors and the like. The Trust GXT 542 Muta is just not like that, although. It’s a traditional fashionable controller in appears and capabilities.
Aside from one slightly good function, swappable d-pad covers, the Muta is devoid of frills. This is commonly the case with Trust. It’s additionally the case that their merchandise are usually properly made, good worth, and fairly priced.
The GXT 542 Muta can be utilized with the Nintendo Switch, PC and smartphone. It comes with a wi-fi dongle, and it may additionally join utilizing Bluetooth, and an included wire. Over the previous few weeks, I’ve been testing it out to see if it does its job properly sufficient to make it a pretty prospect over different comparable controllers.
Design
Basic controller designDecent sizeNice grips
The Trust Gaming GXT 542 Muta is a classically designed controller, by which I imply it appears like virtually all different controllers. But if we had been to rank different fashionable controllers by Muta-similarity we’d discover it appears most like a Switch Pro controller. Just like that controller, it’s a bit of dull-looking, black throughout, bar the lettering on the buttons and the ball of the thumb sticks.
The Muta is a “Clevergreen” product, that means a minimum of 75% of it’s recycled plastic. I respect well-made eco-friendly peripherals; it’s essential to take heed to the mark we make on our surroundings, and each infant counts.
Most of the principle enclosure of the 542 Muta is a grainy textured black plastic. The pores and skin of the hand grips is a textured rubber materials. This offers fairly much more grip than the Xbox and PS5 controllers.
Image Credit (TechSwitch)
The controller’s structure is generally just like the Switch’s: The buttons you would possibly generically name “select” and “start” are “+” and “-” right here, not “create”, and “hamburger”; the shoulder buttons are R, RZ, L, and LZ, not LB, LT or the rest; and the center button, which brings up the Xbox Game Bar on my PC or the Switch’s UI, is “home”.
But the face buttons are named Microsoft-style, X, Y, B, A, not the One True (Nintendo) Style Y, X, B, A. That’s sacrilege, however I gained’t mark Trust down for differing spiritual beliefs. Still, diverting from Nintendo on this one space is an odd choice.
The D-pad is Nintendo-style – that’s, formed like a plus. However – a pleasant contact – the controller comes with two different D-pad covers, one in every of which is like the brand new Xbox controller’s.
Image Credit (TechSwitch)
The D-pad is above the left analogue stick, which is to say the analogues are laid horizontally like they’re on the PS5 controller, not diagonally like they’re on the Switch Pro controller. No third-party controller is full with no turbo button; the Muta has one left of the house button.
Although the design of the Trust GXT 542 Muta is just not thrilling, it nonetheless appears respectable, and it’s not lacking something. It’s not what I’d describe as light-weight, however it definitely isn’t heavy both. Compared to a PS5 DualSense controller it weighs (220g) round half that of the PS5’s (430 g), however then virtually double the burden of Nintendo’s Switch’s Joy-Con (181.44g).
Image Credit (TechSwitch)
Performance
Performs properly on all platformsChangeable D-pads are surprisingly goodMatches the touted round 10 hours of battery
The GXT 542 Muta carried out properly, that’s to say, I used to be glad with the way it felt, with the responsiveness of the buttons and the accuracy of the analogue sticks. I didn’t actually anticipate the rest, to be sincere.
Connecting wirelessly to the PC is easy: simply plug the dongle in and maintain the house button and Y. The controller will vibrate to point you’re linked.
Connecting to the PC is equally easy; you activate Bluetooth and press down the house button and R. As with many third get together controllers, the controller will probably register as “Xbox Wireless Controller”. If you’re uncertain of join be sure you pay shut consideration to the instructions within the handbook. I then took it for a spin on Starfield and Hades and it labored completely properly.
I then tried to hook up with my Samsung Galaxy telephone by way of Bluetooth and it wasn’t as clean a experience as connecting to Bluetooth by way of PC. However, it was a mere bump. You merely activate Bluetooth in your telephone, scan to discover a new gadget and press down the house and R button. “Xbox Wireless Controller” will come up. Pair the controller along with your telephone after which you need to be linked. The little bump I skilled was that whereas it paired up high quality, it wouldn’t hook up with the controller. Each time it tried it mentioned “can’t connect”.
Image Credit (TechSwitch)
So, I deleted the pairing, and repeated the steps to pair once more and it labored high quality after that. You might discover that you simply don’t have that challenge in any respect, however in case you do, simply unpair and re-pair once more like I did. Once linked, I performed Vampire Survivors and Minecraft to make sure it was functioning properly, which it was.
The 542 Muta is a top-tier price range controller and a robust contender towards the Nacon Pro Compact. The wire – a juicy three metres in size – labored. The controller charged instantly and, once I loaded Hades by Steam, I used to be off and operating instantly.
Connecting wirelessly to the Switch was fairly easy. I chosen “change Grip/order” within the “controllers” tab on the Switch and held down the Trust GXT 542 Muta’s residence button; a sound (and vibration) performed, and voila, I may begin taking part in.
Trust’s choice to make use of the Xbox’s face button names as a substitute of the Switch ones made taking part in on the Switch a bit of awkward. I simply saved urgent the unsuitable buttons.
The buttons are a bit of stiff, stiffer than my previous Xbox controller, the PS5 DualSense controller, and the Switch one. Stiff sufficient they don’t completely guarantee you they gained’t get caught at an important second, although they didn’t. Generally, all of the buttons have extra resistance than my different controllers, and never essentially as a result of the controller’s new; my PS5 controller can be new.
Image Credit (TechSwitch)
The analogues are much less agency than the PS5’s. I don’t suppose that kind of resistance is healthier or worse. It’ll be a matter of opinion.
I used to be a bit sceptical concerning the changeable D-pads. A D-pad is a D-pad, is what I believed, as in, no matter comes with a controller is what I’ll use, however having the choice to attempt totally different D-pads labored remarkably properly. I even had a favorite, which remains to be put in within the Muta.
I used to be in a position to see {that a} day utilizing the Muta on my Switch, smartphone and PC wirelessly required a cost. So, I’d say, roughly 9/10 hours of use is all it may do earlier than needing a cost.
Software and Lighting
No extravagant lightingNo devoted app
There is not any “lighting” on the Trust Gaming GXT 542 Muta except you depend a really unexciting array of 4 pink standing LEDs beneath the house button. One flashes whereas it’s in use, and all 4 mild up sequentially throughout set-up.
Image Credit (TechSwitch)
There’s no Muta-specific software program. I did attempt to set up some firmware for the controller. When I ran Trust’s executable it advised me “device error”. I’ve met plenty of error messages in my life and that one is concerning the least forthcoming.
Speaking of communication errors, the handbook leaves lots to be desired. It’s “multilingual”, which implies, within the present 12 months, that it’s not lingual in any respect; it’s all photos.
Latest offers
Should you purchase it?
You desire a respectable controller for a number of gadgets.
The Muta is a well-built standard structure controller at a good worth that may hook up with your cellular, PC, Bluetooth and Nintendo Switch.
You need extra options than the Muta has to supply.
You may be on the lookout for a bit extra out of your controller than the fundamentals that the Muta has to supply like movement sensors, or an in-built mic or speaker.
Final Thoughts
The Trust GXT 542 Muta, with its mixture of Switch and Xbox button names, is a barely odd controller, although on the similar time in each different approach – color, form, structure – it’s fully standard. It’s well-built, with responsive buttons and triggers (even when they may be too stiff for some individuals) and an correct analogue stick; it’s multiplatform (-ish: no PS5 or Xbox); it’s pocket-kind at solely £34.99; it permits you to join in three alternative ways.
The Muta arrange was easy for all makes use of: wi-fi, Bluetooth and wired. The solely hitch was when connecting to Bluetooth on my smartphone, however that was simply remedied. Although, if there have been any greater points, you possibly can’t depend on any software program to probably repair them. I attempted to put in a firmware replace that was obtainable on the web site, however Trust’s updater program failed with an uninformative error message.
There’s additionally little or no in the way in which of troubleshooting help from Trust in case you do run into any points. The solely choice I noticed was to contact them, and actually, having to do all of that simply to perhaps get some assistance is a turnoff. It shouldn’t be so troublesome. It is probably not as low-cost however, for a less complicated expertise, it’s exhausting to look previous the likes of the default Xbox controller. The Muta stays price your consideration in case you have a price range that matches its value however you possibly can spend not far more for one thing extra fully-featured or dependable. For a spread of picks, take a look at our greatest recreation controllers information.
How we check
Every controller we check is used for a minimum of per week. We check varied issues like ease of use. Which platforms it really works finest with, obtainable connectivity choices, e.g. Bluetooth, wi-fi. If relevant, we additionally check battery life and any software program it comes with.
Used as a foremost controller for over two weeks.
Tested on video games of various genres
Tested on the Switch, PC and smartphone
Tested varied sorts of connectivity
FAQs
Is the Trust GXT 542 Muta appropriate with all smartphones? Yes. Is there software program or drivers to replace the Trust GXT 542 Muta controller? No. There is a Firmware replace that doesn’t seem to work. Are there programmable buttons on the Trust GXT 542 Muta? No. There is a Turbo button, however it’s programmed with a number of button presses.
TechSwitch check knowledge
‹
Battery discharge after 1 hour of gaming
Weight by way of scales
Trust GXT 542 Muta
2 %
221 grams
›
‹
UK RRP
USA RRP
EU RRP
CA RRP
AUD RRP
Manufacturer
Size (Dimensions)
Weight
ASIN
Release Date
First Reviewed Date
Model Number
Ports
Connectivity
Battery Length
Trust GXT 542 Muta
£39.99
Unavailable
Unavailable
Unavailable
Unavailable
Trust Gaming
165 x 60 x 115 MM
220 G
B0BSV52YQM
2023
04/10/2023
24790
USB
Wireless, Wired, Bluetooth.
10 hrs
›