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I’ve been using Zwift Play for a few weeks and will share my experience in this review.
KEY TAKEAWAY
Zwift Play is a useful accessory that makes using Zwift much more convenient. It’s especially useful when racing. However, for $991, I find it overpriced. It’s also a shame that Zwift Play is incompatible with third-party apps. That’s understandable, though, as Zwift aims to lock users in their ecosystem.
You can buy Zwift Play here or continue reading for more info.
Zwift Play Summary
Below is my summary of the pros and cons of Zwift Play.
Zwift Play Pros
- Makes Zwift experience more convenient
- Easy to pair and set up
- Allow full controllability of Zwift
Zwift Play Cons
- Expensive
- Not as ergonomic as shifters on bike
- Not compatible with third-party apps
- Only compatible with dropped handlebar
- It’s not possible to remap the buttons
My Experience with Zwift Play
I used Zwift Play over the course of a few weeks for casual Zwift riding and racing. Through Zwift Play, I can easily control the menu and avatar movement, but more on that later.
In terms of build quality, Zwift Play is adequately made for its purpose. It can also be easily attached to road handlebars and paired with Zwift. However, the controllers are only compatible with dropped handlebars, and the buttons won’t be in quite the ideal position.
Once paired with the Zwift, the app will guide you through the functionality of the buttons:
Based on my experience, Zwift Play is primarily useful for racing because I don’t have to reach for the keyboard to trigger power-ups. I find braking and steering useless. Instead of braking, I can just ease up on the power or stop pedaling.
Of course, you can also control virtual gears if you have a smart trainer that supports virtual shifting. I recommend you read my article explaining the difference between traditional and virtual shifting.
It’s also a shame that the buttons cannot be remapped. For example, changing the camera view takes multiple clicks, so you might miss important moments when racing.
I totally understand why Zwift went for this accessory. After all, they want to diversify their income and make some money on accessories as well. They created a “problem” and offered a “solution”. Unfortunately, the $99 price tag is still unacceptable to me, despite the original price upon launch being $149. I don’t race at a level where milliseconds make the difference. Luckily, Zwift Play controllers are often discounted to $49.
Plus, you can buy Bluetooth programmable buttons for your PC that you can attach to the handlebars, and power-ups run from them. They just require a little bit more effort when mapping which buttons should do which action. With macOS, it’s a bit more complicated than with a PC, but it’s still possible.
Conclusion
After using Zwift Play for a few weeks, I will have a hard time going back to clicking my keyboard and mouse (yes, I have to return the borrowed Zwift Play buttons). It’s a useful gadget, especially for racing. At this point, I am not willing to spend $149 for it. There are alternatives like programmable buttons. They have their limits, but they cost a fraction of the price.
However, if you don’t mind the price and use Zwift often, Zwift Play will make your experience more convenient.
- When this article was first published, Zwift Play buttons cost $149. ↩︎
