8BitDo Ultimate 2 review: The best Switch 2 controller out there

Engadget

RATING : 9.5 / 10

Oops, 8BitDo did it again. The company behind some of the market's sleekest gaming accessories has designed a wireless Switch 2 controller that outperforms Nintendo's flagship gamepad in several ways, all while looking fly and asking a fraction of the price.

8BitDo's Ultimate 2 is the controller I reach for whenever I sit down to play Switch 2. It's comfortable, mappable, durable, versatile and cute, and its clicks are as satisfying as a fidget spinner. The fact that it comes with a dedicated charging stand, optional 2.4G connection point, TMR joysticks, Hall effect triggers, adjustable haptics and a range of other hot features only makes its price tag more appealing. The Ultimate 2 costs $70 — that's $20 less than Nintendo's Switch 2 Pro — and it's often on sale. That means it's cheaper than one AAA video game nowadays, even without any discounts.

8BitDo

In the box alongside the instruction manual, 8BitDo packs in the Ultimate 2 controller itself, a charging dock with a USB-A connection cable, a 2.4G USB-C dongle that can plug into the bottom of the dock, and a spare set of key caps with neon splotches on the tops. For my fellow tactile fiends, there's one sticker across the gamepad's face buttons to reverently peel off.

Like Nintendo's Switch 2 Pro Controller, the Ultimate 2 is a super compact, ergonomic gamepad that fits wonderfully in my smaller-than-average hands. It's excellent for long play sessions, with a smooth plastic chassis, textured grips, adjustable haptics, two rear buttons, three custom profiles and re-mappable everything. The Ultimate 2 has Hall effect triggers with physical switches that turn them into non-linear tactile triggers, plus two extra bumpers (L4 and R4), bringing the total number of shoulder inputs to six. The extra bumpers are rectangular nubs positioned between the traditional triggers and shoulder buttons, easily pressable with your fingertips but not in the way of familiar movements.

8BitDo

The gamepad's offset TMR analog sticks promise to offer lasting precision and never drift, and they press in easily with a soft click even when angled. Mirrored rings of RGB lighting encircle the sticks, adjustable on the fly with a tiny star button on the gamepad's face. Or, get more in-depth customization options with 8BitDo's Ultimate Software V2, which allows you to set the lights to specific colors, assign input macros, remap buttons, update firmware and generally make the controller look and play just right. The software offers a level of customization that many players likely won't ever access, but for the rest of us RGB freaks and profile-switchers, it's really nice to have these options in an accessible, reasonably priced package.

I love the size of the Ultimate 2. Small, sturdy and well-balanced, it feels right from the moment it hits my palms and it holds up to consecutive hours of play. The triggers are buttery smooth and there's a lovely bounce to the face buttons — shiny plastic domes with printed letters, not etched, like forbidden M&Ms. The D-pad has a similarly satisfying action, weightless but with a firm click.

8BitDo

The Ultimate 2 has one tiny flaw, and I do mean tiny. There are four circular, sprinkle-sized buttons on the front of the gamepad with plus, minus, square and star icons stamped into them, each one low-profile and the same color as the faceplate. They're difficult to read at a glance, even with slight variations in texture. However, this problem is naturally solved by spending more time with the gamepad and building up muscle memory. Not only is this issue minor, but it's also present in most other Switch 2 controllers, including Nintendo's Pro model. So, hey, maybe the actual problem is me and I should just visit the optometrist already.

I played many, many hours of Resident Evil Requiem, Hello Kitty Island Adventure and Mario Kart World while testing the Ultimate 2, and my hands never slipped or cramped, and the controller's precision didn't drop. With the charging dock always plugged in nearby, I've yet to run into an issue with the Ultimate 2's battery life, even after multiple days of intermittent play, RGBs on and vibration turned up to max. The Ultimate 2 connects seamlessly with the Switch 2 in 2.4G mode, and in Bluetooth mode, you can set the controller to wake up the console by giving it a little shake.

The Ultimate 2 feels like the Switch 2 gamepad, and it offers some crucial things that the Pro Controller simply doesn't, including TMR thumbsticks, Hall effect triggers, a charging dock, RGB lights, remapping software, extra bumpers and customizable haptics. Meanwhile, the Nintendo Pro Controller features a 3.5mm audio jack, an NFC reader for Amiibos and proprietary soft-hit thumbsticks that make no noise and feel like clouds — but it also costs at least $20 more than the Ultimate 2.

Everything is within reach on 8BitDo's Ultimate 2, even for small hands like mine.