The single best wireless controller I’ve ever used

Sean Hollister is simply a elder exertion present astatine The Verge. He runs news, writes reviews, and edits stories, and helium specializes in, arsenic helium puts it, “fun gadgets.” He goes connected to say, “It deed maine precocious that I’m fundamentally a large kid: I privation to play. So present I effort to walk astir of my clip toying with nerdy hardware and filming it weekly for you. Please tell me if you spot thing I perfectly indispensable try!” 

When we asked him to take 1 of his favourite existent gadgets, helium volunteered to speech astir the 8BitDo Ultimate Bluetooth Controller.

Where did you archetypal perceive astir the 8BitDo Ultimate Bluetooth Controller?

Well, I heard astir it successful The Verge’s newsroom, and, frankly, I wanted to marque amusive of it close distant due to the fact that I thought it was bullshit. How could it beryllium the “ultimate” controller if it lone supports a azygous Bluetooth instrumentality astatine a clip and has nary interchangeable batteries, while the 8BitDo Pro 2 tin power betwixt four antithetic devices, supports some AAs and a rechargeable pack, and costs $20 less? 

I was incorrect astir the controller, but not astir the name: 8BitDo has made truthful galore antithetic “Ultimate” controllers that the connection is meaningless. Importantly, the 1 I’m talking astir is the Bluetooth and 2.4G mentation with Nintendo Switch compatibility and drift-resistant Hall effect sticks.

When did you bargain it, and what went into the determination to bargain one?

Like truthful galore of my favourite gadgets, I bought it erstwhile I realized I wanted to support it. 8BitDo sent america 1 for review, and it’s Verge argumentation that our unit can’t judge anything of worth from a company, adjacent if they don’t privation it back. As soon arsenic we nary longer person a valid editorial crushed to support it, it gets returned, donated, oregon fixed distant (and not to our friends oregon relatives, either). 

But I didn’t privation to portion with it, truthful I paid currency for my own.

Speaking of which, my reappraisal portion is presently successful a reappraisal closet awaiting a scholar giveaway — I’m hoping to vessel it to immoderate fortunate Verge subscriber this summertime oregon fall!

What bash you similar astir it?

It’s the azygous champion wireless controller I’ve ever used. It’s the champion I’ve utilized for a PC, and it doubles arsenic 1 of the apical 3 for the Nintendo Switch, which, for me, easy makes it the champion overall. I cognize that sounds similar a precocious bar, but astir of the contention falls abbreviated due to the fact that astir manufacturers look to deliberation PC gamers volition either tolerate Bluetooth latency oregon wired USB cables alternatively of gathering a bulletproof 2.4GHz solution. 

For implicit a decade, I’d sworn by Microsoft’s Xbox 360 Wireless Receiver for Windows due to the fact that of its unmatched speed, reliability, and wireless range, but the 8BitDo Ultimate yet bushed it — and without sacrificing due rumble similar truthful galore wireless PC and Switch pads do. Plus, it adds an supra mean D-pad and magnetic Hall effect sticks that should last. 

It’s 1 of the fewer controllers that tin crook some a Nintendo Switch and a Steam Deck connected from crossed the room, letting maine laze connected the sofa portion they’re docked to my TV — and a decent built-in gyroscope means I get gyro aiming connected Steam Deck and Switch, too. (You deed power, past shingle the controller to activate the wake-on-Bluetooth command.)

The artillery beingness is excellent, too: I clocked implicit 33 hours of play crossed several months earlier needing to driblet it backmost connected its bundled charging dock, which besides neatly turns the controller connected and disconnected erstwhile you dock and undock it.

Is determination thing astir it that you dislike oregon that you deliberation could beryllium improved?

I would decidedly wage $10 much for a mentation that could brace to much Bluetooth devices, truthful I don’t person to disconnect from my Steam Deck erstwhile I link to my Switch and vice versa. I accidental I could permission the 2.4GHz dock plugged into my Steam Deck dock, but I similar to support it connected to my desktop PC. 

I’d besides similar to beryllium capable to remap the 2 backmost buttons without plugging the controller into a PC and utilizing peculiar software. The caller Ultimate 2 and 2C bash that, but I don’t request immoderate of the different caller features similar LED lighting, adjustable triggers, oregon other buttons.  

Who would you urge it to?

Do you person a PC and a Switch oregon Steam Deck? At its emblematic $50 sale, bargain this gamepad. Do you lone person a Switch and don’t attraction for however the Switch Pro controller feels? Buy this gamepad. But if you chiefly play connected location consoles, phones, tablets, etc., past don’t bargain it. 

I besides person an 8BitDo Pro 2 that I similar to worldly into a container for on-the-go use, and Mechanism makes a great grip for it that you tin brace with its Phone Mount to magnetically connect it to your phone. 

Is determination thing I should person asked that I didn’t?

Have I utilized the Ultimate 2C, which tin beryllium had for conscionable $25-$30 with astir of the aforesaid features and a fewer enhancements but has fractional the artillery capableness and doesn’t travel with a dock? No, I person not, arsenic I’ve been wholly satisfied with the Ultimate Bluetooth. At fractional the price, it mightiness beryllium the amended pick, conscionable truthful agelong arsenic pastel colors are your thing.