Compatible with Switch, PC, macOS, Android, Steam Deck and Raspberry Pi.
Pro 2 is compatible with Steam Deck now
Release date
April 12, 2021
Pricing
The strikethrough price is the List Price. Savings represents a discount off the List Price.
Product Dimensions
6.06 x 2.56 x 3.98 inches, 8 Ounces
Binding
Video Game
Language
English
Item model number
6922621501725
Item Weight
8 ounces
Manufacturer
8Bitdo
Country of Origin
China
Batteries
1 Lithium Polymer batteries required. (included)
Date First Available
March 15, 2021
7 reviews for 8BitDo Pro 2 Bluetooth Controller for Switch OLED, PC, macOS, Android, Steam & Raspberry Pi (Gray Edition) – Nintendo Switch
Rated 5 out of 5
Sam –
I loved the SN30 Pro+, so I had to pre-order the 8-bit do Pro 2. One new addition is the addition of back buttons, which will prove really useful in games where the only way to use gyro in a game is to map inputs to keyboard and mouse using Steam. The only game I’ve found where this is actually needed is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, I used the Steam controller to play the single-player since the Steam controller has back buttons. Now we have another controller with gyro that has extra buttons. Granted, I haven’t tested to see how it actually works yet, but there’s always a way to emulate buttons on a gamepad. Another nice addition is the addition of a switch that let’s you quickly put it into PC/Android/Switch/MacOS mode. The old method of doing this was annoying. The d-pad, analog stick, and gyro all feel a bit different than the SN30 Pro+, clearly 8bitdo is listening to feedback and trying to improve their gamepads– it would sure be nice if Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo did this. So I did some really quick, mostly unscientific performance tests to see how the features of the Pro 2 controller work.
I’m more of a casual gamer, so this analysis will be more useful for people who don’t play as many games.
I’ll start with the gyro aka tilt controls or motion controls, this will be really important if you play Splatoon 2, or would rather use a gamepad on PC than a kb/m but want more accuracy. Gyro only works in Nintendo Switch mode. Even though the PC recognizes it as a DS4 in Android mode, the gyro will not work. You can’t use it in basic PC mode, though, because it recognizes it as an Xbox One controller which has no gyro. For those who don’t know how to get gyro controls working on PC, I’ll explain. If your game is on Steam, you’re good to go. You’ll have to enable Steam to detect Switch Pro controllers and then go into controller configuration and configure it for each individual game. The little unlabeled button that most people would miss, right below the controller, allows you to use gyro. Unless the game doesn’t recognize gamepad inputs, you’re probably going to want to set it to mouse joystick, otherwise set it to mouse. This way you’ll be able to aim by tilting the controller, like in Splatoon. If the game is not a Steam game(say Epic Games store or Windows Store), you can use a free program called DS4Windows which will recognize input from the DS4, Switch Pro, and Joy-cons, and convert them to kb/m or xbox inputs, allowing you to use them in almost every game in Windows. Note that the original version was abandoned and picked up by someone else, and is now up to version 3.0. Don’t download the old version.
Since I used Aimlab for my tests, I had to tell steam to recognize the Pro 2’s inputs as a mouse. This may have led to an issue. In short, you’ll want to specify a dead zone on gyro controls. If it’s too low you won’t be able to hit anything because the cursor will be wobbling everywhere. If it’s too high, your cursor will just stay there when you’re trying to make precise movement. I could not get it to have enough of a dead zone to prevent wobbling, making it hard to line up a precise shot. Strangely, it wasn’t an issue with the DS4. And I don’t remember this being an issue with the Pro+ a while back. I’m thinking the drivers that DS4Windows installed recently somehow messed up mouse emulation throughout Windows, because I’m having all sorts of issues with DS4Windows and even Steam is having minor issues, like occasional drifting on multiple gamepads. Hopefully the next version will be out and fix that soon. I could have easily fixed this deadzone problem if I was able to configure gyro with DS4Windows, but I have to make do with Steam for now.
So as for the results
On spidershot precision, which is where gyro aiming really excels I got 70 hits and 3 misses as a high score on a mouse after trying a few times. That was about a 50k score. I know that’s really bad, but it’s mainly because I haven’t been playing shooters much recently. With the Pro 2 I got 65 hits and 4 misses – 43.6k With the Switch Pro I got 58 hits and 8 misses – 38k The day before I had gotten exactly 43.6k with the DS4 and 42k with the Sn30 Pro+ While the DS4 tied the Pro 2, the lack of a good dead zone was causing me to miss on the Pro 2. When I’m able to fix it, I think the Pro 2 will surpass it. Worth noting is that I’ve used an adapter to play Splatoon 2 with a DS4, and it felt inferior to the SN30 Pro+, but better than the joy-cons. That’s just based on instinct, though. I’ve also done Aim Lab with the Steam controller’s tilt controls and the joy-cons, but the scores were *much* lower than the other gamepads, so I didn’t bother with them this time. I did gridshot as well, the high scores were
And for the heck of it, I tried an Xbox One controller with an Analog stick, the results were 64 hits 1 miss
Note that when I was doing more practice with a mouse I was able to hit 220 targets with 95% accuracy, almost twice that of a gamepad with gyro, though I have noticed that my performance with gamepads goes up proportionally with my performance with a good mouse, as well as my performance with a cheap mouse compared to a good gaming mouse. So maybe it’s learning the game, rather than learning the hardware.
Okay, conclusion, I did best with a Pro 2 and a DS4, and think with proper mouse emulation, the Pro 2 would surpass the DS4. I’d go with the Pro 2 over the Switch Pro controller in Splatoon 2 myself, but if you like the Switch Pro, then you can probably stick with that, since the differences were not night and day. But I prefer the 8Bitdo gamepads.
So for gyro 10/10
The rest of my tests were less scientific. I liked the feel of the d-pad on the Pro 2 more than the Pro+. It felt a little more SNES, whereas oddly, the Pro+ felt more NES. I tried out Contra with a vintage NES controller and a Pro 2, Ninja Gaiden(NES) with a Pro 2, and Contra 3 with a Pro 2. Contra seemed to feel better on an NES controller, but I actually got further with the Pro 2. Ninja Gaiden and Contra 3 felt great on the Pro 2. I’d say you probably can’t beat using the gamepad the game was specifically designed for, but the Pro 2 is a great device for retro games if you don’t have adapters for the old game pad
For D-pad 9/10
So to test the analog stick I did Touhou 15: Legacy of the Lunatic Kingdom on lunatic mode(yikes). I didn’t get very far, naturally, since I would normally play SHMUPs on normal difficulty. I tested the M30(an 8bitdo controller with an 8 directional d-pad based off the Saturn controller), Xbox One controller, a DS3, and a Pro 2. I got the furthest with the M30 and it felt the best, no surprise there. Xbox One and Pro 2 were about equal, not really a huge surprise because modern Analog sticks are all made by the same company. To my surprise, I did the worst with the DS3, it seemed harder to do precise movements, which is weird because it seemed to do great in stealth games. But SHMUPs are generally not pressure sensitive, so maybe it’s not that weird. I thought the Analog stick on the Pro 2 felt really good, but it didn’t translate to significantly better performance, but I didn’t really do enough tests to get an accurate impression. I’m going to go out on a limb, though, and say that as far as analog sticks go on modern gamepads, they’re pretty interchangeable. Many people in the SHMUP community swear by the DS2, though, so analog sticks may have been better in the past. For now I’m sticking to the M30.
As far as the analog stick goes, I’m giving it a 7/10.
In conclusion, I’d say the Pro 2 has a really good d-pad, and gyro and analog sticks that are at least on par with the official gamepads. Plus it’s cheaper and has more features. It also has pressure-sensitive triggers and a PC, so you can use it for Forza Horizon 4 on PC without problems. Don’t hesitate to get this gamepad, even over the Switch Pro controller. It’s good that 3rd parties are trying to make high quality controllers now, instead of just cheap knockoff controllers. Maybe one day 8bitdo will make a $150 gamepad designed for eSports, much like the high-end mechanical keyboards and mice they have on PC.
Rated 3 out of 5
Stephen –
Like most everyone else here, I bought this off the back of all the glowing reviews on YouTube.
This is a great quality controller, with the rear programmable buttons, easy app support and multiple profiles making this, in theory at least, the best controller for Bluetooth/Switch.
However, this controller is very fatiguing if, like me, you have smaller hands. The thumb sticks are very, and I mean VERY far in from the grips. I have slightly small hands for a man and this is really quite uncomfortable for me, so anyone with very small hands should probably avoid buying this with a view to long periods of use. You will be much better off with a switch pro controller.
The only other issue is the triggers. They are far too spongy and unsatisfying to use. They travel too far down, inwards and underneath the controller which is very uncomfortable, and the lack of some form of surround at their fully depressed state does not give a reassuring feeling of full actuation.
These two points are really quite a shame as the controller would otherwise be perfect, with excellent build quality/feel, features and setup. I hope they can improve on this in future
Rated 4 out of 5
Manx –
Previously I bought and returned a Sn30 Pro+. I was very unhappy to do it but the bluetooth connectivity was just impossible to get working.
8BitDo listened (and probably more people than just me complained) and have finally addressed connectivity issues by having a nice hardware switch on the back of the controller. The added 18 cents to the bill of materials finally put an end to holding buttons down hoping it would work in the method you wanted. It’s out of the way, impossible to accidentally trip, and doesn’t look out of place.
Rest of the controller is just as high quality a build as before. The plastic feels really good, arguably a better touch than even 1st party controllers (and lightyears in front of the super discount 3rd party controllers with that creepy-crawly plastic). The thing is rugged as hell, not a pop or crack or moan or rattling anything. I don’t think I’ve ever handled a controller that felt nearly as good.
My goal is simple: something I can use to control games in Windows using the built-in radios and not having to use an adapter. The later XBone controllers until present claim to have Bluetooth support but it’s filled with gotchas, disabled features, and dropouts. And also about $10 more expensive for the controller + $20 for the proprietary adapter.
As such, I didn’t touch SA or D on the switch. I’ll never use this on Android or Mac or Switch. I suppose it’s nice that it could, if one day I change my mind. Unfortunately the rear buttons don’t really have use for me because they’re not “real” buttons wired through XInput. But the “home” button works as expected. Remapping buttons isn’t one of my use cases.
Turning on turbo is a neat trick with a button right on the controller instead of through some menu is really cool. This boils down to, for me, no need to install the proprietary software. Everything I need it for works great out of the box, as it should be.
So I’m glowing about this thing, why not 5 stars? It’s not the rechargeable battery, which is not only user replaceable but also can be removed and replaced with AA batteries as you like. It’s not the controller using USB-C to charge, and including a cable.
Honestly, it’s that this is a Switch-first controller. The buttons are labeled in the Switch layout, a system I have no intention of using this with. There are three styles to this controller, different colors. This one is the only one with letters on the buttons instead on the shell, and this is the only layout you can get. 8BitDo does sell XInput buttons that you can swap out, but it’s quite the challenge getting into this well built controller. You’ll need Torx drivers, Phillips drivers, plastic spudger, something to peel up a sticker (which is also super high quality and does not rip!), and steady hands to reattach the interior ribbon cable. You’ll also need about $10 ($7 is shipping) to buy it, from their site only. Freaking why??? You have all the parts already, just sell the two different layouts.
Is it a big issue? I would say yes: this is the only thing keeping the 8BitDo Pro 2 from being on the top of my recommendations list for PC gaming. I still wind up recommending the expensive Microsoft path, or the cheap Logitech path, for people joining PCMR because not every game recognizes alternate layouts and signaling is real confusing especially for little kids. And that’s a real shame because this controller is pretty much everything I want in everything except those four silly double-shot buttons.
Rated 4 out of 5
Markus –
Ich war auf der Suche nach einem Controller, mit dem ich am PC per Emulator Retro Spiele spielen kann. Dabei spiele ich hauptsächlich Super Mario World (SMW) Hacks (Kaizo), weswegen mir die Qualität des Steuerkreuz besonders wichtig ist.
Der Pro 2 ist bekanntermaßen das Nachfolgemodell des beliebten SN30 Pro+. Worin die Modelle sich unterscheiden findet man ausreichend bei google und youtube beschrieben.
Anbei meine persönlichen Beweggründe warum ich mich letztlich für den Pro 2 entschieden habe, ohne vollends begeistert zu sein.
### Erster Akt: Pro 2 ### Ich habe mir zuerst den Pro 2 bestellt und zwei Tage getestet. Soweit war der Eindruck gut und ich war zufrieden. Was mich aber gestört hat und woran ich mich nicht so recht gewöhnen konnte, waren die neuen “Paddles” an der Rückseite des Controllers. Es passiert mir immernoch regelmäßig, dass ich die Paddles ausversehen drücke. Da ich diese nicht belegt habe, weil ich sie nicht brauche, war das im Spiel kein Problem. Aber von der Haptik und dem Spielgefühl haben mich die Paddles regelmäßig irritiert und abgelenkt. So sehr, dass ich mir zum Vergleich das Vorgängermodell SN30 Pro+ bestellt habe, der hat ja die nervigen Paddles nicht und ansonsten sind die sich ja sehr ähnlich bis auf ein paar neue Features des Pro 2 (inklusive der Paddles) auf die ich gerne verzichten kann. Right? Spoiler: Wrong!
Nachtrag: Außerdem habe ich beim Pro 2 leider ein Monatsmodell erwischt, bei dem der rechte Druckpunkt des Steuerkreuz defekt war. Am Anfang ging es noch, aber nach etwas Testen hat es kaum noch reagiert. Also das was in anderen Rezensionen steht, dass 8bitdo ein Qualitätscheck-Problem hat, kann ich durchaus bestätigen. Auch hier Spoiler: Der zweite war dann tadelos.
### Zweiter Akt: SN30 Pro+ ### Ich habe mir also dann den SN30 Pro+ bestellt und war im ersten Moment sehr happy. Keine Paddles, hat sich gleich viel besser angefühlt.
Leider musste ich bald feststellen, dass es neben den offensichtlichen Unterschieden zwischen den beiden Modellen noch einen wichtigen Unterschied gibt, der nicht direkt ersichtlich ist: Der Pro 2 hat ein verbessertes Steuerkreuz. Ich hatte bald bemerkt, dass entgegen dem Pro 2 das SN30 Pro+ Steuerkreuz das Problem hatte, dass es einen recht schwachen Druckpunkt-Widerstand hat und man deswegen schneller unbeabsichtigte Eingaben macht. Konkret: Wenn ich nach rechts halte, kippt das Steuerkreuz auch schnell nach unten ab. Außerdem reibt das Steuerkreuz manchmal am Innengehäuse. Beides kann man auch in manch anderen Rezensionen lesen.
### Dritter Akt: Doch der Pro 2 ### Ich hatte also am Ende unterm Strich die Wahl: Pro 2 mit besserem Steuerkreuz aber nervigen Paddles. Oder SN30 Pro+ ohne nervige Paddles, dafür aber mit schlechterem Steuerkreuz.
Ich habe mich am Ende für den Pro 2 entschieden, weil das Steuerkreuz dann natürlich doch viel wichtiger ist. Und ich habe immernoch die Hoffnung, dass ich mich noch an die Paddles gewöhnen werde. Und wenn nicht, werden die Dinger halt mit Sekundenkleber fixiert.
Ich schreibe für gewöhnlich keine Rezensionen, aber da ich selbst weiß, wie schwierig der Vergleich und die Bewertung der beiden Controller von Außen ist, dachte ich, ich teile meine praktischen Test-Erfahrungen.
Mein Fazit: Pro 2 bekommt 4 von 5 Sternen SN30 Pro+ bekommt 3 von 5 Sternen
Rated 2 out of 5
J. STOCKS –
I wanted a controller that was decent quality, without needing to spend in the ballpark of £100 for an official console controller.
Initially this seemed perfect. It’s well built and feels snug in the hands. The software for customising the controller is first class.
But after just 3 months of using the controller on PC via USB, it stopped working. The reddit for 8bitdo shows others having the same issue with mixed success in fixing it. For me, it seems that USB is dead and I can only use bluetooth. I needed to pay extra for a bluetooth receiver for the PC, and now I cannot firmware update the controller and I need to worry about keeping it charged. I hoped 8bitdo would help me here but it looks like these gamepads have NO WARRANTY and I got no reply to a message sent on their site.
8bitdo generally does seem like a sweet spot for high quality for reasonable price; but I’m left wishing I’d just bought an official XBox or PlayStation controller
Rated 5 out of 5
Ol –
I have two of these controllers for gaming on my switch, PC and on my firetv stick and they work on each of them pretty much flawlessly.
PROS
There are so many good things about this controller but the key things are:
– the ergonomics are fantastic. Feels great in the hand and the textured back should mean no slips!
– the buttons feel responsive and no missed inputs so far.
– the switch on the back of the controller allows me to flick between the switch, android and windows profiles meaning that I don’t need to re-pair the controller every time I move between consoles.
– the downloadable software/app (8bitdo Ultimate Software) is a game changer. It contains features usually reserved for the most expensive ‘elite level’ controllers. The ability to re-map buttons (and save up to three different configurations on each console profile) means that I can play games on the switch and the PC using the same inputs. You can also create macros and assign these to the back buttons (meaning you can pull off special moves at the touch of a button) and you can also customise deadzones on the sticks, the ranges of the triggers and the intensity of the vibration.
– no issues using 2 of the same controller on PC, fire TV or switch. I have had an issue with other brands of controller where inputs on one controller have registered on both. No such problems here!
– removeable battery pack (and you can use AA batteries in a pinch).
CONS
These are really nitpicky:
– no HD rumble on Nintendo Switch (not that I notice the difference).
– no nft support (for amiibos).
– it won’t wake the Nintendo Switch from sleep so you have to physically press the button.
All in all, I don’t think I could have picked a better controller for my use purposes. The alternative would have been a switch pro controller (which can apparently have issues with both PC and Android) or a Xbox one controller (which would not work with my Nintendo Switch) both of these controllers are much more expensive and neither are as customisable. Plus each have their own set of issues.
Rated 5 out of 5
JjamoTv HD YouTube Channel –
So guys,
It’ll be of no surprise that I’ve always held the older SN30 PRO + as one of the best controllers I’ve ever used for nintendo Switch. 8Bitdo have gone and made it even better with this iteration!
It has the same weight and feel of the older SN30 PRO + (Kinda similar to a PS2 pad) and the buttons are proper responsive. I love the dpad on this one too, very accurate which makes it better for fighting games and 2d platformers.
My only issue with the older model is that the analogue rubber started to wear-away after 4 months… I’ll be back to update the review and let you know if that is the case on this one.
There’s so many other features that are available for it too – it’s got its own app for remapping the buttons and basically customising the the controller any way you would like. I like the new addition of the 2 rear buttons which you can map to any of the front facing buttons.
The switch at the back which also makes it very easy to switch between PC, Switch, Android and MAC is brilliant too. It’s really the all in One controller for every occasion.
Sam –
I loved the SN30 Pro+, so I had to pre-order the 8-bit do Pro 2. One new addition is the addition of back buttons, which will prove really useful in games where the only way to use gyro in a game is to map inputs to keyboard and mouse using Steam. The only game I’ve found where this is actually needed is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, I used the Steam controller to play the single-player since the Steam controller has back buttons. Now we have another controller with gyro that has extra buttons. Granted, I haven’t tested to see how it actually works yet, but there’s always a way to emulate buttons on a gamepad. Another nice addition is the addition of a switch that let’s you quickly put it into PC/Android/Switch/MacOS mode. The old method of doing this was annoying. The d-pad, analog stick, and gyro all feel a bit different than the SN30 Pro+, clearly 8bitdo is listening to feedback and trying to improve their gamepads– it would sure be nice if Sony, Microsoft, and Nintendo did this. So I did some really quick, mostly unscientific performance tests to see how the features of the Pro 2 controller work.
I’m more of a casual gamer, so this analysis will be more useful for people who don’t play as many games.
I’ll start with the gyro aka tilt controls or motion controls, this will be really important if you play Splatoon 2, or would rather use a gamepad on PC than a kb/m but want more accuracy. Gyro only works in Nintendo Switch mode. Even though the PC recognizes it as a DS4 in Android mode, the gyro will not work. You can’t use it in basic PC mode, though, because it recognizes it as an Xbox One controller which has no gyro. For those who don’t know how to get gyro controls working on PC, I’ll explain. If your game is on Steam, you’re good to go. You’ll have to enable Steam to detect Switch Pro controllers and then go into controller configuration and configure it for each individual game. The little unlabeled button that most people would miss, right below the controller, allows you to use gyro. Unless the game doesn’t recognize gamepad inputs, you’re probably going to want to set it to mouse joystick, otherwise set it to mouse. This way you’ll be able to aim by tilting the controller, like in Splatoon. If the game is not a Steam game(say Epic Games store or Windows Store), you can use a free program called DS4Windows which will recognize input from the DS4, Switch Pro, and Joy-cons, and convert them to kb/m or xbox inputs, allowing you to use them in almost every game in Windows. Note that the original version was abandoned and picked up by someone else, and is now up to version 3.0. Don’t download the old version.
Since I used Aimlab for my tests, I had to tell steam to recognize the Pro 2’s inputs as a mouse. This may have led to an issue. In short, you’ll want to specify a dead zone on gyro controls. If it’s too low you won’t be able to hit anything because the cursor will be wobbling everywhere. If it’s too high, your cursor will just stay there when you’re trying to make precise movement. I could not get it to have enough of a dead zone to prevent wobbling, making it hard to line up a precise shot. Strangely, it wasn’t an issue with the DS4. And I don’t remember this being an issue with the Pro+ a while back. I’m thinking the drivers that DS4Windows installed recently somehow messed up mouse emulation throughout Windows, because I’m having all sorts of issues with DS4Windows and even Steam is having minor issues, like occasional drifting on multiple gamepads. Hopefully the next version will be out and fix that soon. I could have easily fixed this deadzone problem if I was able to configure gyro with DS4Windows, but I have to make do with Steam for now.
So as for the results
On spidershot precision, which is where gyro aiming really excels I got 70 hits and 3 misses as a high score on a mouse after trying a few times. That was about a 50k score. I know that’s really bad, but it’s mainly because I haven’t been playing shooters much recently.
With the Pro 2 I got 65 hits and 4 misses – 43.6k
With the Switch Pro I got 58 hits and 8 misses – 38k
The day before I had gotten exactly 43.6k with the DS4 and 42k with the Sn30 Pro+
While the DS4 tied the Pro 2, the lack of a good dead zone was causing me to miss on the Pro 2. When I’m able to fix it, I think the Pro 2 will surpass it. Worth noting is that I’ve used an adapter to play Splatoon 2 with a DS4, and it felt inferior to the SN30 Pro+, but better than the joy-cons. That’s just based on instinct, though. I’ve also done Aim Lab with the Steam controller’s tilt controls and the joy-cons, but the scores were *much* lower than the other gamepads, so I didn’t bother with them this time.
I did gridshot as well, the high scores were
129 hits 6 misses – Pro 2
166 hits 3 misses – Mouse
And for the heck of it, I tried an Xbox One controller with an Analog stick, the results were
64 hits 1 miss
Note that when I was doing more practice with a mouse I was able to hit 220 targets with 95% accuracy, almost twice that of a gamepad with gyro, though I have noticed that my performance with gamepads goes up proportionally with my performance with a good mouse, as well as my performance with a cheap mouse compared to a good gaming mouse. So maybe it’s learning the game, rather than learning the hardware.
Okay, conclusion, I did best with a Pro 2 and a DS4, and think with proper mouse emulation, the Pro 2 would surpass the DS4. I’d go with the Pro 2 over the Switch Pro controller in Splatoon 2 myself, but if you like the Switch Pro, then you can probably stick with that, since the differences were not night and day. But I prefer the 8Bitdo gamepads.
So for gyro 10/10
The rest of my tests were less scientific. I liked the feel of the d-pad on the Pro 2 more than the Pro+. It felt a little more SNES, whereas oddly, the Pro+ felt more NES. I tried out Contra with a vintage NES controller and a Pro 2, Ninja Gaiden(NES) with a Pro 2, and Contra 3 with a Pro 2. Contra seemed to feel better on an NES controller, but I actually got further with the Pro 2. Ninja Gaiden and Contra 3 felt great on the Pro 2. I’d say you probably can’t beat using the gamepad the game was specifically designed for, but the Pro 2 is a great device for retro games if you don’t have adapters for the old game pad
For D-pad 9/10
So to test the analog stick I did Touhou 15: Legacy of the Lunatic Kingdom on lunatic mode(yikes). I didn’t get very far, naturally, since I would normally play SHMUPs on normal difficulty. I tested the M30(an 8bitdo controller with an 8 directional d-pad based off the Saturn controller), Xbox One controller, a DS3, and a Pro 2. I got the furthest with the M30 and it felt the best, no surprise there. Xbox One and Pro 2 were about equal, not really a huge surprise because modern Analog sticks are all made by the same company. To my surprise, I did the worst with the DS3, it seemed harder to do precise movements, which is weird because it seemed to do great in stealth games. But SHMUPs are generally not pressure sensitive, so maybe it’s not that weird. I thought the Analog stick on the Pro 2 felt really good, but it didn’t translate to significantly better performance, but I didn’t really do enough tests to get an accurate impression. I’m going to go out on a limb, though, and say that as far as analog sticks go on modern gamepads, they’re pretty interchangeable. Many people in the SHMUP community swear by the DS2, though, so analog sticks may have been better in the past. For now I’m sticking to the M30.
As far as the analog stick goes, I’m giving it a 7/10.
In conclusion, I’d say the Pro 2 has a really good d-pad, and gyro and analog sticks that are at least on par with the official gamepads. Plus it’s cheaper and has more features. It also has pressure-sensitive triggers and a PC, so you can use it for Forza Horizon 4 on PC without problems. Don’t hesitate to get this gamepad, even over the Switch Pro controller. It’s good that 3rd parties are trying to make high quality controllers now, instead of just cheap knockoff controllers. Maybe one day 8bitdo will make a $150 gamepad designed for eSports, much like the high-end mechanical keyboards and mice they have on PC.
Stephen –
Like most everyone else here, I bought this off the back of all the glowing reviews on YouTube.
This is a great quality controller, with the rear programmable buttons, easy app support and multiple profiles making this, in theory at least, the best controller for Bluetooth/Switch.
However, this controller is very fatiguing if, like me, you have smaller hands. The thumb sticks are very, and I mean VERY far in from the grips. I have slightly small hands for a man and this is really quite uncomfortable for me, so anyone with very small hands should probably avoid buying this with a view to long periods of use. You will be much better off with a switch pro controller.
The only other issue is the triggers. They are far too spongy and unsatisfying to use. They travel too far down, inwards and underneath the controller which is very uncomfortable, and the lack of some form of surround at their fully depressed state does not give a reassuring feeling of full actuation.
These two points are really quite a shame as the controller would otherwise be perfect, with excellent build quality/feel, features and setup. I hope they can improve on this in future
Manx –
Previously I bought and returned a Sn30 Pro+. I was very unhappy to do it but the bluetooth connectivity was just impossible to get working.
8BitDo listened (and probably more people than just me complained) and have finally addressed connectivity issues by having a nice hardware switch on the back of the controller. The added 18 cents to the bill of materials finally put an end to holding buttons down hoping it would work in the method you wanted. It’s out of the way, impossible to accidentally trip, and doesn’t look out of place.
Rest of the controller is just as high quality a build as before. The plastic feels really good, arguably a better touch than even 1st party controllers (and lightyears in front of the super discount 3rd party controllers with that creepy-crawly plastic). The thing is rugged as hell, not a pop or crack or moan or rattling anything. I don’t think I’ve ever handled a controller that felt nearly as good.
My goal is simple: something I can use to control games in Windows using the built-in radios and not having to use an adapter. The later XBone controllers until present claim to have Bluetooth support but it’s filled with gotchas, disabled features, and dropouts. And also about $10 more expensive for the controller + $20 for the proprietary adapter.
As such, I didn’t touch SA or D on the switch. I’ll never use this on Android or Mac or Switch. I suppose it’s nice that it could, if one day I change my mind. Unfortunately the rear buttons don’t really have use for me because they’re not “real” buttons wired through XInput. But the “home” button works as expected. Remapping buttons isn’t one of my use cases.
Turning on turbo is a neat trick with a button right on the controller instead of through some menu is really cool. This boils down to, for me, no need to install the proprietary software. Everything I need it for works great out of the box, as it should be.
So I’m glowing about this thing, why not 5 stars? It’s not the rechargeable battery, which is not only user replaceable but also can be removed and replaced with AA batteries as you like. It’s not the controller using USB-C to charge, and including a cable.
Honestly, it’s that this is a Switch-first controller. The buttons are labeled in the Switch layout, a system I have no intention of using this with. There are three styles to this controller, different colors. This one is the only one with letters on the buttons instead on the shell, and this is the only layout you can get. 8BitDo does sell XInput buttons that you can swap out, but it’s quite the challenge getting into this well built controller. You’ll need Torx drivers, Phillips drivers, plastic spudger, something to peel up a sticker (which is also super high quality and does not rip!), and steady hands to reattach the interior ribbon cable. You’ll also need about $10 ($7 is shipping) to buy it, from their site only. Freaking why??? You have all the parts already, just sell the two different layouts.
Is it a big issue? I would say yes: this is the only thing keeping the 8BitDo Pro 2 from being on the top of my recommendations list for PC gaming. I still wind up recommending the expensive Microsoft path, or the cheap Logitech path, for people joining PCMR because not every game recognizes alternate layouts and signaling is real confusing especially for little kids. And that’s a real shame because this controller is pretty much everything I want in everything except those four silly double-shot buttons.
Markus –
Ich war auf der Suche nach einem Controller, mit dem ich am PC per Emulator Retro Spiele spielen kann. Dabei spiele ich hauptsächlich Super Mario World (SMW) Hacks (Kaizo), weswegen mir die Qualität des Steuerkreuz besonders wichtig ist.
Der Pro 2 ist bekanntermaßen das Nachfolgemodell des beliebten SN30 Pro+. Worin die Modelle sich unterscheiden findet man ausreichend bei google und youtube beschrieben.
Anbei meine persönlichen Beweggründe warum ich mich letztlich für den Pro 2 entschieden habe, ohne vollends begeistert zu sein.
### Erster Akt: Pro 2 ###
Ich habe mir zuerst den Pro 2 bestellt und zwei Tage getestet. Soweit war der Eindruck gut und ich war zufrieden. Was mich aber gestört hat und woran ich mich nicht so recht gewöhnen konnte, waren die neuen “Paddles” an der Rückseite des Controllers. Es passiert mir immernoch regelmäßig, dass ich die Paddles ausversehen drücke. Da ich diese nicht belegt habe, weil ich sie nicht brauche, war das im Spiel kein Problem. Aber von der Haptik und dem Spielgefühl haben mich die Paddles regelmäßig irritiert und abgelenkt. So sehr, dass ich mir zum Vergleich das Vorgängermodell SN30 Pro+ bestellt habe, der hat ja die nervigen Paddles nicht und ansonsten sind die sich ja sehr ähnlich bis auf ein paar neue Features des Pro 2 (inklusive der Paddles) auf die ich gerne verzichten kann. Right? Spoiler: Wrong!
Nachtrag: Außerdem habe ich beim Pro 2 leider ein Monatsmodell erwischt, bei dem der rechte Druckpunkt des Steuerkreuz defekt war. Am Anfang ging es noch, aber nach etwas Testen hat es kaum noch reagiert. Also das was in anderen Rezensionen steht, dass 8bitdo ein Qualitätscheck-Problem hat, kann ich durchaus bestätigen. Auch hier Spoiler: Der zweite war dann tadelos.
### Zweiter Akt: SN30 Pro+ ###
Ich habe mir also dann den SN30 Pro+ bestellt und war im ersten Moment sehr happy. Keine Paddles, hat sich gleich viel besser angefühlt.
Leider musste ich bald feststellen, dass es neben den offensichtlichen Unterschieden zwischen den beiden Modellen noch einen wichtigen Unterschied gibt, der nicht direkt ersichtlich ist: Der Pro 2 hat ein verbessertes Steuerkreuz. Ich hatte bald bemerkt, dass entgegen dem Pro 2 das SN30 Pro+ Steuerkreuz das Problem hatte, dass es einen recht schwachen Druckpunkt-Widerstand hat und man deswegen schneller unbeabsichtigte Eingaben macht. Konkret: Wenn ich nach rechts halte, kippt das Steuerkreuz auch schnell nach unten ab. Außerdem reibt das Steuerkreuz manchmal am Innengehäuse. Beides kann man auch in manch anderen Rezensionen lesen.
### Dritter Akt: Doch der Pro 2 ###
Ich hatte also am Ende unterm Strich die Wahl: Pro 2 mit besserem Steuerkreuz aber nervigen Paddles. Oder SN30 Pro+ ohne nervige Paddles, dafür aber mit schlechterem Steuerkreuz.
Ich habe mich am Ende für den Pro 2 entschieden, weil das Steuerkreuz dann natürlich doch viel wichtiger ist. Und ich habe immernoch die Hoffnung, dass ich mich noch an die Paddles gewöhnen werde. Und wenn nicht, werden die Dinger halt mit Sekundenkleber fixiert.
Ich schreibe für gewöhnlich keine Rezensionen, aber da ich selbst weiß, wie schwierig der Vergleich und die Bewertung der beiden Controller von Außen ist, dachte ich, ich teile meine praktischen Test-Erfahrungen.
Mein Fazit:
Pro 2 bekommt 4 von 5 Sternen
SN30 Pro+ bekommt 3 von 5 Sternen
J. STOCKS –
I wanted a controller that was decent quality, without needing to spend in the ballpark of £100 for an official console controller.
Initially this seemed perfect. It’s well built and feels snug in the hands. The software for customising the controller is first class.
But after just 3 months of using the controller on PC via USB, it stopped working. The reddit for 8bitdo shows others having the same issue with mixed success in fixing it. For me, it seems that USB is dead and I can only use bluetooth. I needed to pay extra for a bluetooth receiver for the PC, and now I cannot firmware update the controller and I need to worry about keeping it charged.
I hoped 8bitdo would help me here but it looks like these gamepads have NO WARRANTY and I got no reply to a message sent on their site.
8bitdo generally does seem like a sweet spot for high quality for reasonable price; but I’m left wishing I’d just bought an official XBox or PlayStation controller
Ol –
I have two of these controllers for gaming on my switch, PC and on my firetv stick and they work on each of them pretty much flawlessly.
PROS
There are so many good things about this controller but the key things are:
– the ergonomics are fantastic. Feels great in the hand and the textured back should mean no slips!
– the buttons feel responsive and no missed inputs so far.
– the switch on the back of the controller allows me to flick between the switch, android and windows profiles meaning that I don’t need to re-pair the controller every time I move between consoles.
– the downloadable software/app (8bitdo Ultimate Software) is a game changer. It contains features usually reserved for the most expensive ‘elite level’ controllers. The ability to re-map buttons (and save up to three different configurations on each console profile) means that I can play games on the switch and the PC using the same inputs. You can also create macros and assign these to the back buttons (meaning you can pull off special moves at the touch of a button) and you can also customise deadzones on the sticks, the ranges of the triggers and the intensity of the vibration.
– no issues using 2 of the same controller on PC, fire TV or switch. I have had an issue with other brands of controller where inputs on one controller have registered on both. No such problems here!
– removeable battery pack (and you can use AA batteries in a pinch).
CONS
These are really nitpicky:
– no HD rumble on Nintendo Switch (not that I notice the difference).
– no nft support (for amiibos).
– it won’t wake the Nintendo Switch from sleep so you have to physically press the button.
All in all, I don’t think I could have picked a better controller for my use purposes. The alternative would have been a switch pro controller (which can apparently have issues with both PC and Android) or a Xbox one controller (which would not work with my Nintendo Switch) both of these controllers are much more expensive and neither are as customisable. Plus each have their own set of issues.
JjamoTv HD YouTube Channel –
So guys,
It’ll be of no surprise that I’ve always held the older SN30 PRO + as one of the best controllers I’ve ever used for nintendo Switch. 8Bitdo have gone and made it even better with this iteration!
It has the same weight and feel of the older SN30 PRO + (Kinda similar to a PS2 pad) and the buttons are proper responsive. I love the dpad on this one too, very accurate which makes it better for fighting games and 2d platformers.
My only issue with the older model is that the analogue rubber started to wear-away after 4 months… I’ll be back to update the review and let you know if that is the case on this one.
There’s so many other features that are available for it too – it’s got its own app for remapping the buttons and basically customising the the controller any way you would like. I like the new addition of the 2 rear buttons which you can map to any of the front facing buttons.
The switch at the back which also makes it very easy to switch between PC, Switch, Android and MAC is brilliant too. It’s really the all in One controller for every occasion.