The NES controller was a brick that crushed the thumbs of an awakened child, now an adult, onto this life path of passion, while the SNES pad was like a gentle rounded extension of my very self: While going beyond simply a peripheral, Nintendo’s controllers have been milestones in my life. The SNES controller is pure childhood nostalgia, and its DNA flows into almost every controller ever made thereafter. Let’s just say that the N64 was a low point, owing to its odd trident-like shape. But then came along the cheerfully chunky GameCube controller, perfected by the liberating wireless WaveBird-a true revolution. The Wiimote and Wii U tablet might never have found my heart, but I admire the Nintendo of old, their sheer nerve to head where no other gamepad had gone before.
Nintendo
Switch 2 Pro Controller
Nintendo’s Switch 2 Pro controller: almost completely perfect, with that high price and the glaring omission of Hall effect sticks acting as stains on the almost immaculate purchase. It is refinement at its peak, and bittersweet symphony of what could have been.
Pros
- Incredibly smooth joysticks
- Responsive face buttons
- Accurate D-pad
- Comfortable ergonomics
- Customizable rear buttons
Cons
- So expensive
- No Hall effect sticks
- No analog triggers
$85 at Best Buy
Erase all preconceived notions you may have about Nintendo controllers. The Switch 2 Pro Controller is not merely good; it’s a revelation. The moment you hold onto it with the perfectly sculpted form will usher in a period of realization. This is ergonomically pure bliss rather than plastic. The joysticks move so smoothly that even the slightest movement is picked up; there is no lack of precision. The keystrokes, in contrast, are satisfying clicks, tactile confirmations of the commands have issued.
Remember that weak, hollow feeling of the original Pro Controller? Get rid of that from your memory. The Switch 2 Pro Controller is a quantum leap ahead of it. And the magic does not stop there. Programmable rear buttons give you an edge in that you can set your control scheme in the heat of the moment. The real mic drop, however, is the presence of a 3.5mm headphone jack built into the controller. Yes, you did just read that; Nintendo is finally making audio into the 21st century. Prepare to drown in your game like never before.
Switch 2 Pro Controller
Switch 2 Pro Controller
The Switch 2 Pro Controller: Sting for $85, is it really worth that kind of wound? Another entry in the growing list of price creep (thank you, tariffs). But, before shedding a tear over your almost $100 Joy-Cons 2, remember: It’s still cheaper buying a whole new set. Sure, the enticing $75 Dual Sense 2 for PlayStation 5 tries to steal your gaze and attention, but its true contender lurks in the shadows: 8Bitdo’s Ultimate wireless controller. At a mere $50 (yes, I did say fifty), this little beauty runs flawlessly with the Switch 2, has programmable rear buttons,andHall effect joysticks – meaning gentlemen, drift is a thing of the past for Switch 1. So, while Pro Controller is very well nice, that 8Bitdo is amazing.
The deaf ears of Nintendo, I tell you! For years drifting-weary parties cried out in vain, and Joy-Con 2 and Pro Controller 2 appear stubbornly adhering to the same stick mechanism that gave players drift on the original Switch. According to Kawamoto, the Joy-Con 2 is a complete redesign, and the Pro Controller 2 does almost feel different. But could it possibly be drift-proof? My time with it definitely left me feeling one powerful, gut-wrenching prayer flung toward the gaming gods. One early “adopter” on Reddit swears by their Joy-Con 2 drifting right out of the box; let’s hope it’s a horrendous anomaly rather than the start of a new cycle of controller problems.
Devindra Hardawar for Engadget
Forget specs and that price tag this is where the real magic of the Switch 2 Pro Controller actually lies. MyMario Kartjust went supernova. Drifting was a hand-cramping nightmare with those Joy-Cons, but now, it’sseamless,easy,victory. I’m carving corners and launching on rails like a professional. It just melts into your hand. Hours just vanish, no aches even when the heat of the race… first slips into my palm. Gaming Nirvana!
Street Fighter 2 on SNES grew my thumbs. And a fighting game had to inflict the cruelest baptism on the Switch Pro Controller. The verdict? There were Hadoukens dished out like a waterfall. The D-pad nestled under my thumb, responding to every click and rotate with nth-degree precision. Classic Street Fighter moves? Piece of cake.
But it was not the end of challenges. Soulcalibur 2 (GameCube Classic, baby!) demanded my attention. In fact, the Pro Controller seemed tailor-made for it. Fingers hovered above the face buttons, much like in my Dreamcast arcade stick days, as combos were unleashed with savage grace. Some habits die really hard-my goodness, especially when they involve devastating Critical Edges.
Devindra Hardawar for Engadget
The Switch 2 Pro Controller is a Mario Kart godsend, but enter a realistic racing world and the limits of trigger controls glare at you. Nintendo decided to trade analog precision for digital velocity, and racing connoisseurs are left wanting that nuanced control. So what is the big demerit for analog? A premium controller like an Xbox Elite contradicts Nintendo’s choice: it’s a toggle between hair-trigger reflexes and slow-o-modulation of analog. Simplicity and costs are what Nintendo’s choice comes down to. But does simplicity and cost suffice when that compromise leaves so much potential untapped in the actual racing?
The Switch 2 Pro controller offers a stroke of genius by way of custom buttons GL and GR just above the grips. Imagine any game remapped instantly: an action at the flick of a wrist turns weapon swaps and jumps into fluid maneuvers with the thumbs never leaving the sticks. Can’t bear any more clawing for the triggers atMario Kart World? I bound drifting and action to GL and GR buttons for pure ergonomic bliss. Find leaks in the accessibility menu: remap every button, create custom control layouts for every game, and redefine your way of playing.
Devindra Hardawar for Engadget
The Pimax 8KX comes with a 1-year warranty from the date of purchase, though it doesn’t cover consumables-or rather anything consumable. This warranty covers any hardware damage incurred to the HMD, accessories, and peripherals. Damage caused by nongrant customers or misuse is excluded under this warranty. If the consumer has all their documents intact and within the stipulated warranty period, the company will cater to their requests for repair by charging them for the needed services. However, this is not a free repair.
The Switch Pro Controller will run one $85 dollar treat in the land where the 8Bitdo Ultimate has standard with its extra features at $50. For a Nintendo fanatic, or one who simply cannot digest anything but apple-first slickness, it is considered an ultra-premium experience and also an ultra-pricey gamepad solution, in any case.
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