A Sleek and Premium Controller
Most games nowadays are already available on PC. Even PlayStation exclusives back then are starting to pop out on Steam!
But not all of them are mouse-and-keyboard-friendly. Some are just more enjoyable using a controller. From action games like Monster Hunter or God of War, to most racing games like Forza or Need for Speed.
Usually, when we think of controllers, we think of the DualSense or the Xbox Controller, but there are others out there much more powerful and sometimes technically better.
In this article, we’re going to talk about one of my favorite controllers.
The 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Wireless Controller
There’s a lot to cover on this controller, but if I had to give a summary right now, this controller is simply bad ass. Let’s start with the general feel.
Look and Feel
8BitDo currently offers three different variations for this: the usual black and white, and a purple one.
Personally, I got the white one, but I’d say it kinda looks good in other colors too. The front looks sleek and premium. I don’t know why, but I always feel tempted to just reach out and grab it regardless of whether I’ll play anything.
The back gives off a very simple and plain design with a rough texture on the handles for better grip.
My hands are around 18 cm and this controller fits it perfectly. The handles are so easy to hold and feel smooth on my palms. I had my doubts about the shape of the handles initially, but I was surprised how satisfying it is to hold!
Also, the plastics feel premium and well-made. Definitely great material.
The Controls
A B X Y
The main buttons are laid out the same as an Xbox Controller, which is great for playing PC games. They’re also a bit taller and clickier than your standard controller, but still satisfying to press.
For reference, here's the difference between the 8BitDo's and Dualshock 5's button height.
Triggers and Bumpers
This controller has 2 bumpers, 2 triggers, and 2 extra buttons between them which can be mapped to macros or different keys.
The bumpers feel similar to the ABXY buttons in terms of clickiness, same with the extra 2 buttons beside them.
The triggers are satisfying to use as well. They feel very snappy and soft on the fingers, which is great for people who like racing games.
This also has a toggle for each trigger that switches between analog (Linear) and digital (Non-linear) modes. This is a unique feature and very useful depending on the game. Normally, I use the Linear triggers, but when I’m playing fighting games where even the triggers act as buttons, I just toggle it to Non-linear and it feels better to use.
D-Pad
This is where I was actually impressed with this controller. The D-Pad feels very responsive to use. It’s different from the standard controller where the D-Pad sort of feels soft and hollow.
Here, it’s clicky and it’s kind of like a standard button, which can be disorienting for people who are used to soft D-Pads. But as you use it, it’s kind of a good feeling, at least for me personally.
Analog Stick
This controller offers Tactile Mechanical Range (TMR) joysticks, which are claimed to be more precise and have better long-term durability than Hall Effect joysticks. For someone like me who just plays games casually, it’s really not that different. Although I do feel it is slightly more sensitive to use on some games that are heavy on the joysticks like action or racing games. Either way, it’s a great joystick to use for me.
This also has an RGB Halo Ring around them which can be configured either using the action buttons or 8BitDo’s software. You can see how it looks like from their product page, but it looks great in my opinion and adds style!
Others
At the front, we have 6 action buttons: View, Home, Menu, Square, Star, and the Profile button. This also took inspiration from the Switch Joycon for the plus and minus icons for the View and Menu button.
The View button acts as your Select button, and the Menu button acts as the Start button.
The Home button is as is, which will just activate the home feature (i.e. it will enter Steam Big Picture mode).
The Square and the Star buttons are used for configuring the controller itself. You can check the full button configuration reference here.
And lastly, the PL and PR buttons. These two buttons are located at the back of the controller. Similar to the additional bumper buttons, these can be used for adding macros, which are useful for fighting or action games.
Features
This controller supports three connectivity modes: USB-C wired, Bluetooth, and 2.4G wireless (via a USB adapter). The Bluetooth is alright, but I personally use the 2.4G connection.
The Charging Dock
This controller comes with a magnetic Charging Dock, and it looks great.
The dock also serves as the receiver for 2.4G connection. Just connect the dock to your PC and it acts as the adapter so you can play wirelessly.
It also gives a nice LED light bar underneath to indicate charging, which adds to the aesthetics.
Battery
This controller has a 1000mAh built-in rechargeable battery, which should already be enough for playing games for long hours. I tried playing around 2–3 hours with it and didn’t get any problems in terms of battery. And the fact that it has a charging dock is definitely a plus since I just leave the controller there while I’m AFK.
Battery life can last up to 22 hours on a full charge without RGB effects and turning RGB lighting on will reduce that slightly.
Software
As I mentioned earlier, 8BitDo has their own software for configuring their controllers, and this one is no different. You can check out all the specific configuration options here, but in short, you can map keys, add macros, and change the lighting for the RGB Halo Ring.
Platform Compatibility
One of the best things about the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Wireless Controller is how versatile it is when it comes to platforms. While I mostly use it on my PC, it actually supports multiple systems out of the box:
- Windows (via Bluetooth, 2.4G, or USB-C)
- Android (via Bluetooth or USB-C)
- iOS and iPadOS (via Bluetooth)
- macOS (via Bluetooth)
- Nintendo Switch v3.0.0 (via Bluetooth)
This wide compatibility makes it a great option for people who game across different devices. Whether you’re playing Steam games on PC, mobile games with controller support, or even Switch titles, this controller can easily switch between those platforms with just a couple of button combos.
You can also set up different profiles using the 8BitDo Ultimate Software and switch between them depending on which platform you’re on!
Summary
Overall, this controller is a great buy for controller players. Its price range is perfect for its quality already. I’ve been using this for a few months and it was a great experience. My palms don’t feel right using other controllers anymore.
You should also check out their product page for more information!
If you want to get this controller, you can use my links for a 10% off coupon:
