The 8BitDo Ultimate 2C Bluetooth Controller earns an 8.5/10 rating from Engadget, and its price is remarkable: just $30. For that money, it includes the features players expect from a modern gamepad, such as haptic feedback and Hall effect thumbsticks, while skipping extras like RGB lighting and rear-grip buttons. Even so, it offers functions that far more expensive Switch 2 controllers lack.
The controller is compact, comfortable and precise. Its body is lightweight eggshell-style plastic with textured grips, and it feels balanced, similar in size to Nintendo's Switch 2 Pro Controller. It includes six-axis motion control, vibration, Hall effect triggers and an extra mappable button on each shoulder. These extra bumpers sit between the main bumper and trigger and are especially useful for fast-paced gameplay. The high-sensitivity Hall effect thumbsticks glide smoothly, click easily and come with a lifetime no-drift guarantee.
There are drawbacks. The Ultimate 2C cannot wake the Switch 2, although 8BitDo says it can wake the original Switch. The small center buttons are harder to read at a glance, though muscle memory helps, and the minus and plus buttons are rounded so they can be identified by touch. Battery life is rated at 15 hours, with a two-hour charge over USB-C.
Compared with pricier options, the Ultimate 2C leaves out features such as two rings of RGB lighting, rear buttons, a charging stand and Windows compatibility. The $70 8BitDo Ultimate 2 offers those extras, while Nintendo's $90 Switch 2 Pro Controller adds an NFC touchpoint and audio jack. For a budget-friendly gamepad, the Ultimate 2C stands out as a strong value.
Source: Engadget · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing