Which 8BitDo Controller is MORE ULTIMATE? 

I have the Bluetooth Ultimate and had NO idea you could use the built-in USB port to link the dock to a PC directly for combination charging and connection. That's brilliant! Thank you for including that detail in the video!

I have the Bluetooth + 2.4GHz version, and I really love it. I think it's my favourite controller ever. But i have one major complaint. Although the controller has gyro functionality, it's locked behind the Switch mode. Meaning you can't use the gyro controls on PC (even though Steam has really good gyro support). If you force it into Switch mode on PC so that Steam recognises it as a Switch Pro controller, you gain the gyro support but lose the analogue triggers. It's the most frustrating thing. Why are these two features locked behind two different modes!?

I can see stick drift not being an issue for someone who's a collector flipping through tons of gaming hardware all the time, but for people who want to stick to a single workhorse gamepad for years, the Hall effect sticks are absolutely a big deal. Very glad that this tech is being rediscovered, and frankly manufacturers should be pressured into using it exclusively.

Just love 8BitDo for controllers. Glad you made a video about which controller suits best, I'm interested in the Ultimate Controller c:

I got mine a few weeks after they released and it's such an amazing controller

One thing to note is that the dongles these controllers ship with are slimmer than 8Bitdo's USB Adapter 2 (and their previous gray and brown iterations), so that on horizontally aligned USB ports, it's easier to connect them side-by-side.

Great video! I felt like sharing my take in the comments since I had a bit of a different use case. I use mine exclusively as my main PC controller nowadays, and I went for the Bluetooth one for a few reasons. 1.) Gyro! Personally, I use gyro *religiously* in games that support it. Honestly, I'd have paid the extra $20 for that alone. It's not for everybody, but I could never go back myself! 2.) You can switch between 2.4ghz and Bluetooth seamlessly; *Both* modes work really nicely on PC in my experience, which is helpful when I want to say, emulate GameCube and need the triggers but don't need the gyro, for example. Still kind of annoyed that we can't use both at once, but that's Nintendo's fault for refusing to put analog triggers on their modern controllers! 3.) The fact that you can seamlessly hook it into Yuzu, Citra, or Cemu like a Switch Pro Controller with essentially no configuration necessary is really nice! Gyro functionality basically worked out of the box in this case too. 4.) I prefer the Nintendo button layout because that's most of what I played growing up, and my secondary console was always a PlayStation, which was less confusing to switch between since they had different symbols entirely on their buttons. So, Xbox-style controllers having the same letters as Nintendo while having the same effective layout as PlayStation never ceases to be confusing as hell to me. It's probably the reverse for people who grew up with an Xbox, I'd figure. So yeah, for people with needs/desires like mine here (specifically Gyro or recent-gen Nintendo emulation), I'd recommend the Bluetooth one without even the slightest hesitation!

The 2.4ghz helps as a dedicated controller for the pc and steam. It gets cumbersome to grab and find controllers when you're moving in and out of rooms and repurposing them each time.

Currently using the new black controller- it is fantastic! Have used it on my switch, but loving it on my PC. Only issue I have had is when the battery gets low, it starts to do a drift

For me, the hall effect were the reason to buy the more expensive controller. The idea that they will last MUCH longer is value enough.

for racing games i find hall effect quite beneficial improved accuracy and you don't have to develop a feel for a new controller as soon since it'll last longer

Bluetooth mode should present as a Switch Pro controller. Only more recent versions of android include support which might explain why it works on some devices. Same with PC/Deck, you are leaning on Steam to recognize it and translate switch into xinput for most games.

I got the bluetooth version for about $55 when I visited Manila a few weeks ago. I'm loving the versatility and I don't mind the layout when I use it for my steamdeck. Versatility wins. :)

Thanks for the great vid. I had no idea the receiver went in the dock let alone that you can run it from there. Awesome tip. I love the controller. My only nit pic is the plastic. I don't love the texture on the back of the grips. I love everything else tho. The dock for charging and feel of all the sticks, buttons and d pad. The extra buttons on the back of the grips I always press when I don't want to so I just don't use them.

I have these guys along with a Pro+ and Pro2. I love having the dock, I kind of wish there was a way to keep the LED bar lit once the controller has finished charging. It's nice to have the option of keeping the dongle in it, or removing it to plug in somewhere more convenient. It's also a bit more of a preference thing having the asymmetric analog sticks. Pushes it more to the xbox/switch design than the dualshock direction. Something that drives me nuts with the Ultimate controllers, and I can't seem to get used to, is that the start/select buttons are identical in feel to the turbo button located between them, and I constantly overshoot both start and select buttons. I much prefer the placement of the additional functionality buttons on the Pro+/2 where they're out of the way, but easy to get to if I need them and I don't mistake them for the more important buttons. Also, I'm pretty sad that the Ultimate controllers did away with easily replaceable batteries. I'm sure 8bitdo will probably have replacement batteries available to buy on their site, as they've been pretty good about selling replacement parts for their previous controllers (batteries, replacement pads for the D-pad & Face buttons, etc.) but it's a much more involved process that will require experience. It's only clipped together, so spudgering those open without marring the plastic, being careful of the ribbon cables for the power pins, paddles and switch on the back and being careful to not mess up the battery connector... It's a lot more involved and fiddly than just opening the battery door like xBox controllers and dropping in a new one if need be. Overall though, I like them both. I use the Ultimate controllers for more modern games, and the Pro+/2 for more retro titles and RPGs that tend to be heavily menu-driven. I'd LOVE if the newer dongle for the Ultimate controllers was backward compatible with the Pros so I only had to have one plugged in. The Ultimate software also doesn't like having more than one dongle plugged in which is frustrating, but at least the controllers work.

the dock being able to be the reciever is such a dope idea dude omg. I love smart design, you dont see it often.

The biggest thing for hall effect sticks (besides no stick drift) is that they're far more accurate, meaning you can have virtually no dead zones. Traditional sticks need deadzones otherwise they're not usable, and those deadzones tend to need to be increased over time, whereas a hall effect stick can use nearly no deadzone and be fine. Lets it feel more responsive if you set it up.

I use motion control on my steam deck a lot. That's how I do precision aiming with thumb sticks. It would have been nice to see how the motion controls worked on the steam deck.

Watching this while having my Ultimate Controller for Switch repaired due to battery problems from farming Ace Academy tourneys makes me appreciate it more, but thankfully the Gulikit Kingkong 2 is picking up the slack since it can force the Switch's button config on PC via the gear + plus combination since we're not getting any hall sensor controllers atm from Sony/Microsoft since potentiometers print money when it's replacement time.

I had the 2.4ghz Xbox version for months and I never knew you could use the dock along with the USB dongle. Thanks for the tip

Thanks for this excellent and in depth review of this controller

I'm glad I got the gulkit king kong 2 pro works flawless on pc and switch and probably on android too and the reparability its offers is really a plus to me

I own an Ultimate Wireless and a Pro 2 and the Pro 2 would be the better controller if it had those Hall Effect sensors imo. Having 4 bluetooth connection profiles is great and the form-factor is more comfortable to me.

These seemed good but overall I got the King Kong 2 for switch and a zen pro for PC, I love that purple of the zen pro and the feel of those controllers are great. I need to get the alternate buttons for the zen at least to change the button order.

I've got the 2.4G version and it's become my daily driver for my PC. Two things I would nitpick about it are the analogs and triggers feel a bit heavier compared to the Xbox controller, and the convex analog sticks are a bit more slippery compared to concave ones. It's nothing major and it didn't stop me from using it as my main control method.

I got the BT one since last december. I have the dongle on my PC and the BT pairing on the switch. I can swap between eachother on one controller. And it is very reliable and quality.

i actually love the bumpers and triggers. especially the bumpers. and especially, especially the back buttons they are among the reasons i've switched over from the ms elite 2s.

I tried the dongle+dongle trick with the 2.4g 8bitdo and Switch, but with a Mayflash Magic-NS, and it worked! Like magic you might say!

I’ve come close to pulling the trigger on the $50 model several times, but ended up with the wired Pro 2 and haven’t looked back. Still, love 8-BitDo controllers.

Hi already bought the 8bit do Pro 2 controller, for the "vintage" appearance, probably in the next months I'm going to get the 8bit do 2.4 as your last recommendation for pc gaming, Thanks duke!

12:14 I was kinda hoping you would find something no one knows about. I actually got the bluetooth version sometime after the trigger on my guilikit one started breaking on me. So the higher tier can work for android but it’s more hit or miss, extra bonus for the Edge. Another thing I found out is that the bluetooth version can wake up your switch even though the company claims it can’t. You just turn your controller on while the home button, shake it a bit and then your switch screen appears. It’s a shame you need adapters just to get the bluetooth one working on xbox. For android I’ll just use my pro 2 version once I get a dock for my Odin. Great video!

I already have a 8bitdo Pro2 and a DualSense controller so I don't really NEED another one... nontheless untill now if I had to choose I would go with the BT, but I think that my opinion changed with your video. I only play on my PC and now on the Ayaneo Geek, so it's a good call going with the cheaper one... and it also comes in pink =) Great video!

I do have the BT version dongle hooked to my PC and bluetooth paired to my Switch. both connected to the TV. It is seamless to switch between them as Ross mentions!

I got the bluetooth model, it arrived yesterday and, in the words of Micky D's, I'm lovin it!

Thanks for this awesome in depth video. You mentioned at the end that the 2.4GHz version had a way of working with the Nvidia Shield. Any luck getting that to work with the Ultimate edition? Also, you hadn't mentioned it, but did you notice any more or less lag in any specific combination of controllers/consoles? Cheers~ -M

I own the sn30, the sn30 pro 2 and the ultimate and the ultimate is my go to for everything. The fact that it still wakes up a sleeping switch makes it top-tier. I even own a nxyi wizard and I still love the ultimate then most.

I have mine plugged into my monitor for PC, and connected to the switch via Bluetooth. It’s a seamless transition switching between the two.

I don't know how possible it is, but I kinda wish they just released one single "Ultimate" controller that combined the functionality of both, even at a significant markup. Having two almost-the-same controller offerings is very confusing for the consumer and it's tempting to just pass on it for another maker who has only one Pro-style product.

Hi Russ, big fan of your work. I've learnt so much from your videos. Just curious, any noticeable input lag from any of the 2 controllers via 2.4ghz or bluetooth mode? Thank you in advance.

YEAH!!!!!!!!!! finally a review on both I chose the $50 version since I was play windows mainly

The Dinput mode has come in handy for me playing a few older games without having to faff around with extra software.

I love how casually you dropped "this controller will turn on the Switch" as if any other controller can do that. I previously believed the "turn on the Nintendo Switch" feature was only available for Nintendo created controllers, this is amazing! I might go buy one today. Thank you for the review!

I use the Bluetooth one hooked up to a USB hub with the 2.4Ghz dongle connected to either my Switch or Steam Deck and it works without issue on both. I just hook up the hub via USB C and play. Works great with my Galaxy Tab S8+ as well. Used the Bluetooth on the Steam Deck also

oh the bluetooth controller has the dongle too. I think I'll go for that one then. Thanks for the video

Do you prefer this over the pro controller? I play smash pretty competitively and delay has been a big issue for me with aftermarket wireless controllers.

I'll never forgive xbox for switching up the ABXY locations that Nintendo had established as industry standard a full decade prior... having two different standards was SO avoidable and SO needless! That being said, I think my ideal controller would have symmetrical sticks like a Playstation conroller (hall sensor of course) and pressure-sensitive ABXY in the "Nintendo" configuration with the letters being colored like Playstation buttons (i.e. blue B, red A, pink Y, green X).

I would love the 2.4Ghz version (button layout) but with Bluetooth support. Why is that one limited to only 2.4Ghz?

This was great - if you go to the 8bitdo subreddit, everyone is constantly asking which is the better controller - and you have done a near-perfect comparison. I notice you have your Steamdeck emulators in Steam. I was wondering - if you're using the emulators outside of steam (and on Linux - since Steamdeck is Arch) do you need d-input? That could slightly change the calculus for some (though not many) of your viewers.

I just got the wireless ultimate c in the pastel green. Hooked up to the steam deck wonderfully. Worked with all of my games except TMNT shredders revenge. I was wondering if I get the wireless with the dock if I can use both 8bitdo controllers for muktiplayer? Hoping since they have slightly different software that both would connect? Seems people have had issues using multiple 8bitdo controllers together.

What a coincidence, I bought on a discount the wired version 3 days ago for only 25$. It's absolutely great, best third party controller I ever bought. I even prefer using it over the X360 controller because of the superior D-pad.

When using the Bluetooth mode for this controller it only pairs as a "Switch Pro Controller". At 14:25 you can see the Odin has paired with it as "Pro controller", so my guess would be that it does not have controller support for the Switch Pro Controller. This means analog triggers do not function over Bluetooth, since Switch doesn't support them, but Gyro controls will. Similarly 2.4ghz mode has the analogue triggers, but doesn't have gyro EXCEPT when connected to a Switch, where it behaves like in the bluetooth (Switch Pro Controller) mode instead.

for me, Nintendo is and always will be the proper button layout. Also, a lot people don't realize this, but Playstation controllers in Japan line up with the Nintendo layout. In Japan, O (same position as A) is used for "correct" or to select things, and X (same position as B) is "incorrect" and used to cancel or go back.

I am using my BT model for gamecube via single port blueretro plug and loving it so far, great for double dash but still working out function for super mario sunshine style where full analog range matters. I've got my wavebird yet but would love to figure that out as my "one and done" for gc. I've used it with my rp2+ on tv too and phone, but still getting used to the tinkerring between device connectivity. Lovinh it so far though, good times!

Thanks for the very detailed review! Do you think it's possible to swap the A/B and X/Y buttons on the Bluetooth Ultimate if you open the controller up, to match the Xbox layout?

Hi there! Great video again, you helped me decide about the 2.4ghz controller! There is a question that keeps me from sleeping though… do any of these wake up the steam deck? Thanks!

Nice film👍

Hey Russ, do these pass the contra test and are they hadoukenable and shoryukenable?

I really hate the naming scheme of these, it should have been Ultimate and Ultimate S or something, rather than Ultimate 2.4G and Ultimate Bluetooth. Couple things worth noting: 1) Over Bluetooth the controller always acts as a Switch Pro controller, regardless of what device you're connecting to. Android only got official Switch controller a couple years ago, so depending on the software the device is running the controller may not work correctly, likewise many games don't support Switch controllers (though most emulators do). 2) Since over Bluetooth it acts as a Switch controller, that means it doesn't have analog triggers in that mode because the Switch doesn't support analog triggers. That will be a limitation if you use it on Android, in a situation where you want to use bluetooth on a PC, or if you use it with that Brookes adapter on Xbox. Racing games can't really be played with it. 3) The Bluetooth model completely lacks D-input support.

I just got one last night. Is it possible to map a button to a keyboard key in the software (for use on PC/Steam)? I want to use the Star button to take screenshots, for example.

One thing that strikes me as odd about the Ultimate Controller is the lack of curvature in the body. What I mean is that when you look at it from the side, you can see that it barely curves at all in the grips. Compare that to the official Xbox and Switch Pro controllers and even the 8BitDo Pro 2 with grips that really flare out. It makes me question just how comfortable the Ultimate Controller is to hold for long periods, especially for someone who has large hands.

Love the intro music

Ergonomics are another consideration, and personally, the Xbox Series controllers are near perfect for me in fit and feel. So I evaluated the Ultimate and the Gulikit King Kong 2 Pro for a while, and found the King Kong 2 Pro put my wrists in more relaxed and neutrally aligned positions (since they're virtually, if not exactly, identical in size and shape to the Xbox Series controllers), whereas with the Ultimate I was forced to bend my wrists slightly outwards if I wanted to firmly seat the grips in my palms. That led to a less comfortable experience after even just a short stint, so despite the stellar build quality and features, I ended up returning the Ultimate. The Ultimate feels like it was designed for players with smaller builds (i.e. narrower shoulder widths) in mind, with the flare of the grips being not as pronounced compared to Xbox or Dualshock/sense controllers, so it's worth taking that into consideration for players with wider shoulders, especially if RSI is a concern.

Why does no review of this controller mention the mobile app which can connect to the bluetooth controller WHILE your controller is still connected to your switch/pc? You can make changes to the mapping and macros on the fly without disconnecting from your console. It's so insanely smooth and intuitive and the app connects without even having to manually pair it with your phone -- it just detects it and connects.

8BitDo also does sell a XBOX buttons layout set for the Ultimate BT controller, so you could replace the default buttons if you really wanted to do that.

I have the ultimate one with motion. Is it possible to get motion working on CEMU on the steamdeck? Interestingly the gyro works on the menus in Emudeck. Star Fox Zero would be fantastic then.

There are more reasons to buy the 2.4G model now since the original release: -- They started releasing a version with hall effect sensors to last longer and for around the same price (older ALPS version is priced slightly cheaper now if available). -- One of the firmware updates adjusted the polling rates on PC to 1000Hz wired / 166Hz on 2.4G mode; it's now a really good controller if you need it for competitive situations on higher-end PCs albeit on wired mode only. -- It was also updated with a Nintendo Switch mode you can turn on (only via the 2.4G dongle i think). Works by being in either X-/D- mode (was X- for me) and holding down LB+Minus for a few seconds until the controller vibrates. Make sure to have the option "Pro Controller Wired Communications" set to *ON* on your Switch settings. The 2.4G version is likely the best version of the controller if you'll solely use it for PC gaming (and some Android gaming too). But if you do at some point want to use the controller often for the Switch, the Bluetooth version might be the better option for you. Also 8BitDo are releasing a new Ultimate 2C model soon that's cheaper, has hall effect sensors, and 1000Hz on both wired and 2.4G modes; but without back buttons (extra shoulder buttons instead) or 8BitDo's software support.

I’m slightly confused, as I believed the 2.4ghz mode did not work via the Switch and assumed it only supported a BT connection. I tried using the dongle, connected directly to the Switch and via the dock, and it does not recognize the controller at all. I wanted to switch to 2.4 mode as using BT headphones with the Switch and a BT controller introduces an intolerable amount of lag. I’m thinking I may have a defective unit. My Ultimate controller also doesn’t wake the Switch from sleep.

Added bonus: the new batocera 36 & 37 builds now support the Bluetooth variation! Best “One and done” gaming controller I could’ve asked for

is the 2.4 ghz working in xinput with the steamdeck by default now? cause Ive been unable to make it work and I get no rumble or back buttons in dinput mode...

It's really hard not to have a love hate relationship with 8bitdo. I have an sn30 and a sn30 pro 2 and they are the best switch controllers, BUT they didn't wake up the switch which was why i almost never used it with my switch. They even made a controller specifically for people who are too disabled to use a normal controller, and even that one didn't wake up the switch. Now they make this ultimate controller which is the ultimate controller for the switch, but unfortunately not being xbox button layout makes it impossible for it to be the ultimate pc controller. Also, the bluetooth model of the ultimate supports every input mode over bluetooth except xinput, which is just silly because the pro 2 has bluetooth xinput and a lot of people will want to use it like that for pc gaming. The $50 one has xbox layout for buttons, but has no bluetooth making it simply not make sense for situations like mine where I stream games from my pc to my couch with the controllers directly connected to my pc via a long range bluetooth adapter. Also, I emailed 8bitdo customer support saying I would really like to buy one that has xbox layout but supports bluetooth, and asked them if it would be possible for me to just open it and change the button layout myself, they said if I were to open it to change the button layout that would void the warranty. Every time they come out with a product it is almost perfect but has some deal breaking flaw and it is just so annoying.

I wish they'd done the Bluetooth version in pink, I like mine in white but would have opted for another colourway if it was available

I went with the 2.4 GHz pink option to use exclusively with my steam Deck. The pro 2 and pro+ controllers I can now exclusively use with my switch. The problem was flipping to different platforms using the same controller caused my brain to be constantly confused what layout I needed (Nintendo/Xbox) and what buttons did what (confirm button on right or bottom). Having the ultimate controller gives me the tactile (form factor) and visual (pink/Xbox buttons) segregation I need when using different platforms.

I really don't want to have to install software to configure a controller (plus I have Linux and they almost never make it work on Linux). Can you confirm if there's any way to adjust the rumble strength on the device itself through a button combo?

Ive never had any issues with 8bitdo controllers while these controllers seem great I can't see upgrading to these from the pro 2 model. I use them on the switch steam AYN and raspberry.

Mine works connected to my iPhone and I played Dead Cells for a good amount of time. No issues whatsoever although one thing I noticed was that the game menu’s kept displaying the buttons as (?) but other than that, all good.

They updated the software for the 2.4ghz it now has Bluetooth Mode 😊

So the 2.4 does not have gyro but the other does? (for example when aiming in Control or Portal 2 on the Steam Deck).

Can you leave the dongle plugged into the charger while it’s connected to the dock? Or do you have to have the dongle in the dock while charger is plugged into dock also???

For me the hall effects sensors in the analog sticks is enough plus you add the Bluetooth functionality and way. Ore options

@RetroGameCorps What if the Pro 2 vs the Ultimate Bluetooth Controller? By the way, I bought the Pro 2 controller & I have no problem using it without buying the Ultimate BT.

Does anyone know if the Bluetooth one can work with a Raspberry Pi using RetroPie? The website only mentions that being possible with the 2.4ghz version, but I'd be surprised if there wasn't a want to get the Bluetooth version to work.

I there a headphone jack on the bluetooth one and would it work with the Xbox + adapter?

I had to return the BT Ultimate controller. I loved ever aspect of it except the D-Pad was far too sensitive rendering it useless for anything where accurate diagonal inputs are required. Given that my favorite genre is 2d platformers, this was a deal breaker.

SDL3+Steam Input should really add support for the 0x20 sensors page of the HID standard. It would make it trivial for future controllers to add completely normal motion controls on PC without needing to rely on emulating the limited inputs of console controllers. Plus the normal buttons/sticks/triggers *should* remain backwards compatible with DirectInput and XInput since those standards would just ignore the sensor page as is.

Think the 2.4ghz dongle not working with the brook adapter is a 8bitdo issue because with my Victrix pro bfg dongle it works fine with the brook adapter on Xbox

i like the kingkong2 pro controller a lot

Nice that it can turn on a Switch, but can it turn on a Steam Deck? I know you can't wake the SD over bluetooth since it turns off the bluetooth radio in sleep, but since this is essentially a wired controller in 2.4ghz mode will it wake it?

How about android using the 2.4gz dongle? Can you try it with ayn odin?

In my personal opinion, hall effect sticks are for more than just ''no drift''. Compared to other controllers, their deadzone can be reduced _a lot_ . This obviously doesnt matter in most games, but fps games can benefit a lot. Titanfall 2 for example has an ingame option 'no camera deadzone', and with this controller, it is _extremely_ smooth to play that game. Much more than with my dualshock, which cant have a deadzone that low

if it's easy to note, may want to not that there's a hall sensor update to the cheaper one. i saw no mention of a gyroscope update

Came for the intro music, stayed for the video.

I can’t get the Ultimate Bluetooth/2.4 to connect to my switch. I don’t get it. The dongle is plugged right into the dock. The switch is in the dock. I have the controller set to 2.4 ghz mode. Am I missing something? I only really needed a PC controller but sprang for the added switch flexibility so I’m a bit bummed I can’t get to work.

They updated the Bluetooth version so now you can switch between D input and X input when connected via 2.4gh. They also update their website to say it's compatible with the Deck.

Thankyou for your curiosity, I had that question too, now I need that adapter to use it on xbox, btw there is a 8bit adapter 2 cheaper, but Im not sure if it does the samething, can you try it out? xD

do the buttons really feel like the xbox face buttons? this would be a dealbreaker for my, since i hate them. they get stuck when i just lightly press them and feel cheap to me as well...

What skin is that they you have on the Steam Deck? I love that color.

so...its any of this cntrollers compatible with xbox on/series and also Nintendo Switch? i didnt totally get it and i cant find a proper answer on the internet.

Just bought the Bluetooth version but it was on a 20% discount so it was just £50 delivered, about US$60. So, a bargain if you can get it on sale. Arrived yesterday so yet to test on PC or switch, but hopefully as good as my PowerA Switch and PDP X-box controllers.

I use the Wingman Xb2 to use my X1 and Series controllers on my 360 (for non-back compat games) because all of my 360 controllers were purchased used and are all sticky and weird or have drift.

Why arent hall sensors industry standard at this point? It seems like a low cost solution for a major, persistent complaint.