Latest news with #8BitDo
Gizmodo
2 days ago
- Gizmodo
The 8BitDo Pro 3 Is So Dang Customizable, You'll Never Need Another Controller
Of all the lower-cost, pick-up-and-play controllers I tested for the Nintendo Switch 2, 8BitDo's $60 Ultimate 2 easily felt the best in hand. At a steep discount from Nintendo's now-$90 Switch 2 Pro Controller, it's an easy recommendation. What else do you need? When we take a step up and look at the $70 Pro 3 wireless controller, we should consider just what we gain and what we're still missing. No, unfortunately you can't wake the Switch 2 from sleep with the Pro 3. What you get instead is one of the best-feeling gamepads with the latest stick, trigger, and button technology that neither Nintendo nor any other major console maker still dares to touch. 8BitDo Pro 3 Controller The 8BitDo Pro 3 controller is great for Switch or PC, and it's one of the few you can change the button layout for your preferred system. Pros Cons As much as I may enjoy the modern PS5 DualSense controller, I wonder what could have been if Sony had kept iterating on its older DualShock design. 8BitDo's Pro 3 tells us there was so much more to give. The peripheral maker's Pro series controllers bear a look that somehow combines the DualShock's thumbstick layout with an old-school, flat-bodied SNES gamepad. If its squishy start and select buttons don't spark nostalgia, I don't know what would. The 8BitDo Pro 3 has twin arms that fit adult-sized hands better than any old PlayStation controller. And just like the 8BitDo Pro 2 from 2021, you can get the gamepad in a Famicon-style off-white, a calming GameCube purple, or a PlayStation gray, but now it comes with an Ultimate 2-style dock, which doubles as a charging mount and easy 2.4GHz connection port for playing on PC, Mac, or Steam Deck. Any controller that wants to call itself 'pro' needs a 2.4GHz connection for lower latency. Back buttons and a toggle switch to clicky 'haptic' triggers are now so standard it's hard to go back to a basic Xbox controller. But you're not reaching for a company like 8BitDo first if you want to outperform opponents in Call of Duty. Instead, the 8BitDo Pro 3 operates as a switch hitter between Nintendo's Switch and Switch 2, PC, Mac, iOS, and Android. Really important to note: the Pro 3 doesn't connect with PlayStation or Xbox consoles. The Pro 3's A, B, X, and Y face buttons are all magnetic. The controller comes with a small rubber doohickey tool with a magnet you use to swap your buttons around however you choose. This means you can use the 8BitDo Pro 3 in both Nintendo Switch or Xbox layouts without having to rely purely on muscle memory. The Pro 3 isn't nearly as modular as the $200 Turtle Beach Victrix Pro BFG, which lets you completely reconfigure the controller layout with magnetic modules, but for $70 there are few controllers that are nearly as customizable. The removal tool and extra buttons are found in the bottom hatch of the charging mount. Removing the buttons simply requires you to press the suction cup to each switch, then tug them out one at a time. With the new buttons reseated, I wasn't able to pry them out with my fingernails no matter how hard I dug. What's more, you can also remove the thumbstick caps. 8BitDo included two ball caps like you might find on a Japanese-style arcade stick. You need a fair bit of finger strength to release and attach the thumbstick caps, but once they were on, I didn't feel any amount of loose rocking on either the regular or arcade attachments. I would honestly be amazed if anybody used these for anything, let alone fighting games, but they look extra cute jutting out of the controller, as if combining three eras of gaming into one input device. Compared to the Hall effect joysticks on the last-gen Pro 2 controller, the Pro 3 uses TMR, or tunnelling magnetoresistance sticks. Hall effect uses a magnetic field to detect the stick's orientation. These sticks are far more resistant to the inevitable drift caused by older designs with more contact points. TMR is more of an evolution of Hall effect, though so few controllers are making use of the technology, and promises to be more accurate than Hall effect while consuming much less power. What all this means in practice is the Pro 3 should last longer, both in terms of battery life and long-term use. The controller houses a 1,000mAh battery, which is technically less than what you'll find on controllers like the PlayStation DualSense. Sony's PS5 controller normally lasts little more than three to four hours, at best. The 8BitDo Pro 3 powered through a three-hour session of Switch 2 gaming plus several more hours of tests on PC before the battery indicator turned red. The addition of the charging dock means you shouldn't have to worry much about running out of juice, so long as you keep it plugged in and close by. What matters more than the joystick technology is how the sticks actually feel on your thumbs. They're more stiff than some early, twig-like Hall effect joysticks. Each snaps back to center without a twinge of accidental input you get on cheaper controllers, which tend to 'rubber band' when released. In games on Switch 2 like Donkey Kong Bananza, running around feels effortless and snappy. If you plan to take this controller into Call of Duty multiplayer, just know there are other high-end controllers that may offer more for truly competitive gaming. The D-pad and Hall-effect triggers are similarly exemplary. Every direction on the D-pad feels snappy, and I didn't have any issue with missed inputs depending on where I hit the buttons. The L2 and R2 buttons include a switch to change from clicky triggers to analog triggers. For the sake of Switch games, they feel even better than the Switch 2 Pro controller. Its six-axis gyro controls are just as precise as Nintendo's $90 Pro device and the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 gamepad. The dock uses USB-C and includes the USB-C 2.4GHz dongle inside. You don't even need to remove the dongle from the dock for faster connection speeds, making playing on PC seamless. If you plan to use a 2.4GHz connection on Switch, you can enable the option if you hold the select and LB buttons for a few seconds, but it makes the experience worse since doing so disables motion controls and rumble. If you're using it for Switch, you'll inevitably opt for Bluetooth, and you'll still be able to use the controller from far away. The stated distance is 10 meters, and I could still connect to a Switch 2 on the other side of my apartment through several walls and doors. The rest of the buttons have an oomph and a clickiness that may turn off some people who don't want to annoy their partner reading beside them on the couch, but I'm a gamer who prefers to feel every button press. The 8BitDo Pro 3 is every bit the high-end controller it claims to be, except for its software. The '8BitDo Ultimate Software' is rudimentary but useful for setting dead zones on the sticks or mapping your buttons on up to three profiles accessible from a button between the two thumbsticks. However, installing the software and getting it connected to the controller on PC or mobile can be a pain. Just like with the Pro 2, it's again disappointing there's no version of the controller compatible with either Xbox or PlayStation. The Rare 40th Anniversary Ultimate 3 is 8BitDo's first Xbox wireless controller, so there may be hope for future console-specific versions. If I had any more options, this controller could easily be my go-to for both Switch 2 and PC. But until 8BitDo finds a way to help it wake the Switch 2, it can't truly be my one and only.
The Verge
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Verge
8BitDo's Pro 3 is a super customizable controller that's too limited on Switch 2
As far as I'm concerned, 8BitDo's Pro 3 is the ultimate controller. You may already know that it makes a model literally called the Ultimate controller, but it plays second fiddle to the new Pro 3 in some key ways. It's highly customizable, allowing you to change the face buttons, joystick caps, and more. Let me explain: like most other 8BitDo controllers, it's made to work on multiple platforms, but the Pro 3's swappable ABXY face buttons allow it to actually transform as needed, say, if you're going from Switch to PC, or vice versa. You can just pull off the buttons, which all but requires the included magnetic suction tool. It can't easily be done by hand, a perk for someone like me who has a baby at home. I feel comfortable knowing that they won't just pop off when my kid smacks it around. Another fun addition is that you can swap the standard joystick caps in favor of bright, shiny arcade stick-like nubs. That's the first thing that I did after unboxing the controller. How essential they are to your moment-to-moment gaming will come down to taste and the types of games you want to play. Playing Soulcalibur II via the Switch Online GameCube library felt better (or at least more fun) than with other controllers. The arcade stick caps are best for games that require quick flicks. They're too slippery for games that require you to hold the sticks in a direction for a long time. I felt the need to swap them out for Switch 2 games like Donkey Kong Bananza and Mario Kart World. Like 2021's Pro 2 before it, the Pro 3 feels great in my medium-sized hands. It's a safe pick for those who want a reliable D-pad that's easy to reach, and who prefer the symmetrical PlayStation-style joystick layout. While I've grown accustomed to the $84.99 Switch 2 Pro since getting the new console, there's something about the Pro 3's design that fits like a glove for me, even though it has been a long time since I last grabbed a DualShock. The Pro 3 costs $69.99, a $20 price increase over the previous generation. However, its added features easily warrant the higher cost, unless you're a discerning Switch 2 player who's looking for a 1:1 matching of features with the Switch 2 Pro. I'll get into where it misses the mark below, but the Pro 3 has better trigger and stick technology. The highlights include the shift to TMR joysticks, which are improved over the already-great Hall effect sticks and are more power efficient. It also includes more accurate Hall effect triggers instead of the linear ones in its predecessor. These specs should ensure a longer lifespan than controllers that fall short by comparison. 7 Verge Score The Pro 2 was among the initial wave of acclaimed third-party controllers to adopt customizable back paddles, and the Pro 3 builds on that with new L4 and R4 macro buttons between the triggers and its USB-C charging port, just like on the 8BitDo Ultimate 2. I like having more buttons, and these are unobtrusive in case you're the type who expects to never touch them. Nearly everything on the gamepad can be customized in 8BitDo's Ultimate V2 PC app. You can make up to three profiles, each with its own button assignments, joystick sensitivity, and more, and swap between them with a dedicated button located between the joysticks. Alternatively, if you just want to quickly assign a one-off command or combo to one of its extra inputs, just hold the desired button you wish to assign to, then simultaneously press the original one(s) you're copying and press the star button. It sounds complicated, but it gets easier with practice. In addition to the two sets of customizable buttons and magnetically-attached face buttons, this new model also features adjustable trigger distances via two switches. Toggling the switch shortens the distance you have to push to actuate it. This feature is also available in the 8BitDo Ultimate 2. 8BitDo's latest controller is compatible with a ton of devices via Bluetooth, including the Steam Deck, Windows PC, Mac OS, Android, Apple TV, Apple Vision Pro, and other products. You can toggle between three modes as needed with a switch on its back: D input (DirectInput), X input, and S input (Switch). Both the Switch and PC also support a 2.4GHz mode, enabled by a dongle integrated into the sleek charging dock that comes with purchase. Being able to situate the charging dock wherever I liked ensured that I was able to get better wireless range than I typically get with a DualSense connected over Bluetooth to my PC. I've mainly used the Pro 3 with my Switch 2. The built-in motion controls work great, but there are a couple of things holding it back from being my primary controller. Namely, its rumble effects feel imprecise and hyperactive. I really enjoy rumble, particularly in first-party Nintendo Switch games, so I was disappointed that turning it off was the only way I could enjoy playing Switch games with the Pro 3. It also can't wake the Switch 2 from standby mode, which seems like an oversight since some of 8BitDo's competitors claim to have figured it out. However, it can wake the original Switch from standby mode, as well as the Steam Deck OLED (but not the LCD model). The Pro 3 isn't worth upgrading to if you have one of 8BitDo's recent controllers. But if you've been waiting to replace your Pro 2, this new model is suitably packed with enough features to warrant the higher cost. Even for those who haven't tried this line before, this is a highly customizable gamepad that's great for multiple platforms, especially since its face buttons can be switched around. I think it's a fantastic PC controller. But if you plan to use it mainly on Switch 2, like me, its perks and cheaper price aren't appealing enough to sway me from the more feature-complete Switch 2 Pro controller. Photography by Cameron Faulkner / The Verge Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All by Cameron Faulkner Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Accessory Reviews Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Gaming Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Nintendo Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All PC Gaming Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Reviews Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Tech
The Verge
6 days ago
- The Verge
8BitDo's first wireless Xbox controller is a surprise Rare collaboration
8BitDo has created its first wireless Xbox controller in partnership with Rare, a game studio acquired by Microsoft. The officially licensed controller features a gold and blue design, with plenty of Easter eggs to celebrate Rare's 40th anniversary. The $89.99 8BitDo Ultimate 3-mode Controller for Xbox — Rare 40th Anniversary Edition (yes, that's the product name!) can connect to an Xbox console via a 2.4GHz wireless connection or a USB-C cable. The wireless connection works through a small USB dongle and not Microsoft's native Xbox Wireless protocol. You can also use Bluetooth to connect the controller to mobile devices. This Rare special edition controller is essentially a wireless version of 8BitDo's existing Ultimate three-mode controller. 8BitDo is using the same hall effect joysticks and Xbox-style impulse triggers, but there are also two swappable silicone joystick caps included. One is a skull from Sea of Thieves, and the other is a jigsaw puzzle piece that Rare fans will immediately recognize from Banjo-Kazooie. The tactile D-pad is made from zinc alloy and matches the controller's gold aesthetic. You'll also be able to program three profiles on this controller, which includes configuring the two back buttons at the rear. All of the customization can be done using 8BitDo's Ultimate software that lets you remap buttons, adjust the ranges and motor tensity of triggers, set vibration levels, and customize each stick for more precise control. As this controller is wireless, it has a 1,000mAh battery inside, which 8BitDo suggests will deliver 20 hours of playtime. The rechargeable battery takes around 4 hours to fully charge, and there's even an integrated charging dock included in the box that automatically reconnects the controller once you remove it from the dock. It's surprising to see Rare, an Xbox game studio, turn to 8BitDo to create a 40th anniversary controller instead of Microsoft just creating its own. The collaboration comes as Microsoft's own custom Xbox Design Lab controller has been on hold for months now. You can still design custom controllers, but Microsoft hasn't been accepting purchases since last December — with no sign of when Xbox Design Lab will return. 8BitDo's Rare 40th anniversary Xbox controller goes on sale today, priced at $ from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All by Tom Warren Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Gaming Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Microsoft Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All News Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Tech Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Xbox
Gizmodo
31-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Gizmodo
8BitDo Retro 87 Mechanical Keyboard (Xbox Licensed Edition) Hits All-Time Low, Even Less Than Prime Day
When it comes to nostalgia tech, there is simply no one doing it better than 8BitDo. This mechanical keyboard highlights that tremendously. It's based on not just any Xbox. This translucent green shell specifically evokes the limited edition Xbox original console which released bundled with Halo: Combat Evolved. I just had the standard Xbox growing up, but my friend Adam had the Halo-edition one and, man, was that thing a beaut. See at Amazon This Xbox-inspired mechanical keyboard from 8BitDo, normally priced at $120, is seeing a rare discount right now at Amazon. The 19% savings chops the price down by $22. That results in a new price of just $98 which happens to be the 8BitDo Retro keyboard's lowest price ever. This 87-key mechanical keyboard is compatible with Windows 10 and up as well as Android 9 and up which means it can even be hooked up to your phone to play games on. It has several options to choose from for how you connect to your PC or other device. Either go wired or connect over 2.4G wireless or via Bluetooth. The USB receiver can be stored easily in a magnetic compartment when not in use so it doesn't get misplaced. While the majority of the keyboard is in its translucent Halo-green shell, the up, down, left, and right arrow keys each get a unique yellow, green, blue, and red color scheme. These emulate how the Y, A, X, and B buttons looked on the first Xbox controllers. Additionally, The keyboard is backlit with eight different light modes you can swap between. The integrated Xbox button will activate the Windows Game Bar when used on a Windows device, just like if you press the Xbox button on an Xbox controller plugged into your PC. A small detail I really love is the littles knobs in the top left corner which can be used to control things like volume and Bluetooth settings. My laptop's keyboard I'm using right now requires me to hold down FN to adjust volume settings and I hate it. This keyboard doesn't feature a number pad, which does cut down on the space it takes up on your desk. It does, however, include two huge programmable Super Buttons. The functions of these can be customized without the need to download any extra software. For a limited time, you can score this Xbox-inspired 8BitDo retro mechanical keyboard for a steep $22 discount. That knocks the price down from $120 to just $98. See at Amazon
The Verge
30-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Verge
8BitDo's wireless Nintendo 64 controller is now available
Analogue's 4K remake of the Nintendo 64 has been delayed again and again due to the US tariff situation. But at least you can get 8BitDo's updated take on the N64 controller, which was announced alongside the Analogue 3D, while you wait. You can get one through Amazon in white or black for $39.99 and while it's one of 8BitDo's more budget-friendly controllers, its functionality is limited. The Nintendo 64, which launched in 1996, had an unusual three-prong controller design, with a single analog joystick in the center of the gamepad above the middle grip. The 8BitDo 64 offers the same buttons as the N64's controller in a more traditional layout, but while it's easier to hold, the lack of a second joystick limits its compatibility with modern games, which generally expect two. The 8BitDo 64 is compatible with the Switch, Switch 2 (after updating the controller's firmware), Windows, and Android devices and connects to consoles, PCs, and mobile devices using either a Bluetooth connection or a USB cable. It also features more durable Hall effect joysticks and shoulder buttons which should help prevent it from developing stick drift over time. But if you're not planning to use it with the Analogue 3D (someday), the controller will potentially only be useful for playing classic N64 games through an emulator or the Nintendo Switch Online service but your GoldenEye 007 muscle memory may not perfectly transfer over to the updated button layout. Nintendo's own wireless N64 controller is a more accurate reproduction, but you still need to be a Nintendo Switch Online subscriber to buy one. Posts from this author will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All by Andrew Liszewski Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Gadgets Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Gaming Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All News Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All Nintendo Posts from this topic will be added to your daily email digest and your homepage feed. See All PC Gaming
