When it comes to budget-friendly controllers, 8BitDo is a brand that's been known to punch above its weight. Our Jacob was super-impressed with the value in its Ultimate 2C wireless controller which felt like a far more premium device than the price tag suggested. Now 8BitDo is back with the new Ultimate 2 wireless controller, which offers a few upgrades that could be well worth a look for PC controller enthusiasts wanting to spend under $60.
The caveat here is the Ultimate 2 looks like it's kept the 2C's fatal flaw, which for our reviewer was the overall size of the unit. While most controllers mimic Microsoft's Xbox shape and size, the 8BitDo's Ultimate series have been styled more after the Switch. This provides a much slimmer experience, which you'll either love or hate. If you're a big fan of the Switch's Pro offerings then read on, but if a more splayed out controller is for you, the updated features likely won't mean a damn. As always, for your health—both mental and physical—comfort should be king.
For those still interested, it looks like the Ultimate 2 is keeping the excellent 2.4G connection that gives under 1 ms of latency that impressed us before. This also boasts no lag within a 10 m connection, which is great news for more competitive PC gamers. I don't think I've ever been 10 m away from my PC while gaming on it, so as long as your loungeroom isn't a literal corridor I'm thinking most should be set with that. For everything else there's also a Bluetooth connection available.
The sticks feature tunneling magnetoresistance tech, otherwise known as TMR. This is thought to be a step up from Hall Effect which is all the rage at the moment, though we weren't massively impressed with our first controller to use the tech: GameSir's Cyclone 2. Like HE, TMR uses magnetic signals rather than physical ones which tend to be better for the life of the switch.
TMR is a bunch more complicated though, and generally thought of as more accurate and precise. It's often found in higher-end devices, so seeing it in this controller is a real win. The sticks are also surrounded by rings of programmable LEDs just to really highlight how futuristic they are.
The triggers on the other hand are Hall Effect, but they have a few extra tricks up their sleaves. These can be switched between linear and and tactile modes depending on your preference. Above these are the bumpers which are not only boasting fast action, but are said to be remappable, and this is actually one of the most important features for me, personally.
In games like Hades or Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate, or even Avowed I remap the dash to a bumper as it's easier to quickly tap without having to move off the face buttons. I am also known for destroying the bumpers on controllers because of all the action they get, so I'd be keen to see how these ones the 8BitDo are rocking can hold up to some frequency dash abuse.
The last notable improvement appears to be the D-pad. The Ultimate 2C's was flagged as a con in our review, but hopefully this one is better. 8BitDo is not specific about the improvements, but has listed it as "a refined D-pad for enhanced control and faster response," so I'm hopeful get something much more satisfying on the Ultimate 2.
Aside from that you get the usual slew of face buttons and what not, as well as a few programmable back buttons to boot. While on the 2.4G connection you can even use the 6-axis motion control for FPS that support it for that touch of extra accuracy.
The controller is available in black, white, or purple and comes with an included matching charging dock for $60 USD, €60, or $90 AUD. That's of course assuming those in the United States can order them with 8BitDo no longer shipping from its China warehouse after Trump's Tariffs.
