8BitDo is offering a Hall Effect gamepad for as little as $11, so long as you're not fussy about this PC controller's colorway

8BitDo Ultimate 2C wireless controller: was $29.99 now $10.57 at Amazon

The Switch Pro-style design here is perhaps better suited to smaller palms, but you're unlikely to find another Hall Effect controller anywhere near as cheap. If pink and gold really isn't for you, though, the entire suite of also affordably priced alternate colourways is worth a second look.

Key specs: Hall Effect joysticks and triggers | USB-C | 2.4 GHz wireless dongle | Remappable extra bumpers | 1,000 Hz Polling rate

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Stick drift: two words that strike fear in the hearts of both PC and console gamers alike. Controllers leveraging magnetic tech underneath their sticks avoid this scourge, though Hall Effect features still come at a premium all too often. Thankfully, Amazon Prime Deal Days has made it easy to sniff out a Hall Effect gamepad at an affordable price.

So, how do you feel about a pink Hall Effect controller? I ask because the pink colour of the 8BitDo Ultimate 2C Wireless Controller is by far the cheapest Hall Effect gamepad I've ever seen, going for only $11 at Amazon right now.

That's going to be a definite snag for some folks, and I'm not especially enamoured with this peachy shade myself. Thankfully, the 8BitDo Ultimate 2C Wireless Controller comes in a range of colourways, including green for only $19 and the actual best colour—purple, obviously—for only $23.99.

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Setting all of its snazzy colors to one side, the 8BitDo Ultimate 2C Wireless Controller offers a few other compelling features on top of its Hall Effect joysticks. For one thing, this bad boy enjoys Hall Effect triggers too, making for a precise bit of kit when combined with this gamepad's 1000 Hz polling rate. Perhaps it goes without saying, but best of all, the Hall Effect features throughout this PC controller mean it will stay precise and responsive for far longer than a hit of hardware without the magnetic tech.

So, that's what's under the hood—now let's look at the trunk. Alongside your typical triggers and shoulder buttons is a mysterious third button on either side of the controller. These are the 8BitDo Ultimate 2C's remappable L4 and R4 bumpers. If you've got fingers that are longer and more agile than my sorry stumpy phalanges, then you're bound to get a lot out of them. Alas, weird baby-handed freak that I am, this feels more like putting a hat on a hat.

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Also, just a little disappointing alongside this extra nubbin' is the 8BitDo Ultimate 2C's range of connectivity modes. On top of the option for a wired connection via USB-C cable, you've also got your traditional wireless connection via 2.4 GHz dongle (in the same fetching colourway of your choice). There's also the option for a Bluetooth connection—but only on Android devices.

At the very least, you can switch between the wireless 2.4 GHz connection to your PC and the Bluetooth connection to your phone with just a click of the mode switch button. However, another wrinkle is that the Bluetooth mode does not enjoy the full whack of the controller's 1000 Hz polling rate either. On paper, the Bluetooth mode looks pretty compromised to me.

Reading Jacob's 8BitDo Ultimate 2C wireless controller review from earlier this year suggests we're on the same page. He elaborates, "Bluetooth's a funny affair with the Ultimate 2C, though. That's because the controller only officially supports connecting to Android devices using this protocol. We managed to get it connected to a Windows PC via Bluetooth, but it wouldn't auto-configure in Steam and required some manual setup to work in-game. Looking to others' experiences, it seems to be a very mixed bag, sometimes working well but sometimes not at all."

As much as I would rather one less dongle attached to my PC, it looks like the 2.4 GHz mode is your best bet for a smooth, wireless experience. Besides, for as little as $11 for a Hall Effect controller, you could definitely do a lot worse.

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