The best Nintendo Switch controllers

One of the best Nintendo Change controllers aren’t those that include it. Whereas the detachable Pleasure-Cons included with all non-Lite Change consoles are handy given they are often indifferent for wi-fi use, their tiny contourless design isn’t that comfy for lengthy gaming periods or giant arms. And whereas Nintendo has taken steps to handle the dreaded Joy-Con drift and earlier high quality management issues, some points persist.

On this shopping for information, we concentrate on wi-fi controllers which might be each comfy and dependable, in addition to just a few choices that include distinctive options designed to match your play fashion. We’re not masking wired controllers that plug into the Change’s dock, as they’re virtually all the identical and don’t supply substantial financial savings in lots of circumstances. (PowerA and PDP make first rate ones that may do in a pinch, however they’re very fundamental. Except you detest recharging your controllers, it makes extra sense to go wi-fi.)

Additionally, in case you purchase a third-party wi-fi controller (as in, one not made by Nintendo), there are specific issues that it probably gained’t have the ability to do except in any other case famous:

• It gained’t have HD rumble. That is what Nintendo calls its superior haptic suggestions, which is extra exact than that of many third-party controllers and extra akin to Sony’s haptics engine in its subtlety. That mentioned, some extra restricted rumble could also be current. 
• Many third-party Change controllers don’t have movement controls for gestures or gyroscopic aiming in video games that assist it, although extra choices are beginning to implement the latter function with various levels of high quality.
• Most non-Nintendo choices lack an NFC reader for Amiibo playing cards or collectible figurines, which unlock particular options in some video games. 
• Most third-party choices gained’t have the ability to activate the Change remotely. (You’ll need to manually press the console’s energy button.) 
• Whereas some Change controllers have 3.5mm headphone jacks, getting audio out of them can solely occur by means of a wired USB connection, not wirelessly. For most individuals, pairing Bluetooth headphones to your Switch is a enough (and really straightforward) workaround.

For those who’re taking part in your Change whereas docked, it’s exhausting to go incorrect with the official Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. It’s the one conventional gamepad that checks all of the bins above — minus the three.5mm audio jack — and it’s one of the crucial satisfying controllers we’ve examined. The GuliKit KingKong 3 Pro and Max, in the meantime, make for nice Xbox-style controllers with exhaustive customization, whereas the Hori Split Pad Pro is nice for individuals who desire to play in handheld mode. Then there’s 8BitDo’s PC-friendly Ultimate Bluetooth Controller and DualShock-esque Pro 2 controller, each of that are properly value a glance.

Supported platforms: Nintendo Change, PC, Steam Deck, cell, Apple TV / Connectivity: Bluetooth, wired / Connector sort: USB-C / Mappable rear buttons: No / Software program customization: No / Rumble: Sure, HD / NFC: Sure / Movement: Sure / Energy: Constructed-in rechargeable / Console Wakeup: Sure

Practically eight years down the highway, Nintendo’s first-party Professional controller remains to be the perfect gamepad for the Change. It launched alongside the console in 2017 as a extra conventional different to Nintendo’s quirky Pleasure-Cons, and in some ways, it rivals the usual fashions from Sony and Microsoft when it comes to consolation and construct high quality.

Except for the Pleasure-Cons, the Change Professional Controller is the one wi-fi possibility that features HD rumble, gyroscopic motion assist, and an NFC reader for Amiibo playing cards and collectible figurines. It’s additionally the one controller we’ve examined (once more, other than the Pleasure-Cons) that may energy on the Change with out being plugged into it. The gamepad is constructed like a tank, and its battery life is so good that it generally looks like it’ll by no means run out. Nintendo says that it lasts round 40 hours per cost, so it’ll probably take informal avid gamers a very long time to run down the battery.

The buttons and triggers have a satisfying bounce, whereas its directional pad is responsive and clicky sufficient to fulfill retro avid gamers. The controller fees by way of USB-C, identical to the Change, and it’s appropriate with a slew of different platforms you may sport on, together with PC, Android, and SteamOS. It additionally works with Apple units due to its compatibility with the newest variations of iOS, macOS, and even tvOS and visionOS.

Given the worth, we want that it had different options, like programmable buttons or a 3.5mm headphone jack for audio, even when wi-fi audio transmission from the Change to a controller isn’t at present potential. (At the very least you possibly can join a pair of wi-fi headphones by way of Bluetooth, however solely if you have no more than two controllers related to your Change without delay.)

Supported Platforms: Change / Connectivity: Wired / Connector sort: Pleasure-Con slots / Mappable rear buttons: Sure / Software program customization: No / Rumble: No / NFC: No / Movement: No / Energy: by way of Pleasure-Con slots / Console Wakeup: No

I’m certain there are some individuals who get pleasure from utilizing Pleasure-Con controllers, however youngsters and small-handed of us apart, most individuals in all probability wouldn’t say they’re probably the most comfy possibility. That’s the place the Hori Break up Pad Professional is available in.

The Break up Pad Professional is available in a wide range of colorways, and it each seems to be and appears like a Change Professional Controller that’s cut up in half. One-half slides into either side of the Change console like Pleasure-Cons, however not like Nintendo’s default controllers, Hori’s gamepad options massive, easy-to-reach buttons and generously sized triggers and analog sticks, all of which really feel nice in play. It additionally supplies loads of grip, which is especially helpful for individuals who have to get a greater deal with on the console for quick gameplay or keep comfortable over longer play periods.

The Break up Pad Professional doesn’t have batteries or sensors — to not point out assist for rumble, movement, IR, or NFC — so it’s fully ineffective when indifferent from the Change. It’s just for handheld mode except you buy the Split Pad Pro Attachment that turns it right into a wired controller. We don’t suggest most individuals go that route because the attachment alone prices greater than a Change Professional Controller, which is a disgrace contemplating it doesn’t attempt to add any of the aforementioned components (it does add a 3.5mm headphone jack, nonetheless).

The corporate additionally sells the Split Pad Compact, which is a smaller model of the Break up Pad Professional that typically costs around $40 (you too can get it with an Attachment Set for $74.99). It is likely to be value a glance if you need one thing as purposeful because the Break up Pad Professional however nearer in measurement to a Pleasure-Con.

Supported Platforms: Change, PC, Steam Deck, cell, Apple TV / Connectivity: Bluetooth, wired / Connector sort: USB-C / Mappable rear buttons: Sure / Software program customization: No / Rumble: Sure / NFC: Sure / Movement: Sure / Energy: Constructed-in rechargeable / Console Wakeup: Sure

On the floor, the GuliKit KingKong 3 Pro and KingKong 3 Max are much like the last-gen fashions they changed, which took design cues from Microsoft’s normal Xbox controller however rivaled the Change Professional Controller when it comes to construct high quality and options. We examined them on the Nintendo Change, PC, and cell, however you too can use them with different Bluetooth units, together with the Steam Deck and Apple TV 4K.

However there are a number of notable enhancements and additions in case you scratch deeper. They every have Corridor impact dual-mode triggers (each can swap between analog and digital, however the KK3 Max solely provides bodily set off stops), along with RGB-surrounded Corridor impact analog sticks. It ought to make them just about impervious to drifting and waning responsiveness, as iFixit explains here. They every have GuliKit’s highly effective magnetic vibration motors with two depth ranges and three distinct modes (together with the Change’s HD rumble). You’ll be able to even customise the hot-swappable face buttons to match your most well-liked platform, and to the delight of event gamers, you possibly can play with a 1,000Hz polling price for diminished enter lag on PC (wired or wi-fi by way of a dongle).

Moreover, each controllers now function removable rear-facing buttons. You get two steel moon-shaped paddles with the KK3 Professional that protrude farther from the controller than the additional 4 you get with the KK3 Max, that are longer and curved to match the contour of the controllers’ rear grips. The latter are much like the paddles on the Xbox Elite Collection 2 and even borrow the identical set up approach — simply push them into the designated holes on the again. They require much more power, although additionally they gained’t simply dislodge. 

The longer paddles are comfortably reachable as soon as put in, however when you have bigger arms, chances are you’ll have to make changes for the shorter protruding selection. They solely want a lightweight faucet, however since they occupy the area the place your fingers often relaxation, it might probably result in elevated misfires whereas gaming. You’ll be able to map every again button to emulate some other button on the controller — together with the rear triggers — however you possibly can’t configure them to execute combo presses or macros.

In abstract, the KK3 Professional and KK3 Max supply quite a bit. Actually, there could also be no higher possibility for interoperability and worth in a single multiplatform controller proper now. If we’re nitpicking, our largest gripe is that GuliKit nonetheless hasn’t created an app to handle all of it extra simply.

Supported Platforms: Change, PC, Steam Deck, cell, Apple TV / Connectivity: 2.4GHz, Bluetooth, wired / Connector sort: USB-C / Mappable rear buttons: Sure / Software program customization: Sure / Rumble: Sure / NFC: No / Movement: Sure / Energy: Constructed-in rechargeable / Console Wakeup: No

8BitDo’s Ultimate Bluetooth Controller appears like a Change Professional Controller in form, with a equally brief grip profile that bigger arms might not desire. Each share Change and Home windows PC assist, however 8BitDo will get a leg up with full Steam Deck compatibility. Its haptics are first rate however not so good as Nintendo’s, and it’s lacking Amiibo assist, although it does function customizable again paddles and movement controls — together with a hidden trick that permits you to wake a docked Change by giving the controller a bit of shake. It additionally comes with a charging dock, which shops the two.4GHz dongle when not in use. The included dock is helpful for charging the 22-hour battery, which remains to be fairly beneficiant however comes properly in need of the 40-hour mark set by Nintendo’s official controller.

The Final controller is available in a number of variants, however we suggest the Bluetooth mannequin over the two.4GHz or wired choices as a result of it contains 2.4GHz connectivity and GuliKit Corridor impact sticks, which the two.4GHz-only model lacks. The analog sticks supply simply the correct quantity of resistance and sport a cushty concave prime, however they’re only a tad brief on the edges. All the buttons supply nice journey, although, and the analog triggers have a satisfying quantity of resistance when pulled.

As for tweaks, you possibly can customise button mapping profiles, macros, vibration depth, and stick and set off sensitivity utilizing the Final Software program app on cell or PC. The controller has a devoted button that permits you to swap between three profiles on the fly, plus an additional turbo button you possibly can both reconfigure or remap. In terms of Change controllers, 8BitDo units the usual for the breadth of those choices and how you can entry them, which is one more reason it’s excessive on our checklist.

Supported Platforms: Change, PC, Steam Deck, cell, Apple TV, Raspberry Pi / Connectivity: Bluetooth, wired / Connector sort: USB-C / Mappable rear buttons: Sure / Software program customization: Sure / Rumble: Sure / NFC: No / Movement: Sure / Energy: Constructed-in rechargeable / Console Wakeup: No

The 8BitDo Pro 2 is one other nice possibility with Corridor impact sticks for the Nintendo Change, particularly in case your arms are happiest with a PlayStation-style controller. The Professional 2 has a cushty grip, a crisper D-pad than the Change Professional Controller, and two easy-to-press paddle buttons on the underside. It has rumble assist (although not HD rumble) and movement management for video games like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Overwatch 2, each of which permit for gyroscopic aiming. PlayStation avid gamers may even recognize that the left analog stick is situated towards the underside — identical to on Sony’s controllers — moderately than above the D-pad as on the Change Professional.

With 8BitDo’s Ultimate software on a cell machine or a Home windows laptop, you possibly can customise the Professional 2’s button mapping and the sensitivity of its triggers and analog sticks. You’ll be able to even save as much as three management scheme profiles and cycle by means of them with a button situated between the analog sticks. On its rear, there’s a swap that lets it toggle between Nintendo Change, X-input for PC, DirectInput, and macOS modes, every with its personal management customizations and Bluetooth profile. This controller provides a lot for $50 (or $54.99 if you need one of many extremely cool translucent blue, purple, or green editions).

There are lots of other devices that help you use third-party controllers, however 8BitDo’s is likely to be the perfect worth. As an alternative of spending $70 on a number of Change Professional Controllers, the $19.99 8BitDo Wireless Bluetooth USB Adapter 2 allows you to flip a Bluetooth controller you already personal right into a wi-fi Change controller. It plugs into your Change dock and helps all kinds of fashions, from the newest Xbox and DualSense controllers to last-gen gamepads for the Wii and PlayStation 3. (Word: the first-gen mannequin can’t connect with most Xbox Bluetooth controllers as a consequence of a Bluetooth incompatibility, so be sure to get the newest mannequin.)

To our shock, the PS5 DualSense controller we examined it with labored extremely properly, with better-than-average rumble and extra responsive movement controls than many devoted Change controllers supply. What’s extra, as long as you’re utilizing one of many newer Xbox Collection X or S controllers, an Xbox One Bluetooth controller, a DualSense, a DualShock 4, or the Change Professional Controller, you possibly can customise their button mapping, analog stick sensitivity, and extra inside 8BitDo’s laptop and cell app. 

8BitDo has an extensive support page that lists the steps required to arrange your particular controller, in addition to which options of these controllers it helps. That mentioned, it’s finest if you realize the Change’s button structure by coronary heart in case you plan to make use of both a PlayStation or Xbox controller with this adapter, because the structure in your controller is not going to match the on-screen prompts in video games.

If you have already got a controller you actually like and don’t thoughts leaping by means of just a few small hoops to attach it, 8BitDo’s inexpensive adapter deserves a spot in your leisure middle. For those who plan to make use of a couple of third-party controller at a time, you’ll want an adapter for every controller (and a USB hub), however when you have loads of controllers sitting round, it is likely to be value it.

Nitro Deck / Nitro Deck Plus

We like CRKD’s Nitro Deck round right here. It’s a cradle-style controller that holds the Change between a pair of Corridor impact sticks, outfitting it with a normal array of face buttons, 4 programmable again buttons, turbo performance, gyro movement controls, and rumble. It has passthrough charging, although, not passthrough video, which might permit it to double as a dock for TV gameplay. The step-up Nitro Deck Plus provides mentioned performance (with a USB-C to HDMI adapter), together with Bluetooth connectivity and adjustable vibration depth / analog sensitivity. We’ve discovered these to be notable enhancements, however we want the passthrough resolution was extra elegant and that CRKD might clear up the ergonomics (notably on the fitting aspect, the place the analog and button placement could cause discomfort).

We not too long ago examined the GameSir T4 Cyclone Pro ($45.99) for consideration. It provides just a few of the identical features because the GuliKit KingKong 3 — together with remappable buttons, Corridor impact sticks, and two distinct macro buttons — together with devoted vibration motors within the triggers, which is one thing the GuliKit can’t declare. That mentioned, it falls simply brief as a consequence of mushy-feeling buttons. GameSir considers the additional padding underneath the buttons a function that makes the affect softer, however we felt it takes away from the expertise. Additionally, though it’s completely usable with the Change, the Professional’s button labeling takes after Microsoft’s, which is probably not ultimate for individuals who have bother memorizing inputs. We additionally discovered resyncing with the Change to be a chore after switching from a cell machine or a Home windows PC.

GameCube Style Wireless Controller

We additionally not too long ago tried a number of wi-fi PowerA controllers, together with the GameCube Style Wireless Controller ($59.99) and a Pikachu-themed model of the usual PowerA Enhanced Wireless ($59.99). We just like the enjoyable design of PowerA’s controllers, however they don’t reside as much as the standard of the fashions we suggest above, which is a disgrace contemplating some value practically as a lot. The GameCube-style wi-fi controller is a reasonably devoted recreation of the unique in case you fancy a pure Tremendous Smash Bros. expertise, nevertheless it’s barebones with no rumble, NFC, or IR. It’s a straightforward strategy to get the old-school feeling again in case you don’t have already got a Bluetooth-based different to make use of with 8BitDo’s USB Adapter 2.

Replace, January 2nd: Up to date pricing and availability.