A new Engadget review gives the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 a 9.5/10 rating and calls it the best Switch 2 controller on the market. At $70, the controller undercuts Nintendo's official Switch 2 Pro by $20 while bundling a charging dock, a 2.4G USB-C dongle, and a spare set of keycaps in the box.
The review highlights several features that the Switch 2 Pro lacks, including TMR analog sticks, Hall-effect triggers, six shoulder inputs, RGB lighting, and deep customization through 8BitDo's Ultimate Software V2. The reviewer, who describes having smaller-than-average hands, praised the compact and ergonomic design for staying comfortable across long play sessions.
The main criticism is the four small front buttons with printed icons, which are hard to read at a glance. The review notes this is also common among other Switch 2 controllers, including Nintendo's Pro model. The Ultimate 2 also offers Bluetooth shake-to-wake, a feature not mentioned for Nintendo's first-party pad in the review. For the business angle, the review suggests that 8BitDo is positioning itself as a feature-rich, lower-cost alternative to first-party hardware, potentially pressuring Nintendo's accessory pricing.