The best Nintendo Switch controllers to buy right now

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

On this shopping for information, we deal with wi-fi controllers which can be each snug and dependable, in addition to just a few choices that include distinctive options designed to match your play type. We’re not overlaying wired controllers that plug into the Swap’s dock, as they’re virtually all the identical and don’t provide substantial financial savings in lots of instances. (PowerA and PDP make respectable 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 the event you purchase a third-party wi-fi controller (as in, one not made by Nintendo), there are specific issues that it seemingly gained’t have the ability to do until 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 stated, some extra restricted rumble could also be current. 
• Many third-party Swap controllers don’t have movement controls for gestures or gyroscopic aiming in video games that help 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 Swap remotely. (You’ll must manually press the console’s energy button.) 
• Whereas some Swap 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 Swap is a ample (and really simple) workaround.

Should you’re enjoying your Swap whereas docked, it’s laborious to go unsuitable with the official Nintendo Swap Professional Controller. It’s the one conventional gamepad that checks all of the packing containers above — minus the three.5mm audio jack — and it’s one of the crucial satisfying controllers we’ve examined. The GuliKit KingKong 2 Professional, in the meantime, makes for a terrific Xbox-style controller with exhaustive customization, whereas the Hori Break up Pad Professional is nice for many who want to play in handheld mode. Then there’s 8BitDo’s PC-friendly Final Bluetooth Controller and DualShock-esque Professional 2 controller, each of that are properly price a glance.

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

Greater than seven years down the highway, Nintendo’s first-party Professional controller remains to be the most effective gamepad for the Swap. It launched alongside the console in 2017 as a extra conventional various to Nintendo’s quirky Pleasure-Cons, and in some ways, it rivals the usual fashions from Sony and Microsoft by way of consolation and construct high quality.

Except for the Pleasure-Cons, the Swap Professional Controller is the one wi-fi possibility that features HD rumble, gyroscopic motion help, 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 Swap with out being plugged into it. The gamepad is constructed like a tank, and its battery life is so good that it generally looks as if it’ll by no means run out. Nintendo says that it lasts round 40 hours per cost, so it’ll seemingly take informal players 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 players. The controller expenses through USB-C, identical to the Swap, and it’s appropriate with a slew of different platforms you would possibly recreation on, together with PC, Android, and SteamOS. It additionally works with Apple units because of its compatibility with the most recent 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 Swap to a controller isn’t presently attainable. (At the very least you possibly can join a pair of wi-fi headphones through Bluetooth, however solely when you’ve got not more than two controllers related to your Swap without delay.)

Supported Platforms: Swap / Connectivity: Wired / Connector kind: Pleasure-Con slots / Mappable rear buttons: Sure / Software program customization: No / Rumble: No / NFC: No / Movement: No / Energy: through Pleasure-Con slots / Console Wakeup: No

I’m positive there are some individuals who get pleasure from utilizing Pleasure-Con controllers, however children and small-handed people apart, most individuals in all probability wouldn’t say they’re probably the most snug 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 appears to be like and appears like a Swap Professional Controller that’s cut up in half. One-half slides into both sides of the Swap console like Pleasure-Cons, however not like Nintendo’s default controllers, Hori’s gamepad options huge, easy-to-reach buttons and generously sized triggers and analog sticks, all of which really feel nice in play. It additionally supplies numerous grip, which is especially helpful for individuals who have to get a greater deal with on the console for quick gameplay or keep cozy over longer play periods.

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

The corporate additionally sells the Break up Pad Compact, which is a smaller model of the Break up Pad Professional that sometimes prices round $50. It could be price a glance if you need one thing as useful because the Break up Pad Professional however nearer in measurement to a Pleasure-Con — particularly because it’s presently on sale at Woot for $44.99 ($35 off) with an add-on that allows you to use it as a standard wired controller.

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

The GuliKit KingKong 2 Professional rivals the Swap Professional Controller in construct high quality, nevertheless it feels extra like a contemporary Xbox controller, and its textured rear grips would possibly give it the sting for some. Not like most third-party controllers, it retains Amiibo help, although some customers have reported points with inauthentic Amiibo merchandise. The KingKong 2 Professional can join through Bluetooth to the Swap and to PC, macOS, iOS, Android, and different platforms. And since it makes use of GuliKit’s Corridor impact sensors for its analog sticks, it’s proof against drift.

We suggest testing this video at iFixit to see a radical rationalization of the way it works, however in essence, Corridor impact sensors use magnets to change electrical present as an alternative of bodily rubbing on (and finally carrying down) a sensor to supply an enter. Whereas we haven’t heard widespread studies of power analog stick drift points on the Swap Professional Controller up to now, controllers with Corridor impact sensors won’t ever encounter it, and the peace of thoughts is well worth the added value. (The 8BitDo Final Bluetooth Controller under additionally makes use of GuliKit’s sensors.)

Management-wise, virtually every part concerning the KingKong 2 Professional feels excellent. The face buttons, bumpers, and D-pad all strike a stability between journey, tactile suggestions, and really feel. The analog sticks are extremely fluid but simply snap again into their default positions. Clicking the sticks doesn’t require a lot pressure, both, even once they’re off-axis. And whereas we are able to’t absolutely credit score GuliKit for the wonderful ergonomics afforded by the Xbox-inspired form, we are able to award factors for the sturdy supplies used and nailing a well-balanced weight.

The controller supplies exhaustive customizability choices, too. You may swap button layouts, program macros, and cycle by means of preset ranges of rumble depth and set off sensitivity (which can not apply when utilizing it with the Swap, because it doesn’t help analog triggers). Nevertheless, managing these settings is lower than perfect, as you possibly can solely change them by inputting button mixtures. Positive, the combos are easy, however memorizing all of them is difficult. Fortunately, GuliKit clearly spells every part out within the complete guide you’ll obtain with the gamepad.

It’s price noting that GuliKit now sells a KingKong 3 Professional and KingKong 3 Max. The three Professional builds upon the premium controller by including 4 slots for removable rearward buttons or paddles (two come within the field) and a 1,000Hz polling price for improved responsiveness. The three Max is comparable however contains three pairs of again buttons (together with brief and lengthy kinds) and a 10-minute macro recording restrict (versus 10 seconds on the three Professional). There’s additionally a devoted set off mode swap, RGB lights across the analog sticks that sign which sensitivity mode you’re in, and NFC for Amiibo help.

We haven’t examined both of the brand new GuliKit fashions (but), however we intend to drag them in for consideration quickly, so keep tuned.

Supported Platforms: Swap, PC, Steam Deck, cell, Apple TV / Connectivity: 2.4GHz, Bluetooth, wired / Connector kind: 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 Final Bluetooth Controller appears like a Swap Professional Controller in form, with a equally brief grip profile that bigger arms might not want. Each share Swap and Home windows PC help, however 8BitDo will get a leg up with full Steam Deck compatibility. Its haptics are respectable however not so good as Nintendo’s, and it’s lacking Amiibo help, although it does function customizable again paddles and movement controls — together with a hidden trick that lets you wake a docked Swap by giving the controller somewhat 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 wanting 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 provide simply the correct amount of resistance and sport a cushty concave high, however they’re only a tad brief on the edges. All the buttons provide 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 allows you to swap between three profiles on the fly, plus an additional turbo button you possibly can both reconfigure or remap. In the case of Swap controllers, 8BitDo units the usual for the breadth of those choices and how you can entry them, which is another excuse it’s excessive on our listing.

Supported Platforms: Swap, PC, Steam Deck, cell, Apple TV, Raspberry Pi / Connectivity: Bluetooth, wired / Connector kind: 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 Professional 2 is one other nice possibility with Corridor impact sticks for the Nintendo Swap, 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 Swap Professional Controller, and two easy-to-press paddle buttons on the underside. It has rumble help (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 players can even respect that the left analog stick is situated towards the underside — identical to on Sony’s controllers — fairly than above the D-pad as on the Swap Professional.

With 8BitDo’s Final software program on a cell gadget or a Home windows pc, you possibly can customise the Professional 2’s button mapping and the sensitivity of its triggers and analog sticks. You may 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 Swap, X-input for PC, DirectInput, and macOS modes, every with its personal management customizations and Bluetooth profile. This controller affords a lot for $50 (or $54.99 if you need one of many extremely cool translucent blue, purple, or inexperienced editions).

There are numerous different units that assist you to use third-party controllers, however 8BitDo’s could be the most effective worth. As an alternative of spending $70 on a number of Swap Professional Controllers, the $19.99 8BitDo Wi-fi Bluetooth USB Adapter 2 helps you to flip a Bluetooth controller you already personal right into a wi-fi Swap controller. It plugs into your Swap dock and helps all kinds of fashions, from the most recent Xbox and DualSense controllers to last-gen gamepads for the Wii and PlayStation 3. (Word: the first-gen mannequin can’t hook up with most Xbox Bluetooth controllers as a consequence of a Bluetooth incompatibility, so ensure you get the most recent 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 Swap controllers provide. 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 Swap Professional Controller, you possibly can customise their button mapping, analog stick sensitivity, and extra inside 8BitDo’s pc and cell app. 

8BitDo has an in depth help web page that lists the steps required to arrange your particular controller, in addition to which options of these controllers it helps. That stated, it’s greatest if you realize the Swap’s button structure by coronary heart in the event you plan to make use of both a PlayStation or Xbox controller with this adapter, because the structure in your controller won’t 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 reasonably priced adapter deserves a spot in your leisure heart. Should you 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’ve got numerous controllers sitting round, it could be price it.

Nitro Deck / Nitro Deck Plus

We like CRKD’s Nitro Deck round right here. It’s a cradle-style controller that holds the Swap 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 stated 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 want the passthrough resolution was extra elegant and that CRKD might resolve the ergonomics (notably on the proper aspect, the place the analog and button placement may cause discomfort).

We not too long ago examined the GameSir T4 Cyclone Professional ($45.99) for consideration. It affords most of the identical capabilities because the GuliKit KingKong 2 Professional — 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 stated, it falls simply brief as a consequence of mushy-feeling buttons. GameSir considers the additional padding underneath the buttons a function that makes the influence softer, however we felt it takes away from the expertise. Additionally, though it’s completely usable with the Swap, the Professional’s button labeling takes after Microsoft’s, which will not be perfect for many who have bother memorizing inputs. We additionally discovered resyncing with the Swap to be a chore after switching from a cell gadget or a Home windows PC.

GameCube Model Wi-fi Controller

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

Replace, October twenty ninth: Up to date to replicate present pricing and availability.