The 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Bluetooth Controller for Nintendo Switch 2, Switch, and PC is on sale for $60 (was $70) at Amazon for a limited time. You can choose between black and white models with matching charging docks; a bright yellow edition is discounted to $63 with an Amazon coupon. If you don’t need Switch console compatibility, the the purple edition of the Ultimate 2 2.4GHz Wireless Controller for PC is available for $52.19 (was $60).
The Ultimate 2 is by far the best controller in 8BitDo’s flagship Ultimate series. Fitted with premium components and a slew of customization options, the Ultimate 2 is our top pick for Nintendo Switch 2 (and Switch) users. We’d even recommend it over the $90 Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller. Both editions of the Ultimate 2 are among the best pro-style controllers for PC, too.
If you’re buying the Ultimate 2 Bluetooth for Switch 2, you may need to update the firmware to get it to connect. Check out our roundup of 8BitDo controllers with Switch 2 support for more details. We’ve also included a list at the bottom of this article of all 8BitDo controllers with Switch 2 compatibility as of August.
The 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Bluetooth is the best controller we’ve tried with Nintendo Switch 2 support–and that includes the new Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller.
Check out our comparison in our roundup of 8BitDo controllers with Switch 2 support.
$60 (was $70)
The Ultimate 2 Bluetooth Edition is more expensive than the original Ultimate 2 Controller because of its added support for Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. On Nintendo consoles, you can sync the controller wirelessly via Bluetooth or the included 2.4GHz USB-C dongle.
The Ultimate 2 Bluetooth retains compatibility for PC in wireless mode via the dongle and wired with the USB-C cable. That said, the motion controls and rumble only work on Nintendo consoles with this model.
Key Features
- Nintendo Switch 2 / Switch: Bluetooth, 2.4GHz Wireless (USB-C receiver), Wired (USB-C)
- PC: 2.4GHz Wireless + USB-C wired
- Apple: Bluetooth + USB-C wired
- TMR electromagnetic analog sticks
- Hall Effect triggers with adjustable stop point
- 2 remappable back triggers
- 2 extra remappable shoulder buttons
- Tactile bumpers
- RGB lighting rings
- 1,000Hz polling rate for 2.4GHz and wired
- 6-axis motion controls (Switch 2 + Switch only)
- Rumble (Switch 2 + Switch only)
- Turbo button
- Up to 25 hours battery life
- Available in white, black, and yellow
- Includes matching USB-C charging dock
Customize with 8BitDo Ultimate Software V2
- Remap inputs
- Set up three custom profiles
- Set up dead zones
- Adjust motion control sensitivity
- Adjust stick sensitivity
- Adjust trigger sensitivity
- Adjust rumble intensity
- Adjust lighting effects
$52.19 (was $60)
If you don’t need compatibility with Nintendo consoles, the original Ultimate 2 Wireless Controller designed for PC and Android typically costs $10 less. Notably, it supports motion controls and rumble on PC. Otherwise, the feature set and customization options are the same.
Key Features
- PC: 2.4GHz Wireless (USB-C dongle)
- Android: Bluetooth
- TMR electromagnetic analog sticks
- Hall Effect triggers with adjustable stop point
- 2 remappable back triggers
- 2 extra remappable shoulder buttons
- Tactile bumpers
- RGB lighting rings
- 1,000Hz polling rate for 2.4GHz and wired
- 6-axis motion controls
- Rumble
- Turbo button
- 1,000mAh battery
- Available in white, black, purple, green, Wuchang Edition
- Includes matching USB-C charging dock
Customize with 8BitDo Ultimate Software V2
- Remap inputs
- Set up three custom profiles
- Set up dead zones
- Adjust motion control sensitivity
- Adjust stick sensitivity
- Adjust trigger sensitivity
- Adjust rumble intensity
- Adjust lighting effects
The Ultimate 2 was the first controller in the series to feature four extra buttons; the recently released Pro 3 Bluetooth Gamepad joined this club. 8BitDo essentially combined the designs of the original Ultimate with the Ultimate 2C, the manufacturer’s latest budget wireless controller. It has two remappable back triggers (like the Ultimate) as well as two extra shoulder buttons (like the Ultimate 2C).
8BitDo replaced the Hall Effect sticks found on many of its controllers with TMR sticks. Like Hall Effect sticks, TMR technology uses electromagnets to provide a smoother feel with more accurate, precise movements. Electromagnetic controls also mitigate the risk of analog stick drift. Though similar overall, TMR technology is typically viewed as an improvement compared to Hall Effect tech. The new analog sticks are accompanied by customizable RGB lighting rings.
8BitDo also added another common pro-style customization feature to the Ultimate 2: trigger locks. The Hall Effect analog sticks can instantly convert to linear, microswitch buttons by flicking the switches on the back.
In addition to the physical modifications, the controller supports 8BitDo’s proprietary app on PC, Mac, and mobile. With Ultimate Software V2, you can create up to three profiles and make adjustments to stick, trigger, and motion control sensitivity, modify rumble intensity, and program analog stick dead zones.
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8BitDo improved its 2.4GHz Wireless tech and gave it the name “8Speed.” When synced wirelessly via the included USB-C dongle, the Ultimate 2 reportedly offers near-seamless input recognition with 1ms latency. The Ultimate 2 also has a polling rate of 1,000Hz when using 2.4GHz wireless or USB-C wired connections. To be clear, the original Ultimate offered a stable and fast wireless connection, but the new model offers a more reliable and seamless connection. It’s also the first Ultimate Controller to use a USB-C dongle instead of USB-A. The Bluetooth edition can sync wirelessly to the Switch 2 and Switch via 2.4GHz and Bluetooth, while the PC edition only has Bluetooth support on Android.
Like 8BitDo’s other premium controllers in its flagship series, the Ultimate 2 comes with a matching USB-C charging dock with a compartment to store the USB dongle. The Ultimate 2 has a 1,000mAh battery, which is more than the double the capacity of the original Ultimate’s 480mAh battery. You can get up to 25 hours of battery life, but it’s worth emphasizing that it varies based on your connection type and settings. The lighting rings, for instance, will drain the battery faster.
The Ultimate 2 is a significant upgrade, but the original Ultimate Bluetooth is still a great controller. If you don’t want to spend $60, there’s a terrific deal at Amazon on an 8BitDo Ultimate Bluetooth Controller bundle. You can get the controller with a charging dock and 8BitDo carrying case for $40.49 (was $70).
If you prefer aligned thumbsticks, the 8BitDo Pro 3 Bluetooth Gamepad is very similar to the Ultimate 2 in terms of tech enhancements. The Pro 3 has trigger locks, four remappable buttons, and TMR thumbsticks. It also has a unique feature: swappable face buttons. The magnetic face buttons can be rearranged, allowing you to change between Nintendo and Xbox control layouts. An additional set of unlabeled buttons in the Super Nintendo color scheme are included. The Pro 3 also comes with a pair of extra ball-top stick caps and a matching charging dock. The controller just launched on August 12 for $70. Check out our full writeup on the Pro 3 Bluetooth Gamepad for more details.
8BitDo Wireless Controllers with Switch 2 support
Here’s the list of 8BitDo controllers with Switch 2 wireless compatibility:
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