8BitDo has a history of offering the best value-for-money controllers on the market, with its flagship Ultimate line standing at the apex of this philosophy. However, with the Ultimate 2 Wireless Controller, the company has truly outdone itself, so much so that it’s borderline excessive.

8BitDo Ultimate 2 Wireless Controller

PC and Android gaming controller with TMR joysticks, a tactile D-pad, tactile bumpers, trigger locks, and mappable L4/R4 bumpers and back paddles. It also includes a gyroscope for motion controls.

Pros & Cons

• Outstanding TMR joysticks
• Satisfying tactile D-Pad
• Trigger locks
• Fluid motion controls
• 1000 Hz wireless polling rate

• Additional bumpers feel excessive
• Lighting is a party trick
• Supports fewer platforms
• No DInput option for 2.4 GHz

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Price and Availability

The 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Wireless Controller is available for $59.99 and comes in three color variants: black, white, and GameCube purple. Included in the box are a charging dock, 2.4 GHz adapter (USB-C), and a USB-A to USB-C cable.

Major Upgrades Where It Matters Most

The Ultimate 2 knows what the Ultimate got right, to the point where they’re virtually identical at a glance. They share the same ergonomic design, visual presentation, and charging dock, all of which I loved in my review of the original model. The differences become pretty stark once you start using the new iteration, though.

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The TMR joysticks are the most impressive upgrade. TMR is a magnetic technology that’s more efficient than the original Ultimate’s Hall effect sensors in power consumption and performance. The comparison isn’t close, either; TMR reads 10x more points than Hall effect sensors can, which results in extremely high sensitivity when paired with the 1000 Hz polling rate of the Ultimate 2’s 2.4 GHz adapter. They’re also a touch weightier, which helps with minute inputs and gives the sticks a premium smoothness.

I may love the new tactile D-pad even more, though. There’s a distinctive click to each of the eight directional inputs. Functionally, it’s a boon for genres like fighting games that require motion inputs, as you can feel a click for every step in the motion sequence. It’s the first controller I’ve used—fight pads included—that has me contemplating ditching my arcade stick for certain titles. Even aside from that specific use-case, the satisfying tactile nature is going to make it tough to return to mushy D-pads.

The triggers and bumpers have also seen upgrades. The analog triggers are less mushy and can be locked into digital mode using switches on the back of the controller. Bumpers also receive a tactile treatment that makes them feel more like buttons than levers you depress. It takes some getting used to, but I found this design enabled faster reactions.

Lastly, the Ultimate 2 Wireless model adds a gyroscope, something that was previously exclusive to the Ultimate model designed for Switch compatibility. This can be assigned to mimic the left or right stick with adjustable sensitivity, and it works wonderfully as a means of making slight aim adjustments or freeing up a thumb. It’s also easily ignored if you don’t care about motion controls.

Everything else remains largely the same. The face buttons retain their snappy feel, the back paddles are perfectly positioned for where your middle finger sits, and you can hot swap between three profiles created using the controller’s customization software. Also, while the grip texture is less aggressive on the new model, it’s easier on the skin, and it doesn’t feel more slippery in practice.

New Features Are Hit and Miss

While I found the motion controls to be well implemented, the other new features to this product line felt excessive.

The L4/R4 bumpers wedged within the right angle created by the main bumpers and triggers are a prime example of how more is less. It feels unnatural to hit them without also clicking the tactile L1/R1 bumper and, given the unfortunate lack of DInput support for 2.4 GHz play, the only mapping options are macros or mimicking the functions of other buttons. They also make the controller feel more complicated than it should be, especially as the back paddles already serve this same function (but better).

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I was also quick to turn off the light rings around the sticks. There’s some initial fun to be had with how they mirror your inputs, but because that’s not something you’ll see when actually playing a game, it’s a useless battery drain.

However, the real issue here is that the button to toggle them on and off is located right where your thumb naturally extends to. On the original model this was where the primary menu button was situated, but on the Ultimate 2 it’s been relegated to a higher, less convenient location. Compounding this is that you need to toggle through multiple lighting profiles before they turn off, so accidentally pressing that button means stopping to cycle through them.

Also, while the customization software does its job, I wish 8BitDo would create a software hub for its products rather than individual downloads for managing each. My Ultimate and Ultimate 2 should not require two apps. The upside is that you can customize profiles and transmit them wirelessly, something I wish was more common among gaming products.

Great Wireless, but There’s a Catch

2.4 GHz wireless, Bluetooth, and wired play all work well with minimal latency. The 2.4 GHz receiver uses USB-C instead of the industry-standard USB-A, letting you attach it to an Android device without an adapter. The controller immediately connects to the adapter when undocked, making for a seamless experience. While I’m noting the positives, the battery also lasted me through long gaming sessions as long as I turned off the lights.

There are some unfortunate cuts and omissions, though. For one, this controller removes native support for Apple devices, SteamOS, and Raspberry Pi; only Windows and Android remain. I did get it to connect with my Mac with some improperly assigned buttons, but it did nothing when paired with my iPhone 16. This is an unfortunate step back that hopefully can be patched in via a firmware update. (Note that a different model exists for use with the Nintendo Switch.)

Also, it’s worth noting that DInput is not available for this controller through a 2.4 GHz connection. This is another feature that really should be available for people who want to map the paddles and L4/R4 bumpers without using 8BitDo’s software.

Should You Buy the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Wireless Controller?

At $59.99, the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Wireless Controller is simply the best option at its price point. The TMR joysticks are a forward-thinking addition you’re not going to find many other places, and definitely not for cheaper. While overindulgent additions and reduced platform support keep the controller just short of a home run, it’s a leap forward in nearly every department that matters.

While I do still think the original Ultimate controller is fantastic, I can only recommend it over the Ultimate 2 if you plan to use it with the additional platforms it supports. You’re getting a lot for the $10 price hike.

8BitDo Ultimate 2 Wireless Controller

PC and Android gaming controller with TMR joysticks, a tactile D-pad, tactile bumpers, trigger locks, and mappable L4/R4 bumpers and back paddles. It also includes a gyroscope for motion controls.