8BitDo Professional 3 overview: a brilliant customizable controller that’s frustratingly restricted on Swap 2 

So far as I’m involved, 8BitDo’s Professional 3 is the last word controller. You could already know that it makes a mannequin actually known as the Final controller, however it performs second fiddle to the brand new Professional 3 in some key methods. It’s extremely customizable, permitting you to vary the face buttons, joystick caps, and extra.

Let me clarify: like most different 8BitDo controllers, it’s made to work on a number of platforms, however the Professional 3’s swappable ABXY face buttons permit it to really rework as wanted, say, for those who’re going from Swap to PC, or vice versa. You’ll be able to simply pull off the buttons, which all however requires the included magnetic suction software. It could possibly’t simply be completed by hand, a perk for somebody like me who has a child at dwelling. I really feel snug realizing that they received’t simply pop off when my child smacks it round.

One other enjoyable addition is that you would be able to swap the usual joystick caps in favor of brilliant, shiny arcade stick-like nubs. That’s the very first thing that I did after unboxing the controller. How important they’re to your moment-to-moment gaming will come all the way down to style and the kinds of video games you need to play. Taking part in Soulcalibur II through the Swap On-line GameCube library felt higher (or at the very least extra enjoyable) than with different controllers. The arcade stick caps are finest for video games that require fast flicks. They’re too slippery for video games that require you to carry the sticks in a route for a very long time. I felt the necessity to swap them out for Swap 2 video games like Donkey Kong Bananza and Mario Kart World.

Like 2021’s Professional 2 earlier than it, the Professional 3 feels nice in my medium-sized palms. It’s a secure decide for many who desire a dependable D-pad that’s straightforward to succeed in, and preferring the symmetrical PlayStation-style joystick format. Whereas I’ve grown accustomed to the $84.99 Swap 2 Professional since getting the brand new console, there’s one thing in regards to the Professional 3’s design that matches like a glove for me, regardless that it has been a very long time since I final grabbed a DualShock.

The Professional 3 prices $69.99, a $20 worth enhance over the earlier era. Nevertheless, its added options simply warrant the upper price, except you’re a discerning Swap 2 participant who’s in search of a 1:1 matching of options with the Swap 2 Professional. I’ll get into the place it misses the mark under, however the Professional 3 has higher set off and stick expertise. The highlights embody the shift to TMR joysticks, that are improved over the already-great Corridor impact sticks and are extra energy environment friendly. It additionally consists of extra correct Corridor impact triggers as an alternative of the linear ones in its predecessor. These specs ought to guarantee an extended lifespan than controllers that fall brief by comparability.

The Professional 2 was among the many preliminary wave of acclaimed third-party controllers to undertake customizable again paddles, and the Professional 3 builds on that with new L4 and R4 macro buttons between the triggers and its USB-C charging port, identical to on the 8BitDo Final 2. I like having extra buttons, and these are unobtrusive in case you’re the sort who expects to by no means contact them.

Almost every thing on the gamepad will be personalized in 8BitDo’s Final V2 PC app. You can also make as much as three profiles, every with its personal button assignments, joystick sensitivity, and extra, and swap between them with a devoted button positioned between the joysticks. Alternatively, for those who simply need to rapidly assign a one-off command or combo to one in every of its additional inputs, simply maintain the specified button you want to assign to, then concurrently press the unique one(s) you’re copying and press the star button. It sounds difficult, however it will get simpler with apply.

Along with the 2 units of customizable buttons and magnetically-attached face buttons, this new mannequin additionally options adjustable set off distances through two switches. Toggling the swap shortens the space you must push to actuate it. This function can be out there within the 8BitDo Final 2.

8BitDo’s newest controller is appropriate with a ton of units through Bluetooth, together with the Steam Deck, Home windows PC, Mac OS, Android, Apple TV, Apple Imaginative and prescient Professional, and different merchandise. You’ll be able to toggle between three modes as wanted with a swap on its again: D enter (DirectInput), X enter, and S enter (Swap). Each the Swap and PC additionally assist a 2.4GHz mode, enabled by a dongle built-in into the smooth charging dock that comes with buy. With the ability to situate the charging dock wherever I favored ensured that I used to be capable of get higher wi-fi vary than I sometimes get with a DualSense linked over Bluetooth to my PC.

I’ve primarily used the Professional 3 with my Swap 2. The built-in movement controls work nice, however there are a few issues holding it again from being my major controller. Particularly, its rumble results really feel imprecise and hyperactive. I actually take pleasure in rumble, notably in first-party Nintendo Swap video games, so I used to be dissatisfied that turning it off was the one manner I may take pleasure in taking part in Swap video games with the Professional 3. It can also’t wake the Swap 2 from standby mode, which looks as if an oversight since a few of 8BitDo’s rivals declare to have figured it out. Nevertheless, it may possibly wake the unique Swap from standby mode, in addition to the Steam Deck OLED (however not the LCD mannequin).

The Professional 3 isn’t value upgrading to when you’ve got one in every of 8BitDo’s current controllers. However for those who’ve been ready to exchange your Professional 2, this new mannequin is suitably filled with sufficient options to warrant the upper price. Even for many who haven’t tried this line earlier than, it is a extremely customizable gamepad that’s nice for a number of platforms, particularly since its face buttons will be switched round. I believe it’s a unbelievable PC controller. However for those who plan to make use of it primarily on Swap 2, like me, its perks and cheaper worth aren’t interesting sufficient to sway me from the extra feature-complete Swap 2 Professional controller.

Images by Cameron Faulkner / The Verge