The following 8BitDo Pro 2 Wired controller was provided by 8BitDo for review. Feel free to check out the ‘Ultimate C Wired Controller’ and ‘Ultimate 3-mode Controller’ as well!
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Symmetrical analog sticks terrify me. OK not really, but I don’t particularly find them pleasant to use. But I also find the Duke and SixAxis perfectly usable, the latter in particular I’ve heard complaints about for years. So I’m a bit of an oddball, go figure. If you like symmetrical sticks for controllers but primarily main PC and Xbox, 8BitDo’s got a solution for you: this is the Pro 2 Wired Controller for Xbox, an Xbox-compatible version of their Pro 2 controller that is currently available in the US and will launch late July for the UK market.
The Pro 2 Wired comes in a small box with just enough packaging (fully recyclable!) to keep the controller, its included USB-C cable, manual, and free 1 Month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate code for new subscribers:
The Pro 2 Wired is a nifty device, sporting analog sticks with Hall Effect sensors, programmable back buttons, a 3.5mm jack with a mic mute, button swapping on the fly, and supports the Xbox console’s impulse triggers. It is compatible with 8BitDo’s Ultimate software that’s available on the Microsoft Store on PC, which allows you to have more control over button swaps and deadzone adjustment. They sync and stay on the controller until you reset them to the defaults again. It’s a nifty little bit of software overall and does the job a lot better than the company’s older software suites which felt more like garage projects.
Now this controller is nice to hold. My hands grip around the hands of the Pro 2 Wired without my middle knuckles making contact with the back unlike the Ultimate C Wired controller. The buttons are responsive and tactile and the grips of the controller feel really nice. The white finish for my controller look great, quick to get dusty aside, and I love the lightweight feel of this unit. Being able to change master and party volume on the fly is a nice touch, as well.
For me, the symmetrical sticks are… All right. I recognise this is largely a preference, but in this case I can deal with it, if you catch my drift. See, when I hold this controller and place my thumbs square on the concave mounds for analog sticks, I feel like I’m stretching them a bit more than I’d like. My left hand feels like its eating more of the controller trying to maintain contact with the bumpers and triggers.
Though really during play it didn’t stop me from curbstomping (and receiving stomps) during my time with it—like when I played NCSOFT’s ‘BATTLE CRUSH’ the other day. The d-pad, too, feels nice and mushy to push down. Tried it with ‘TEKKEN 8′ but I didn’t stick with it for long. It is accurate for casual and more core-focused 2D titles, perfect for beat ’em ups and the many seriously good Metroidvania titles we keep getting.
Unfortunately, just like the Ultimate C Wired controller, the Pro 2 Wired has its USB-C port situated within a smaller mound in the mold. This entryway is roughly the same shape that the orange controller uses, making certain, or in this case, many of my existing cables simply incompatible with the Pro 2. Frustrating to be sure, so keep that in mind—either carry around the included cable with you at all times or make sure any cables you purchase have their male heads as small as can be.
But that aside, the 8BitDo Pro 2 Wired is a nice controller. I love the feel of it, even if its form factor isn’t for me. Highly recommended for the symmetrically-aligned and for those that are on a budget but would like a controller with a good amount of customisation.
You can purchase the 8BitDo Pro 2 Wired controller at the following retailers:
Available now in the US @ $44.99 USD: Amazon, 8BitDo Shop, Official 8BitDo Store on AliExpress
Set for August 31st launch in the United Kingdom @ £29.16 — Amazon UK Pre-orders
