8Bitdo Ultimate vs. Switch Pro Controller vs. KingKong 2 Pro vs. Zen Pro: Differences and Reviews 2024

The 8BitDo Ultimate Bluetooth Controller has an interesting mixture of design elements. It’s the same approximate size and shape as the Xbox Series S/X controller, offering a more hand-friendly feel than the Switch Pro controller. The chassis is smooth matte plastic, except for the bottom of the grips, which have a fine bumpy texture like the Xbox controller. There are no exposed screws, but there are a few unsightly seams.

There are buttons in all the places you’d expect, but this controller has the Switch button layout instead of the Xbox one. The remainder of the layout is bog standard for Windows and Switch controllers. There are two asymmetrical thumbsticks, a d-pad, and the shoulder buttons and triggers up top. The 8BitDo Ultimate Controller also has face buttons for select/start, turbo, menu, and profile swapping. Flip the device over, and you’ll see two more buttons on the grips. These are fully customizable in the 8BitDo app.

The thumbsticks stand out from the crowd with their “Hall effect” sensing mechanism. Most gamepads use electrical resistance to track thumbstick position, but the 8BitDo Ultimate Controller uses magnets. This makes the hardware immune to drifting—a common type of hardware failure that causes thumbsticks to register movement at rest.

Dead center on the back are two important hardware features: a switch to flip the controller between Bluetooth and 2.4GHz, and a trio of contacts that connect the controller with the included dock. The dock charges the controller and has built-in 2.4GHz support when connected to a PC over USB. There is also a USB-C port on the top edge of the Ultimate Controller, but the dock is a much more convenient way to keep it topped up.

Source:8bitdo.com

Nintendo has kept things simple here with the traditional Xbox-style asymmetric design for the analog stick positioning. It is nicely weighted for balanced play and has a slightly translucent finish to its plastic casing, with a circuit board-style pattern delicately etched into its surface. The Pro Controller with larger A, B, X and Y buttons sat in the traditional diamond formation on the right-hand side, backed by two triggers and offset analogue sticks.

A USB-C slot for charging (a cable is included in the box) is on the top side of the Switch Pro controller with a small LED that glows orange while charging and goes out once fully charged. You can also charge the controller with your USB-C phone charging cable too which is handy if you want to top up the controller while the Switch isn't powered up so you can use it straight away next time you play.

If you're one of those players who see a weighty controller as a sign of quality then you'll be very happy with the heft on the Switch Pro Controller for sure. Pleasingly, it also feels really solid - there are no awkward hollow plastic noises when you tap your way around the chassis and button presses don't produce any awkward loud clicks.

The Switch Pro Controller's handles are ever so slightly textured too, adding some extra grip to the pad which means you won't have to worry about it squirming around in your hands during those Blue Shell-fearing final laps in Mario Kart 8. We appreciated the extra grip during some of the more sudden motion control elements in games too, as we didn't have to worry about the controller flying across the room.

Source:nintendo.com

Kingkong Pro 2 controller with new patented button, Excellent Conductive Rubber Feel, 50 million Times of Ultra-Long Life, Anti-Stuck, Anti-Disconnection. With special Al Key, this wireless controller allows to learn and record your operations (Max.10 minutes) and then it will auto run with hands free. This is perfect for any time consuming repeated or quick actions. One-keys setup for unique gaming skills and more playing ways.

Built-in dual vibration motors, Kingkong 2 Pro controller support rumble intensity adjustment (four-level vibration adjustment, the lowest level is no vibration). It gives you a good game immersion not only to motion sensing video games, but also to those games with no original motion sense, especially FPS games. With six axis gyroscope, it can detect the tilt of the controller and react quickly, making switch motion-sensing games more fun.

Quick interchange of A-B X-Y for both semi-auto and auto rapid fire; Support Switch console wake-up; Support vibration adjustment; Support wired/wireless connection; Support to connect Amiibo; Adjustable ZR,ZL Analog Button Sensitivity UP by 600%; All setups done just on controller, no App & software needed. A True Multi-platforms switch controller.

Source:gulikit.com

With special AI Key, this wireless controller allows it to learn and record your operations (max. 10 minutes), and then it will auto run with hands free. This is perfect for any time-consuming repeated or quick actions. One-key setup for unique gaming skills and more playing options. New Patented Button, Excellent Conductive Rubber Feel.

Built-in dual vibration motors, Zen Pro controller supports rumble intensity adjustment (four-level vitration adjustement - the lowest level is no vibration). It gives you great game immersion in motion sensing video games, and in games with no original motion sense, especially FPS games on Windows PC. With six axis gyroscope, it can detect the tilt of the controller and react quickly, making Switch motion-sensing games more fun.

Quick interchange of A-B-X-Y for both semi-auto and auto rapid fire. Supports Switch console wake-up, vibration adjustment, wired/wireless connection. All setups done on the controller, no application or software needed. A true multi-platform controller.

Source:gulikit.com

3. Performance

The Ultimate Controller mostly lives up to its gaming potential. Once it’s paired, the Ultimate controller is a pleasure to use. It felt great to hold, thanks to its more ergonomic handles, which sport a far more noticeable grip on the handles than its predecessors – in fact, the grip feels almost identical to that on modern Xbox controllers. The bumpers and the analog triggers also feel much better than the Pro 2's, which felt a bit mushy and cheap. That said, the triggers still feel hollow and less resistant than other premium controllers.

The Switch Pro Controller is much better. Its sticks have a great level of resistance and are comfortably offset, and the face buttons also have a perfect amount of depth. When it comes to the D-Pad, Nintendo has had the best since the days of the NES, allowing for pinpoint accuracy in 2D sidescrollers.

If there’s one point of contention, it’d be with the rear triggers, which don’t have quite the depth we’ve come to expect from triggers on other pads. They’re far closer to additional shoulder buttons than deep triggers. That’s not an issue with many games, but it can be a bit jarring with shooters or racing titles.

The controller’s headline feature is something you can’t see: the Hall Effect sensors beneath the joysticks. These sensors use magnetic fields instead of mechanical resistance to detect movement, and have earned fame in recent years because they don’t suffer the drift issue that plagues Nintendo Switch’s Joy-Cons. In addition to their reliability, the Gulikit joysticks felt quick, snappy, and precise.

The controller’s layout is otherwise based on Nintendo’s Switch Pro controller, and it performs just as well. It includes the Home and Screenshot buttons found on the Switch, and two additional face buttons for controlling built-in macro functionality. The controller has an auto-shoot function and an “AI Key” that can be used to record and repeat up to 10 minutes of inputs.

There’s one weak link in the controller’s excellent feel: the triggers, which also use Hall Effect sensors. The controller manages connections, with separate, labeled buttons for selecting a device and turning on Bluetooth pairing (for a total of four device inputs), plus a clearly labeled LED indicating which is currently active.

The GuliKit Zen Pro with slight gripping on the handle area of the controller being comfortable and the overall shape being familiar. This of course is probably because it heavily resembles an Xbox controller, so there was no awkwardness with getting used to its feel.

The triggers and buttons also perform and feel very similar to an Xbox controller, with the triggers curving slightly upwards, just like how they curve on an Xbox controller. The sticks are very responsive and smooth, with no sense of fragility or tackiness whatsoever, delivering an impressive high-quality feel.

Buttons can sometimes feel quite sticky or wobbly, however, the Zen Pro are essentially the same as the Nintendo Switch Pro controller, with an extra soft feel and zero ‘clickiness’ at all. The same goes for the D-Pad and the Home, Screenshot, Plus, Minus, Settings and Learn buttons.

4. Compatibility

Switch 3.0.0 and above
SteamOS Holo 3.4 and above
Windows 10 and above

Nintendo Switch Pro Controllers can be used with compatible titles, as indicated on the back of the packaging or on the game's summary screen.

Nintendo Switch Pro Controllers can only be paired with one console at a time. This means that whenever you use the controller with a different console, you first need to pair it with that console.

Switch 1.0.0 and above
Android 4.0 and above
macOS 10.10 and above
iOS 13 and above
Windows 7 and above

It’s only compatible with Nintendo Switch, PC, Mac, Android, and iOS.

Switch 1.0.0 and above
Android 4.0 and above
macOS 10.10 and above
iOS 13 and above
Windows 7 and above

5. Connectivity

Bluetooth 5.0
2.4g connectivity
USB-C

Wireless
USB-C

Support wired and wireless connection.

Support wired and wireless connection.

6. Battery Life

The charging stand connects to power via the supplied cable so you will need to connect that cable to your computer or to a plug. A full charge takes between 2 and 3 hours and you should be able to get around 22 hours or play from that charge.

When fully charged, the battery duration for the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller can last approximately 40 hours. This can be shorter depending on the software application and functions being used.

With the high speed wireless connection, you can enjoy the games with no delay. Run for up to 25 hours on a full charge without interruption(Test under mode of wireless connection and automatic continuous shooting) Almost no power consumption for standby. This KingKong 2 Pro switch pro controller will shuts down in case of no button action in 10 minutes.

Enjoy your games with the high-speed wireless connection with no delays. Runs for up to 25 hours on a full charge without interruption. Almost no power consumption for standby. This controller will shut down in case of no button action within 10 minutes.

7. Pros & Cons

Pros	Cons
Lightweight and comfortable design	Nintendo Switch button layout can be confusing
Works on Windows, Android, iOS, and Nintendo Switch
Hall-effect thumbsticks for long-term reliability
Full remapping and customization support in 8BitDo app
Includes charging dock with 2.4GHz adapter

Pros	Cons
Supremely comfortable design	So-so d-pad
Sturdy sticks and buttons	Just compatible with Nintendo Switch
Supports NFC, rumble and motion controls
Great for docked gaming
Better for more complex games
Long battery life

Pros	Cons
Excellent build quality	Triggers feel wooden
Precise joysticks	No customization
Easy to connect	Not compatible with Xbox or PlayStation