Ive been testing controllers for half a decade, and not a single budget
option has impressed me like the 8BitDo Pro 3

Date:
Sun, 10 May 2026 19:00:00 +0000

Description:
The 8BitDo Pro 3 took one look at the Switch 2 Pro Controller and said hold
my beer.

FULL STORY ======================================================================8BitDo Pro 3: One-minute review In the half-decade or so Ive been testing gaming hardware, Ive loved almost every 8BitDo product Ive reviewed. The 8BitDo Pro
3 is no exception. In fact, Id go so far as to say its the best budget-friendly controller on the market today. Yes, even beating out other desirable choices like the GameSir Nova Lite .

Contrary to its appearance, the 8BitDo Pro 3 isnt just the Pro 2 in a particularly slim-fitting trenchcoat. It looks identical to its predecessor, sure, but 8BitDo has refined the newer gamepad to what feels like its logical conclusion. TMR (Tunnel Magnetoresistance; essentially an improvement over Hall effect ) thumbsticks, swappable magnetic face buttons, micro switch trigger locks, charging dock, and two additional remappable buttons for a total of four are all additions here.

Then theres the d-pad, which, despite being a simpler cardinal design, is one of the nicest-feeling Ive ever had the chance to play around with. Its rugged and precise, smartly avoiding that spongy, mushy feel that you find on a lot of retro-inspired controllers. Latest Videos From (Image credit: Future)
Youre getting a symmetrical stick layout here, which isnt too common in the third-party controller space, especially beyond the realm of PlayStation and its current DualSense controller. And while youre not getting compatibility with Sony s machine (or Xbox consoles for that matter), the 8BitDo Pro 3 is broadly compatible with PC, Switch, Switch 2, as well as iOS and Android devices. For connectivity, your options are 2.4GHz (with dongle included), Bluetooth, and good ol wired via USB-C. 8BitDo Pro 3 Controller (Switch Purple) at Amazon for 32.67 Battery life can vary, though I found the 8BitDo Pro 3 outlasts the pricier 8BitDo Ultimate 2 on this front. The brand states youll get around 20 hours per charge, but this all depends on your personal usage. Hopping between Switch 2 and PC (Bluetooth and 2.4GHz connectivity, respectively), I managed around 15 hours before needing to top up. On
average, that still beats out the Ultimate 2s 10-15 hours.

The only gripes I have with the Pro 3 are minimal; nice-to-haves, if
anything. Im not a fan of the Start/Select buttons being crammed right in the center, and theyre a bit mushy to the touch. And I think the lack of a 3.5mm port for wired headphones is a shame, though the Ultimate controllers didnt have one of these, either.

Those nitpicks aside, if youre in the market for a new PC and/or
Switch-facing controller and you dont want to break the bank, buy the 8BitDo Pro 3. For now, its the last word in budget-friendly controllers and, astonishingly, has none of the usual concessions made to get it down to a price this low. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign
up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. (Image credit: Future) 8BitDo Pro 3: Price and availability Costs $59.99 / 40
(around AU$84) Available to buy now at 8BitDos Amazon store page No set price in the UK, but hovers around 40-50 depending on colorway The 8BitDo Pro 3 launched in 2025 and is available to buy right now from 8BitDos Amazon store page. In the US, you can get it for $59.99, which puts it in roughly the same price range as the GameSir Tarantula Pro a similarly brilliant Switch-facing symmetrical controller. Thats also cheaper than the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller ; ideal if youre shopping for a pad for the handheld hybrid that doesn't empty your bank account.

Things get a bit weird in the UK, price-wise. At Amazon, Ive seen the 8BitDo Pro 3 hover anywhere between 40-50 on the brands official store page, and there doesnt appear to be a set-in-stone retail price for it. Its worth
noting that these arent second-hand listings, either. Best not to look a gift horse in the mouth, though; if youre in the UK, youre getting the 8BitDo Pro
3 at an aggressive price given its quality and feature set. 8BitDo Pro 3: Specs Swipe to scroll horizontally

Price

$59.99 / 40 (around AU$84)

Weight

8.5oz / 242g

Dimensions

6.1 x 3.9 x 2.6in / 154 x 101 x 65mm

Compatibility

Switch, Switch 2, PC, iOS, Android

Connection type

Wireless (2.4GHz, Bluetooth), Wired (USB-C)

Battery life

15-20 hours 8BitDo Pro 3: Design and features Build looks like a SNES controller with modern flourishes A focus on tactility and immediacy Neat extras like trigger locks and swappable face buttons Put the 8BitDo Pro 3 and its predecessor side-by-side, and you might not notice any immediate differences. They broadly share the same silhouette, looking like a SNES pad with grips bolted on. And those flat, slightly curved shoulder buttons almost look like they were taken wholesale from that iconic 16-bit era controller.

Its not just looks that 8BitDo has borrowed from Nintendos playbook, though. Nearly every module on the controller from sticks and d-pad to face buttons and triggers has been implemented with tactility in mind. I know, thats not uncommon for the modern controller, but its still fairly rare to see in the Pro 3s price bracket.

One example is the simply sublime d-pad here. Its not much of a looker, and its bumpy texturing gives the impression of something clunky and toy-like. In reality, its exceptionally comfortable and offers a level of precision that even Nintendos pricey Switch 2 Pro Controller d-pad cant match. (Image
credit: Future) Another more interesting feature the 8BitDo Pro 3 has is its magnetic, swappable face buttons. These are more for show than anything, but theyre a neat extra that lends the controller some personality. An obvious usage here is that you can swap around the ABXY layout based on Switch/XInput preferences.

Theres also a multicolored set of face buttons included in a latch underneath the charging dock (where youll also find the 2.4GHz dongle) and a small plunger-like item that you stick onto the buttons to remove them with ease. Dont worry, though; the buttons themselves dont feel loose and wont come off during play.

All around, its a great-feeling package, though the one area where design
lets me down (and hasnt been improved on since the Pro 2) is the rather mushy Start and Select buttons. These are reminiscent of the squishier buttons
found on the SNES pad, so its likely this is another continued design inspiration. They just dont feel particularly great to press and lack that immediacy shown off by everything else on the Pro 3. 8BitDo Pro 3:
Performance Heaps of customizability 15-20 hours of battery life Trigger
locks and claw grip bumper buttons feel great I test and review controllers pretty frequently, and often, switching from one to another can take a bit of getting used to, especially when there are differences in size and button/stick layouts. In contrast, the 8BitDo Pro 3 felt immediately comfortable to use thanks to a rounded design that sits in the hands just right.

Except for the Start and Select buttons, which I feel are just a bit too crammed together in the center, everything else rests under your thumbs and index fingers just right. Those long, rounded bumper buttons act as a nice cushion for your fingers, and the new claw-grip remappable bumpers next to them sit under your fingertips. I love these, especially, as theyre wonderfully clicky and responsive. Ive even taken to mapping them to my trigger actions in Final Fantasy 14 Online, for extremely quick access to skills on my hotbars.

Briefly, Ill go over how you can actually make use of these extra remappable buttons yourself, because its not immediately obvious. You can set them in
the excellent Ultimate Software V2 app for PC (which also lets you tinker
with vibration strength, button macros, and stick sensitivity). But a quicker way to do it is to hold one of these buttons in tandem with your input of choice and the Star button found on the bottom-left of the controller. It can be fiddly, especially if youre binding multiple inputs, but its much faster and easier this way if you dont have immediate access to a PC.

A similar series of inputs applies to the Pro 3s Turbo functionality, which enables the repeated pressing of an input simply by holding a button down handy for arcade games and shoot-em-ups that dont already have a turbo function built in. To enable Turbo on the Pro 3, just hold down the button youd like to assign Turbo to, in addition to the Star and Home buttons. To disable it, repeat that very same input.

Now, Ive yapped on about responsiveness a lot, but it really is the name of the game here. Theres wonderful precision to every module found on the 8BitDo Pro 3. The exceptional d-pad is a highlight, as I mentioned at the top. Those TMR thumbsticks are incredibly smooth, too, and as someone who prefers a shorter trigger pull, the digital trigger locks featured here work wonderfully.

That last point is important, as Ive tested many a budget pad like the HyperX Clutch Gladiate, which had trigger locks that rendered the triggers
completely unusable for most games. Thats why I appreciate it all the more when a cheap controller actually puts the effort in.

Battery life isnt exactly class-leading, but I managed around 15-20 hours on
a full charge, which is in line with what 8BitDo estimates on its website.
Out of the box, battery life is at roughly half, so I recommend topping up
via USB-C or with the included charging dock before your first use. (Image credit: Future) Should I buy the 8BitDo Pro 3? Buy it if You want something highly customizable Hardware-wise, youve got those swappable magnetic face buttons, which are a real delight. And on the software front, the excellent Ultimate Software V2 lets you get really granular with vibration strength, stick sensitivity, and more. Youre in need of a performant controller
suitable for all genres I adore the responsiveness and durability of the Pro 3. Drift-beating TMR sticks, tactile buttons, and that glorious d-pad make playing games both old and new a real joy. Dont buy it if You want a pad for other consoles Ive no doubt that therell be at least an Xbox version of the Pro 3 down the line. But right now, if youre in need of a controller for Xbox or PlayStation consoles, the Pro 3 wont fit the bill unfortunately. You like hooking up wired headphones to your controller A lack of 3.5mm headphone port here is a real shame, especially as the Xbox version of the Pro 2 (not to mention the Ultimate 2) had one. Its true that this is a more Bluetooth-centric gamepad, but Bluetooth headset connectivity on Switch and Switch 2 is pretty dire, so a wired option wouldve been nice to have here. Also consider... If the 8BitDo Pro 3 isnt quite what youre after, Ive highlighted a couple more products from the brand that I recommend. Swipe to scroll horizontally Row 0 - Cell 0

8BitDo Pro 3

8BitDo Ultimate 2

8BitDo Pro 2

Price

$59.99 / 40 (around AU$84)

$59.99 / 49.99 (around AU$90)

$49.99 / 33.89 (around AU$74)

Weight

8.5oz / 242g

8.7oz / 246g

8.0oz / 228g

Dimensions

6.1 x 3.9 x 2.6in / 154 x 101 x 65mm

5.7 x 4.1 x 2.4in / 147 x 103 x 61mm

6.1 x 3.9 x 2.6in / 154 x 101 x 65mm

Compatibility

Switch, Switch 2, PC, iOS, Android

PC, Android (Switch version sold separately)

Switch, Switch 2, PC, iOS, Android

Connection type

Wireless (2.4GHz, Bluetooth), Wired (USB-C)

Wireless (2.4GHz, Bluetooth), Wired (USB-C)

Wireless (Bluetooth), Wired (USB-C)

Battery life

15-20 hours

10-15 hours

15-20 hours 8BitDo Ultimate 2 While I honestly think the Pro 3 goes
toe-to-toe with the Ultimate 2, the latter is one I still highly recommend if you prefer an Xbox-like asymmetrical stick layout. Other flourishes like RGB ring lights add some nice cosmetic flair, and youll find many of the same desirable features here, like claw-grip buttons, trigger locks, and TMR thumbsticks. A real winner.

Read our full 8BitDo Ultimate 2 review 8BitDo Pro 2 Older, but cheaper than the 8BitDo Pro 3. If you dont mind losing 2.4GHz wireless connectivity, and are okay with Hall effect sticks as opposed to TMR, youll find a similarly high quality play experience here.

Read our full 8BitDo Pro 2 review How I tested the 8BitDo Pro 3 Tested for three weeks Primarily tested on PC and Switch 2 with both wireless and wired connections Played a variety of single and multiplayer games For this review, I ended up testing the 8BitDo Pro 3 for around three weeks. I put it through its paces with games of all kinds, from the high-difficulty Savage raids of Final Fantasy 14 Online to the hilariously off-kilter vibes of Tomodachi
Life: Living the Dream.

The controller felt more than well-equipped for any kind of game thrown at
it. That extends to fighting games like Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 8 , and retro racers on PC via emulation, including NASCAR: Dirt to Daytona and Ridge Racer Type 4.

Naturally, I also found the Pro 3 to be fantastic for arcade games thanks to its remappable buttons and Turbo functionality. On this front, playing titles like DoDonPachi Resurrection on PC as well as Metal Slug 3 and Rave Racer on Nintendo Switch 2 felt just right.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed May 2026 PC Deals 1 deals available 59.99 View We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices powered by



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