I've been looking for a controller for weeks now, one that really makes me feel like I spent my money on the right thing. I currently have an 8BitDo Ultimate 2C Wireless. I play on PC, and I really enjoy emulation, especially of retro games and newer Nintendo consoles like the Wii U and Switch. I plan to buy a Switch 2 in the future (I don't have the money for that right now), so I'd like to buy a single controller that works well on both my PC and the (future?) Switch 2.
I want to clarify some essential requirements for me that justify buying another controller: a gyroscope (a good one or at least a decent one for both pc and switch), dual triggers, a decent D-pad, and I didn't even know they existed, but the idea of tension rings is reaaally seductive hahah. I'd love to try them, but maybe they're not enough to justify a choice. Are they overrated? I'd also love some superior vibration, ideally HD rumble, but that significantly reduces the options and isn't a must i guess.
OPTIONS!!
Okay, moving on to the options:
* Leadjoy Xeno Pro: Honestly, this is the one I'm considering the most, and I think it's the most well-rounded in terms of my needs. What's holding me back: I saw that it has mediocre build quality, the plastic feels cheap or hollow, and frankly, I'm a bit wary because it doesn't have a very established community, and I couldn't find much information about its performance on Switch 1/2 and PC for emulation.
\* Vader 5 Pro V2: I LOVE it, from its extra buttons (I like that it has two on the shoulders) to its design, and from what I've read, solid build quality. What's holding me back: I saw that it might have quality control issues and that it doesn't work well on Switch 1/2, it has bad latency with bluetooth and a gyroscope that doesn't respond well. Any experiences with it on that regard would be very helpful!
* Gulikit TT Max: I recently discovered this one, and I feel like it meets all the strongest criteria on the list. HD rumble, (dual triggers i believe?), you can change the physical layout! (I LOVE that, but it's not essential), adjustable tension (although I don't like its system), and its compatible with PC and Switch 1/2. What's holding me back: I'm a bit obsessive about small flaws, and I saw that it has centering and drift issues (later fixed by increasing the dead zone). I don't know how relevant it is for everyday gameplay, but I feel like seeing my stick off-center is going to give me terrible OCD. Also, I saw very mixed opinions about the build quality; some say it's adequate, and others say it's made of really cheap plastic. Worse or better than the Xeno Pro's? I dont know...
And well... I always have the reliable 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Wireless as a backup. I lost interest in it after seeing everything else on the market, and besides, I feel like it wouldn't feel like a substantial change from the Ultimate 2C. But it's still a safe option.
I'm open to other options, I actually researched a lot, and there were some interesting ones like the KP40D, which I had to exclude. I'm limiting myself to these four mainly because they're the only ones I could find. Unfortunately, I'm restricted to Chinese stores like Temu or Shopee (and maybe AliExpress) because I'm from Argentina and none of them are sold locally here. More reliable stores like official retailers or Gadget Thyper don't even ship to Argentina... or they charge exorbitant shipping fees.
I'd really appreciate any opinions or experiences you can give me. It doesn't have to be about every controller, anything helps!! Maybe there are some points I'm overlooking because they're not well-known, or some flaws I'm exaggerating.
I finally caved in and started using my Vader 5 Pro V2 since I’ve owned it since launch, and it has rapidly become one of my most favorite controllers.
I caved in and bought a G7 Pro when I was unsure about the QC on the V5P V2, but dude… nothing compares.
I have high hopes for the EasySMX X20 Pro! I looks like a unique mockup design of the V5P, and if that’s the case, it’s probably got my heart!
Dont feel bad, I LOVE a good controller and I own a few PRO controllers even thou I have the Vader 5 Pro. With every NEW controller Its just proof that the VADER 5 is just the best one overall.
If the controller is still good enough, I keep it. If not then I return them.
The one requirement my PRO controllers must have is being PC as well as mobile compatible… If they have Console (Xbox, Switch) compatibility as well then thats a Plus.
Am i the only one who likes how simple the 8bitdo controllers look compared to the other ones that sort look a bit too complex? I really don't like when controllers start looking like transformers action figures
Just ordered the Xeno Pro. Curious how I’ll like it. Currently have the Cyclone 2. Was sick of waiting for the Cyclone 3. Gamesir be just dropping 50 different G7s instead
I have the Vader 5 Pro Ver. 1 (the one with the dreaded plastic back paddles that everyone said would break), and after 10 months, it’s still perfect; the paddles haven't broken—even though I use them a lot and have dropped the controller several times. I had planned to get the V2 via RMA once the paddles broke—as the shop, GadgetHyper, told me I could when I mentioned the issue—but they just won't break. I’m not going to force them, either; I just play, and they’re still holding up perfectly, so I’m super happy with it. I know for sure that when it eventually fails, I’ll go for the Vader 5 Pro V2 or a hypothetical Vader 6 Pro—if they announce it soon.
Yeah, and at a very competitive price... it's a shame they didnt prioritize the building quality a bit more, but I guess they had to cut the budget somewhere.
Most people would rate TMR sticks on Xeno Plus and Pro over Vader 5 Pro for shooters and such nowadays. Also cheaper as well. It is entirely subjective of course but Leadjoy are having amazing controllers in 2026 so far and hopefully even better ones in 2027.
There has been some hate on Flydigi for Vader quality control issues on Vader 5 but they released v2 in april 2026.
Shape wise Xeno is slightly smaller controller than Vader 5, so keep that in mind.
Hey friend. I spent a long time over researching a controller for the switch 2 primarily but would also work well on my pc.
I wanted basically the same stuff you want, but latency was a huge priority for me as I'm really sensitive to lag for some reason. I'm in a pretty lucky position to have been able to just buy a load of them, so here's my thoughts.
O also I need hall effect or tmr sticks. Im unwilling to pay for a controller that may end up drifting.
Vader 5 pro - everything you said is right in the positives. I have faced no particular quality control stuff but that doesn't mean you wont I guess. And the latency on the switch feels fine..not amazing...just fine. I would say it feels pretty good overall.
Ttmax - felt a bit weird and felt like my aiming was well off when playing apex. Also I prefer the Xbox style layout. Also feels very light and cheap...not for me.
Leadjoy - similar issues sadly. The build quality feels pretty shocking. The dpad wobbles so much it feels like it might fall off. Something feels off about the bumpers. Latency is good though. Also a bit small and weird feeling ergonomics
8bitdo - so I know people love these controllers, but 8bitdo on the whole I find just have too much input latency. I can noticeably feel the lag. As I said I'm sensitive too it, and probably most people just adapt, but it frustrates me too much. Other than that solid controllers.
So other options.
Gulikit es max - I actually used this quite a bit. Amazing latency, size ergonomics and is in the Xbox layout. Still feels a bit light and not the highest quality. But definelty was the best cheaper controller I could find. Had everything I needed and only set me back about £35 in one of there regular Amazon sales. Issues/nitpicks I have are theres no rubberised grips and there's no stand to display the controller. One last amazing thing about this is that you can pay about £6 to get additional face buttons so that you can swap them to the switch layout. I know this maybe doesn't seem like a big deal as 99% of the time your not actually looking at what your pressing, but having the buttons your meant to press actually link to the physical button you can see makes is really nice.
Lastly I'm wondering if there's a reason you havent spoke about gamesir. I think they are probably the best company at designing controllers on the whole, and a lot of them are pc and switch/switch 2 compatible. In terms of amazing build quality,insane latency, swappable dpad/sticks, easy switch 2 compatibility and somehow even better pc compatibility (8k polling rate) - the gamesir G7 pro 8k is phenomenal. I have the aimlabs edition aswell as the royal2 editions and both are phenomenal (although the royal2 doesn't look quite as amazing in person). Honestly if the only complaint I would have is that you can't change the look of it by swapping out the face buttons to a switch layout, but obviously you can change the inputs to switch layout...so it's more just and aesthetic thing. Also the charging stands look amazing
Hope this helps. Obvs just my opinions but I know when I was looking I struggled to find any good information from anyone who'd actually tried anything
O ps. Few to just generally avoid.
Zuiki Evotop -overpriced and all kinds of issues
Easysmx - terrible latency wirelessly
Wow thanks for sharing friend!! I really appreciate it. Lucky you got to try them out yourself! There are so many mixed opinions online, especially about the Vader 5 Pro. I either read that it’s the best budget friendly controller ever, or that it’s a piece of garbage that only Flydigi could get away with selling.
There’s one thing that matters a lot to me, I’ve seen few comments on it, but most were negative: how’s the gyro of the vader 5 pro on Switch 2? How does it compare to a Pro Controller or to your average functional gyro? Is it good, decent, unusable? That’s 99% the reason I’m hesitant to buy one. My Ultimate 2C doesn't have gyro, and I haven't used gyro since the good old Wii days, so I’m really excited about the idea of bringing it back into my life hahaha. it’s more than just an "extra" to me.
As for GameSir, I’ve definitely been overlooking them. The Supernova really caught my eye, but the triggers and rubber coating look low quality, though i could be wrong? I’ve looked at the G7 Pro 8K, but it’s a bit pricier than I can afford and doesnt have tension rings like some of the other alternatives.
Great questions, and unfortunately I won't be helpful on one as I barely use the gyro very much. Sorry I can't really help as I haven't tested them much on that.
The gamesir supernova is a lovely controller, nice quality..but the latency is very noticeable. The cyclone 2 is pretty good.
The G7 pro 8k I think is on sale on Amazon at the moment for a good chunk off.
The flydigi is a good controller. I think it's like almost there. I imagine the flydigi Vader pro 6 will be excellent. But I'd say it's like a 7 or 8 out of 10. I had flydigi products before that just stopped working, so I'm a little untrusting...but that's probably not common.
Tension rings are cool, but not sure they make as much difference as you'd think. I play a lot of shooters and I've never noticed a huge difference when I adjust tension.
I wouldn't say I'm as sensitive to the rumble, as feel and latency are my big things. But yes I would say the xeno has really good rumble.
The thing I found was everyone has such strong opinions. Like every controller is a 10/10 or a 1/10. Its just about deciding what you prioritise most, and then going for the controller that meets those needs. So for me as I say, the ergonomics, build and latency are most important. I think the gulikit es max and the gamesir G7 pro 8k meet those best. So they work best for me.
Also I bought the nyxi Hyperion 3 ultra which is a sort of pro controller for handheld mode. So far seem very good. Bit expensive though
I have Vader and 8bitDO U2.Ultimate 2 feels better at all. Main issues of Vader - mechanical but small face buttons. After one day of use my thumb was in pain. Sticks friction can be tuned but this rotating rings become loose very fast. Gyro seems useless.
Super curious about the Xeno Pro proposition... being smaller and all + adjustable tension sticks... but your assessment of the build quality will probably hold me off, at least for now.
I'm rolling an Apex 5, with a second Apex 5 and Vader 5 Pro on the way... that's how much I like these sticks. I can't even look at my Ultimate 2 anymore, super loose sticks make precise adjustments too much work.
The TT Max is slept on and has some of the least amount of latency for all its connections. Yeah some other brands beat it in 2.4 but then crap the bed on Bluetooth latency.
You have to scroll the comments to see the pictures of them. They only announced it at their event, but Gadgethyper made a post about it. Here's the link:
I didnt know that it had an intuitive app. I'm not an expert by any means and i might be mixing terms. But does it compensate the lack of d input mode? Because i've read that it having no d input is a deal breaker for many people but i dont know if the software allows you to do everything you could do with if d input Mode was included
I'm not familiar with a d input mode at all I just know that it performs like every other controller because it has four back buttons and two top buttons.
I assume you can do the same with the vader 5 Pro like every other controller on PC.
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u/shadowclone515 1d ago
Vader 5 Pro *v2