8BitDo’s New Controller Has Something Better Than Hall Effect Sticks

Hall Effect sticks have been highly sought after in controllers after stick drift issues have been popping up across several controller types from Nintendo to Sony, but the newly revamped version of the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 won’t be using them. Instead, 8BitDo is using something that’s potentially better than Hall Effect sticks. They’re called Tunneling Magneto-Resistance sticks, and they’re supposed to deliver higher precision.

They’re also said to last longer and offer higher sensitivity. That already sounds like a win-win for the Ultimate 2, but 8BitDo added more upgrades to entice buyers. Yet it’s also kept the price of the controller reasonable. And because the Ultimate 2 still connects to multiple platforms, it’s a great fit for anyone who loves the idea of having a single controller for gaming. The Ultimate 2 is already up for sale on Amazon for only $59.99. Which is about the same price as an Xbox Core controller.

The big difference, obviously, is all of 8BitDo’s upgrades. Features that Xbox hasn’t added, or only added to its more expensive Elite Series 2.

The new 8BitDo Ultimate 2 controller adds a trigger switch and more

While 8BitDo is doing away with the Hall Effect sticks, it’s still using Hall Effect sensors for the triggers. To make these even better, the controller also now has a trigger switch. Just like with some pro controllers for PS5 and Xbox, the refreshed Ultimate 2 can lock the triggers down for a shorter pull. This feature is great for games like Call of Duty and other shooters. It’s even good in action games.

However, they don’t necessarily work as well for every game type. So you can easily flip the switch back for that longer pull when you want it. Additionally, the controller operates at a 1,000Hz polling rate, and this works for wired or wireless connections as well.

The controller has two back paddle buttons as well as an R4 and L4 trigger. Basically, there’s a lot of button options for you. 8BitDo has launched the refreshed Ultimate 2 controller today but delivery times may vary depending on the color you choose. It comes in Purple, Black, and White, and all of them seem to have different delivery dates.

A neat, albeit completely aesthetic feature, is the new RGB Fire Ring. You’ll find these around the two joysticks and they have a handful of different lighting modes. One of them, called Light-Tracing Mode, moves the light along with the movement of the stick. It also does a slow flash when you touch the d-pad and other buttons. Again, purely aesthetic, but cool nonetheless.

The controller has three connection modes

You can of course use this controller wired with the included USB-C cable. What if you dislike cables though? Never fear. You have two wireless options for connection as well. This includes Bluetooth and a 2.4GHz connection with the included wireless adapter. This combination of connection modes makes things a little simpler. And the wired connection helps if the controller battery dies and needs a recharge.

So far this new version is only confirmed to work with PC and Android. So if there’s a downside, you can’t use it with Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, or iOS. That being said, 8BitDo offers other controllers that connect to more than two platforms. So there’s a good chance it will launch other versions of this.