8Bitdo Ultimate 2C Wired Controller for Windows PC and Android, with 1000Hz Polling Rate, Hall Effect Joysticks and Hall Triggers, and Remappable L4/R4 Bumpers (Purple)

Recently, after about 9 months, my Xbox Shock Blue controller started to experience really bad stick drift in the left analog stick. This was extremely disappointing, especially since the warranty was only 90-days on it. I proceeded to research 3rd party controllers with Hall Effect or TMR sticks. After much research (and needing a controller immediately), I came across the 8bitDo Ultimate 2C controller. I was leaning towards a wireless controller, but I didn't even use wireless with my Shock Blue, so I decided to go with the less expensive 2C version. I was not a fan of the colors until I found the Black Myth Wukong edition which was just $1 USD more. Since it was more like a darker colored controller, I decided to order it based off the many reviews on Amazon and on YouTube. Make no mistake, this is the same as the other Ultimate 2C wired controllers, it's just that it's themed with a Black Myth Wukong design. And it's not totally black as it is transparent if you hold it at the right angle, giving you a peek at the insides of your controller. Also, all 8BitDo controllers come with a one-year manufacturer's warranty, unlike the 90-day warranty for non-Elite Xbox controllers.It comes packaged nicely in a box with Sun Wukong on the cover. Inside, it was wrapped in an EPE bag and was inside a cardboard holder, being held firmly in place so it won't rattle around in the box. The included 1.8m cable was wrapped up nicely as well. Also included was a fold-out set of instructions which is pretty barebones. Not a lot in there and pretty simplistic, but it does give a diagram of the various buttons, including the programming buttons to program the L4/R4 buttons, as well as the button used to enable or disable turbo-mode on specific buttons.Once I unpackaged it and hooked it up to my PC, it was instantly recognized and worked right out of the box. No software to install and the current drivers worked with no issues. I went to the Gamepad Tester site and tested all the buttons, sticks, and the d-pad and they all registered correctly.I myself have fairly long fingers so my hands can seem very large. I loved the feel of the Xbox Shock Blue controller, especially how my thumbs would comfortable rest exactly on top of the two analog sticks. Reviews of the 8BitDo had me a bit worried because many who used it felt it caused them to fold their elbows inward towards the body, giving an unnatural feeling due to how the handles do not fan out as far as the Xbox Controller handles do. But for me, I can't really feel the difference. My main worry was how much with my hands turned inward more than on my Xbox controller would cause my thumbs to possibly extend past the sticks, causing possible fatigue. After several hours of gaming, I can say it feels no different. My thumbs rest comfortably on top of the sticks, and it feels pretty much the same as it did on my Xbox controller. I find that I do have to grip a little higher if I want to easily reach the L4/R4 buttons without accidentally pressing down on the L3/R4 bumpers, but it's still very comfortable.The responsiveness of the sticks, and how they move, feels SO much better to me than on my Xbox controller. And I felt that on my Xbox controller, those sticks moved smoothly and didn't feel like there was a lot of resistance, unlike my Xbox 360 controller where the sticks, triggers, and buttons all felt very stiff. With this, the action is even smoother and feels more responsive, and I really like that.The button placement for the standard X/Y/A/B, bumpers and triggers feel just fine. My only gripe is where the start and menu buttons are. They are immediately up higher and in line with what would be the Xbox button on an Xbox controller. Below are the left square button (for programming the L$/R4 buttons), and the right star button (for turbo mode). Those are what I keep pressing due to muscle memory because they are where the Start and Menu buttons were on my Xbox controller. So that has taken some getting used to. This is really my only "gripe" with this controller, but it's not a deal breaker for me and does not take away from how great this controller really is.The L4/R4 extra buttons location had me worried before I received the controller. I wanted to use them to reprogram/duplicate the functions of some of the other buttons (such as X/Y/A/B or L3/R3), especially in games where maybe the run button is A (such as in some Souls-games). Having an extra run button on the L4/R4 means I no longer have to take my right thumb off of the right stick, so I can still change the camera while running.My fear was if I tried to press the L4/R4 button, I might accidentally press the L2/R2 button. However, the location height-wise is halfway between the Bumper and Trigger and actually is placed very well where I only need to slightly extend my index finger a bit out and down to "click" it. I have yet to accidentally press the bumper or the trigger. I can say for me, it works well as long as I shift my grip up a little higher, but the overall feel and comfort feels perfect. I cannot say how someone with smaller hands and/or shorter fingers might feel about it. It might seem like you have to stretch your finger farther. I wish I could say whether this is true or not, but I have long fingers, so it works well for me. I will say this, if your fingertip can reach up to the outside edge of the Left or Right bumper, you'll probably have no problem with the L4/R4 button. Just something to keep in mind.As for all of the buttons, they respond nicely. I can't tell, but I do not believe they are membrane buttons, as they give a very tactile "clicky" feel to them that is quick in responsiveness. I don't feel like I have to press hard on them. Definitely, not a mushy feeling like on my Shock Blue controller and I can say, I like it a lot. It took some getting used to, but it didn't take long and even when using it for the first time, it just felt right and I didn't have any issues with it.The d-pad was another concern for me. I liked the one on the Shock Blue because I felt the diagonal positions were more easily pressed and I wasn't sure how easy it would be when it's a cross instead of a circular pad. Also, these appear to be tactile switches as well which I have actually grown to like. The d-pad definitely gives a "clicky" feeling that some may not like. But for me, I got used to it very quickly and I like it. My fear of the diagonal presses diminished a lot after using this controller for a few days. What I found out is now I am less likely to accidentally press diagonally when I meant to press up, down, left, or right which has resulted in extremely less input errors, especially if the game uses all 8 positions as opposed to four. I have yet to try this with a game that uses tank controls (such as Resident Evil 1 Remake, or Resident Evil 0), but I think it should still work out fine.The textured handles feel fine. They're not rubber, but it still can help in those "sweaty" sessions where your hands can get sweaty. It doesn't feel rough, and overall, it feels comfortable and not annoying. The rumble motors feel great as well. Not too strong but yet gives enough to make it feel pretty much the same as my Xbox controller did.As for software, I recommend going to 8BitDo's web site and getting the software for the controller. Just be aware the software only is used to update the firmware, which I suggest doing to ensure you have the latest firmware installed. You just hook up the controller to your PC via the USB cable, launch the software, and click the update button. The software will not allow you reprogram the L4/R4 buttons, even though in other versions of the controller, it will.In order to program the L4/R4 buttons, you just press the square button + either the L4 or R4 button (depending on which you want to program), and while holding down on those two, you can press another button (X/Y/A/B/L1/R1/L2/R2/L3/R3/dpad direction) to make it be a copy of that button. With the star button, press and hold the star button, then press any of the other buttons and it turns that button into a rapid-fire button. To turn it off, just hold down star and the button you programmed, and it will turn it back to a single click button. Also, when you program a button to be rapid fire, when you press it, there is an LED light between the square and star button that will flash rapidly when pressing the programmed button. That lets you know that the button is in rapid-fire mode. Turning off rapid fire means the LED will not light up at all. This LED will also flash when you have the L4/R4 button programmed. So, it's a nice feedback feature implemented in the controller.I got this at $20 USD when it's normally $24.99 USD. Overall, even at $24.99 USD for the Wukong edition ($20 for the normal Ultimate 2C), you can't really complain! You get a controller that doesn't feel cheap, actually has some weight to it, and has enough features to make this a great alternative to an Xbox controller for your PC. No extra software is needed except the Ultimate Software to update the firmware. Otherwise, plug it in and it just works for PC. The responsiveness of the buttons, and d-pad are great. The triggers and the analog sticks are Hall Effect and are smooth and very responsive. Definitely a must-buy for those looking to replace their existing controller that might have stick drift or other issues and are not wanting to spend $50+ USD. You also get a one-year manufacturer's warranty which is much better than the 90-day warranty you get for non-Elite Xbox controllers from Microsoft. Xbox needs to rethink this for their non-Elite controllers. 90-days is not enough.Highly recommend this for gamers. Well worth it for the price and the one-year warranty.

Love it. It's light, but solid feeling. Slightly smaller than the OEM controllers, which is great for GF who has smaller hands. Triggers have a little less travel than OEM which I like. I already have a bunch of controllers, if I had known I would have bought 5 or 6 of these. Plus, I have friends over to couch game and it's great never needing batteries. They are like 1/3 the price as the Microsoft controllers which is also great because eventually, controllers start to get sticky buttons, so buying another 20-dollar controller is a lot more logical then a 70 dollar one. I play on steam and on my phone, no problems. Did have some problems with pummel party until I forced the steam controller for generic controllers option.

This controller offers tremendous bang for the buck and has quickly become a favorite in our house. My daughter absolutely loves the lilac color and says it looks even better in person. It fits very comfortably in her hands, which is great for longer Fortnite sessions without fatigue. The build quality feels solid and the performance is excellent, especially for the price. The Hall Effect joysticks and triggers are smooth and responsive, and she really likes the extra remappable bumpers. It’s a great option for both casual and competitive gaming on PC or Android. We’re very happy with this purchase and would definitely buy from 8BitDo again.

8bitdo releases decent products. This controller is no exception. I have average sized hands and the controller feels fairly good to me, sans a couple issues that I'll get into momentarily. Not only is the layout similar to an Xbox One controller, the ergonomics are somewhat similar too. Unfortunately, that's where I deduct half a star and begin speaking about the cons for this controller. Let me explain:Just like the Xbox One controller, I find the bumpers are a bit awkward to engage when holding this 8bitdo controller in the natural position of resting your index fingers on the triggers. I loved the ergonomics of the Xbox 360 controller because touching the bumpers was effortless from the natural position. For some reason when Xbox One controllers came out they changed that, and this controller mimics that awkward feeling. I almost have to pivot my whole grip in order to reach them. Maybe that's because my fingers aren't as flexible as the should be? I'm not sure. All I know is I find it awkward and a bit uncomfortable.The second issue I have is that the dpad is a bit too stiff. I won't deduct any stars for that because it may loosen over time, but I'm used to the dpad on the SN30 Pro (original, not plus) and that dpad feels much nicer to use. Although the dpad on this controller looks similar, the actuation of the membrane takes quite a bit more force making it uncomfortable to use for long periods with 2D games, for example. And while I'm talking about 2D games, the awkward bumpers come into the conversion once again. This is because when playing games such as Super Metroid, for example, it was normal (at least for me) to rest your index fingers on the L R buttons of the SNES giving quick access to those button functions. Doing that with this controller while simultaneously trying to use the dpad is just plain uncomfortable because of the bumper position. Therefore, I don't use this controller for emulation, but thought I'd point it out for others who might consider it.I've deducted another half of a star for the obnoxious light that encircles the menu button. It's far too bright and I find it very distracting, especially when the turbo function is enabled since that light blinks to indicate turbo is on. I almost deducted a full star for this, but since you can only rate with whole stars on Amazon I decided to keep my review at 4 stars vs 3. I'm currently looking into different methods for diffusing the light.Another issue that people might run into is the short cord length. Make sure that you won't need something longer before purchasing. This works well with my laptop, since it sits right in front of me, meaning the USB ports are very accessible.Other than those nit-pics, it's a well performing controller. As for things that I really like, especially for the price point, here are some pros:The inclusion of a turbo function is much appreciated. As I age I find it harder and harder to "button mash" and I often avoid games, such as vertical or horizontal shooters, which require continually pressing a button to rapidly fire a weapon. Turbo allows me to enjoy those games without developing carpel tunnel.The analog triggers are very sensitive and have a nice linear actuation and the software response is appropriate. For example, some controllers will register no input for the first 10-20% of actuation on the trigger, and then have a smaller threshold to detect actuation level making it harder to control the threshold. In other words, if you want the trigger to register at 50% actuation in the software, it's hard to find and maintain that physical actuation position with some controllers. This is important for racing games, for instance, where controlling the throttle is important. But, I'm happy to report that this isn't an issue for this controller. Detection of the trigger actuation starts immediately and, as I said above, has a nice linear representation all the way to 100% when bottoming the triggers. Therefore, when holding the triggers at 50% physical actuation, you know that the software representation of that will be close to that. I tested this using Windows' built in controller properties tool which visually represents button presses.Some users complained that their controller wasn't working or detected, but I'm happy to report that I had no such issues. I'm using the latest build (at the time of this writing, obviously) of Windows 10. I simply plugged the controller into my Lenovo Legion 5 laptop and it worked without a hitch. Steam recognizes it as an Xbox controller and lets me know which games are compatible with it.I'll update this review if any of my thoughts change over time. But for the time being, I'd recommend this controller as a primary or a backup option. Really good value for the price and performance.