For the first time, Black Friday has brought deals on first-party Nintendo Switch controllers. The $20 discounts on Nintendo's Pro Controller and Joy-Con are certainly welcome developments, but it doesn't mean you shouldn't consider third-party options. That's especially true because 8BitDo's flagship Ultimate Wireless Controllers are on sale for great prices in Amazon's Black Friday sale.
8BitDo Ultimate Bluetooth Controller for Switch & PC
$48 (was $70)
- Works with Switch, PC, Mac, Mobile, Steam Deck
- Available in white and black
- Hall Effect analog sticks
- Two remappable back triggers
- Connects wirelessly with Bluetooth or 2.4GHz
- Optional USB-C wired mode
- Up to 22 hours battery life
- Includes matching charging dock
Customize with 8BitDo Ultimate Software for PC, Mac, iOS, Android:
- Remap inputs
- Set up three custom profiles
- Set up dead zones
- Adjust stick sensitivity
- Adjust trigger sensitivity
- Adjust rumble intensity
- Create dead zones
The 8BitDo Ultimate Bluetooth Controller is highly customizable and offers superb value at full price, so getting one for less than $50 is an awesome deal. It's our favorite third-party alternative to Nintendo's Pro Controller, which is on sale for $49 during Black Friday.
So, why buy the 8BitDo Ultimate if the Switch Pro Controller is the same price right now? Customization is the main reason. The Ultimate has two remappable back triggers and a dedicated app for PC, Mac, and mobile devices that lets you tweak various features. You can remap inputs, set up three custom profiles to cycle through on the fly, and adjust the sensitivity of the sticks, dual rumble motors, and triggers. You can also create dead zones and program macros.
And unlike the Switch Pro Controller, the 8BitDo Ultimate has Hall Effect analog sticks, which mitigates the risk of stick drift.
The Ultimate is a well-designed controller that feels great to hold. I think the Switch Pro Controller has slightly better ergonomics, so I personally switch back and forth between the two controllers. If I'm playing a game with a bunch of control inputs like Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom or Echoes of Wisdom, I like the convenience of the back buttons on the Ultimate.
The 8BitDo Ultimate Bluetooth comes with a matching charging dock with a compartment housing the 2.4GHz adapter. You can use the optional adapter on PC, Mac, or Steam Deck to play wirelessly on those platforms. You can also sync the controller to iPhone or Android via Bluetooth.
8BitDo Ultimate 2.4GHz Wireless Controller for PC
$40 (was $50)
- Works with PC, Mac, Steam Deck
- Available in white, black, and purple
- Hall Effect analog sticks
- Two remappable back triggers
- Connects wirelessly with 2.4GHz dongle
- Optional USB-C wired mode
- Up to 15 hours battery life
- Includes matching charging dock
Customize with 8BitDo Ultimate Software for PC/Mac:
- Remap inputs
- Set up three custom profiles
- Set up dead zones
- Adjust stick sensitivity
- Adjust trigger sensitivity
- Adjust rumble intensity
- Create dead zones
8BitDo's 2.4GHz-only model, which leads the way on our list of the best PC controllers, is also on sale for Black Friday 2024. This one largely has the same feature set as the Bluetooth model, just without Bluetooth. That means you lose support for Nintendo Switch. While you can still get it up and running on mobile devices, you'd need to use a USB hub to connect the dongle.
But if you don't have a Nintendo Switch and are just looking for a great wireless PC controller with loads of customization features, the 8BitDo Ultimate is a steal at $40. It gets up to 15 hours of battery life and comes with a matching charging dock. This is also a solid controller for playing Steam Deck in docked mode.
If you're looking for a handheld Switch controller not named Joy-Con during the sale, check out this GameCube-inspired controller, which is 30% off at Amazon for Black Friday.
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