8BitDo·controller
8BitDo Pro 2
Based on 31 credible posts from Hacker News & Bluesky. 5 filtered out as bot-like or off-topic.
Medium confidenceA solid sample; expect small shifts as more owners post. How we score
Scored November 11, 2026
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Owner reviews
Overall owner mood
Most owners are happy with it: 68% of 31 reviews are positive and 10% negative. Praise centers on controls & input. The most common complaint is connectivity (2 owners). Owners with 6+ months of use are more positive (83%), which suggests it holds up well.
What owners like
Controls & input praised by 3 owners
“I've been using the stick on my 8bitdo pro 2 and it works great But I may switch to keyboard, I'm really good at precise platforming inputs on there from years of playing spelunky :V”
What owners complain about
Connectivity raised by 2 owners
“I bought an 8bitdo pro 2 and it was good up until it started refusing to connect via bluetooth and the left thumbstick started breaking any time i needed to click it in, so mileage may vary i guess.”
What owners talk about
- Controls & input3 praise · 0 complain
- Comfort & size1 praise · 1 complain
- Connectivity0 praise · 2 complain
Built from the reviews themselves — every quote links to the owner who wrote it.
Every credible owner review, most detailed first. Bots, off-topic comments, and ones that say nothing about using it are left out.
Best Buy recently sent out a $10 voucher, so I grabbed a “like new” open box 8BitDo Pro 2 controller with the updated Hall Effect sticks. [...] I’ve been using the old version for years (PS1 colorway), so I’m excited to see how this one compares. 🎮 videogames gamepads bluetooth
I've been using the 8Bitdo Pro 2 for about a year and its very nice. A bit price-y around $40 USD.
I've used nothing but 8BitDo Pro 2 Ultimates for the last several years and aside from one dud where the RB button broke, I couldn't be happier with them, especially now with the Hall Effect sticks.
I use an 8bitdo Pro 2. Been using it for over a year now, and I couldn't be happier. [...]
For the folks out there that use a controller with PC/Steam Deck - What do you use? I got the 8BitDo Pro 2 a few years back for Switch, but it's honestly my preferred choice for Deck now. The input modes make it super easy to swap between PC/Deck/Switch without needing to pair over and over.
Yeah, I have the 8bitdo Pro 2 for 5 years now. It recently got some connection issues when switching from Switch to PC, so I bought a dedicated PC controller. I guess in hindsight, I should have just bought the same or newer models of the Pro2.
[...] Games have to be designed for a large market, not just high end OLED buyers. Even then, most VA/IPS/LED displays have something more like 20ms of latency in game mode due to slow LCD refresh rates. [...] This 8bitdo Pro 2 on my desk has 18ms latency all the time. [...]
Well said - this is one of the best reasons to add rear buttons to controllers imho, removing that goddamn L3 for running. This is literally the first thing I remap to rear buttons, modding every controller since ps4 to do so, and gaming with steam/proton now under linux, using the 8bitdo pro2 as well.
I have an 8bitdo Pro 2 Bluetooth controller that I typically use with my hacked NES Mini (with a Bluetooth dongle) that I'll use with my laptop and my phone every once in a while. Inexpensive, comfortable, gets the job done.
I opened up my 8bitdo Pro 2 Controller to swap buttons. [...] Nearby game shop will charge $35 to do it. [...] Out of principle, I bought the controller instead. [...]
then i will either play katamari or dmc2. ive gotten a lot of nostalgia having a controller bc i had to get rid of my ps2 and 3, and it rlly has made me enjoy playing games more. (btw i got the 8bitdo Pro 2 and its rlly nice so far if anyone was interested in getting one)
I've been using the stick on my 8bitdo pro 2 and it works great But I may switch to keyboard, I'm really good at precise platforming inputs on there from years of playing spelunky :V
[...] I've been using the 8bitdo Pro 2 as my go-to for Tetris and platformers, but I'm glad I ordered this. [...]
I bought an 8bitdo pro 2 and it was good up until it started refusing to connect via bluetooth and the left thumbstick started breaking any time i needed to click it in, so mileage may vary i guess.
might i recommend the 8bitdo pro2? legit a fantastic controller and they recently added hall effect sticks to them (though i got mine before they added them) shop.8bitdo.com/products/8bi...
I have that same Logitech controller, and it hurts my hands after a while, even with modern games. I think it's pretty thick and shaped oddly—not that ergonomic. [...] I've been using an 8Bitdo Pro 2 lately and it seems more comfortable.
i've been using the 8bitdo Pro 2 for a long while now, and it's served me very well.
neck phone holder + 8bitdo Pro 2 + YouTube Picture-in-Picture = the best time I've had playing my RP5 in bed
[...] I got the 8bitdo pro 2. [...]
Well its nice to know I got a bunch of chievos not that I'm in any hurry to get fat on them. I also gave my 8bitdo Pro 2 a good workout on some games too and speaking of which...yeah, big numbers nice.
I bought an 8bitdo pro 2 after my xbox elite 2(?) was falling apart, really happy with it. dualshock 1 ish form factor with back paddles. also just works on my pc, steam deck and switch no issues.
Gotta give a shoutout to folks who suggested the 8bitDo Pro 2 controller a bit ago. I've been using it for about a week now and it rocks. Feels great and it was pretty inexpensive compared to other options!
Hmmm... now that you mention it, my 8bitdo Pro 2 would probably be good for these! I've mostly been using it for my Steam Deck lately.
Couldn't agree more. I owned both a Switch Pro and a PS5 controller before this and neither one felt nearly as "right" as the 8bitdo Pro 2.
Has anyone used the 8BitDo Pro 2 controller with Android? I'm looking to get a controller for playing retro games on my phone/tablet (SNES, Megadrive, etc) and this one looks good and is in my budget but I'm curious about real experiences?
I have an 8bitdo Pro 2 and it's... kinda okay? 90% of the time it works great, but if I don't have an application running which looks for a controller then the controller gets disconnected and reconnected every 10 seconds or so.
The controller looks pretty cool for sure, my biggest fear is the dpad though. I hope they go for a clicky feel like on the latest xbox controllers, and not the mushy feel you've got on the Dualshock 5 or even the 8BitDo Pro 2, which, for me, really is the only think missing from those. I'm more of a "Dpad in the top left" kind of guy, but I want it to be clicky like on the Xbox controllers :( We'll see!
Probably skipping on the cube and the vr is a huge maybe depending on price but I'm almost 100% picking this up I just need to get sold on the dpad. My 8bitdo pro 2 is...okay? as far as dpads go I've used worse but I'd really like a one size fits all pc controller with hd rumble/gyro
I've been using an 8bitdo Pro 2 with hall effect sticks, and you feel a difference in micro adjustments. The dpad is bad for complex rolling motions for fighting games and you'd probably run into issues with some 2D games, but for 3D games where the dpad is often just a quick select input it's good.
So I bought ANOTHER one and it had to be the switch version, I guess they don't make the xbox ones anymore. [...] ...it feels lighter and cheaper than the other two I had. [...] Welcome to the family 8bitdo pro 2 The Third
The claims, and the evidence
What the brand claims
No published claims on file for this product yet.
What owners report
“Best Buy recently sent out a $10 voucher, so I grabbed a “like new” open box 8BitDo Pro 2 controller with the updated Hall Effect sticks. [...] I’ve been using the old version for years (PS1 colorway), so I’m excited to see how this one compares. 🎮 videogames gamepads bluetooth”
after 3 yearsView on Bluesky“I've been using the 8Bitdo Pro 2 for about a year and its very nice. A bit price-y around $40 USD.”
after 1 yearView on Bluesky“Yeah, I have the 8bitdo Pro 2 for 5 years now. It recently got some connection issues when switching from Switch to PC, so I bought a dedicated PC controller. I guess in hindsight, I should have just bought the same or newer models of the Pro2.”
after 5 yearsView on Bluesky“I opened up my 8bitdo Pro 2 Controller to swap buttons. [...] Nearby game shop will charge $35 to do it. [...] Out of principle, I bought the controller instead. [...]”
Common 8BitDo Pro 2 problems
Problems most owners who mention them agree on, plus ones owners are split on.
- Connectivity2 owners report thisView on Hacker News
“90% of the time it works great, but if I don't have an application running which looks for a controller then the controller gets disconnected and reconnected every 10 seconds or so.”