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Nintendo Switch Pro Controller
85
Engadget Review
Nintendo's Switch Pro controller is a solid alternative for gamers looking for a more traditional gamepad, but at $70 it's surprisingly pricey.
It does so much right, and yet it's not a slam dunk.
Devindra HardawarMarch 01, 2017
Pros
- Only Switch controller with a directional pad
- Feels great in hand
Cons
- Right analog stick feels rough when rotated
- Face buttons feel a bit shallow
- Expensive
View All Critic & User Reviews
Nintendo Switch Pro Controller
- Critic Reviews (4)
- User Reviews (19)
- 85AVERAGE CRITIC SCORE4 ReviewsPC Mag80Nintendo Switch Pro ControllerYou don't really need the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller when you have two Joy-Cons and the grip, but it's still an excellent gamepad. It's a conventional controller for an unconventional game system, and it makes games that don't rely on the novelty of the Joy-Cons' modular design feel that much more familiar.TechRadar90For when a Joy-Con just won't doThe Nintendo Switch Pro Controller is a must-have addition to any serious Switch owner's arsenal. Comfortable for extended play sessions, this curvy accessory also boasts the best D-Pad you can get on a controller.IGN90You get what you pay forEven if, like me, the Pro Controller's price gives you pause, I can’t deny that you absolutely get a high-quality gamepad that rivals the default input devices on the other two consoles. If it's anything like the Xbox 360 controller it so closely resembles, it's likely to serve you very well for the duration of the Switch's lifecycle. I plan on using it regularly both at home and on the road.TrustedReviews80Nintendo Switch Pro Controller ReviewMost (but not all) Nintendo Switch games are made far better with the use of the Pro Controller. Shooters and driving games receive an immediate upgrade in gameplay, but titles such as Super Mario Odyssey are best suited for the dual Joy-Con set-up.
- 82AVERAGE USER SCORE19 Reviewshresna70August 5, 2020Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!It is infinitely better than the diminutive and slightly janky joy-cons, for just about everything except portability and maybe mario-kart style motion controls. But, just like Nintendo's games, it is ridiculously overpriced. Nearly 50% more than a DS4 but nowhere near 50% better. (By comparison, DS4 has analog shoulders and a trackpad!) It's a cromulent controller, priced like a premium option, but its really just okay. The feel is adequate, but it sometimes takes a long time to connect / power on the Switch , and doesn't offer a convenient way to dock with the screen or anything. Plus, it's not even supported in some games, like Mario Party. I haven't found it to be much more reliable than third party options that cost much less.James90August 3, 2020Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!The switch pro controller is just about the perfect controller for me. Until custom manufacturing is more widespread and I can have a controller molded to fit my specific hands, I don't think there's much room for improvement.The face buttons feel fantastic, the sticks give good resistance, and Nintendo literally held the patent on the d-pad in the US, so of course that's top-notch too. The shoulder buttons and triggers maintain a similarly precise feel to the rest of the face buttons with no dead travel or mush to them, and no signs of wearing down in the 2 years I've had mine.Comfort is a double-edged sword, because I'm 6' 4" tall and have giant hands to match. I know I fall well outside the average for human measurements, so not many mass-produced goods are designed with someone my size in mind, and that probably goes doubly so for a Nintendo product where they're mostly targeting children. But, the fact is this controller is a bit small for me, more than the Playstation and Xbox equivalents of this generation. It's a huge step up over the joy-cons (which are physically painful for me to use for more than about 30 minutes), but it's kind of a bummer when the best solution to a base controller that causes me pain isn't perfect and costs this much. Barring size, the fit and finish on this controller are excellent and, again more than the Sony and Microsoft competitors, this feels premium and there is just nowhere that this controller digs into you. The seams are smooth, the HD rumble feels HD as ever, and everything you touch feels a step above the competition.I can't give perfect marks for durability. My WiiU is still pretty much in mint condition, and my Wii isn't much worse, so Nintendo consoles have a good track record in my house. But, I can't give perfect marks to something that has a battery that can't be replaced as easily as the AAs in a Wii remote. Nintendo got that right almost 15 years ago - let the consumer choose their batteries and replace them as they please.Felipe80August 1, 2020Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!They could add some sensitive triggers, it would add more value to the controller and add this missing feature to the consoleDeVoid90August 1, 2020Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!I absolutely am in love with the Pro Controller, the battery lasts for a really long time, the motion controls are amazingly accurate and the vibration is just superb. It is durable enough to survive a very serious smacking off of my hands a friend accidentally gave it (1 year ago). Only now, 3 years after buying it I'm starting to notice a slight drifting on the left joystick, but it is easy enough to solve. My favorite controller of all time 9/10Derek80August 1, 2020Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!No one should pay the full $70, since it commonly gets down to at least $60. It's a great controller, although not great for 2D platformers where you want to use the d-pad (the position is wrong, using an Xbox layout instead of a Dualshock one) and you should probably go with one by 8-BitDo for that.Doesn't feel cheap and is magnitudes better than tha joy-cons. Battery lasts a ton.Only really enfuriating thing is the omission of a headphone jack like on It's Sony and Microsoft counterparts. Not very Pro on that.Katherin80August 1, 2020Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!I mostly bought the controller for my larger-handed boyfriend, as we like to play smash together and I wanted him to enjoy the rumble effects. I think it's okay, certainly no cheaply-made device, but I feel like letter buttons are a wee big and the analog sticks could be just a little bigger (but not as big as the wired LoZ BotW controller analogs). Speaking of the analog sticks, I should note that the one I picked up has an issue with sticking in a certain direction (not drift, though, because I have an old Joy Con that has the issue and it's different). The Pro Controller though overall is a worthwhile purchase though, I believe, even if I prefer the Joy Cons. If they need to charge, you can always just grab it instead—and if it's low on battery too, you can grab any Type-C charger and plug it into a wall or something nearby and be fine. Hope this feedback is helpful somehow and not too boring lmaod0x36050August 1, 2020Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!The pro controller could and I stress COULD have been good but for some insane reason Nintendo decided not to put analog triggers on it yet there are games that use analog triggers so you need to find a 3rd party controller. How do you not include analog sticks? It ruins every racing game except Mario kart style ones.At least the analog sticks are offset and have enough tension. They are more like the excellent Xbox sticks than the meh ps4 ones.Battery life seems random. I have 3 of these controllers and one lasts like 6 hours, another lasts like 2 and one lasts like 15. It makes no sense and I think the issue is they get overcharged due to cheap charging circuits.At least they don't suffer from drift issues like the joycon but overall they aren't great controllers. They certainly aren't Nintendo quality.Cain100August 1, 2020Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!Nintendo has always been great at pushing the design of controllers. This one is no exception. It feels great in your hands. It is responsive. It has a respectable battery life and it is wireless. It has USB-C charging for a quick charge. I have personally used it for super long play sessions without any issues. It is more expensive than the 3rd party controllers, but you get what you pay for. I got them on the release date of the Nintendo Switch and they are still holding up due to their excellent durability. Nintendo has really set the bar high with this one.If I had to list any cons I can only think of one. I wish that they would have built a way to plug headsets directly into Pro-Controllers USB-C port. It would have went a long way to expand the list of Nintendo Switch compatible headsets for voice-comms.afro090August 1, 2020Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!it is better than the ps4 and xbox controller, uses usb-c, and goes on sale often enough to be priced competitively ez pzJelal100July 31, 2020Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!this is by far the BEST controller that i have ever used (i own a ps4 pro with the astro c40 tr controoler and the elite v2 controller) i wish more companies use the same ergonomics. I initially thought it was okay but then i use it to play a lot of different games and its just amazing to play with. in terms of issues i think that its not so obvious that a controller is connected but you can get used to it though. I think this is a obvious buy i wish there more color options than cooler looking knock offs, I also wish there were more accessories or more features like back paddles. also, for issues when engadget says the stick is rough that is absolute BS i have played over 500 hours in Smash Bros and had no issues with this controller DONT listen to engadget they are super biased twords other systems and thats the same for their phone reviews. WHO PUTS A IPHONE 11 OVER AN S20 PLUS LIKE WTF!Steven100July 31, 2020Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!It's so far above the average controller that 10/10 seems insufficient. The price is high, but you want something well made you expect to pay for it.I'd consider the dualshock 4 a close ish second but a hair lower in durability.Timmmay90July 31, 2020Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!This is essentially the perfect overall modern console controller. Everything on it works. USB-C charging, long battery life, responsive buttons, incredibly durable (my kids have dropped them on out basement tile floor numerous times) and all the buttons feel great after years of use.If only the joycons were this durable.The only grip I have, which I have for all Nintendo consoles, is the button layout. Although this can FINALLY be adjusted in the Switch settings, you cannot physically change the face buttons. I disassembled the controller to swap X/Y and they are 'keyed' to their individual cylinders with different patterns.Someone should 3D print a high quality button set with alternate keying.Josh50July 31, 2020Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!It's a good controller while it lasted. It has a premium feel. Buttons are nice and big compared to joy-cons. HD Rumble is amazing and it makes the game that much more immersive. Battery life is pretty good at around 20 hours or so. However all of this is negated by the analog stick issues. My left stick got stuck after about 3 months of uses and started to give inaccurate inputs to the game. It's impossible to play any fast-paced game with it. And what do you know, Nintendo accessories (including the Pro Controller) only have a 3-month warranty. Do yourself a favor and buy a cheaper controller if you want to play shooter games. I've relegated my Pro Controller to Animal Crossing only now.Joseph100July 31, 2020Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!I've owned my pro controller since release date, with at least over a thousand hours of active play time, being dropped, liquids dumped on it, dog chewing it up, it's still going so so strong!I've never encountered any types of drifting or lacking response from the joystick so far, and all the buttons still feel nice and clicky. It's not too heavy it's not too light, the battery life is fantastic, and charges super quick as well. Knowing what I know now, three and a half years ago I still would have picked up the pro controller.Meat60July 31, 2020Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!I've owned 3 Pro Controllers bought at launch and 1 more purchased last month (June 2020) for a total of 4. The Switch Pro Controller is great ergonomically and and I really enjoy that the trigger buttons are actual buttons. I, myself haven't had a problem with Stick Drift. Battery life is great and I like that the charging port is a USB-C connection. The one downside of the charging is that it's VERY SLOW. No matter what charger you're using you are limited to 0.5 amp charging speed.The biggest problem with the controller is that the face buttons and D-Pad feel like garbage. It feels very soft and mushy. Almost like there bits of cotton under each button. This is a huge issue for me. Overall I rate the controller as Barely Adequate. I do not recommend this controller for~$70 because of the D-Pad and button issue and would rather recommend the 8BitDo SN30 Pro+ for ~$50 (Just picked this up in June and really enjoy it) or if you prefer using a DualShock 4 or Xbox One Controller the 8BitDo Wireless USB Adapter for ~$20.Rafa60July 31, 2020Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!Like most Nintendo products, it's barely ergonomic but at least it's better than using the joy cons. A few months after buying it I broke the left analog stick while playing Bayonetta (which requires a lot of intense button mashing) and haven't been able to repair it (I couldn't return it either because I bought it in another country). I had never experienced an issue like that before with controllers for other consoles. $70USD straight to the trash.llEuLoGyll90July 31, 2020Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!The Switch Pro Controller is an extremely well made controller. The thumbsticks and buttons are very precise and definitely improves gaming on the Switch. The controller is also very tough and can take a drop without any issues. However, I do believe the $70 is far too much to ask for a controller. I found mine on sale for $50 and I still was reluctant. I am glad I did pull the trigger but I would not pay full price.Jeremiah100July 31, 2020Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!The pro controller is great!...the problem is, it doesn't connect to the console for handheld mode, which is why I play the Switch.I can't fault the pro controller for how bad the joycons are, so full score. I just think it's important to point out how badly Nintendo derped up the most important part of their awesome machine.I'm so addicted to borderlands2 that I spend my days spinning and overcompensating my way through the op levels like a drunk driver with a beer between his legs.Brandon70July 31, 2020Feedback submitted!Unable to submit feedback!Might be because I'm used to PS controller, but the Switch Pro feels too big and heavy in my hands. Nothing uncomfortable, but it's a noticeable difference in weight and size. It gets a plus for being easily customizable, as I put a SNES controller frame on it with little trouble. It's an upgrade on the joycon grip.
Key Specs
TYPE
Controller / gamepad
CONNECTION
Wireless
CONSOLE COMPATIBILITY
Nintendo
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