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Tay cầm Nintendo Switch,

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Pro Controller,

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After a day with the controller, I decided to call Nintendo's customer support. They ran me through the typical home diagnostics [update system/controllers, perform "input test"] and then recommended I send in the controller for repair. So I sent it in.

Within a couple weeks, I was opening the box they sent back, and the receipt said "Service Performed: Product Replacement". So I guess they just gave me a newer controller? [10 years ago I sent in a Wii, and they returned a replacement Wii, so I guess that's just how they often do it.]

I loaded Puyo Puyo Tetris and tried out the controller in Tetris, and the dpad seemed to worked flawlessly. After playing some actual games, I feel like there is still some odd sensitivity that causes me to mess up a direction sometimes, but not like it did before. I will probably still play Puyo Puyo with the JoyCons.

I'll leave my rating of the product at 4 stars, since it should have worked that well in the first place, but I am now very happy with my controller. I might want another one someday though, so hopefully this doesn't have to happen again.

*END UPDATE*

After reading about how the corded controllers tend to have 0-2 frames of input lag, and knowing that I'd rather not play most games with the joycons, I decided to get a pro controller along with my new Switch.

Now, the only game I've played is Puyo Puyo Tetris, so I haven't really tested all the functionality of the controller [I'll play Super Mario Odyssey soon though], so I'm not sure about the quality of the control sticks or how well the trigger buttons work yet. But here is what I know:

Pros Looks really sleek [ I only see two screws; phillips head] Charging cable plugs into top of controller Triggers/bumpers have a bit more resistance than the Wii U gamepad bumpers, which were definitely too easy to press Buttons are all pretty big, including dpad Smaller buttons [Plus, Minus, Home, and screenshot] are conveniently located within thumb reach Every part of it feels good to touch

Cons Charging cable is USB, but only seems to work if plugged into the switch dock's USB port Up on the dpad is too easy to press

So that last point is really upsetting; in Puyo Puyo Tetris, you need to press dpad up a lot to instantly drop tetris blocks, but there is a high chance I will drop them accidentally whenever I press left or right on the dpad. Dpad down has significantly more resistance and I will never accidentally press that. For many games this might not be an issue, but I honestly think I'll have to use joycons for Puyo Puyo Tetris. It's not horrible, but I should be able to use this controller well for any game, so there's no way I can give it five stars.

I will also note that I prefer to grip gamecube controllers with two fingers up on each hand [i.e. one each for L, R, ZL, and ZR], but this controller seems a bit less comfortable that way, probably because your middle fingers have less leverage, since the trigger buttons are smaller and not curved. However, the buttons are positioned such that having only one finger for two buttons is quite natural [more so than with joycons]. Using only your index fingers is probably more ergonomic anyways.

Overall I really like this controller. I don't have a lot to compare it to, but I've played Super Smash Bros. Melee competitively for a long time [which means I've gone through a lot of gamecube controllers, and often cleaned them/fixed them myself], and this controller feels like high quality hardware. I'm just really disappointed about the dpad up button being to easy to depress. Maybe other people/pro controllers don't have this problem, but it seems like something that shouldn't have been overlooked.

You get a real d-pad, which is an undeniable advantage over the tiny, separate directional buttons found on the left Joy-Con.

The Pro Controller’s face buttons are big – much bigger than the tiny Joy-Con buttons – and give a nice press. Thumbsticks also feel excellent, and, Miyamoto be praised, they’re offset just like on Xbox. The handles feel great, too; they’re just the right size for comfortable, extended gameplay sessions. You also get a real d-pad, which is an undeniable advantage over the tiny, separate directional buttons found on the left Joy-Con when it comes to playing classic-style 2D platformers – that might come in handy on a Nintendo console. I also had no issues using motion controls to solve Breath of the Wild’s controversial Myahm Agana shrine.

Battery life from the built-in, rechargeable power source is phenomenal, with a claimed 40 hours that I’ve yet to successfully run down. That crushes the seven to eight-hour life of the DualShock 4, and may be similar [or perhaps even superior] to the AA-powered Xbox One gamepad. If you simply use the included USB-C cable to charge it once in awhile you’ll be hard-pressed to run out of power.

Battery life from the built-in, rechargeable power source is phenomenal.

My only real complaints about the Pro Controller are more nitpicks than serious criticisms. First, the Z triggers don’t depress as far as I’d like in order to sufficiently differentiate them from the L and R shoulder buttons [or, to put it less scientifically, they don’t feel as “trigger-y” as I’d prefer]. Second, the rumble feedback effect is a bit mild compared to the more intense response you get on the Joy-Con.

And finally, that price. At $70, it’s more expensive than either a DualShock 4 or an Xbox One gamepad. But that extra $10 is buying you that impressive rechargeable battery and an NFC reader that can be used to scan in amiibo, so at least we know where the extra money goes.

Verdict

Even 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.

In This Article

Nintendo Switch Pro Controller Review

great

Switch's Pro Controller costs a bit more than comparable gamepads, but it's a stellar gamepad with great battery life.