8BitDo SF30 Pro

This isn’t my first 8BitDo controller, actually, but the one I bought before somehow went missing, so all I’ve got left is one with a bad feel.

This time, in order to play some “poorly optimized garbage Unity game,” I had to buy a new 8BitDo controller. Times have changed, though—this thing has evolved. It’s got built-in rumble now, and supposedly a gyroscope too.

I’ve used it for about two weeks, so let me share my impressions.

1. The feel is average—better than previous products, but clearly a step behind proper controllers like the Xbox ones. Considering how portable it is, though, it’s not unusable.
2. The built-in rumble feels on par with the Switch’s two small Joy-Cons. It works, and once you get used to it it’s fine, but it’s still a step behind the professional stuff.
3. It has multiple connection modes, including the most common ones for Xbox and Switch. Bluetooth pairing is convenient, latency is good, and 8BitDo is one of the rare manufacturers that actively supports firmware updates under Linux. Unlimited potential.
4. Last thing to complain about is the button layout. It supports the Xbox layout, but the labels printed on the buttons are reversed (I checked, and it’s to match the Switch button positions). So when you use it to emulate an Xbox controller, it feels weird—basically “the button positions are right, but the labels are reversed.” It’s just awkward.

Overall this controller is worth the price, but for most “real gamers,” spending more on a “professional controller” probably isn’t a problem—those just aren’t very portable. In other words, a tight budget or needing a portable controller can be your reason to buy this “third-party” product.