Amazon is offering limited-time discounts on the superb 8BitDo Pro 3 Bluetooth Gamepad ahead of the holidays. If you’re eligible for the bonus coupon discount, the GameCube-inspired purple and gray models are on sale for $50.39 and $50.37, respectively. This is the all-time best price for the Pro 3. Even the $55 deal on the G Classic model is slightly better than Amazon’s Black Friday deal ($56). The Pro 3 is bundled with a matching charging stand, an extra set of Super Famicom-themed buttons, two sets of sticks, a USB-C charging cable, and a USB-C wireless receiver that can be stored in the charging dock.
All of the Pro 3 Gamepad deals are shipped directly from Amazon, but each color is discounted by two sellers (Amazon and 8BitDo) with separate listings. Only Amazon is offering the extra coupon discounts, but we expect these deals to sell out fast. In case that happens, the button at the top of this story leads you to an Amazon page with all of the deals on the Pro 3.
The Pro 3 has 2.4GHz Wireless and Bluetooth support on Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, and PC. It’s also compatible over Bluetooth on Steam Deck, Apple devices, and Android smartphones and tablets. Numerous enhancements and impactful new features make the Pro 3 a worthwhile upgrade, including including four extra remappable buttons, TMR joysticks, trigger locks, magnetic face buttons.
All that said, if you’re shopping on a tighter budget, the Pro 2 is still a great controller for Switch 1/2, PC, Mac, and mobile devices. Amazon has the 8BitDo Pro 2 with Hall Effect sticks for $38 (was $50).
Amazon also has nice deals on 8BitDo’s flagship Ultimate 2 Controller. PC players can get the 2.4GHz model for $47.59 (was $60) in multiple colors. The limited-edition Honkai: Star Rail Edition with a travel case and more goodies is $63 (was $70), and the Wuchang: Fallen Feathers Edition is down to $52 (was $65). Nintendo players will need to grab the Ultimate 2 Bluetooth, which is available for $56 (was $70). These prices match Black Friday deals. Amazon has several other limited-time deals on 8BitDo controllers.
Editor’s Note: Article updated December 18. Read our original 8BitDo Pro 3 review and buying guide below:
$50.39 (was $70) | For Switch 2, Switch, PC/Mac, Mobile, SteamOS
Here’s a rundown of the 8BitDo Pro 3’s specs, components, and customization features.
8BitDo Pro 3 Specs & Features:
- Available in: Purple, G Classic, Gray, Orange
- Includes matching charging dock
- Connections & Supported Platforms:
- 2.4GHz Wireless: Switch 1/2, PC
- Bluetooth: Switch 1/2, SteamOS, Apple, Android
- Wired: Switch 1/2, PC, Android
- 4 extra remappable buttons:
- 2 back triggers
- 2 microswitch shoulder buttons
- Swappable TMR Joysticks (Tunnel Magnetoresistance)
- Wear-resistant metal stick rings
- Extra pair of ball-top arcade stick caps
- Change trigger type by flipping switches:
- Hall Effect Triggers
- Non-linear Microswitch Triggers
- Tactile D-pad
- Textured grips
- Magnetic ABXY face buttons:
- Swap A/B & X/Y for Nintendo or Xbox layout
- Extra set of unlabeled face buttons
- Super Famicom-inspired red, yellow, green, blue
- Turbo Button
- Profile Button
- Input mode switch: D/S/X
- Dual-motor rumble
- 6-axis Motion Controls
- Battery: 1,000mAh
- Battery life: Up to 20 hours
- Weight: 242.4 grams
- Dimensions: 153.6 x 100.5 x 64.55mm
Customize controls with 8BitDo Ultimate Software V2:
- Remap inputs
- Create custom profiles
- Calibrate dead zones
- Adjust stick/trigger sensitivity
- Adjust rumble intensity
- Adjust motion control sensitivity
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I’ve found the Pro 3 to be as big of an upgrade as the Ultimate 2 was compared to its predecessor. The D-pad is noticeably better than the one on the Pro 2, and it’s awesome to have the extra pair of remappable claw buttons on the shoulders and the two trigger modes. Engaging the trigger locks turns R2 and L2 into microswitch buttons that are great for rapid fire or for when you want to map face button actions to the triggers. With six buttons on the shoulders, you can really mix-and-match control schemes to fit your personal preferences. The microswitches used for the back buttons also feel nicer and faster than the ones on the Pro 2.
8BitDo’s TMR sticks are smoother and more precise than the already-good Hall Effect sticks found on the Pro 2 and other older models. TMR electromagnetic sticks consume less power, and the tech is supposed to hold up better over time compared to Hall Effect. TMR is often presented as Hall Effect 2.0, as both operate via magnetic sensors, which eliminates the risk of stick drift. For an added layer of durability, 8BitDo’s sticks also have wear-resistant metal rings.
The 8BitDo Pro 3 costs $20 more than the Pro 2, but the $70 price point aligns with the Ultimate 2 Bluetooth, the manufacturer’s flagship controller that supports both 2.4GHz and Bluetooth connections. The Pro 2, meanwhile, only supported Bluetooth wireless and didn’t come with a charging dock. The new version is the first non-Ultimate controller with a charging dock. A 2.4GHz USB-C dongle is stored in the bottom of the dock. The addition of 2.4GHz Wireless is certainly welcome, as it offers a faster and more stable connection with higher polling rates.
Like the Ultimate 2, the Pro 3 can be viewed as an alternative to the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller. Nintendo’s official controller feels great and even has a pair of back buttons, but there’s no denying that 8BitDo’s pair of premium gamepads are more versatile thanks to its suite of physical modifications and programmable customization options.
There are a couple of differences between the Pro 3 and Ultimate 2 Bluetooth. The Ultimate 2 series has rings around the sticks with adjustable RGB lighting effects. The Pro 3 has an upgraded D-pad with improved tactile feedback. Interestingly, the G Classic edition has a series of raised ridges–three in each direction–whereas the purple and gray models have the familiar directional arrows instead. I didn’t test the G Classic, so I can’t comment on any tangible differences, but the D-pad on the purple Pro 3 feels better to me than the Ultimate 2’s D-pad.
The Pro 3’s coolest new customization option is the ability to swap face buttons. On the bottom of the charging dock there’s a storage compartment for the 2.4GHz adapter. On the inside of the cover, you’ll also find the four extra face buttons and a small plunger-like tool used to remove the buttons. It only takes a second to swap out the full set of buttons.
Beyond changing up the look of your controller, you can make a practical change: Swapping A/B and X/Y to align with the Xbox button layout. Considering the Xbox button layout is often viewed as the standard on PC, this is a great customization feature for those who play on PC/Mac, Steam Deck, and mobile. The Pro 3 doesn’t support Xbox consoles, but you can use it for Xbox Cloud Gaming. And since you can fully remap the controls using 8BitDo’s Ultimate Software V2, you could even the swap the buttons and alter the controls so that when a Nintendo game prompts you to press Y, you are still pressing Y even if it’s up top instead.
With the Ultimate 2 series, the Bluetooth model will work on all of the same platforms as the Pro 3, but it has the Nintendo button layout. To get the Xbox layout, you’d need to purchase the Ultimate 2 without Bluetooth. This saves you 10 bucks, but the 2.4GHz model of the Ultimate 2 isn’t compatible with Nintendo consoles. The Ultimate series has always had a separate 2.4GHz model for PC players and a slightly more expensive model that adds Bluetooth and Switch support. There’s nothing wrong with that release model, especially for those who aren’t interested in Nintendo consoles. But it’s cool that 8BitDo created a built-in solution for those who have issues with Nintendo’s control layout on other platforms.
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The ball-top stick caps feel more like a throw-in bonus as opposed to a feature 8BitDo expects to become a popular alternative to conventional sticks. The manufacturer said they designed the caps “purely for fun.” After trying them out, I actually think they are pretty cool for short spurts, but the spherical shape naturally isn’t the best from an ergonomics perspective. Your thumbs would probably start to hurt if you used them continuously like traditional joysticks. I also experimented by placing the controller on my desk and holding the stick like a (tiny) arcade stick while playing Galaga. Again, not as bad as I expected, but the ball-top sticks really are more of a novelty than a practical alternative for the very good traditional stick caps.
With 8BitDo’s Ultimate Software V2 app, you can adjust stick, trigger, and motion control sensitivities, create dead zones, modify rumble intensity, and remap inputs. Up to three unique control configurations can be saved directly to the controller, and you can cycle through them on the fly by pressing the profile button.
8BitDo Wireless Controllers for Switch 2
The Pro 3 and Ultimate 2 Bluetooth aren’t the only 8BitDo wireless controllers compatible with Nintendo Switch 2. We’ve rounded up a list below: