// PC GAMER — GAMING
8BitDo Ultimate 3E wireless controller review
With its strong build, consistent connectivity and great modular features, this is the best 8BitDo pad I've had the pleasure of using, but it's not worth the money when comparable and even better-specced controllers are near half the price.
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Pricing has remained the elephant in the room for almost all PC Gaming hardware this year, but when it comes to controllers, you don't even have the memory crisis to blame.
And yet, I feel similarly about the 8BitDo Ultimate 3E as I do all that memory-equipped hardware: This is genuinely an excellent gamepad that I have loved reaching for every day, but that price stings so badly that it becomes quite hard to recommend.
Unless, of course, you really want a dual-compatible (Xbox and PC) modular wireless controller.
✅ You want the best wireless pad for your Xbox: The Ultimate 3E acts exactly like the standard Microsoft Xbox controller, even waking up the console with the on button, except it's better in almost every way.
❌ You want the best value for money: You can get the GameSir G7 Pro, with its tri-mode connectivity and charging stand for nearly half the price. Add ten bucks to the G7 Pro, and you can even get its 8K variant.
With its strong build, consistent connectivity and great modular features, this is the best 8BitDo pad I've had the pleasure of using, but it's not worth the money when comparable and even better-specced controllers are near half the price.
This isn't just a PC controller that works wired on an Xbox, like most controllers. This is an officially licensed product with Microsoft's coveted wireless chip inside, meaning it works wirelessly on Xbox and PC. Not only that, but it even wakes up the Xbox when you click the On button, effectively doing what the standard Xbox controller does. This may not seem like a big deal, but it's shockingly rare among third-party controller manufacturers right now.
To swap between PC and Xbox, you just have to swap the adapter between the two. Given the price, I'd really love two adapters, as the Turtle Beach Stealth Pro II has, but it's not a huge pain, and the controller has Bluetooth and wired connectivity.