The battery lasts for around 20 hours on a single charge and can be recharged in roughly four hours via the USB-C port on top of the controller. There’s also a battery door that houses 8BitDo’s removable 1000mAh lithium-ion battery pack, allowing you to replace it if necessary without buying a new controller. This is a welcome improvement over previous 8BitDo controllers which required holding the Start button and one of the face buttons simultaneously in order to change the paired device. Another new feature is a small toggle switch on the back that allows you to select between four devices to connect to: Switch, macOS, Android, and Windows. This is one of the new features on the Pro 2, and is a nice touch for those looking to optimize their inputs. These low-profile buttons are nestled comfortably into the natural curvature of the grips and make an audible click when pressed.

On the back are two “pro” back paddle buttons. There’s also a button in the center that allows you to quickly toggle between three preset profiles that you can customize. These buttons function as the screenshot and home buttons on Nintendo Switch, respectively, but can be mapped to whatever you like on any platform. Also on the front of the controller are 8BitDo’s two signature buttons: Star and Heart, each on opposite sides of the controller. In fact, these are analog triggers, meaning they can distinguish how far they are being pressed for games that support it.

They are easy to press down, but have a bit of tension to them. Further back, the L2 and R2 buttons feel great. They are both long, narrow buttons that curve with the controller and are easy to press. On top, the L and R buttons are similar to what you’d find on a SNES controller as well. Both have a distinct click when pressed in and a comfortable groove for your thumbs. The sticks themselves feel a bit stiff, but very responsive, snapping back to the default position almost instantly. The analog sticks sit below the pill-shaped Start and Select buttons and are spaced out just a tad more than the DualShock 4’s analog sticks. They are slightly taller than the buttons found on modern controllers like the DualShock, DualSense, and Xbox Series X/S controllers – but the point at which the button registers a press feels roughly the same. Opposite the D-pad are four face buttons (laid out in Nintendo’s A/B/X/Y style) which have a satisfying click when pressed. 8BitDo has nearly perfected the modern D-pad, reproducing something that feels like the best version of what appeared on the SNES controller while maintaining the original size, shape, and feel.

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