8BitDo Ultimate 2C is one of the most renowned and recommended controller under $30. There’s competition, but the 2c gets a leg up due to a few factors like 8BitDo’s pedigree, the fact that this controller came before all of its competitors, and the unique, cute colours it comes in.
EasySMX X05 Pro has entered the market with a unique aesthetic and some premium features of its own. Let’s see how it holds up against the tried and tested Ultimate 2C.
– No Charging Dock support
– Black Myth Wukong Special edition : $29.99
– Nintendo Switch Pro controller shape (boxy, less flared handles)
– Textured plastic on back of controller for grip. No rubber. Offers good grip.
– Feels less ergonomic for my large hands due to boxy shape. It’s still comfortable, but less comfortable compared to the EasySMX X05 Pro.
– Peach
– Purple
– Mint
– Green
– Black Myth Wukong Special edition
– Light sticks with moderate tension
– POM anti-friction ring. Very smooth
– Good Stick Centering, no issues
– Feels Excellent
– No Trigger stops
– Moderate travel distance
– Feels great
– Very stable and responsive
– Very tactile, feels better IMO
– Central pivot is good in terms of tilting and diagonal inputs, but I don’t like how mobile it is. I prefer a stable central pivot.
– Feels great. There’s a little bit of pre-travel which isn’t ideal imo, but easy to get used to.
– Accurate, with great diagonal inputs as well
– Fairly tactile, feels nice. Sharper tactility
– Rounder button top. Still feels good, but I prefer the flat feel of the X05 Pro
– 2 remappable extra shoulder bumpers which feel excellent
– Vibration intensity cannot be adjusted
– Feels detailed and pretty good.
– 1000hz in wired and 2.4ghz mode, 250hz in bluetooth mode
– good latency numbers. No qualms in experience.
Compatible with Windows, Linux, Android, iOS, Nintendo Switch
– 18-20 hours in 2.4ghz mode
– 30 hours in bluetooth mode
– no RGB
– $46.99 with charging dock
– Aurora Purple Limited Edition : $40 without dock, $50 with dock
– Shape between Xbox controller and Switch Pro controller
– Hard rubber for grip
– Feels quite comfortable to hold and use, despite the slightly heavier weight. Good grip.
– All buttons are ergonomically placed
– Black
– White
– Aurora Purple (limited edition, costs slightly more)
– Non removable top
– No tension adjustment
– Only POM anti friction ring, hence might feel scratchy over time
– Slightly high stick centering error during slight movements (Not a dealbreaker)
– Feels excellent
– Only half-way trigger stop, no micro-switch
– Moderate travel distance
– Trigger vibrations (in supported games) feels great
– Thumpy, soft “thunk” sound (it’s hard to describe ok)
– Good actuation force and feel, no button wobble
– 2 extra bumpers : remappable, mechanical, ergonomic, great feel
– Very stable with some pre-travel due to silicone layer
– No central pivot, but due to the silicone mechanism, I never had any misinputs
– Great accuracy, all directions are excellent
– Feels great, minimal wobble/play
– Excellent tactility without being loud
– Nice texture and good overall feel. Soft feel (not mushy)
– 2 remappable extra shoulder bumpers which feel excellent
– Vibration intensity can be adjusted
– Feels nice, hefty, and detailed. Satisfactory but nothing spectacular
– Trigger vibration is good
– 1000hz in wired and 2.4ghz mode, 125hz in bluetooth mode
– Usable (but worse than competition) button latency; Analog Stick latency is quite high and noticeable during gameplay (especially in wireless modes)
Compatible with windows, android, ios, macos, linux.
– about 8 hours without RGB
– about 6 hours with RGB
– Charging dock (if you pay the extra $9, which IMO is a good value)
AVAILABLE SEPARATELY :
– Charging dock for $15 (Quite pricy for a dock tbh)
– Customisable RGB
Which one should YOU get?
The EasySMX X05 Pro actually feels very nice to use. But unfortunately, it leaves much to be desired in some important areas such as the latency, Battery life, and app customization. If this isn’t a deal breaker for you, the X05 Pro feels and looks like none other. The soft yet tactile feel reminds me somewhat of the significantly more expensive Gulikit TT Max. I also love that this controller offers trigger vibrations at a price point this low.
The 8BitDo Ultimate 2C on the other hand is just as good as it always has been. The one caveat stays the same – the shape being slightly uncomfortable (especially for larger hands). If this isn’t an issue for you, it’s a pretty well rounded controller which is surprisingly competitively viable even at this price.
Both have their place in my setup, but if I had to pick just one, I would pick the EasySMX X05 Pro. The latency doesn’t affect my use case too much, and I find it quite comfortable to use for long hours. The charging dock is a great QOL feature, and I quite enjoy the trigger vibrations.
Hello! 🥰 I'm Fang.
I like gaming and related tech. I enjoy learning more, and sharing my experiences through my review videos and blog posts. Have fun! 💖
