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Nintendo Swap 2 Professional Controller: one-minute overview
The Nintendo Swap 2 Professional Controller launched alongside the console itself, and I’ve been utilizing it as my go-to Switch 2 gamepad since launch day. Whereas I used to be already impressed with it at a Swap 2 hands-on preview occasion a number of months again, truly having it at house has solidified it as maybe my favourite controller of the 12 months.
The mission assertion is a straightforward one: present an up to date model of the wonderful Nintendo Swap Professional Controller – simply one of many best Nintendo Switch controllers for that authentic console – whereas maintaining the issues gamers cherished about that authentic mannequin intact. I really feel this has largely been achieved with the Swap 2 Professional Controller.
It’s extremely snug within the arms, sporting merely pretty construct high quality from chassis to buttons. The thumbsticks are ultra-smooth and responsive, and additions like two remappable buttons on the rear, in addition to a headphone jack, are extraordinarily welcome.
Moreover, the original Pro Controller is remembered fondly for its frankly absurd battery life, lasting round 40 hours on a single cost. I’m comfortable to report that’s additionally the case with the Swap 2 Professional Controller; after three weeks of testing for a number of hours most days, I’ve solely simply seen the low battery warning flash up on my display screen.
So what’s holding it again from really being the best of all time? Nicely, in contrast to the unique Professional Controller, this new mannequin isn’t at the moment appropriate with PC. It’s doubtless we’ll want to attend for a Steam compatibility replace, however I wouldn’t be stunned if this occurs within the close to future. I additionally would’ve cherished a set off lock function, permitting gamers to change between digital and analog sensitivities to go well with a wider vary of genres (analog triggers naturally work higher for racing video games, for instance).
Lastly, Nintendo seemingly stays dedicated to not having Corridor impact thumbsticks, which is an enormous disgrace. What this implies is that, finally, I anticipate the Swap 2 Professional Controller to develop stick drift. Maybe not as shortly because the Pleasure-Con 2 – of which there are already reviews of customers experiencing drift – however for a controller that prices as a lot because it does, the dearth of sturdier Corridor impact thumbsticks hurts. Doubly so, contemplating the sticks themselves really feel incredible throughout play.
Nintendo Swap 2 Professional Controller overview: worth and availability
- $84.99 / £74.99 / AU$119.95
- Cheaper on common than a set of Pleasure-Con 2 ($94.99 / £74.99 / AU$139.95)
- A worth enhance within the US bumped it up from the initially deliberate $79.99
If there’s one potential criticism I can levy on the Swap 2 Professional Controller, it’s that it actually isn’t low cost.
It’s obtainable to buy now from Nintendo’s personal web site in addition to stocking retailers for $84.99 / £74.99 / AU$119.95. US people have it barely worse right here on account of a worth enhance that’s seen the controller’s RRP pushed up from the unique $79.99.
Total, although, the Swap 2 Professional Controller is cheaper within the US than a pair of Pleasure-Con 2 controllers ($94.99), whereas being priced the identical as these within the UK (£74.99).
That mentioned, cheaper options do exist in controllers just like the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 ($69.99 / £59.99 – round AU$90). That is an distinctive controller that’s properly value trying into, particularly because it’s just lately obtained a firmware replace to permit for Swap 2 connectivity.
Nintendo Swap 2 Professional Controller overview: Specs
|
Worth |
$84.99 / £74.99 / AU$119.95 |
|
Weight |
8.3oz / 235g |
|
Dimensions |
5.8 x 4.1 x 2.4in / 148 x 105 x 60mm |
|
Compatibility |
Nintendo Swap 2 |
|
Connection kind |
Wi-fi (Bluetooth), Wired (USB Kind-C) |
|
Battery life |
Round 40 hours |
Nintendo Swap 2 Professional Controller overview: design and options
- Pleasing mild gray-on-black aesthetic design
- Provides GameChat and GL/GR buttons, in addition to a headphone jack
- In any other case, similar to the unique Professional Controller
Put the Swap 2 Professional Controller facet by facet with the unique mannequin, and also you’ll discover loads of similarities. Its massive face buttons are about the identical dimension right here, the d-pad may be very related, and the controller nonetheless makes use of digital triggers. I believe an possibility for faster triggers would’ve been good right here, by way of set off locks, for genres like racing video games. However there are another upgrades right here that I’m very comfortable about.
The Swap 2 Professional Controller provides some very welcome options. There’s a devoted GameChat button like we see on the Pleasure-Con 2 for accessing the console’s bespoke voice chat system. Moreover, you’re getting a 3.5mm headphone jack, which – alarmingly – wasn’t current on the unique Professional Controller. Lastly, a pair of GL/GR buttons on the rear of the pad might be remapped on a per-game foundation, although I’ll contact extra on these within the following efficiency part.
When it comes to appears to be like, the Swap 2 Professional Controller is easy, however fairly eye-catching. The semi-translucent look of the unique has been changed with a matte black shell. In the meantime, the highest that homes the bumpers and triggers – in addition to the thumbstick shafts – have taken on a light-weight grey coating that I believe appears to be like good juxtaposed in opposition to the in any other case all-black gamepad. I wouldn’t say it’s successful any awards within the aesthetics division, but it surely’s a easy and chic design that doesn’t look misplaced.
In any other case, there isn’t a lot to report on the design entrance past the truth that that is an extremely snug asymmetrical controller that sits firmly within the arms. I discover that the Swap 2 Professional Controller’s grips are of an ideal dimension, and the pad matches snugly in my arms with my index fingers set firmly on the triggers. I felt this fashion in regards to the authentic Professional Controller, too, however its successor does really feel ever so barely extra refined on this regard.
Nintendo Swap 2 Professional Controller overview: Efficiency
- Thumbsticks really feel wonderful throughout gameplay
- A frankly absurd quantity of battery life
- GL/GR buttons are literally a godsend
Straight away, let’s discuss in regards to the factor that most individuals fondly keep in mind the unique Professional Controller for – its seemingly limitless battery life. Whereas there have been no noticeable enhancements right here with the Swap 2 Professional Controller, I can’t precisely say that’s a nasty factor.
Yep, you may anticipate this new mannequin to go the space with round 40-45 hours of battery life. Since launch, on common, I’ve performed my Swap 2 with the Professional Controller for round 1-3 hours every day.
Three weeks later, I’ve solely simply seen the low battery warning flash up on my display screen. That is completely best-in-class battery life that leaves even the very best Nintendo Swap controllers within the mud. It’s value noting that such a hefty battery does take a while to cost up once more – round 3-4 hours to be precise – however do that in a single day by way of USB-C and also you’ll by no means want to fret about operating out of juice.
In any other case, the Swap 2 Professional Controller is only a pleasure to play video games with. The thumbsticks are the actual heroes right here, feeling nearly impossibly {smooth} and extremely responsive throughout play.
This makes exact platformers like Tremendous Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury or white knuckle racers like F-Zero GX really feel incredible to play (even when the latter nonetheless advantages extra from the wi-fi GameCube controller’s button structure).
My one gripe right here can be that the thumbsticks usually are not Corridor impact, with Nintendo seemingly opting as soon as once more for extra conventional potentiometers. It’s a irritating dedication that we additionally see from Sony and Microsoft of their first-party pads, and consequently, it’s at the moment arduous to gauge simply how lengthy the Swap 2 Professional Controller’s sticks will final earlier than creating drift. That mentioned, the thumbsticks right here do really feel decidedly sturdier than these on the Pleasure-Con 2, so I do anticipate them to final a very good deal longer.
Nevertheless, I believe my favourite addition to the Swap 2 Professional Controller needs to be the rear GL/GR buttons. We’ve seen remappable buttons like these on numerous third-party controllers, however I actually like how Nintendo has applied them. By holding down the Residence button whereas in-game, you’ll convey up a fast menu that permits you to assign GL and GR as secondary inputs.
This works on a per-game foundation, too, that means you don’t have to always reassign them whilst you’re hopping from sport to sport. They are often an absolute lifesaver, too. In The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, for instance, I sure the dash and soar actions to those buttons, letting me nonetheless have entry to digicam controls.
Equally, in Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Edition, binding the left and proper d-pad inputs to GL/GR let me cycle by way of my stock of things with out having to cease shifting or undertake a clumsy claw grip as a substitute.
In any other case, you may anticipate a controller that performs simply in addition to the unique the place it counts. Gyro aiming continues to be extremely stable and correct for video games like Splatoon 3, and you continue to have near-field communication (NFC) assist for scanning amiibo figures in your favourite video games.
Ought to I purchase the Nintendo Swap 2 Professional Controller?
Purchase it if…
Do not buy it if…
Nintendo Swap 2 Professional Controller overview: Additionally think about
If the Swap 2 Professional Controller isn’t precisely what you’re after, there are a few nice options so that you can think about.
| Row 0 – Cell 0 |
Swap 2 Professional Controller |
8BitDo Final 2 |
Swap Professional Controller |
|
Worth |
$84.99 / £74.99 / AU$119.95 |
$69.99 / £59.99 / AU$90 (or $59.99 / £49.99 for PC-only mannequin) |
$69.99 / £59.99 / AU$99.95 |
|
Weight |
8.3oz / 235g |
8.7oz / 246g |
8.7oz / 246g |
|
Dimensions |
5.8 x 4.1 x 2.4in / 148 x 105 x 60mm |
5.7 x 4.1 x 2.4in / 147 x 103 x 61mm |
5.9 x 4.2 x 2.4in / 152 x 106 x 60mm |
|
Compatibility |
Nintendo Swap 2 |
PC, Android (Swap/Swap 2 model bought individually) |
Nintendo Swap, Nintendo Swap 2, PC |
|
Connection kind |
Bluetooth, USB Kind-C |
2.4GHz, Bluetooth, USB Kind-C |
Bluetooth, USB Kind-C |
|
Battery life |
Round 40 hours |
10-15 hours |
Round 40 hours |
How I examined the Nintendo Swap 2 Professional Controller
- Examined for 3 weeks, on common 1-3 hours per day
- In comparison with the unique Professional Controller and related third-party gamepads
- Performed all kinds of video games, each fashionable and retro
I examined the Swap 2 Professional Controller from launch till now – a interval of round three weeks. On common, I performed with the controller for round one to a few hours a day, largely choosing docked mode play on my LG CX OLED TV.
In my time with the controller, I put it by way of its paces with video games throughout all kinds of genres. This contains The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom – Nintendo Swap 2 Version, Hyrule Warriors: Definitive Version, Mario Kart World, Street Fighter 6, F-Zero GX, Deltarune, and Tremendous Mario 3D World + Bowser’s Fury.
I in contrast the Swap 2 Professional Controller’s function set to that of the unique Professional Controller and third-party gamepads, together with the GameSir Tarantula Pro and the unique 8BitDo Final. Whereas I do want Nintendo’s pad introduced Corridor impact sticks to the desk, its total function set and comfy play expertise nonetheless make it properly value contemplating in a crowded controller market.
First reviewed June 2025