8BitDo controllers compared: Ultimate, Pro, Lite and Micro ranges

8BitDo's product pages list pads for Switch, Windows, Xbox, Android and Apple devices, weighing from 24.8g to 285g. This guide sets 17 of them side by side using only figures from 8BitDo's own pages (8BitDo homepage), with "not stated" marking every gap. It reports no testing, because we have not used or measured any of them.

How is the 8BitDo range organised?

8BitDo's homepage lists its controllers under Bluetooth, 2.4G and Wired headings, and names them in families: Ultimate, Pro, Lite, SN30 Pro, Micro, 64 and FlipPad, among others. The table below follows those family names. The Ultimate and Pro pads we cover weigh between 206.7g and 285g, while the Lite, SN30 Pro, Micro and FlipPad pages state between 24.8g and 114g. The pages do not explain what the C suffix on the Ultimate 2C and 3C+ means, so we make no claim about it. The FlipPad is a wired phone pad. The homepage also lists arcade controllers and other models that we do not cover here.

What do the stated figures look like side by side?

None of the controller pages states a price; each links to retailers or 8BitDo's own eShop. UK prices are not checked yet, so we give none.

Which 8BitDo controller suits which device?

Android phones: the Ultimate Mobile Gaming Controller is the pad listed with phone fit (100mm to 170mm long) and Android 13.0 and above. Smaller pads such as the Lite 2 and Lite SE list Android 9.0 and above in D-input. Android handhelds: any Bluetooth pad can pair if the handheld lists Bluetooth, as the maker lists for the Retroid Pocket 6 (5.3) and AYN Thor (5.3 on most models). Windows PCs: the Ultimate 2 and 3C+ lists give 2.4G and wired for Windows. Raspberry Pi systems: the Pro 2, SN30 Pro, Lite SE and Lite 2 pages name Raspberry Pi OS or models.

How do the Ultimate 2, 2C and 3 families differ?

The pages draw a clear line on sticks. The Ultimate 2 and Pro 3 list TMR joysticks and Hall Effect triggers, while the Ultimate 2C family lists Hall Effect joysticks. The Ultimate 3E and 3C+ list TMR as well. 8BitDo's Ultimate 2 page says TMR offers higher sensitivity, greater precision and enhanced durability while consuming less power; none of the 2C pages makes a comparison. Our stick sensor guide goes through what makers claim.

What about Switch, Xbox and software support?

Platform lines differ more than the model names suggest. The Pro 3 page lists Switch 1 at 3.0.0 and above and Switch 2 at 20.1.1 and above, plus SteamOS 3.7.13 or above and Apple platforms at version 26 and above. The Ultimate 3E for Xbox lists Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and Windows, and describes itself as officially licensed by Xbox. The Pro 3 and Ultimate 2 pages mention Ultimate Software for button mapping and sensitivity changes, and the Micro page lists a keyboard mode that works on Android, iOS, iPadOS, macOS and Windows. If a feature such as motion control matters, note the page's qualifier: the Pro 3 lists 6-axis motion control for Switch and Steam only, and the Micro, Lite SE and SN30 Pro list motion control for Switch only or not at all.

Which size and battery should you pick?

Battery lives are stated in play hours, which are the maker's figures. The 2C Wireless states 19 hours over 2.4G and 32 over Bluetooth, which shows how the mode changes the figure. The Pro 3 states a capacity of 1000mAh and no hours. For travel, the Micro (24.8g) and FlipPad (31.5g) are the lightest, and the Micro lists D-input, Switch and keyboard modes, while the FlipPad page recommends phones 8 to 10mm thick and says it is not compatible with phone cases over 2mm thick. Our best controllers guide sets a few of these beside Razer and GameSir, and Bluetooth vs 2.4G vs wired explains the modes.

How big are the pads?

Size is where the range splits most clearly. These are the dimensions the maker prints for nine of the pads, with weight repeated for reference.

Six of these are full-size pads whose longest stated side runs from 147 to 155.7mm, so the choice among them is not about footprint. The Ultimate Mobile Gaming Controller is the outlier at 198mm in its stated dimensions, which is consistent with a pad built to clamp around a phone. The Micro and FlipPad are a different class of object, closer to accessories than to a full pad.

What does the battery capacity tell you?

Dividing a stated capacity by the stated hours gives a rough ratio, and nothing more, since the maker does not say what conditions its hours assume. On that basis the Ultimate Mobile Gaming Controller works out at about 23mAh per stated hour (300mAh over 13 hours), the Ultimate Bluetooth about 45 (1000mAh over 22 hours), the Pro 2 about 50 (1000mAh over 20 hours) and the Ultimate 3E about 78 (1400mAh over 18 hours). The Ultimate 3E page also notes 4 to 5 hours of charging for its 1400mAh cell, while the Micro's 180mAh is stated at 12 play hours with 1 to 2 hours of charging. Treat the ratios as a way to spot pages that print capacity without hours, such as the Pro 3, and not as a ranking.

Which pads might you skip?

Reasoning only from the stated figures, some pads fit narrower jobs than the headline suggests.

• Ultimate 2C Wired: it lists Wired USB only, with Windows 10 and above and Android 9.0 and above. Skip it if you want a wireless pad.
• Ultimate 3E for Xbox: it is the heaviest pad at 285g and is the one listed for Xbox consoles. The maker says its 1000Hz polling and motion control are not supported on Xbox consoles, so a Windows or Android player gets more of the page than an Xbox player does.
• Micro: the maker states that it does not support vibration, motion sensing, NFC scanning, infrared camera or console wake, so skip it if you need rumble.
• FlipPad: it needs a phone 8 to 10mm thick and no case over 2mm, and its page gives no battery figure.

What should you check before buying?

• The platform line for your device: 8BitDo lists different modes per operating system.
• Minimum software versions, which vary by model (Android 9.0, 13.0 or newer, Windows 10 1903 or newer).
• Any compatibility notes in the footer: several pages give a Switch 2 firmware requirement.
• What is in the box: the Ultimate 2 Bluetooth lists a charging dock and 2.4G adapter, while the Ultimate 3E adds a travel case and an accessory pack of swappable sticks, and the Pro 2 lists only a cable and manual.

Browse the controllers hub or our guides for more, and see how we research for the method.