BittBoy Wireless Nintendo Switch Pro Controller (Hardware)
Official GBAtemp Review
Product Information:
Go Pro
After we reviewed BittBoy’s first product, I was skeptical about their take on a Switch Pro controller, more so when it is priced at $29.95. Nevertheless, I decided to give it a fair look and was quite positively surprised by the outcome. It seems like the company has learnt from its previous mistakes and has decided to go pro...
As pictured above, out of the box you will get:
- Wireless Pro Controller for Switch
- USB Type-C Charging Cable
- User Guide
Rather than taking after the official Pro Controller, BittBoy’s iteration seems more inspired by an Xbox One controller. The form factor, face and shoulder buttons are all there. In fact they might have fiddled around with an Xbox One board and added two awkwardly positioned buttons next to the shoulder buttons; one for taking screenshots and another reset button. It also uses a color palette that strongly reminded me of the SNES and N64 controllers which I found to be quite a nice nostalgic touch.
SCUF Infinity1 Controller vs. BittBoy Nintendo Switch Pro Controller
Awkward buttons and a dimensions & button map
While BittBoy's Pro Controller comes in a generic box with the bare minimum, when it comes to functionality, this Pro Controller does everything you might expect from one: wireless, gyro support and rumble features all responsive to every command. Moreover, it is very lightweight at 202 grams that I could barely believe its weight despite packing all of those features. More importantly, being a third party accessory, it is important to note that it is compatible with the latest firmware (6.2.0 at the time of writing) and BittBoy even plans to provide upgrades via a PC connection should future firmwares render the controller incompatible. I have tried the game on various titles like Zelda, Final Fantasy XV, Mario Rabbids and Moonlighter and the functions have been flawless with a stable wireless connection and accurate controls.
Being a wireless controller, you might be wondering about its battery life and that's where you notice the BittBoy Pro Controller as a third party peripheral. The controller packs a 380 mAh built-in rechargeable Lithium battery which takes about 2-3h to charge up and provides about 5 hours of gaming, as advertised. However, compared to the phenomenal up to 40h that the official Pro Controller provides, BittBoy’s controller pales in comparison. Nevertheless, it provides a decent amount of play time and the smaller battery also helps in cutting down the cost and making the controller so light.
So once the battery goes low, you might want to plug it in but I found the included USB Type-C cable to be rather short at about 75 cm.
Additionally, there is not much to write home about the overall build of this accessory but given the price, this is to be expected. Moreover, I found it to not provide much of a grip, so sweaty hands beware!
Of note is the compatibility of this controller with PCs and once plugged in, the buttons will be mapped to that of an Xbox controller. I have tried it with numerous games like the recent Hitman 2 and it is also equally responsive to actions. However, it is only compatible while wired but you will most likely be considering this controller to game on your Switch anyway.
Bit by Bitt
I am quite impressed by what BittBoy packed in a $29.95 controller, more so after considering how far they've come since their first product. Many third party controllers would rip customers off by charging twice the price with fancy designs and an officially licensed tag but with half of the functions (I am looking at you PowerA). BittBoy cuts to the chase by providing a very lightweight, feature-full and very affordable product. If you are looking for a secondary or even primary controller on a budget, this is definitely one to consider.
Product link on BittBoy’s website
Verdict
- Affordable
- Lightweight
- Feature-rich
- Responsive
- Compatible with PC (wired only)
- Build quality
- Battery life
- Awkwardly positioned screenshot and reset buttons
