Controllers come in all shapes, colours and sizes these days, so it can be a challenge to navigate in this accessory jungle and find the right controller for your gaming needs. A company’s name and make can help further narrow down the options; and 8BitDo is one of them. 

The latter has a solid track record when it comes to controllers as it has specifically focused on such peripherals for years. So when the opportunity arose to review their Ultimate Wired Controller (UWC) for Xbox, I was of course intrigued to try it out and see if it lives up to its “ultimate” moniker.

The controller retails for $44.99/£39.99 at the time of writing and comes with the following items:

• Ultimate Wired Controller for Xbox
• Instruction manual

You can find more details about the controller's specs below:

Even with its affordable price tag, 8BitDo didn’t cut corners on the hardware. This controller’s build is comparable to the original Xbox controller’s hardware and feels sturdy.

Initially, the UWC seemed more compact than the official Xbox gamepad but when comparing them side by side, it appears that this isn’t the case. Rather, the UWC has a slightly different form factor, with the handles more straight than the slanting ones of the original controller. This isn’t a bad choice as it still feels comfortable to hold and each button is easily accessible while holding it.

As for the buttons themselves, they are nearly as identical to the press as the original Xbox Series controller. However, I found the RB/LB to have more travel than the original accessory. The D-pad, which looks and feels more like a traditional D-pad, is also less clicky than the OG controller but gives decent feedback, as do the other buttons.

8BitDo also included a handy toggle for the mic next to the 3.5mm headphone jack as well as a “star” which enables you to reassign button functionality on the controller itself. My favourite inclusion however is that of the back buttons. I am an overt proponent of these extra keys that are ergonomically accessible with the fingers that rest at the back of the controller and are otherwise unused.

There are two back buttons on the UWC, named P1 and P2, and these can be mapped to another button via the 8BitDo Ultimate Software. This will store your configuration as an on-board profile (3 in total), which you can change with the dedicated profile button (indicated with a light indicator).

 

The software is a handy tool that further lets you adjust the vibration intensity, stick & trigger sensitivity and remap nearly any face buttons. You can thus create up to 3 custom profiles with personalised configurations based on your needs. I found having several profiles handy as I can just configure different back button mappings for different games (I usually map them to stick clicks or RB/LB for less reach).

However, I would have preferred having the ability to map the back buttons on the device itself rather than have to rely on yet another software to clutter my laptop. It is an option on other controllers like the Gioteck WX4 and would be welcome with the UWC as well. In addition, having more than two back buttons would be even more true to the “ultimate” moniker, as it would allow for further customisation to be possible.

 

Another improvement that would be welcome would be to have a detachable cable. While the UWC is advertised as a wired controller (it’s in the name), having a detachable cable would nonetheless be welcome for storage or replacement purposes.

And honestly, I would prefer having the option to go wireless on the same device. This would make the device more versatile and suitable to more gamers’ needs.

But at $44.99/£39.99, the 8BitDo Ultimate Wired Controller for Xbox is fairly decent. It has a quality build, packs some welcome features and has that traditional D-pad feel going for it. It could do with some improvements to truly be an “ultimate” wired controller but at that price tag, you could do much worse. It’s an easy recommendation for a Player or replacement controller that won’t break the bank.