The 8BitDo Professional 3 Bluetooth Gamepad is on sale for $63 (was $70) till September 15, and in contrast to final week’s matching Labor Day supply, the GameCube-inspired purple version–by far the preferred choice–is eligible for Amazon’s deal. That is the primary low cost on the purple version for the reason that Professional 3’s August 12 launch. To save lots of 10%, be certain that to click on the coupon field on the shop web page. Based mostly on Amazon’s wording for the coupon phrases, it is potential this can be a single-use coupon that may solely be utilized to 1 8BitDo accent throughout the promotional window.
The Professional 3 has 2.4GHz Wi-fi and Bluetooth help on Nintendo Change, Change 2, and PC. It is also suitable over Bluetooth on Steam Deck, Apple gadgets, and Android smartphones and tablets. Quite a few enhancements and impactful new options make the Professional 3 a worthwhile improve, together with together with 4 further remappable buttons, TMR joysticks, set off locks, magnetic face buttons. The Professional 3 is bundled with an identical charging stand, an additional set of Tremendous Famicom-themed buttons, two units of sticks, and a USB-C charging cable.
All that mentioned, for those who’re procuring on a tighter price range, the Professional 2 continues to be an awesome controller for Change 1/2, PC, Mac, and cellular gadgets. Amazon has nice 8BitDo 2 Bluetooth Controller bundle offers. The controller usually prices $50 by itself, however with these bundles you may pay $42 and get a hardshell journey case.
Amazon additionally has good offers on 8BitDo’s flagship Final 2 Controller. PC gamers can get the two.4GHz mannequin for as little as $53, and Nintendo Change 1/2 customers can seize the Final 2 Bluetooth for as little as $60 (was $70).
Editor’s Observe: Article up to date September 4. Learn our unique 8BitDo Professional 3 assessment and shopping for information under:
$63 (was $70) | For Change 2, Change, PC/Mac, Cell, SteamOS
This is a rundown of the 8BitDo Professional 3’s specs, parts, and customization options.
8BitDo Professional 3 Specs & Options:
- Accessible in: Purple, G Basic, Grey
- Contains matching charging dock
- Connections & Supported Platforms:
- 2.4GHz Wi-fi: Change 1/2, PC
- Bluetooth: Change 1/2, SteamOS, Apple, Android
- Wired: Change 1/2, PC, Android
- 4 further remappable buttons:
- 2 again triggers
- 2 microswitch shoulder buttons
- Swappable TMR Joysticks (Tunnel Magnetoresistance)
- Put on-resistant steel stick rings
- Further pair of ball-top arcade stick caps
- Change set off sort by flipping switches:
- Corridor Impact Triggers
- Non-linear Microswitch Triggers
- Tactile D-pad
- Textured grips
- Magnetic ABXY face buttons:
- Swap A/B & X/Y for Nintendo or Xbox structure
- Further set of unlabeled face buttons
- Tremendous Famicom-inspired purple, yellow, inexperienced, blue
- Turbo Button
- Profile Button
- Enter mode change: D/S/X
- Twin-motor rumble
- 6-axis Movement Controls
- Battery: 1,000mAh
- Battery life: As much as 20 hours
- Weight: 242.4 grams
- Dimensions: 153.6 x 100.5 x 64.55mm
Customise controls with 8BitDo Final Software program V2:
- Remap inputs
- Create customized profiles
- Calibrate useless zones
- Alter stick/set off sensitivity
- Alter rumble depth
- Alter movement management sensitivity
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I’ve discovered the Professional 3 to be as large of an improve because the Final 2 was in comparison with its predecessor. The D-pad is noticeably higher than the one on the Professional 2, and it is superior to have the additional pair of remappable claw buttons on the shoulders and the 2 set off modes. Participating the set off locks turns R2 and L2 into microswitch buttons which might be nice for fast fireplace or for whenever you need to map face button actions to the triggers. With six buttons on the shoulders, you’ll be able to actually mix-and-match management schemes to suit your private preferences. The microswitches used for the again buttons additionally really feel nicer and quicker than those on the Professional 2.
8BitDo’s TMR sticks are smoother and extra exact than the already-good Corridor Impact sticks discovered on the Professional 2 and different older fashions. TMR electromagnetic sticks eat much less energy, and the tech is meant to carry up higher over time in comparison with Corridor Impact. TMR is commonly offered as Corridor Impact 2.0, as each function through magnetic sensors, which eliminates the chance of stick drift. For an added layer of sturdiness, 8BitDo’s sticks even have wear-resistant steel rings.
The 8BitDo Professional 3 prices $20 greater than the Professional 2, however the $70 value level aligns with the Final 2 Bluetooth, the producer’s flagship controller that helps each 2.4GHz and Bluetooth connections. The Professional 2, in the meantime, solely supported Bluetooth wi-fi and did not include a charging dock. The brand new model is the primary non-Final controller with a charging dock. A 2.4GHz USB-C dongle is saved within the backside of the dock. The addition of two.4GHz Wi-fi is definitely welcome, because it affords a quicker and extra steady reference to increased polling charges.
Just like the Final 2, the Professional 3 will be seen as a substitute for the Nintendo Change 2 Professional Controller. Nintendo’s official controller feels nice and even has a pair of again buttons, however there isn’t any denying that 8BitDo’s pair of premium gamepads are extra versatile due to its suite of bodily modifications and programmable customization choices.
There are a few variations between the Professional 3 and Final 2 Bluetooth. The Final 2 collection has rings across the sticks with adjustable RGB lighting results. The Professional 3 has an upgraded D-pad with improved tactile suggestions. Apparently, the G Basic version has a collection of raised ridges–three in every direction–whereas the purple and grey fashions have the acquainted directional arrows as a substitute. I did not check the G Basic, so I am unable to touch upon any tangible variations, however the D-pad on the purple Professional 3 feels higher to me than the Final 2’s D-pad.
The Professional 3’s coolest new customization possibility is the flexibility to swap face buttons. On the underside of the charging dock there is a storage compartment for the two.4GHz adapter. On the within of the quilt, you may additionally discover the 4 further face buttons and a small plunger-like software used to take away the buttons. It solely takes a second to swap out the total set of buttons.
Past altering up the look of your controller, you can also make a sensible change: Swapping A/B and X/Y to align with the Xbox button structure. Contemplating the Xbox button structure is commonly seen as the usual on PC, this can be a nice customization characteristic for many who play on PC/Mac, Steam Deck, and cellular. The Professional 3 would not help Xbox consoles, however you should use it for Xbox Cloud Gaming. And since you’ll be able to absolutely remap the controls utilizing 8BitDo’s Final Software program V2, you might even the swap the buttons and alter the controls in order that when a Nintendo recreation prompts you to press Y, you might be nonetheless urgent Y even when it is up high as a substitute.
With the Final 2 collection, the Bluetooth mannequin will work on the entire similar platforms because the Professional 3, but it surely has the Nintendo button structure. To get the Xbox structure, you’d have to buy the Final 2 with out Bluetooth. This protects you 10 bucks, however the two.4GHz mannequin of the Final 2 is not suitable with Nintendo consoles. The Final collection has all the time had a separate 2.4GHz mannequin for PC gamers and a barely dearer mannequin that provides Bluetooth and Change help. There’s nothing improper with that launch mannequin, particularly for many who aren’t considering Nintendo consoles. But it surely’s cool that 8BitDo created a built-in answer for many who have points with Nintendo’s management structure on different platforms.
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The ball-top stick caps really feel extra like a throw-in bonus versus a characteristic 8BitDo expects to turn into a preferred various to traditional sticks. The producer mentioned they designed the caps “purely for enjoyable.” After making an attempt them out, I truly suppose they’re fairly cool for brief spurts, however the spherical form naturally is not the perfect from an ergonomics perspective. Your thumbs would most likely begin to harm for those who used them constantly like conventional joysticks. I additionally experimented by inserting the controller on my desk and holding the stick like a (tiny) arcade stick whereas taking part in Galaga. Once more, not as dangerous as I anticipated, however the ball-top sticks actually are extra of a novelty than a sensible various for the superb conventional stick caps.
With 8BitDo’s Final Software program V2 app, you’ll be able to regulate stick, set off, and movement management sensitivities, create useless zones, modify rumble depth, and remap inputs. As much as three distinctive management configurations will be saved on to the controller, and you’ll cycle by them on the fly by urgent the profile button. I have not skilled any points mapping
8BitDo is having an enormous 12 months
The Professional 3 is simply the most recent main addition to 8BitDo’s spectacular accent lineup in 2025. As talked about, the Final 2 and Final 2 Bluetooth each launched earlier this 12 months. Earlier than that, 8BitDo kicked off the 12 months by introducing a clear inexperienced mechanical keyboard and mouse which might be formally licensed by Xbox. The Retro R8 Mouse was 8BitDo’s first 2.4GHz gaming mouse, and an alternate NES-inspired mannequin adopted a number of months later.
In August, 8BitDo launched its first conventional Xbox controller with wi-fi help. Formally licensed by Microsoft, the Uncommon fortieth Anniversary Version of 8BitDo’s Final 3-Mode Controller has a trendy blue-and-gold shade scheme, a steel D-pad, two again buttons, Corridor Impact sticks, and an identical charging dock. Try our restock information for extra particulars–the controller has bought out a number of instances since launch.
The Uncommon fortieth Anniversary Version arrived only a few weeks after 8BitDo’s final collaboration with Microsoft: a brand new model of the Final Cell Bluetooth Controller that helps iPhone and Android. The $50 Final Cell Bluetooth Controller is licensed by Xbox and may maintain all iPhone editions in addition to most Android telephones. In mid-July, 8BitDo launched a pair of all-button struggle pads for Change/PC and Xbox/PC.
8BitDo’s Professional 3 and the All-Button Arcade Controller work with Nintendo Change 2 out of the field, however for those who purchase the Final 2 or one of many different 8BitDo controllers with Change 2 help, you should still have to replace the controller’s firmware to get it to sync with the console. You may take a look at the Amazon hub we created for 8BitDo’s Change 2 controllers. We included a number of of the identical mannequin as a result of 8BitDo controllers typically have a number of retailer pages hosted by completely different respected sellers with Amazon achievement, and the costs can range from each day.
The most recent addition to the hub is 8BitDo’s reimagined N64 wi-fi controller, which was designed in partnership with retro {hardware} producer Analogue. The 8BitDo 64 Bluetooth Controller can be suitable with Change, PC, and Change 2 (with a firmware replace).
If you wish to evaluate the Professional 3 and Final 2 Bluetooth to Nintendo’s official controller, Amazon lastly has the Change 2 Professional Controller in inventory for $89–one buck under the controller’s new $90 MSRP.
