The Verge just crowned a $42 third-party controller as the best Switch 2 gamepad, beating Nintendo's official $90 Pro Controller. The EasySMX S10 delivers premium features like TMR joysticks, amiibo support, and HD rumble at nearly half the price, sparking fresh debate about whether gamers should skip first-party accessories.
The gaming accessory landscape just got a major shake-up. The Verge's comprehensive Switch 2 controller roundup reveals that third-party manufacturers are seriously outgunning Nintendo's official hardware, delivering premium features at budget prices that make the $90 Pro Controller look overpriced.
The clear winner? EasySMX's S10 controller, which earned an 8/10 score while costing $42 - nearly half the price of Nintendo's flagship. The S10 packs tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) joysticks that resist the dreaded stick drift plaguing Nintendo's potentiometer-based sticks, plus rare features like amiibo support and what reviewers called "the best adaptation of Nintendo's HD rumble" in any third-party controller.
But the real story here is the tech advancement happening outside Nintendo's walls. Every controller in the roundup features either Hall effect or TMR joystick technology, both superior to Nintendo's aging potentiometer design. "The Switch 2 Pro Controller's potentiometer-based joysticks are prone to degradation over time," the review notes, while third-party options are "drift-resistant by design."
The value proposition gets even more striking with GuliKit's ES Pro at just $30. Despite lacking some premium features, it delivers Xbox-style ergonomics, eight-way D-pad functionality perfect for fighting games, and the same drift-resistant TMR sticks as controllers costing twice as much. The only major compromise? Weak rumble that reviewers described as "all-or-nothing."
8BitDo continues pushing customization boundaries with their Pro 3 at $66. The PlayStation-style controller lets gamers swap button layouts, replace analog stick caps with arcade-style nubs, and includes trigger locks for competitive gaming. However, poor rumble quality emerged as a consistent weakness across multiple third-party options.
The competitive landscape is intensifying rapidly. PowerA just launched a $70 Advantage Wireless Controller with Hall effect joysticks, while Hori debuted the Turbo Switch 2 in Japan featuring TMR sticks and a unique button-disable function for competitive play.
