Is the Switch Pro Controller worth it?

[kiwi-strawberry]

So I will finally be getting my first Switch for Christmas this year! One of the first thing I noticed in the large amount of playing options the Switch offers. And with Smash Ultimate coming out right around the time I buy my Switch, It means I am very town about which controller(s) I should use. On one hand, I hear everyone talking about how great the Gamecube controller is, but the adapter is an extra $20 and, realistically, I'd only use the GC controller for Smash. On the other hand, while the Pro Controller can be used for *almost* any game, connectivity issues and the possibility of input lag (whether these issues actually exist or not, I've heard this is a general case with all wireless controllers) worry me and make me question if the $70 is worth it or not. Buying a knock-off controller from a third party company also isn't an option for me because I honestly don't trust them and want official stuff. So, what I want to know is, if you own the Pro Controller, do you think it's worth the price tag? What do you love about it? Does it have any major issues?

 

[Snowesque]

I'd go with the GC controller, feels great and you don't have to worry about the disconnection + charging song and dance.
Though, if Smash is the only thing you're able to use it with, I'd go with the Pro controller to get more usability out of it with different games.

 

[MasterM64]

How about both and get the best of both worlds? The Gamecube controller is an absolutely amazing controller for Smash and the Pro Controller is definitely a solid, remarkable controller overall. If you are playing a game like Breath of the Wild though, I recommend the Pro controller any day especially since it has a NFC Reader (for Amiibo) and Gyro Scope built into it which makes playing that game more enjoyable to experience. Considering AC Switch is on the way, I bet the Pro Controller will be the best way to experience it when it comes out. If you need to choose just one though, I would recommend the Pro Controller for sure!

 

[Cress]

Get the pro controller for sure, it's worth it. And the first party ones are absolutely better since from what I've noticed so far, none of the third party versions have gyroscope controls.
The pro controller never has any random disconnects and is responsive even from a different room so you won't have to worry about that problem that the joycons have. For charging, I use mine regularly and I only need to recharge it once every 2 weeks or so. The battery isn't quite as good as the Wii U's pro controller, but it's still more than plenty good.
I've heard about older models having problems with the d-pad, but I've never noticed them myself even tho I do have one of the older models. Whatever the problem was seems to be fixed on new models anyways.

 

[kiwi-strawberry]

Get the pro controller for sure, it's worth it. And the first party ones are absolutely better since from what I've noticed so far, none of the third party versions have gyroscope controls.
The pro controller never has any random disconnects and is responsive even from a different room so you won't have to worry about that problem that the joycons have. For charging, I use mine regularly and I only need to recharge it once every 2 weeks or so. The battery isn't quite as good as the Wii U's pro controller, but it's still more than plenty good.
I've heard about older models having problems with the d-pad, but I've never noticed them myself even tho I do have one of the older models. Whatever the problem was seems to be fixed on new models anyways.

Thank you so much for this info! This actually really helps me to justify it's price. (although it's like $10 off at Walmart rn)
I've never seen one in person or tested one out, but it seems like a well-built, high quality controller. I've heard it feels a lot like the Xbox 360 (in terms of texture/feel/material)/Xbox One controller,(by its shape) do you know if that's true? If so that'd be even better!

 

[Cress]

Thank you so much for this info! This actually really helps me to justify it's price. (although it's like $10 off at Walmart rn)
I've never seen one in person or tested one out, but it seems like a well-built, high quality controller. I've heard it feels a lot like the Xbox 360 (in terms of texture/feel/material)/Xbox One controller,(by its shape) do you know if that's true? If so that'd be even better!

Compared to the 360, it feels a bit lighter. The 360 feels a bit more durable, but the pro controller can hold up just fine. The buttons on the 360 are a bit more resistant and make a louder clicking noise when you press them (which I personally don't like, I'd rather take the softer buttons like the pro controller has). The sticks feel about the same. The pro controller has a slightly better grip, and is a bit more comfortable to hold imo.

Also remember that the A and B buttons are swapped between the 2. I use both controllers a lot and still get thrown off by that lmao (X and Y are also swapped but those buttons aren't used as much so that isn't as big of a deal).

 

[Matt0106]

Okay so, I just purchased this controller on Amazon for 59.99$ CAD (30% OFF FROM BLACK FRIDAY SO GO BUY IT IF YOU DIDNT LIKE THE ORIGINAL PRICE LOL), and I’ve been doing some research about the controller, and some people talk about how the D-Pad is terrible. Not that I really use the D-Pad (not even for NES games), but I’m sort of OCD when it comes to defects. Has anyone had a terrible experience with their pro controller? Drift? Faulty d-pad? I know I should’ve researched this but apparently the drift is WAY less common than it is for joy-cons (also it was 30% off and I have been wanting it for a while so how can I say no?) and I’ve heard many great things so I snagged it while I could.

 

[Cress]

Okay so, I just purchased this controller on Amazon for 59.99$ CAD (30% OFF FROM BLACK FRIDAY SO GO BUY IT IF YOU DIDNT LIKE THE ORIGINAL PRICE LOL), and I’ve been doing some research about the controller, and some people talk about how the D-Pad is terrible. Not that I really use the D-Pad (not even for NES games), but I’m sort of OCD when it comes to defects. Has anyone had a terrible experience with their pro controller? Drift? Faulty d-pad? I know I should’ve researched this but apparently the drift is WAY less common than it is for joy-cons (also it was 30% off and I have been wanting it for a while so how can I say no?) and I’ve heard many great things so I snagged it while I could.

For the d-pad:

I've heard about older models having problems with the d-pad, but I've never noticed them myself even tho I do have one of the older models. Whatever the problem was seems to be fixed on new models anyways.

And I haven't had any drifting issues with the pro controller myself (but yeah the joycons are a different story, those sticks are a mess lmao)

 

[Matt0106]

For the d-pad:

And I haven't had any drifting issues with the pro controller myself (but yeah the joycons are a different story, those sticks are a mess lmao)

Lol yeah the only reason why I’m getting the pro controller is because of those dumb joycons xD But now I’m high-key excited because it’s been so long that I’ve had a proper controller (GameCube controllers are not suitable in Splatoon 2 LOL)

 

[Matt0106]

OKAY SO UPDATE! The controller was delivered early, and holy crap, it is B U T T E R Y S M O O T H . No more drift like the Joy-Cons, the buttons feel great, the grip itself is super comfy. I know it's only my first day with it, but I'm really impressed with it and hopefully, this build quality will last for the months (and hopefully YEARS) to come.

 

[EpicGamer12]

I really enjoy my pro controller, glad you like yours too. My first pro controller, however, did have a very strange issue with the d-pad. I uploaded a video awhile back:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PX7eostllRE

 

[Justin]

Absolutely worth it in my opinion. Using the joy-cons in docked is like using a 3DS as a controller for Smash. Tiny buttons, tiny stick travel. It's not great. Pro controller makes it a real console.

It's also overpriced as hell but I think it's still worth it in the end if you will use it a lot.

 

[Matt0106]

Absolutely worth it in my opinion. Using the joy-cons in docked is like using a 3DS as a controller for Smash. Tiny buttons, tiny stick travel. It's not great. Pro controller makes it a real console.

It's also overpriced as hell but I think it's still worth it in the end if you will use it a lot.

I mean, it apparently has a 40-hour battery life which is insane. That, and the motion controls, HD Rumble, and NFC Reader are what make that price so high. I know people who are always switching DualShock 4 controls mid-game because they are always dying, so I'm more than happy to pay the extra fee for a battery that actually lasts xD

- - - Post Merge - - -

I really enjoy my pro controller, glad you like yours too. My first pro controller, however, did have a very strange issue with the d-pad. I uploaded a video awhile back:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PX7eostllRE

Oh mine does not have that problem (so far). Was it like that out of the box? That's probably the issue I saw going around on the Internet.

 

[Justin]

I mean, it apparently has a 40-hour battery life which is insane. That, and the motion controls, HD Rumble, and NFC Reader are what make that price so high. I know people who are always switching DualShock 4 controls mid-game because they are always dying, so I'm more than happy to pay the extra fee for a battery that actually lasts xD

Yeah, I charge mine like... a few times a year!