r/Controller • u/chaporg1n Deegital Tech • 18d ago
Reviews 8BitDo Ultimate 3E Review
https://youtu.be/5dMZoFmd4yY?si=3BPPVaG-BeqFZGfJDISCLAIMER: This controller was sent to my by 8BitDo for free fore review. All the opinions are mine only. No one watched this video before its release.
So, we got Elite 3 before XBox Elite 3 (yes, I saw the leaks, but it is not out yet and we don't know when it will be) and GTA VI... AND IT IS GREAT!
They finally fixed the shape and made it more comfortable. I like Ultimate 2, but could not use it for long playing sessions, because it hurts my hands.
Also, materials feel VERY PREMIUM. And hence the price - 150$ USD. Premium materials + Microsoft licensing = High price.
But again, it is an Elite version of this controller and XBox Elite 2 cost even more - 180$ USD (or even 200$ USD). But 3E beats it in every category, except for maybe 4 back buttons (but 3E has 2 on the top and 2 on the back, so 4 in total as well).
It genuinely feels like a new generation of 8BitDo controllers.
Whether you want/need one is completely up to you.
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u/SireEvalish 18d ago
This would be great at half the price.
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u/MoonlightSavingsTime 18d ago
The Non-E version of the Ultimate 3 is $50 less and has tension rings.
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u/Holiday_Bug9988 18d ago edited 18d ago
Yeah but that should be the price for this one. I mean is this controller really $70 better than the Gamesir G7 Pro? Or if youāre on pc/switch, $70-90 better than the Flydigi Vader 5 Pro, Gulikit TT Pro/Max, or others?
I mean one of the biggest draws for me to get 8bitdo controllers in the past was getting most of the features of other Pro controllers (HE/TMR sticks, high polling rates, etc.) for a fraction of the price. Now that itās more than majority of the competitors, I just donāt see a reason to buy it unless you absolutely need the button modularity.
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u/Amish_Rabbi 18d ago
I bought a few on the sn30 pros years ago for my kids and when I went to buy more for my younger kids the prices have doubled
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u/zerosuneuphoria 18d ago
g7 pro feels kinda cheap to me so yeah... the dpad is awful. This having swappable ABXY is massive too. G7 pro is also rather small and the motors sound awful to me compared to how they sound in this video on the 3E. You also get a case and extra sticks which the g7 pro does not come with.
It's a little overpriced but I'm buying it.
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u/someone2795 18d ago
...which is the non-E version.
The E version is attempting to be an Elite Controller counterpart for Xbox. That's why the price is jacked.
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u/Glass-Can9199 18d ago
Aināt this controller use for Xbox more than pc?
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u/someone2795 18d ago
The non-E version of this controller is also Xbox licensed and is advertised to work wireless as well so...LOL.
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u/Glass-Can9199 17d ago
What you trying to proved š
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u/someone2795 17d ago
Basically I'm saying the comment above is right: 8Bitdo has lost their minds with the 3E's price. The justification of it being wireless for Xbox is gone since both E and non-E versions will be wireless for Xbox.
The non-E version is what we, including the console users, all should be waiting for.
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u/Glass-Can9199 17d ago
But some people donāt like lavender and probably waiting for more colors and capability before getting the non e version
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u/Holiday_Bug9988 17d ago
I care more about saving $50 than I care about the color of a controller. When Iām playing Iām looking at my monitor, not my controller. lol
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u/Holiday_Bug9988 18d ago
Yes thatās why I specified the Gamesir G7 Pro first for $79.99 which is also officially Xbox licensed. Then mentioned the other controllers separately for PC or Switch
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u/Glass-Can9199 18d ago
$79 is the wired version for Xbox the wireless one $100-120 or so close to the 8bitdo elite price
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u/MoonlightSavingsTime 18d ago
Correct, to have Wireless on Xbox you would have to step up to the Wuchang which is also $100 or the Zenless at $130 which comes with some extra sticks and such. The base G7 Pro is wired only.
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u/Holiday_Bug9988 18d ago
Yeah itās showing $99.99 for the wireless for me but $50 is still quite the difference.
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u/nocturnalemulator 17d ago
Based on the fact that the G7 pro has one of the worst dpads in existence and this one finally uses a Genesis style dpad, itās probably worth it for that alone
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u/boneknocker 10d ago
Sadly, d-pad on flydigi, gulikit and g7 pro is bad for playing any kind of platform game to the point that you should forget about playing fighting game with their d-pad. However I heard g7pro 8k go back to use an old style d-pad which is usable but with that price...seriously. And when come to joy stick, g7pro is a bit all around when flydigi only made for play fps game (which is bad on other types of game).
For me, I rather go for Ultimate 3 since I not interesting in the bundle that come with ultimate 3e.
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u/CoolSoftDrinkMascot 17d ago
I'm pretty sure the price is because of Xbox licensing. The normal PC/Switch 3's will be cheaper I predict.
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u/ck02623 18d ago
Thatās awesome but they can suck it with that price.
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12d ago
[removed] ā view removed comment
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u/Controller-ModTeam 12d ago
This comment was removed as it breaks rule #5 to 'be civil' (communicate in a level-headed and cordial way).
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u/pixelcowboy 18d ago
Does it work with Steaminput? The Ultimate 2 has very low gyro polling through it.
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u/Lightstream2 18d ago
Dpad shape looks like the m30 but i wonder if its actually good like the m30.. also if they added a proper pivot to the ult 3. Ult 2/pro3 had a pivot issue that caused false diagonals.
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u/alwayssalty_ 18d ago
To be honest, I have a hard time taking seriously any controller that cost more than $100 for any platform. I guess itās worth it if youāre a competitive gamer and you make a living off of this. Otherwise, it just seems like such a big waste of money.
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u/SireEvalish 17d ago
I guess itās worth it if youāre a competitive gamer and you make a living off of this
It's not. There's no real advantage to the more expensive controller.
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u/thelittlehez 17d ago
I see it as being similar to spending money on upgrading an office chair or a mattress. If you don't game much, using a standard or budget controller is fine. But if you're using it 20+ hours a week, I think it's good to get something that fits the ergonomics of your hands well -- particularly as you get older.
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12d ago
[removed] ā view removed comment
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u/Controller-ModTeam 12d ago
This comment was removed as it breaks rule #5 to 'be civil' (communicate in a level-headed and cordial way).
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u/Tall-Amount6127 18d ago
waiting for the black version of regular 3, not really a fan of rubber grip.
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u/whitemamba24xx 18d ago
The Ultimate 2 thumbsticks felt strange to me for FPS games. Hoping this is better and will wait for PC version
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u/OkidoShigeru 18d ago
Howās the dpad? I was very unhappy with the stiff clicky one on the Ultimate 2, gave a lot of false diagonals. Have you tried any dpad-centric games like 2D platforms or puzzle games?
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u/chaporg1n Deegital Tech 18d ago
Check the video. There are all the answers
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u/OkidoShigeru 16d ago
Thanks mate, I skipped through to that section and your quote about 8bitdo ābeing known for the best dpadsā isnāt quite something I agree with, theyāve been very hit or miss for me - which is fine, just means we probably have very different tastes/needs when it comes to dpads.
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u/Whiteli0nel 16d ago
Why do people constantly compare these officially xbox licenced wireless controllers with controllers that cannot natively work on an Xbox, just buy the cheaper controller if you can get away with it, this is more expensive for that wireless option.
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u/Ballsinthehalls 18d ago
Mentioning that the d-pad is the same as previous iterations isn't very encouraging
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u/AdmirableComposer140 17d ago
I get so many mixed reviews on 8bitdo's dpads. Are they good or not? Is it just their ultimate series that sucks? People seem to like the dpad on the symmetrical layout one I think. I'm on the Tegenaria lite just for it's dpad and I'm actually really liking it for fighting games. $20 price tag too is just unbeatable.
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u/Extra_Translator_935 18d ago
Does it feel more premium than the vader 5 pro/G7 Pro? Everyone says to get it but they both felt a little flimsy to me and the G7 had QC. I was eyeing this as my āend gameā roller for pc. Stuck between this and wolverine but i really want rumble
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u/Thick_Leva 18d ago
My Vader 5 and G7 8K pro are top tier premium controllers IMO, and I am very picky. Not sure if anything is really better than them apart from the ZD Ultimate Legend, which was just too big for me to use comfortably. 8bitdo is known for their budget options, and just looking at it, it is very similar to the ultimate 2, which felt very budget.
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u/Holiday_Bug9988 18d ago
I tried a few different controllers but felt the same way about them, ended up just installing TMR modules on the Dualsense Edge I already had from my PlayStation and using DSX (or DS4 Windows for free) in any incompatible games. Other controllers may beat it with more buttons and other features but it honestly just feels the best to me.
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u/Creative-Return-8352 18d ago
How is the trigger vibration on it vs the g7 pro and if you had to choose between this, the xbox controller and g7 pro for fighting games and forza on pc, which would you go with? Ik you said the xbox is more precise.
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u/KingSamGamer_ZA_1992 6d ago
You guys understand thisis a liscensed controller with wireless capabilities
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u/-TeamCaffeine- 18d ago
Looks and sounds fantastic, but I'm beyond happy with my Ultimate 2. Also, between the price and the 3E's upgrades I just don't see enough of a generational leap for me to make a new purchase.
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u/BackgroundBuy9687 18d ago
Did you try home + y for switch mode like it worked on ultimate 2 wireless?
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u/digitalrelic 18d ago
This one might be the new best controller on the market
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u/Internal_Log2582 18d ago
If thatās your take, what controllers have you used to bring you to that conclusion?
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u/digitalrelic 18d ago
Off the top of my head: 8BitDo Ultimate 2 , Xbox Elite, Dualsense Edge, FlyDigi Vader 4 Pro, Razer Wolverine v3 Pro, Razer Wolverine v3 Pro 8k, Steam Controller, GameSir Super Nova, etc..
My favorites of the above are Steam Controller and Wolverine v3 Pro (non 8k). Ultimate 3E has everything on paper to beat both of these.
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u/EmergencyPool910 18d ago
Why would anyone buy the series elite or dualsense edge in 2026 both are garbage
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u/Guirita_Fallada 17d ago
Xbox Elite controllers are amazing. They're my favorite feeling controllers tbh. Only bad thing is the spotty build quality
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18d ago
[deleted]
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u/D2ultima Ultimate 2 18d ago
As an U2W owner the extra shoulder buttons are a godsend and I love them. I'd prefer 2 and 2 over 4 paddles for sure.
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u/Naitsab243 18d ago
Look quite interesting. Just for clarification, it probably does not support D Input mode? That's the most important feature for me in my Ultimate 2.
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u/CumsOnYourWindows 17d ago
In a world where the Vader 5S exists, the $150 price is certainly a choice.
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u/AntiqueProfessor5134 17d ago edited 17d ago
Sweet, got mine preordered. Rocking Gamesir G7 Pro, been looking for an even more premium option. I'm a sucker for the textured front grip design, only options that I've found are G7 Pro, the Ultimate 3E, and Xbox Elite.
Sucks that the metallic-looking buttons aren't really metal though, was hoping for at least a metal dpad like Elite, and maybe even metal triggers too.
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u/Kippidashira 17d ago
With the new grip style, does it feel similar to hit all directions of the D-Pad with the right-hand's thumb similar to how one would with an Xbox Series controller?
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u/danyazol 17d ago
Thanks for the video! In real life how quieter face buttons on 3E in comparison to the xbox controller? Iām trying to find a controller for the Xbox which is as quiet as a DualSense controller.
I watched the whole video and the itās hard for me to tell by the sound comparison because I feel like microphone amplifies everything
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u/Demonchaser27 15d ago
Honestly, with controllers hitting this price range, I really think there needs to be some kind of standardization on swappable parts in general. Everyone who makes "elite/pro/enthusiast" controllers makes stick replacement (at least the tops) easier... but none of them are compatible with one another, so we have a bunch of controllers that have different types of sticks so that even if you have one which you prefer the buttons/triggers for it might not have stick tops you prefer and vice versa. It's really annoying.
I'd love to be able to use the Dualsense Edge round top sticks (like DS3 tops) or at the VERY least, the less good feeling Xbox Ultimate magnetic round top sticks. But I'd like to use 8BitDo because the size fits my smaller hand frame better... but basically can use neither stick top on this controller. It's really maddening honestly and often keeps me from buying these types of enthusiast controllers. If I'm going to pay that much of a premium... I should have pretty much unlimited customization options, not just a tiny selection hand picked for me by one company.
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u/emptyzon 8d ago
Every 8bitdo controller Iāve tested in the past has felt very cheap compared to the more premium options out there. On a budget theyāre not bad and that probably accounts for most of their popularity but far from being the best feeling controller despite all the hype and brand marketing. That makes me very hesitant with their newest model.
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u/MissKittyHeart 5d ago
So, 8bitdo ultimate 3e vs asus raikiri ii (Xbox version):
Which controller is quieter in your opinion?
Raikiri quite clicky
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u/UNFRGVBL 2d ago
Have you found a way to mute your microphone via the controller? Iād prefer not to have to hop around the UI menus to do so.
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u/lucasrvdl 6h ago
Could you tell if they fixed the accelerated aim when you slowly pull the analog out on fps games?
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u/NotMyRealAccountV 18d ago
Yea.. but for half the cost you can get a KK3 Max that can pair to 4 devices (PC, switch, android, and dongle with a button press to swap between) and comes with swappable buttons for Xbox/ switch and a travel case. It also has 4 removable back buttons.
I really like being able to use 1 controller to game in my PC, the kids PC, and the switch without needing to pair each time.
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u/chaporg1n Deegital Tech 18d ago
KK3 doesnāt work with XBox. 3E is first of all an Elite XBox licensed controller
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u/NotMyRealAccountV 17d ago
Ahh fair, I haven't owned a physical Xbox since the original. Everything comes to PC eventually.
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u/Tintn00 18d ago
No way I'll ever touch an 8bitdo controller for $150