The best Nintendo Switch 2 controllers have grown rather plentiful now that Nintendo’s current-generation console has been with us for about a year now. That also means the space can be quite daunting if you’re looking for a top-tier controller that’s a bit sturdier than the included Joy-Con 2.

Now, the brand’s official option, the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller, is brilliant and likely will be your first port of call when it comes to buying a dedicated controller for the handheld hybrid. However, as it’s on the pricier side (and has been the subject of price hikes in the US), it’s taking up our ‘best premium’ spot in this list. It’s still very much worthy of consideration, though, especially with its luxurious feel and class-leading battery life.

My personal choice for the best overall Nintendo Switch 2 controller is the 8BitDo Pro 3. Not only is it cheaper than Nintendo’s official offering, it’s packed with features, has excellent build quality, and solid battery life. So, whether you’re after an all-rounder like the Pro 3, something cheaper, or ideal for Nintendo Switch Online’s retro game libraries, read on to learn more about my top picks.

As an avid gamer who's owned everything from a Dreamcast to a Nintendo Switch 2, I've got years of experience in professionally testing controllers across several current and previous-generation consoles. At TechRadar, I've tested more than 60 controllers for review to date. So I'm confident that my experience can help you choose a quality gamepad that suits your style, preferences and budget.

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Best overall Nintendo Switch 2 controller

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Great build quality, superb features, and generous battery life, all at a very reasonable price? For my money, the 8BitDo Pro 3 is the best overall Nintendo Switch 2 controller available right now.

Don't be fooled by its retro, SNES-inspired looks; there are so many cool features packed into the Pro 3 it's enough to make your head spin. Drift-resisting TMR sticks, digital trigger locks, two sets of extra remappable buttons (two on the rear, and a pair of claw grip bumpers up top), and hot-swappable magnetic face buttons are just the icing on the cake.

Usually, a feature set as stacked as this would demand a triple-digit sum. And yet the 8BitDo Pro 3 is offering it all for less than $60 / £50. It's also home to one of the best d-pads I've ever used, with a rugged texture and tactile feel that makes it feel so nice under your thumb. Battery life is pretty great, too, offering around 20 hours on a single charge, and an included charging dock for when you need to top up.

If you have the budget necessary, and you can only buy one controller on this list, make it the 8BitDo Pro 3. It may be missing the absolutely stellar battery life and build quality of our best premium pick below, but it ultimately wins the war on the features front.

• Read more: 8BitDo Pro 3 review

Best budget Nintendo Switch 2 controller

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The GameSir Nova Lite is a bit of an older controller, predating the Nintendo Switch 2 by around a year or so. However, the impression it left on me as a budget controller hasn't waned in the time since I reviewed it. This is a genuinely cheap controller that I'd recommend to just about anyone, even if your own budget is more generous.

I've lost count of the number of GameSir controllers I've reviewed over the years, including the excellent GameSir G7 Pro and GameSir Tarantula Pro. The Nova Lite remains one of my favorites, as it offers drift-resisting Hall effect sticks and surprisingly solid build quality for the price.

It also just sits so comfortably in the hands; GameSir clearly cares a lot about ergonomics, even on its cheaper kit like the Nova Lite. It also supports 2.4GHz wireless connectivity alongside Bluetooth, which isn't something you see often among cheap controllers.

There are compromises, though. There's no gyro aiming here, and battery life is a pretty middling 10 or so hours. But if you haven't the budget for other controllers featured in this guide, I can confidently say you won't feel short-changed by the GameSir Nova Lite.

• Read more: GameSir Nova Lite review

Best premium Nintendo Switch 2 controller

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In my original review, I named the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller "the best" for the platform. So what's changed? Well, for one, this was at launch, and before serious competitors like the 8BitDo Pro 3 emerged. It's also really pricey at retail, coming in at $89.99 / £74.99 / AU$119.95. That US price is especially noteworthy, as the pad was subjected to a price hike in the region not long after launch (it was $84.99 before that).

That's a fair bit of dooming up front, I admit. The good news is that I still wholeheartedly recommend the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller. Build quality is second-to-none, bearing a smooth matte finish that feels great in hand. The thumbsticks share that overt feeling of smoothness, too, and despite not bearing any anti-drift tech like Hall effect or TMR, I've yet to experience any issues with them.

A new addition here is the pair of remappable buttons on the rear of the pad. You can assign these on a per-game basis by opening up the Switch 2's quick menu while in-game, making it a breeze to load in secondary inputs if you need or want them.

Finally, you're getting all the Nintendo niceties and conveniences here. That includes easy access to firmware updates, native wireless connectivity, gyro aiming, and an NFC reader for amiibo scanning. Battery life is also best-in-class, with around 40 hours or so per charge.

• Read more: Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller review

Best Nintendo Switch 2 controller for retro games

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The Nintendo Switch Online subscription service plays host to a variety of retro game console libraries, all streamable to your Switch 2 with no downloads. There's a market for retro-inspired controllers, then, and Nintendo's own Switch 2 GameCube Controller is perhaps chief among them.

Yet I've gone for the excellent BattlerGC Pro over Nintendo's official option. Why? The main point of contention is that the official GameCube controller requires a Nintendo Switch Online subscription in order to buy. And yes, you'll probably already be subscribed if you're shopping for a retro game-facing controller. But if not, that's an extra irksome hurdle you might not want to pay for.

Plus, I find the BattlerGC Pro to be just a bit more comfortable to use, and is more versatile than the warts-and-all GameCube controller in that it has working clickable thumbsticks, and an extra bumper button. As a result, the BattlerGC Pro is a much better all-rounder, mixing a retro design with more contemporary features. So you're getting a 'best of both worlds' experience here.

The official GameCube model does have the BattlerGC Pro beat on battery life, though. It offers around 25-30 hours of battery life, with the BattlerGC Pro putting in a paltry 10 hours at best. Both are solid options for retro gaming sessions, but the latter still just about wins out for me on versatility alone. That said, you can read more about the Nintendo Switch 2 GameCube Controller below in our 'also consider' section.

• Read more: BattlerGC Pro review

Best Nintendo Switch 2 controllers - FAQs

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Rhys is TRG's Hardware Editor, and has been part of the TechRadar team for over four years. Particularly passionate about high-quality third-party controllers and headsets, Rhys strives to provide easy-to-read, informative coverage on gaming hardware of all kinds. As for the games themselves, Rhys is especially keen on fighting and racing games, as well as soulslikes and RPGs.