3rd Party Switch Pro Controller Recommendations

[BananaDunka]

I've now ordered the GuliKit KK3, ok so i overblew my original budget by £20 but looking at reviews, it's the most comprehensive out there and the maglev vibration sounds great. I also like that i don't need to pair up to my phone and use an app to update firmware, just drag and drop a file over USB and the update happens automatically. So simple.

I will be returning the Gamesir Cyclone Pro 2. Other than these quality of life features, the KK3 seems to be more premium too which is expected whilst the rest of the features are evenly matched (aside from the fact that the Cyclone has trigger motors too).

Should be here this evening, I've gone for the grey "retro" colour with purple buttons

 

[Timber]

Should be here this evening, I've gone for the grey "retro" colour with purple buttons

One I have, nicest looking colour option if you ask me.

 

[BananaDunka]

Yup it's such a cool colour, reminds me of my NES pads from back in the day

Edit*

Oh yeah another reason I think mechanical switches are great for the d-pad is for this:

Hopefully the KK3 doesn't have this issue with their switches.

 

[BananaDunka]

Having just seen a teardown I might cancel my order as it's not shipped yet:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Controller/comments/192obd7/gulikit_kk3_max_teardown/

It doesn't have mechanical buttons like they claim on the website, membrane, so the d-pad will have the same issue as shown above. Will keep the Cyclone 2 Pro as the entire face buttons array are mechanical switched and I love how they feel and sound.

Edit* Damn cancellation not possible, guess I'll try them out anyway lol and see if they live up to scrutiny against the Cyclone.

 

[Timber]

Having just seen a teardown I might cancel my order as it's not shipped yet:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Controller/comments/192obd7/gulikit_kk3_max_teardown/

It doesn't have mechanical buttons like they claim on the website, membrane, so the d-pad will have the same issue as shown above. Will keep the Cyclone 2 Pro as the entire face buttons array are mechanical switched and I love how they feel and sound.

No it doesn't - similar to the older KK2 from what I remember. The Cyclone would be better in that regards.

The usp/reasons to get the KK3 is going to be its Xbox contoller ergonomics, paddles, trigger stops or you need android support. Maybe their vibration tech too.

I haven't used the dpad hugely (playing MK8 DLX or Brotato recently) but I don't think it's as nice as the 8bido dpad. Slightly mushier than the Xbox One (not series) controller.

 

[BananaDunka]

Looks like they updated the wording on the website now too, now says Tactile instead of Mechanical

As long as it feels good then that's all that matters. I guess mechanical face switches are not really user-replaceable whereas membranes are, so there is that too.

I'll wait for t to arrive and put both side by side.

 

[Timber]

They definitely got pulled apart in reviews to trying to say mechanical buttons.

To me they feel 'tighter' than the Xbox One/Series controller, maybe less actuation. Very comparable to the feel of 8bitdo Pro 2 buttons, but not as quite as large and more concave.

 

[BananaDunka]

KK3 is excellent, a few annoyances but nothing major I'd say. Does yours run at 1000Hz via the dongle tw? Mine seems to see 500Hz as the max. Also I have the 3.9 firmware that came out this month, changes the LED behaviour:

 

[Timber]

KK3 is excellent, a few annoyances but nothing major I'd say. Does yours run at 1000Hz via the dongle tw? Mine seems to see 500Hz as the max. Also I have the 3.9 firmware that came out this month, changes the LED behaviour:

Oops I'm on the 3.1 FW, so clearly need to update. Thank you for the heads-up. I'm getting 449.xx hz when running the XInputTest_1000 samples. Which sounds like 500hz but how are you checking this?

Btw did the GamePadTester as got this, which is different from when I first tested the KK3.

 

[BananaDunka]

Polling rate can be checked using Gamepadla: https://gamepadla.com/ (at the bottom, left one)

think I sussed it, it uses variable polling so the faster you react the higher the polling rate is when turning the sticks, kinda neat:

Which then takes you to a web portal to upload your results and see a graph etc:

8 is one of my previous runs using the USB as wanted to test that too. The vlues shown are in order min/average/max and then the polling rate detected.

 

[Timber]

OK done. I didn't upload to the cloud but on my Win 11 desktop get similar numbers to yourself.

Is is coming up as a much older F/W although I definitely remember installing V3.1 but clearly need to re-look at that.

EDIT: Just noticed I can't spell Gulikit properly. Doh!

 

[BananaDunka]

FW updating is really easy on these, just press the buttons to get into FW mode and drop the single file into the USB drive that comes up. The controller does the rest

 

[BananaDunka]

Another ew FW is out as of last night, v4.0:

GuliKit KK3 MAX NS39 V4.0 Firmware -2024.04.09-GuliKit

 

[Timber]

FW updating is really easy on these, just press the buttons to get into FW mode and drop the single file into the USB drive that comes up. The controller does the rest

I've got V3.1 in my Downloads folder still and remember plugging the joypad in and moving the file over and everything. So probably likely I did something silly, or there's a small chance the early FW has an old version number. Later on tonight I'll sit down with it and update it (thanks for the heads up on the V4.0).

 

[Timber]

Tried installed the new V4.0 FW tonight/this morning and still have the odd V1.0.23 version number in the Gamepadla browser window (after the test).

That said I have checked and definitely have the new 3.2 onwards functionality with 4 different lighting modes on 'set button' + dpad left; as their website mentions: Default steady on, Joystick-activated flowing lighting, Vibration -activated lighting, Trigger -activated flowing lighting, Off. Also when I connect the joypad in USB mode the little GULI text file has 'Version 4.0' written at the bottom.

I definitely had downloaded V3.1 (when I got the controller in January) so therefore this functionality is new - replacing the brightness adjustment for the analog stick rings as far as I can tell. So my assumption is the Gamepadla software is picking up a completely rubbish f/w number. i.e. the controller shipped with 2.8 - not 1.0.23.

Odd issue.

 

[BananaDunka]

Just go straight to v4 firmware, gamepadla software shows the version of it, not the firmware btw! unless you mean in the browser results page, that's just a general entry, you're meant to manually update that

 

[Timber]

Just go straight to v4 firmware, gamepadla software shows the version of it, not the firmware btw! unless you mean in the browser results page, that's just a general entry, you're meant to manually update that

Yea I meant the browser page .

For some reason I thought that page would automatically pick up the joypad's FW version.

So all good. V4.0 FW installed.

 

[kakarott]

@mrk

Does the nova lite have analogue triggers and the nova digital?

 

[BananaDunka]

Yes the Lite has analogue and XBOX style ABXY layout, the Nova has digital hair triggers like a Switch pro and its ABXY is Nintendo layout.

 

[kakarott]

Yes the Lite has analogue and XBOX style ABXY layout, the Nova has digital hair triggers like a Switch pro and its ABXY is Nintendo layout.

Analogue is better right where you apply the pressure you want?