Comparing Controllers

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This isn't Unity related, but my game dev efforts have basically halted in favor of other hobbies and actually playing finished games rather than my own prototypes. I wasn't compensated in any way; I just wanted to write up something about my experience. Have a peek upon my experience comparing two controllers playing games in Windows.

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I have been using the Xbox controller for maybe 4 years. I bought it prior to the Cyberpunk 2077 release, so I may have gotten it earlier in 2020. I also got the charging base and a recharable battery at some point. Over the last month, I've been using the 8BitDo Ultimate 2.4G controller exclusively. Both of these controllers have a recharable battery and wireless connectivity. The intial drive to buy another controller was partly curiosity about hall effect sensors, partly to have a controller I could leave at work, and a little frustration at the bluetooth connectivity from the Xbox controller

Price

Unless you're a really big Cyberpunk 2077 fan, the price of that controller today seems a little silly. Aside from that, you can purchase a basic controller from the Microsoft Store for less than the 8BitDo, but you still probably want to get the recharable battery, and the base is just extra since you can just charge with a USB-C cable. The options offered from the MS Store seem kinda fun with the ability to customize all of the buttons, the color, and options for rubber grip, but it's going to run you about $70. You can check it out here.

I wanted to try the 8BitDo as more of a budget option, despite it's basic black aesthetic. When it arrived, I wasn't disappointed and it didn't feel overpriced.

Connectivity

I've been using the Xbox controller for years with the same bluetooth adapter in my PC, but recently, I started having issues with it pairing up. I started finding that it was reluctant to be recognized in Windows, causing some mild frustration. I've also noticed that if I moved my hands below my keyboard drawer, that it might have a brief drop in connectivity. Also, an attempt to pair bluetooth headphones meant that either the controller or the headphones weren't going to work. This is all probably due to the cheapest bluetooth USB adapter I could find on Amazon. It worked for years, but something changed recently.

The 8BitDo uses a 2.4g connection and it has connected without issue with the provided adapter everytime, and quickly. I won't pretend to have a thorough understanding the physicis behind the difference between bluetooth and 2.4g, but I will say when it comes to controllers and mixing brands and devices, 2.4g has been more realiable.

Ok, this prompted a quick question to ChatGPT...

"In summary, Bluetooth is a specific wireless technology that operates in the 2.4 GHz frequency band, while 2.4 GHz wireless is a more general term that includes various wireless technologies operating in the same frequency band."

This doesn't really give me a better insight into how they work, but it seems like if you keep your devices connecting between devices and receiver developed by the same manufacturer, you might have an easier time.

Weight Comparison

The model 1708 comes in at 274g with the recharable battery. It gives it a more quality feel (See Jurassic Park quote.) Overall the 1708 has what feels like a denser contstruction and tighter buttons. The 8BitDo feels lighter, but this doesn't mean it feels cheap.

The 8BitDo weighs 224g and if you take it out of context comparing the two, its weight feels good.

Ergonomics and Feel

The shape of both the controllers is so similar that it's difficult to really make a comparison, however, the Xbox controller does have slightly flared out grips and that seems like it should be more comfortable if you're like me and rest your arms on an armrest while you're playing something.

There's something about the shape of the 8BitDo being more of a square shape, rather than trapezoid like the Xbox controller that just seems to feel a little better in high intensity games using the thumbsticks like in a Soulsborne game. Maybe it's just a recency bias. This likely also comes down to personal hand sizes, and the 8BitDo is just a little more compact.

Buttons! The difference in the buttons was the biggest thing that stood out to me, because obviously I mashed on all the buttons before I even turned on the 8BitDo. My only real gripes with the 8BitDo are the shoulder buttons, and the D-pad. This doesn't mean they're bad, they're just a little less satisfying than the 1708. The shoulder buttons on the 8BitDo feel splashy and loose. Without dissecting my controllers, it feels like the 8BitDo is using rubber dome type buttons for the shoulder buttons, where the 1708 feels like a clickier and more solid. This is a similar comparison on the D-pad. Actually, when I think about it, when I first experienced the D-pad on a Xbox One controller, I was immediately hooked and wanted one of my own for PC games. The 8BitDo has two extra buttons behind the grips. I haven't made use of these and I find them a little annoying clicking them inadvertently. Everything else feels about the same.

The sticks feel about the same between the two, and if I read a little or watched maybe a single youtube video on hall effect sensors, I would have learned that it doesn't contribute to the feel, but how the controller registers its position. I've never had drift from the 1708, so in the end, they feel the same.

The last thing about feel that I noticed was the haptic feedback. The 8BitDo feels bassier and more rumbly, and the Xbox controller feels like a lighter and faster buzz. In this case, I prefer the 8BitDo.

Audio Comparison

Because I love sounds, I've collected a very unscientific comparison for your ear sensors. For both, I clicked each button three times in this order: shoulder right, shoulder left, trigger right, trigger left, A, X, Y, B, D-pad: down, left, up, right.

My opinion of the 1708 holds true with the sound because it just sounds like better construction, but no one is listening to the way it sounds while you're playing something, so whatever.

I was probably too deliberate on the shoulder buttons for the 8BitDo, but I wanted to capture the splashiness of them. They just sound and feel less engineered.

Battery Comparison

For the battery nerds, the Xbox One battery that I purchased is a 1100mAh NI-MH. It can be charged and connected to the computer with a micro USB cable or a base station.

From the 8BitDo page: 480mAh Li-on battery, rechargeable 15 play hours with 2-3 hours charging time. It has a USB-C port on the top, but comes with a charging base.

On the size of the batteries alone, I'd say the Xbox controller should last longer, but I've never timed it. A quick Google search says a 1400mAh battery should last 30 hours, so probably more than 20, but less than 30. I just don't think charging is so inconvenient so a larger battery doesn't really matter to me.

Conclusion

For about the last month, I've picked up the 8BitDo without considering reconnecting the bluetooth adapter while playing Elden Ring on a new playthrough. Despite my initial criticisms, it really started to grow on me. I like that it connects almost immediately without futzing around in Windows 11 settings for Bluetooth devices. It also turns off faster.

The Xbox One Model 1708 feels like a higher quality when you stop to think about it, but once you start in a game it doesn't really matter as you focus on whatever you're playing.

If you're in the market for a new controller the 8BitDo Ultimate 2.4g is a great option for the price. It seems like it would be fun to create your own custom controller in the Microsoft Store and I suspect a better bluetooth adapter or improvements on newer models might alleviate those minor irritations that I have with my Xbox controller.