The number of Nintendo Switch 2 controllers is growing, and just like the original 2017 platform, it won’t set you back an arm and a leg to grab a third-party accessory for it. For instance, GuliKit has just launched two new controllers for Switch 2, and they cost less than $30. What’s truly amazing, however, is the fact that the pro model sports advanced TMR thumbsticks for that price, which may make them contenders for our best Nintendo Switch controller list.
I can already hear you asking what the catch is here. Honestly, from looking at the features list of the GuliKit ES and ES Pro, it’s hard to say. Alongside TMR sticks, you get a 1,000Hz polling rate when used in wired mode on PC, a 950mAh battery that should give you around 30 hours of use, gyro and motion controls for aiming, and Hall Effect triggers. For $29.99 at Amazon, the ES Pro doesn’t seem like a bad deal at all.
If you don’t actually care about TMR sticks, the GuliKit ES gives you the same controller body with marginally cheaper Hall Effect sticks. That one costs an even more reasonable $24.99 at Amazon. For those who aren’t up to speed on the differences in those two types of thumbstick modules, both use electromagnetics to register your inputs. Both are immune to stick drift, too, although TMR uses a much higher resolution, allowing for a vast increase in accuracy.
If I had to give you a catch here, it’s that neither controller has a set of back buttons to its name. It’s hard to get picky at this price point, but with most third-party controllers launching with back buttons these days, it does feel like an area these pads are coming up short in. That’s particularly true when Nintendo’s official Pro Controller now has back buttons.
I’d be really interested in these pads if they did have back buttons, because something I’ve always liked about GuliKit is that, where possible, you’ll see the brand using magnetic back paddles, as opposed to integrated buttons. These are slightly different, and they feel a whole lot more premium on the DualSense Edge and Elite Series 2 controllers. They’re also rarely found on third-party pads, so I’m always happy to see GuliKit bucking that trend.
Still, wider compatibility for Windows devices is going to be a big win for folks who just want a relatively simple PC controller for their desktop, Steam Deck, or laptop. Thanks to Bluetooth connectivity that’s homegrown by GuliKit, both the ES and ES Pro can make use of a 730Hz polling rate in wireless mode on PC, and the brand is calling these the fastest wireless controllers in the world, thanks to a 3.25ms latency. While that might be true, I often find that while Bluetooth speeds can be faster, they can also be a lot more volatile, like when I recently tested the Wireless HORIPAD for Steam. Even if GuliKit has managed to get a miraculously speedy connection, the polling rates aren’t quite up there with the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro 8K’s. Either way, controllers are definitely starting to get quicker.
Also take a look at the best PS5 controllers, the best Xbox Series X controllers, and the best PS4 controllers.
