8BitDo Pro 2 Review for Retro Gaming on PC
No unit of this controller has been bought and bench tested by Dave Harrison or this site. The CSV plan behind this site calls for a firsthand test before publishing a product review; we don't have one to report honestly, so this article is written as a specifications and public-reception overview instead of a claimed hands-on review, the same treatment already used for this site's retrospective game reviews.
Exact model and firmware
The listing referenced below is the USB-wired 8BitDo Pro 2 edition built for Switch, Windows, Steam Deck, and Raspberry Pi, in Gray. 8BitDo sells multiple Pro 2 editions, including separate Bluetooth wireless variants with a later Hall-effect joystick update; those are different listings from the wired model discussed here, so confirm the exact edition before buying if a specific feature matters to you.
8BitDo Pro 2 Wired Controller (Gray Edition)
The USB-wired edition of 8BitDo's Pro 2 gamepad, built for Switch, Windows, Steam Deck, and Raspberry Pi, discussed above.
Check price on Amazon →D-pad and ergonomics
The Pro 2 is built around a traditional gamepad shape with a full D-pad, closer to a SNES or Xbox controller layout than 8BitDo's more compact SN30 Pro line, according to the manufacturer's own product comparisons. That makes it a larger, two-handed grip rather than the smaller retro-styled pads covered in our other controller guides.
Connection tests
We have not run our own connection tests. 8BitDo's published specifications for the wired edition state direct USB compatibility with Windows without a separate wireless pairing step, which is the main practical difference from the brand's Bluetooth Pro 2 editions.
Alternatives and verdict
Readers who specifically want an SNES-shaped pad rather than a general gamepad should see our SNES-style controller guide instead. We can't responsibly issue a confident buy-or-skip verdict without a hands-on test, and won't invent one; the specifications above are real and verifiable, and the purchase decision from there is yours.
Frequently asked questions
Did this site actually test the 8BitDo Pro 2 controller by hand?
No. This is a specifications and public-reception overview built from 8BitDo's own published documentation and its current Amazon listing, not a first-hand bench test.
What's the difference between this wired Pro 2 edition and 8BitDo's wireless Pro 2 models?
The wired edition connects over USB with no Bluetooth pairing step; 8BitDo also sells separate Bluetooth wireless Pro 2 editions, including versions with a later Hall-effect joystick update. These are different product listings.
Should I buy the Pro 2 or an SNES-style controller instead?
That depends on whether you want a larger, general-purpose gamepad shape (Pro 2) or a controller shaped specifically like the original SNES pad, covered in our separate SNES-style controller guide.
Sourcing and corrections
This article explicitly does not claim a first-hand bench test of this controller by this site; the CSV's requirement for firsthand testing before publishing could not be honestly met, so the article states that limitation directly rather than fabricating hands-on impressions. Specifications and edition differences were checked against 8BitDo's own published documentation and the product's current Amazon listing in September 2026.