This PC Hardware Was Made for My Small Hands
▼ Summary
– The author’s personal hardware pick of the year is the 8BitDo Ultimate 2C wireless controller, which costs less than $30/£25.
– A key reason for choosing it is its preferred lilac color, highlighting that aesthetics and personal joy are important factors in hardware selection.
– Despite its low price, it offers valuable features like Hall effect joysticks and triggers, which help prevent stick drift.
– The controller’s compact form factor, similar to a Nintendo Switch Pro controller, is particularly comfortable for the author’s smaller hands.
– The author explicitly purchased this controller with their own money, which serves as high praise from a professional hardware reviewer.
Spending a year immersed in hardware reviews offers a unique perspective on what truly makes a product worth your money. While flashy specs and premium price tags often grab headlines, the gear that genuinely earns a place in your setup frequently comes down to a more personal connection. For me, that connection was found in an unexpected place: a budget-friendly gamepad that perfectly suits my smaller hands and my undeniable fondness for the color purple.
Many impressive devices crossed my desk, from high-end gaming headsets to whisper-quiet mechanical keyboards. Yet, my personal choice for the hardware that resonated most is the 8BitDo Ultimate 2C wireless controller. This decision might seem surprising, especially after reviewing professional controllers costing several times more. However, after hearing positive buzz from colleagues, I purchased this one with my own funds. Its standout feature? A delightful, all-over lilac colorway that coordinates perfectly with my other purple peripherals.
Of course, there’s more to love here than just aesthetics. For roughly thirty dollars, you receive a feature set that punches well above its weight class. The controller includes two extra remappable bumper buttons (R4 and L4) along its top edge. Crucially, all buttons, triggers, and joysticks utilize Hall effect sensors, which virtually eliminates the dreaded issue of stick drift, a remarkable feat at this price point. While the plastic construction can feel a bit creaky under intense pressure, it hasn’t been a problem during my typical gaming sessions.
The form factor is where this controller truly shines for those with smaller hands. Its design borrows from the Nintendo Switch Pro controller, featuring a more compact silhouette with straighter handgrips. This shaves off just enough width to make it far more comfortable and less fatiguing for extended use compared to bulkier, more angular pads. The underside retains a subtle curve for support, creating a well-balanced feel. For competitive players, the 1,000 Hz polling rate and softer D-Pad might not be ideal, but for my decidedly average multiplayer skills, it’s more than sufficient.
Comparing it to another excellent budget option, the GameSir Nova Lite, the differences become clear. While the Nova Lite costs slightly less and comes in a darker ‘purple,’ its more standard, angled grip was less comfortable for me. The Ultimate 2C’s tailored shape made it the clear winner for my grip. Ultimately, hardware is about more than raw performance; it’s about how a product fits into your life, both physically and aesthetically. If a piece of gear brings you joy to use and to look at, it has earned its keep. This controller did exactly that, making it the one piece of hardware I was happy to buy for myself this year.
(Source: PCGAMER)
