Dongles have a well-earned reputation for being a nuisance. They’re often costly and annoying to deal with, but for gamers, there’s one that I love to recommend that’s neither. 8BitDo’s $20 USB Adapter 2 lets you wirelessly link controllers to the Switch 2 that would otherwise be unsupported, like the Sony DualSense (complete with rumble and motion controls), Microsoft’s latest Xbox gamepads, and more. You can plug it into the Switch 2’s dock or use a USB-A-to-USB-C adapter to connect it directly to the console.
It’s great to save money, since I can simply use a controller that I already own instead of buying a new one. And I sometimes forget that I’m using a PS5 controller in games like Splatoon 3 because its motion controls feel just as accurate as a controller made for the Switch.
There’s another similar dongle available that’s a smidge cheaper and a lot smaller. The GuliKit Hyperlink Gen 2 USB-A adapter comes included with the company’s TT Pro and TT Max controllers, or you can buy it alone for $16.99 at Amazon. It’s compatible with Xbox controllers and PlayStation 4 and 5 controllers. Similarly, you can plug it into a Nintendo Switch 2, a PC, a Steam Deck or other handheld PCs, and Android devices. But GuliKit’s list of supported controllers isn’t as extensive as 8BitDo, which dates back to the PS3 and Wii era and also includes its fleet of wireless controllers.
Nice as this is, there are some features neither dongle offers: remote console wake-up (you first have to turn on the console manually to pair the controller) or wireless audio (the 3.5mm headphone jacks in the DualSense and Xbox controllers are useless when paired to either). Lastly, you can only connect one controller at a time to each dongle (you’ll need to buy two in order to pair a second controller). I don’t think any of those are deal-breakers, but they’re worth knowing before you buy one.
Then there are things that only 8BitDo’s dongle can do. For one, you can customize the heck out of several non-8BitDo controller models with its free Ultimate Software, including button remapping, macros, vibration intensity, trigger range, and stick sensitivity. Currently, GuliKit offers no such software, although its PR manager, Olivia Chen, told me that the company aims to release Android and iOS apps with similar functionality in Q2 2026. Also, the 8BitDo model lets you input button combinations that trigger different connection modes, including Xinput, Dinput, Mac mode, and Switch mode.
As for what the GuliKit has going for it, the rumble in some games (namely Hollow Knight: Silksong, the game I’ve been playing the most recently) feels more like the HD rumble offered in good Switch controllers, like the EasySMX S10. The 8BitDo, by comparison, makes this game’s rumble feel like an afterthought. However, other games are a toss-up on which dongle offers a better-feeling rumble effect. Donkey Kong Bananza’s intense rumble for even the slightest of movements feels like garbage on the DualSense, no matter the dongle it’s connected to.
If you ask GuliKit, the Hyperlink Gen 2’s biggest feature is its PC-exclusive low-latency wireless connection. It can boost controller polling rate (or how quickly your controller inputs are sent to the gaming device) beyond what consoles are capable of, and it’s supposed to also reduce input latency. The improved latency didn’t have as pronounced of an impact as I had hoped, although I enjoyed the easy setup and improved connection overall — something that both dongles (and countless Bluetooth dongles made for PC) can offer.
For some, buying a new controller that’s guaranteed to work well with your Switch 2 is worth an added cost. If that’s you, allow me to direct your attention to my buying guide full of good yet relatively affordable Switch 2 controllers. But if you’re keen on repurposing hardware that you already have, these low-cost dongles make a lot of sense to try.
Photography by Cameron Faulkner / The Verge
Read the full article here
