CRKD has just launched its first ever pro controller and the ULT PRO has a pretty sturdy list of specs behind it. TMR thumbsticks, trigger stops, swappable components, and 1,000Hz polling on Windows would usually make for a pretty premium package, especially if you look towards the best PC controllers from names like Razer and Flydigi. The brand is launching the CRKD ULT PRO for just $69.99 (Amazon) today, though, undercutting a good wedge of the premium market.
After all, this is coming in the same month SteelSeries debuted the $260 (yes $260) Aeon Pro. There’s one hint here that the CRKD ULT PRO isn’t playing in quite the same arena, though. The BAYX face button layout is a dead giveaway that the brand is pointing this asymmetrical thumbpad at Nintendo Switch 2 players.
You won’t find clicky mechanical buttons, turbo-charged 8,000Hz polling rates, or complex software adjustments here, but for $70 the ULT PRO has quite a few green flags over competitors like the 8BitDo Ultimate 2, Switch 2 Pro Controller, and GameSir Super Nova.
The CRKD ULT PRO is available now via Amazon, with both a Pal Grey and Smoke Black edition up for grabs. Two gamepads are listed here, one for Switch and one for PC but it looks like the only difference between them is that face button orientation. Personally? I’ll take those brightly colored clackers over the gray model any day.
With charging dock in tow, the CRKD ULT PRO’s main competitor could be the 8BitDo number. The Ultimate 2 is currently the best Nintendo Switch 2 controller from a sheer value perspective, pitched at the same $69.99 (Amazon) price point.
It matches the ULT PRO’s TMR thumbsticks, trigger stops, profile selection, and asymmetrical layout but adds motion control and wake functionality into the picture.
It’s strange that the ULT PRO would drop this gyro from its specs, considering it’s gone so far towards Switch compatibility as to create two separate SKUs for Nintendo and PC. It comes with its own advantages, though.
Rather than 8BitDo’s two back buttons, CRKD is rolling the dice on a more PC-centered four-pronged approach. These back paddles are skinnier than the chunksters seen elsewhere in the Switch market, resembling the excellent Razer Wolverine V3 Pro‘s implementation.
It’s not the only feature typically found on more robust PC controllers we’re seeing here. The ULT PRO also includes two additional shoulder buttons for extra programmability as well as a swappable stick toppers and d-pad.
This looks to be an all-in-one pro controller for those not willing to shell out the full $90 on the official model. But it adds a lot more to the package compared to Ninty’s. Sure, the classic Pro 2 Controller is all about feel, with particularly satisfying controls from the softly dampened face buttons to its incredibly smooth thumbsticks.
Would I take that over $20, profile presets, extra controls, trigger locks, and a charging dock? We’ll have to wait until we get our hands on the new release to find out, but it certainly looks good on paper.
We’re also hunting down the best PS5 controllers and the best Xbox Series X controllers available on the market.
