Our Verdict
The Nintendo Switch Pro is well-built and comfortable to hold, and it works okay as a PC controller if you want a controller you can also use on the Switch. However, its high price and lack of analog triggers dents the appeal of this controller for use with PC.
- Great build quality
- Comfortable to hold
- Can be used on Switch and PC
- No analog triggers
- Quite expensive
- No native Windows support
A Nintendo Switch controller probably isn’t the first option that springs to mind when considering a gamepad for a PC, and Nintendo hasn’t exactly been known for its PC support in the past either. However, technically the Nintendo Switch Pro controller can be made to work on a PC, just with a few caveats.
The result isn’t the best PC controller you can buy right now, of course, but this pad is well-built and comfortable to hold, and you can get it working in a lot of PC games. If you own both a PC and a Switch, and want just one controller to use for both devices, then it does the job.
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Specs
| Navigation | 2 x analog sticks (with button press), 1 x d-pad |
| Face buttons | 10 x digital |
| Shoulder buttons | 2 x digital |
| Triggers | 2 x digital |
| Layout | Nintendo Switch |
| Weight | 246g |
| Dimensions | 106 x 152 x 60mm |
| Connections | Bluetooth, NFC, wired USB-C |
| Battery | 1,300mAh |
Design
The actual hardware of the Nintendo Switch Pro controller is excellent. I love the translucent design that lets you see the inner workings of the gamepad, and the overall feel of quality is right up there with the best.
The textured grips help it stay firmly in your hand, while the analog sticks and buttons feel solid and responsive. We didn’t feature any stick drift on the Switch Pro either, unlike the Switch joycons.
The layout and general ergonomics of this pad are decent too, with the controller feeling a bit like a cross between an Xbox controller and a Sony PlayStation DualShock. You also get an internal battery that can be charged via the USB-C input on the front of the pad, which is particularly convenient given how many modern phones also use this connection – it’s one less charger/cable you’ll need.
Performance
The single biggest stumbling block when using the Switch Pro controller with a PC is that wired support only comes via Steam, with no native Windows support, despite Nintendo using a standard USB-C port as the connector. Otherwise, you can also connect the controller to your PC via Bluetooth and it will appear as a standard Bluetooth game controller.
However, this setup still limits the controller to DirectInput-compatible games, rather than Xinput ones. To get around this limitation, you can install an app to map the DirectInput instructions to XInput ones, but it’s a bit of a hassle.
What’s more, even when you’re up and running, you’ll find there are no analog triggers. Instead, you get two conventional buttons, which are useless for racing games or any other actions that require fine control.
You can still get a lot of PC games working well with the Switch Pro, though, particularly if they don’t benefit from analog triggers. For example, Tunic works great, as does Minecraft, and Lego Star Wars is good fun on it as well. The quality d-pad also makes the Switch Pro controller a good partner for retro games. That said, it is really annoying when you find a game that doesn’t properly pick it up.
One other annoyance if you want to use the Switch Pro on both a PC and a Switch, at least as a wireless controller, is that it needs to be reconfigured when it’s moved between the two. So, if you’ve been using it on your PC for a few days, it won’t just instantly reconnect on the Switch without you having to manually add it in the settings.
Price
Aside from the lack of analog triggers, the one final downside to this controller is its comparatively high price. While it’s only $5-10 more expensive than its main rivals, the extra hassle of installation when you’re using a PC, and the fact that you lose those analog buttons means it feels like even less of a bargain.
Verdict
The Nintendo Switch Pro is a great quality controller, but its lack of native Windows support and analog triggers severely dents its appeal for PC gaming. A revised version that fixes these two issues would make it a genuine contender, but until then there are cheaper, simpler, and more capable alternatives.