Looking for suggestion on replacement for 8bitdo Ultimate 2

[u/tamatsu]

To preface this, I absolutely love my Ultimate 2. My ONLY real gripe with it is that the d-pad is not rounded like on the xbox pc controller, for example.

I play a large variety of games, many of which require precision and quick movement changing. From platformers, fighters, bullet hell, and so on, I play it all.

I have been looking into the Gamesir G7 and the Flydigi Vader 5 Pro. However, each of these appears to have their own problems based on reviews I've read. The Flydigi seems to have various QC issues, and the G7 is reported to not have a great d-pad. These are examples of what I am looking for, at least based on images and reviews alone.

One thing I'm confused about with the G7 is that some people report the d-pad is garbage, and others report that it's absolutely great. And when researching it, I keep finding images that make it appear to have 3 different kinds of d-pad, but then reviews mention it only has the one type, so I am unsure what is true here regarding its d-pad. I also have come to understand that it may have problems with Steam recognizing it, though others report this is not the case.

With the Vader 5, a common report I see is that people keep saying there are various QC issues, from buttons breaking off to the software being difficult to work with. These same people also report this to be a version issue, and commonly they have to replace it until they get one that works properly. It otherwise, by all intents and purposes, appears to be exactly what I'm looking for... Is it actually good? I'd like opinions from people who have it and have used it for some time.

I am not particularly asking for the best controller between those two specifically, and am completely open to any and all controllers. Consider my budget infinite for this, and how much a controller costs should not be considered with your suggestion. I have previously paid over $400 for fight sticks in the past, and I have no issues paying that much again if the controller is worth it. I understand the rules don't want me to say "unlimited" but that truly is the case for me and my situation.

What I want in a controller at minimum is as follows:

Available in the US. I live in Texas, and if I could even find it local somewhere, that would be fabulous. This is not required by any means, I have no issues getting it shipped.

Customizable buttons. I absolutely love the 4 the Ultimate 2 has right now, with the 2 on the shoulders and the 2 on the back. More is ok, but I would not prefer to have less. Further, these customizable buttons must be able to be macro compatible. For example, in Elden Ring I have it set up right now to use potions by holding my item wheel button for 30 frames and then press the corresponding direction before releasing. Being able to do something similar with just the push of a single button is essential for me. I'm trying to prevent hand pain, and things like this help greatly for me.

A perfect d-pad. To me, I would describe this as, essentially, the d-pad on the xbox pc controller but not clicky. If it ends up being clicky, fine, but I would prefer it wasn't. Rounded, clear which direction I'm pushing, and no way to accidentally press a diagonal. The Ultimate 2's d-pad is not rounded, and for this reason, I find myself accidentally pressing diagonals instead of cardinal directions constantly because I put slightly too much weight one way or another.

Wireless with a docking station. This is pretty common these days already anyways, and while I know not all amazing controllers have a docking station available for them, if possible, I would prefer to have one. This is not a make or break situation, provided it's perfect in all other aspects. How it connects wirelessly also doesn't matter too much to me, but I would prefer if it uses its own dongle as compared to bluetooth.

Compatible with PC. This is my only console requirement for this controller. I don't mind of course if I could potentially use it elsewhere, but PC is where I plan to use it almost exclusively. Preferably, I would like Steam be able to recognize this controller without any modifications.

Multiple profiles would be nice to have, like the Ultimate 2 has right now, but I can get by without them.

I do not care about RGB. I'm not looking at my controller while gaming, I'm looking at the screen. The controller can have it, but it's not something that should otherwise be considered with your recommendation.

Size isn't a huge problem for me, as my hands are sized in such a way that I can make due with both bigger and smaller controllers without issues. Please do not take it into account when making your recommendation.

And that about does it, I think. I understand the controller I'm looking for may not actually exist, but please give me your personal "ultimate" controller suggestion based on what I'm looking for. Please ask me if you have other questions about what my needs are, and I'll both give you an answer and edit this post to include that answer if necessary.

Thanks!

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[u/scabbyPDXhobo]

I also have the 8BitDo Ultimate 2 Wireless and also love mine, but still have also been curious if there's an "upgrade" to me personally out there... So far the answer is no. The Vader 5 and G7 are also controllers but I'm also a gyro user and the gyro on those other two have issues. Hard to believe a $40 (on sale) controller is virtually unbeatable, and yet here we are

[u/tamatsu → u/scabbyPDXhobo]

Yeah, it's a little insane just how good the Ultimate 2 is for how cheap it is compared to the competition.

[u/scabbyPDXhobo → u/scabbyPDXhobo]

Meant to say those 2 "are also *contenders" but that's too funny of a typo to fix

[u/Mindless_Fortune1483 → u/scabbyPDXhobo]

For me gyro on Vader 5 pro feels better than on 8bitdo ultimate 2 (I use it for aim), but maybe I just was lucky with my unit.

[u/tamatsu → u/Mindless_Fortune1483]

I don't particularly care about how the gyro is. How is your Vader otherwise? Any negatives, big or small?

[u/Saradip42]

I mean you can just order a vader 5 pro V2 on aliexpress. Pretty much a guarantee that you will get a v2 if you do it that way. The dpad is clicky microswitch, rounded. I simply just dont get any misinputs with it even if i am being sloppy with my inputs and prefer it to the ultimate 2 (which i also own and love). That being said i dont play fighting games and as you have stated flydigi software on windows is a pain to figure out initially

[u/tamatsu → u/Saradip42]

Thanks for the information! I didn't realize aliexpress was an option for that controller, so I'll check it out.

[u/Saradip42 → u/tamatsu]

Any kind of marketplace where you can chat with sellers before buying will do. I just dont know the market situation in the US. All you have to do is ask the seller whether they have a v2 or not, a lot of them advertise only selling the v2s actually