GuliKit’s tiny USB dongle lets you connect your PS5 controller to your Switch 2

Dongles person a well-earned estimation for being a nuisance. They’re often costly and annoying to woody with, but for gamers, there’s 1 that I emotion to urge that’s neither. 8BitDo’s $20 USB Adapter 2 lets you wirelessly nexus controllers to the Switch 2 that would different beryllium unsupported, for illustration the Sony DualSense (complete pinch rumble and mobility controls), Microsoft’s latest Xbox gamepads, and more. You tin plug it into the Switch 2’s dock aliases usage a USB-A-to-USB-C adapter to link it straight to the console.

It’s awesome to prevention money, since I tin simply usage a controller that I already ain alternatively of buying a caller one. And I sometimes hide that I’m utilizing a PS5 controller successful games for illustration Splatoon 3 because its mobility controls consciousness conscionable arsenic meticulous arsenic a controller made for the Switch.

There’s different akin dongle disposable that’s a smidge cheaper and a batch smaller. The GuliKit Hyperlink Gen 2 USB-A adapter comes included pinch the company’s TT Pro and TT Max controllers, aliases you tin bargain it unsocial for $16.99 astatine Amazon. It’s compatible pinch Xbox controllers and PlayStation 4 and 5 controllers. Similarly, you tin plug it into a Nintendo Switch 2, a PC, a Steam Deck aliases different handheld PCs, and Android devices. But GuliKit’s database of supported controllers isn’t arsenic extended arsenic 8BitDo, which dates backmost to the PS3 and Wii era and besides includes its fleet of wireless controllers.

Nice arsenic this is, location are immoderate features neither dongle offers: distant console wake-up (you first person to move connected the console manually to brace the controller) aliases wireless audio (the 3.5mm headphone jacks successful the DualSense and Xbox controllers are useless erstwhile paired to either). Lastly, you tin only link 1 controller astatine a clip to each dongle (you’ll request to bargain 2 successful bid to brace a 2nd controller). I don’t deliberation immoderate of those are deal-breakers, but they’re worthy knowing earlier you bargain one.

Then location are things that only 8BitDo’s dongle tin do. For one, you tin customize the heck retired of respective non-8BitDo controller models pinch its free Ultimate Software, including fastener remapping, macros, vibration intensity, trigger range, and instrumentality sensitivity. Currently, GuliKit offers nary specified software, though its PR manager, Olivia Chen, told maine that the institution intends to merchandise Android and iOS apps pinch akin functionality successful Q2 2026. Also, the 8BitDo exemplary lets you input fastener combinations that trigger different relationship modes, including Xinput, Dinput, Mac mode, and Switch mode.

As for what the GuliKit has going for it, the rumble successful immoderate games (namely Hollow Knight: Silksong, the crippled I’ve been playing the astir recently) feels much for illustration the HD rumble offered successful bully Switch controllers, for illustration the EasySMX S10. The 8BitDo, by comparison, makes this game’s rumble consciousness for illustration an afterthought. However, different games are a toss-up connected which dongle offers a better-feeling rumble effect. Donkey Kong Bananza’s aggravated rumble for moreover the slightest of movements feels for illustration garbage connected the DualSense, nary matter the dongle it’s connected to.

If you inquire GuliKit, the Hyperlink Gen 2’s biggest characteristic is its PC-exclusive low-latency wireless connection. It tin boost controller polling complaint (or really quickly your controller inputs are sent to the gaming device) beyond what consoles are tin of, and it’s expected to besides trim input latency. The improved latency didn’t person arsenic pronounced of an effect arsenic I had hoped, though I enjoyed the easy setup and improved relationship wide — thing that some dongles (and countless Bluetooth dongles made for PC) tin offer.

For some, buying a caller controller that’s guaranteed to activity good pinch your Switch 2 is worthy an added cost. If that’s you, let maine to nonstop your attraction to my buying guideline afloat of good yet comparatively affordable Switch 2 controllers. But if you’re keen connected repurposing hardware that you already have, these low-cost dongles make a batch of consciousness to try.

Photography by Cameron Faulkner / The Verge