This $30 Gamepad Is the First to Support a Critical Switch 2 Feature

GuliKit is now offering the Elves 2 wireless gamepad. It's an surprisingly high-end controller with an affordable $30 price tag, though it's most notable for its Switch 2 wake-from-sleep functionality, which other third-party gamepads currently lack.

One of the most annoying parts of the original Nintendo Switch was its remote wake functionality. Not only was it somewhat unreliable (even with official Joy-Cons), but a lot of third-party controllers just couldn't wake up the console. So, if you used an unofficial controller, there's a good chance that you couldn't turn on the Nintendo Switch from the comfort of your couch. Instead, you may have been forced to stand up, walk over to the docked Switch, and press its power button like some sort of 20th century caveman.

Nintendo revised its wake-from-sleep protocol for the Switch 2. It's more reliable than it was before, which is awesome. But the downside, unfortunately, is that existing third-party controllers like the GuliKit Elves 2 Pro do not support Nintendo's new protocol.

GuliKit cracked the code to the Switch 2's new wake-up protocol last month. Now, the company is releasing its first gamepad with Switch 2 wake-from-sleep functionality—the $30 Elves 2.

The Elves 2 is practically identical to the $50 Elves 2 Pro that launched last year. Both gamepads feature Hall-effect joysticks, a Sega Saturn-like "floating" D-pad, six-axis gyro, and the ability to wake a docked Nintendo Switch from sleep. But Elves 2 adds Switch 2 wake-from-sleep support, which is a feature that the older "Pro" controller still lacks (though this discrepancy could be resolved by a firmware update at some point).

GuliKit cut some corners in order to get the Elves 2 down to its $30 price point, of course, but all of the downgrades are fairly minor. The Elves 2 uses a crappier haptic motor than the Elves 2 Pro, so it doesn't support HD Rumble. It also lacks macro recording functionality, and unlike the Pro model, its buttons can't be remapped.

I should take a moment to clarify that these are not just Nintendo Switch controllers. The Elves 2 and Elves 2 Pro are standard Bluetooth controllers, so they work with PCs, smartphones, and Steam Decks, too. You'll need to use an adapter if you want to pair these controllers with an Xbox or PlayStation, however.

You can buy the GuliKit Elves 2 controller today for $30. It's sold in red and black colorways. If you want some additional functionality, such as upgraded haptics, spring for the $50 GuliKit Elves 2 Pro . Just know that GuliKit hasn't announced a Switch 2 wake-from-sleep firmware update for the Elves 2 Pro. I don't know whether the Pro controller will actually gain this functionality.

Source: Gulikit via The Verge