Nintendo’s Switch 2 Pro controller committed the one cardinal sin no gamepad should ever perpetrate: it made me lose.

Nintendo’s $90 first-party controller exclusive to the Switch 2 has large, snappy sticks—too snappy, in fact. Flicking the joystick from one side and releasing it will cause it to flick back so fast that the gamepad will register an input in the opposite direction. While playing the first Hollow Knight on Switch 2, difficult bosses like Nightmare King Grimm became nearly impossible when having one pixel out of place could be the difference between saving my skin or a trip back to the bench.

Such failures of hardware design can be rage-inducing, but I kept returning to the Switch 2 Pro controller for one reason: convenience. Ignoring the default Joy-Cons, Nintendo’s first-party controller used to be the only one that could wake the handheld console from sleep. That’s no longer the case. Gulikit’s TT Pro and TT Max controllers are both capable of keeping your butt glued to the couch when you need to game. I’ve used half a dozen controllers for Switch 2 from the likes of Snakebyte, Hori, 8BitDo, and Gulikit themselves. The TT Pro and TT Max are perfect for me. That doesn’t mean it will be your perfect gamepad. Controllers are so ubiquitous; you’ll need to decide what is worth sacrificing for your preferred gaming experience.

These controllers start at $70 for the TT Pro and $80 for the TT Max. That’s more expensive than Gulikit’s former offerings and potentially costlier than past favorites like the 8BitDo Pro 3. Gulikit’s design is compatible with PC, Android, iOS, and Switch. It will work fine as your mainstay controller thanks to the included 2.4GHz dongle, but don’t expect something truly incredible or original other than on the Switch 2. Maybe we’ll see more controllers find ways to wake Nintendo’s latest system. Even if they do, I don’t imagine I’ll need another Switch 2 controller anytime soon.

Why do first-party peripherals lack these features?

The China-based company Gulikit got its start by selling Hall effect joystick replacements for the original Switch. The first-gen Joy-Con controllers had notorious stick drift problems, where the physical potentiometer sticks would degrade over time and create unintended inputs. Hall effect, which uses magnetic fields rather than physical connections, is far more durable. No console maker has yet to create a first-party peripheral with Hall effect. What makes that fact maddening is how companies like Sony and Nintendo will limit third-party capabilities on these consoles. For example, a PS5 DualSense is the only peripheral with access to the force-feedback Adaptive Triggers.

In a similar fashion, Nintendo limited wake capabilities to its own controllers. Not even licensed controllers from companies like Hori could wake the system from sleep. To be clear, this is a privileged position to take. There’s nothing stopping me from getting off my ass to wake the Switch 2 in its dock. But if I have the option, you’re damn right I’m not leaving behind the comfort of my butt-shaped hole in my cushions.

Pairing the controller with the Switch 2 is a little more involved than with a Pro controller. You need to set the TT Pro or TT Max into pairing mode, then go into the Controllers and Change Grip/Order menu to then have the device pair. From then on, the controller will be able to wake the console. I’ve found that waking the Switch 2 isn’t as immediate as it is with a Pro controller or Joy-Con 2. It normally takes half a second longer.

The system still requires me to press both triggers to select my controller before getting into a game. I can’t confirm by myself, but my suspicion is Gulikit is working around the proprietary controller protocol to enable wakeup without fully connecting the controller. This one extra step is so minimal, it’s hardly any sacrifice for the sake of convenience.

This capability is a singular and—admittedly—petty reason that the Gulikit TT Pro takes the top spot. Or maybe it would be, if the controller itself didn’t feel so good as it does.

The TT Pro/Max is customizable to boot

I’ve used many of Gulikit’s controllers since then, such as its older KK3 Pro gamepad and its Genesis-like Elves 2 Pro controllers. The company’s first controller with the ability to wake the console, the ES Pro, sported an Xbox layout with the “A” button on the bottom rather than on the right. While Gulikit’s other controllers all support the Switch 2 (after you install several firmware updates to make them work), this is one of its best. Instead of Hall effect, the TT Pro and TT Max controllers use TMR joysticks. That stands for tunneling magnetoresistance, which is another magnetic-based sensing technology that should be even more resistant to stick drift.

So it has everything you need, right? Not quite. The controller lacks the “C” button for accessing the Switch 2 GameChat function. If that doesn’t matter to you, then shrug it off. There’s also no headphone jack. They’re both small features, but they will inevitably matter to some players.

The TT Pro and Max sport the PlayStation stick layout, where both are on the same level. I know that some players cannot stand this. I, on the other hand, prefer this layout (strange to say since I grew up an Xbox diehard). It’s all about preference, and unfortunately, this is what you’re stuck with, for now. Both controllers come with a plastic case containing a special set of A,B,X,Y keys if you wish to replace the buttons with an Xbox layout.

These controllers aren’t exactly budget options. For the $70 or $80 you spend, you’ll at least gain extra customizability and a form-fitted controller case. The case is where you’ll also find the optional metallic back paddles, four in all. These slot into the controller with a little bit of force. I rarely, if ever, use back paddle buttons, so I appreciate having the choice of whether to keep them or not. If you use the back paddles, the controller won’t actually fit inside the case, which means removing them if you want your gamepad to stay safe when travelling.

There’s also an optional D-pad with a traditional cardinal direction thumbpad hidden inside the carrying case. You may look at the flat panel D-pad and squirm, but in practice, it feels superb. I didn’t have a problem feeling out my directions when playing side-scrollers or in a fighting game, like Soul Calibur II in the GameCube classics collection.

The right feel for most games

I normally prefer stiffer joysticks than most players. The default Gulikit TT Max’s 720-degree sticks felt just on the edge of right for how I play. What’s better is that it comes with two alternative sticks if you prefer a different height. The pack includes an extra screwdriver to adjust the tension of the joysticks as well.  Plus, the Hall effect triggers have a nice depth and springiness to them. There are two switches on the back of the controller to change to instant triggers if you want the same feel as the Joy-Con or Switch 2 Pro controller.

And there’s solid gyro and rumble packed in as well. The Switch 2 Pro controller can feel a little muted in the rumble department, though that HD rumble feature is far more nuanced than what I felt on the TT Max. I would trade off the slightly worse rumble for the sake of sticks without snapback or stick drift potential.

These controllers aren’t built for tournament players by default. The best you can get is a 1,000Hz polling rate when using them wired. Polling rate is how often the gamepad sends information to the console, so a higher number is preferable. It also sports a 730Hz polling rate over Bluetooth, which isn’t too shabby. Gamepads like Razer’s Wolverine V3 Pro feature an 8,000Hz polling rate, but only the wannabe pro gamers will ever notice a difference.

These controllers are also middle of the road when it comes to battery life. Gulikit promises you can get a full 26 hours with these controllers’ 950mAh battery running without any lights or Turbo on. With the lights, the actual battery life will be closer to 14 hours, and less if you’re playing a game that enjoys rumble (practically all first-party Nintendo games do). The Switch 2 Pro controller, which lacks any lighting whatsoever, gets far better battery life, equivalent to close to 40 hours. In real life scenarios, that means charging the controller once every few weeks rather than a few days with Gulikit’s design.

Get the TT Pro; it’s cheaper

And here’s what you need to know: most people will be perfectly happy with the TT Pro rather than the TT Max. The only difference is that the TT Max allows for 10 minutes of macro recordings compared to 10 seconds on the TT Pro. These macro recordings will help you recreate specific inputs, which may be helpful for fighting games. The extra recording time is equivalent to the older, slightly cheaper KK3 Max. Most players won’t ever use that feature.

And $70 for this controller is more tempting than $80, which is approaching Switch 2 Pro controller pricing. This is meant to be my go-to Switch 2 controller, even replacing my previous favorite, the 8BitDo Pro 3. That controller will remain with my PC, but the Gulikit TT Pro is going to sit on my couch, ready for me when I get home after a long day of work, when I can’t even be bothered to stand up to turn on my console.