For Switch or PC Gamers, This Is the Best Affordable Pro Controller You Can Get

CNET

7 days ago

If you haven't upgraded your controller to a more pro-level button-masher like the Xbox Elite Wireless Series 2 or the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro, odds are it's because they're so expensive. That's a perfectly valid reason, especially if you consider yourself a more casual gamer.
As a reviewer, I'm privileged to get to test many of them, which is the only way I ever would've been able to use one myself. But what if I told you that you could get quite nearly everything one of those $150-$200 controllers offers for $70? Say hello to the Gulikit KK3 Max.
Design and hardware
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The KK3 Max feels great to hold. At 662 grams, it's nearly twice the weight of the Xbox Elite Wireless Series 2 controller, but it doesn't feel heavy or get tiresome during longer play sessions. The comfortable grips help with that, and you can leave the back paddles off to shave some more grams off if you need to. The weight is pretty evenly distributed, so it feels well balanced. It comes in black, white and a sort of retro color that gives me Super Nintendo vibes.
The Hall Effect joysticks and triggers are a welcome feature, as are the two-stage trigger stops that toggle between the Hall Effect analog and digital microswitch triggers. I almost always used the microswitch triggers, and I really like them.
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Much like on the Elite Wireless, there are four spots for paddles on the back. Gulikit gives you two different style paddles. There are four standard flat paddles and two half-moon-shaped paddles for the top two spots. At first, installing the paddles might feel tough, but the setup is by design. Once you've done it a couple of times, you'll get used to it. The controller doesn't fit into the included plastic carrying case with the paddles on, but the company assured me that taking the paddles off every time you put it in the case won't be a problem. They also offer free replacement paddles within the first year.
On the front, the face buttons are all nice and clicky, and I prefer them over the (still great) microswitches on the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro. Gulikit designed the KK3 Max primarily as a Switch controller, so the face buttons are laid out in Nintendo's "backward" configuration. Thankfully, the company also includes extra button caps with the correct layout so you can flip them around for use with other consoles. This also means you get the "+," "–," home, and capture buttons as well.
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Beneath the Gulikit logo, there's a settings button and an APG button for macros that hardcore gamers might find quite useful. The D-pad is surprisingly nice, but some folks might be disappointed that it's not an 8-way configuration. I personally don't mind, and you can technically enable 8-way directions in the software, but I switched back after the first few minutes and never looked back.
Next to the USB-C charging port up top, there's a button to switch connection modes and one to switch between players. The KK3 Max works with Android, iOS, PC and Switch, so if you don't also need Xbox or PlayStation, you're pretty well covered. The 2.4GHz dongle delivers up to 1,000Hz polling rates, which is a pro-level wireless connection. There are also two vibration motors in the grips, but though Gulikit says the intensity and vibration modes are adjustable, I couldn't tell a difference between the settings.
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Battery life isn't the best, topping out at just under 30 hours with the lights and additional features off and 15 hours with everything on. That's not the worst battery life I've seen, but it's definitely on the lower end.
The only real frustration I have with the hardware is the RGB lighting. There's a light ring around each stick, which is customizable, and you can turn them off. However, you can't turn off or even dim the light behind the logo. In a dark room with only the beautiful glow of your monitor, this is extremely distracting. I actually put a piece of black electrical tape over it because it bugged me so much.
Software
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As great as the KK3 Max's hardware is, the software is where things get messy. For starters, there's no dedicated app for PC or mobile. For firmware updates, you have to download the update package from Gulikit's very bare-bones website and copy the upgrade file directly to the wireless receiver on your PC. The company provides instructions on how to do this, but it's a bit tedious and really shouldn't be the case for a controller like this.
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It's the same situation for remapping the buttons. The only way to do it via software is with Gulikit's web app, which is also bare-bones. In all fairness, I never had any issues with it, but less technically minded folks might find it all a bit intimidating.
It's also possible to remap all the buttons and enable the extra features on the controller itself, but much like on the CRKD Neo S, this is a tedious process that'll test your patience. You either have to memorize or look up all the necessary button combinations every time you need to change something.
The price makes it all worth it
Jason Cockerham/CNET
With all the great features and performance of the KK3 Max, I was shocked to find it's typically only about $70 on Amazon, and you can often find it cheaper. Even the full retail price of $80 is still fantastic. The lack of Xbox and PlayStation support might be a deal-breaker for some, but there are plenty of other great pro controller options for those.
For everyone else, there's no better pro controller for the money than the KK3 Max. There are even cheaper versions, like the KK3 Pro that ditches some software features and the four flat paddles for around $50, and the base KK3 that just gives you the great basics for around $40.