The Verge

Given the company’s history with controllers developing drift issues, the Switch Pro 2 gamepad might not be your best choice. | Image: iFixit

iFixit has shared a full teardown video of the Switch 2 Pro controller and is not impressed by how difficult it is to access the $85 accessory’s internal components, including its rechargeable battery that will inevitably lose its ability to hold a charge over time.

The online repair site goes so far as to call the Pro 2 a “piss-poor excuse for a controller” for several different reasons. Opening the controller requires you to first forcefully remove a faceplate held in place by adhesive tape before a single screw is visible. But you’ll need to extract several other parts and components, including the controller’s mainboard, before its battery is even accessible.

As previously revealed, the Pro 2 is still using older potentiometer-based joysticks that are prone to developing drift over time. They do feature a modular design that will potentially make them easier to swap with third-party Hall effect or TMR replacements, but reassembling the controller after that DIY upgrade will require you to replace all the adhesive tape you destroyed during disassembly.

There are cheaper alternatives to the Switch 2 Pro controller that offer additional functionality, better performance, and more longevity with durable joysticks and batteries that are easy to replace.

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