8BitDo Ultimate 3C+ Brings Adjustable TMR Sticks to a $39.99 Controller

8BitDo has opened pre-orders for the Ultimate 3C+, a $39.99 wireless controller for Windows PCs and Android that brings adjustable-tension TMR joysticks to its budget C series. It is listed on 8BitDo’s store and on Amazon US in Avocado Green, Frost White and Stealth Black, and both give October 30, 2026 as the ship date. The price sits $10 above the Ultimate 2C Wireless and $20 below the Ultimate 2 Wireless, the two controllers it borrows most from. I pre-ordered one in Stealth Black, so it should arrive the same day as the 8BitDo Gears of War: E-Day keyboard and mouse I already have on order.

Can you order one outside the US?

Yes. 8BitDo’s own store ships worldwide, and the Amazon listing covers the US. The store charges in US dollars and ships from 8BitDo’s distribution centre in China. Its shipping policy puts international delivery at 15 to 20 working days and leaves any customs duties or VAT to the buyer.

What’s in the box?

The controller, a 2.4G wireless USB adapter, a USB cable, a manual and a cardboard stand you fold together yourself.

What’s different about the sticks?

Their tension adjusts, lighter or firmer, through what 8BitDo calls the Dual Force Ring. They’re TMR sticks (tunnel magnetoresistance, a magnetic sensor that, like Hall Effect, reads the stick’s position without the physical contacts of older potentiometer sticks), and a soft silicone ring under each one cushions it at the edge of its travel. 8BitDo pairs them with a 12-bit sampling chip and a 216MHz processor, and says the adjustable tension helps most in shooters and racing games. Adjustable tension isn’t new for 8BitDo, though: its Xbox-licensed Ultimate 3 already has it, as the Force Ring. The Ultimate 3’s Tomb Raider 30th Anniversary Edition gets the full Dual Force Ring.

What can the triggers and extra buttons do?

The triggers are Hall Effect, with a switch that flips them between a full linear pull and a short tactile press, and they have their own rumble motors, synchronized with the usual rumble in the grips. Beside the regular bumpers sit two extras, L4 and R4, which you can remap on the controller itself without software. The two back buttons get a lock switch against accidental presses. There’s a turbo function too. 8BitDo tuned the D-pad for what it calls a clicky yet smooth feel, and clicky is how I like my buttons.

Does the Ultimate 3C+ work on Xbox or Switch, and how does it connect?

No: 8BitDo’s product page lists support for Windows 10 version 1903 or later and Android 13 or later, and none of Switch, Xbox or Apple devices. It connects through its USB adapter, a USB-C cable or Bluetooth 5.4. The adapter uses 8Speed, the 2.4G wireless technology 8BitDo also uses in the Ultimate 2 Wireless; 8BitDo rates it at latency as low as 1ms in its own lab, with a range of 10 metres. Each adapter pairs with one controller at a time, going by 8BitDo’s Ultimate 2 Wireless FAQ, so it isn’t a hub for your other 8BitDo pads. The 2.4G and wired connections both poll at 1000Hz, meaning the controller reports to the PC 1,000 times a second (8BitDo gives no figure for Bluetooth). The adapter stores magnetically on the back of the controller so it doesn’t get lost.

How long does the battery last?

20 hours over 2.4G and 32 over Bluetooth, according to 8BitDo’s rating for its 500mAh battery, and a full charge takes two hours. That’s close to the Ultimate 2C Wireless, rated for 19 and 32 hours from a 480mAh battery. With no charging dock, it charges over USB-C.

What does the plus add over the Ultimate 2C?

For $10 more, it moves from Hall Effect to TMR sticks and adds adjustable tension, back buttons, the trigger mode switch, trigger rumble and 8Speed wireless. There’s no plain Ultimate 3C on 8BitDo’s site, so the closest predecessor is the Ultimate 2C Wireless, still listed at $29.99. 8BitDo also describes a wider grip angle than the 2C’s. The 3C+ is larger, at 155.7 by 104.5 by 62 mm, and 23 grams heavier, and it lists Android 13 as the minimum where the 2C lists Android 9.

	Ultimate 2C Wireless	Ultimate 3C+	Ultimate 2 Wireless
Price (8BitDo store, Oct 13)	$29.99	$39.99	$59.99
Joysticks	Hall Effect	TMR, adjustable tension	TMR, RGB light ring
Triggers	Hall Effect	Hall Effect, linear or tactile	Hall Effect, linear or tactile
Rumble	Rumble	Grips and triggers	Vibration
Charging dock	No	No (cardboard stand)	Included
Weight	217.5 g	240.5 g	246 g
Supported systems	Windows 10, Android 9	Windows 10 (1903), Android 13	Windows, Android, SteamOS, Apple 26 releases

What does the $59.99 Ultimate 2 Wireless have that this one doesn’t?

A charging dock that doubles as a wireless extender, 6-axis motion controls over 2.4G, RGB light rings around the sticks and support for 8BitDo’s Ultimate Software V2. 8BitDo also lists the Ultimate 2 Wireless for Apple’s iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple TV.

What don’t we know yet?

Anything that takes hands-on testing: the controller doesn’t ship until October 30, so everything here comes from 8BitDo’s product page and store listing. Reviews will show how much the adjustable tension changes the feel of the sticks, and whether the trigger rumble works in PC games. Software is the other open question: 8BitDo’s page for the 3C+ mentions only on-controller remapping and doesn’t list its Ultimate Software.