Mobapad has opened pre-orders for the M12 Pro, a pair of Joy-Con-style controllers for the Nintendo Switch 2. On paper, it is the first Mobapad set to combine NFC, high-definition rumble and mouse mode with a grippier shape and extra buttons. The controllers alone are $119.99 during pre-orders. It is an expensive set, and I went back and forth on it, but in the end I pre-ordered the controllers on their own. I already have Mobapad’s MA21 charging grip, which also fits its older M12 models.
What the M12 Pro promises
According to Mobapad’s product page, the M12 Pro uses the Switch 2’s native Joy-Con protocol, so it can wake the console and use the C button for GameChat. It connects over Bluetooth 5.3 or by wire, and it supports NFC for amiibo and 9-axis motion controls. The sticks are TMR, a magnetic sensor design meant to avoid the drift older Joy-Con sticks were known for. The face buttons and D-pad use Omron mechanical switches rated for more than five million clicks, and the shoulder buttons and triggers use TTC switches. The product images also show an NFC reader next to the right stick, a swappable cross or disc D-pad, adjustable stick dead zones and triggers with no dead zone.
Mobapad lists its own wide-frequency rumble from LRA motors, branded Mobapad HD Rumble 2.0, along with two rear buttons that can be remapped in its phone app and RGB lighting around the logo. Each side weighs about 100 grams and holds an 800 mAh battery rated for 18 to 20 hours with vibration off. Mobapad gives no figure with rumble on. The magnetic rails are rated at about 45 newtons, which is how firmly they hold to the console.
Pre-orders run until October 28, and fulfilment is planned to begin on October 29. Mobapad notes that this is a start date and not a guaranteed ship date for every order. The controllers alone are $119.99, against a list price of $129.99, and members of Mobapad’s rewards programme get a further $10 off. The bundles add the MA21 charging grip for $135.99, or the grip and the H12 carrying case for $149.99.
This is not the M12 Pro from February
The name has been used before, which is worth knowing before searching for reviews. In February, Mobapad announced an M12 HD at $89.99 and a different M12 Pro at $99.99 with standard rumble, as Fullcleared reported. That earlier M12 Pro disappeared from Mobapad’s store by mid-March, and a cheaper model called the M12S took its place. Coverage of the February model describes different hardware at a different price.
What Mobapad’s earlier Switch 2 controllers got right
Mobapad has made controllers since 2018 and is based in Guangzhou, China, according to its company page. Its M6 HD controllers for the original Switch scored 9 out of 10 from Cubed3. On the Switch 2, Nintendo Life gave the M12 HD 8 out of 10 and praised its shape, sticks, magnets and HD rumble, according to its review. I have since tried the M12 HD myself, and my first impressions compare it with the abxylute N6.
The same reviews found limits that the M12 Pro now has to fix. Nintendo Life called mouse support the only major thing missing from the M12 HD, and found that it charges only while the console is on and that NFC works only in a power-saving mode. Notebookcheck’s review of the M12S found no NFC, standard rumble and no mouse mode, and its thicker grip kept it out of the official dock. Notebookcheck also hit one ghost-input glitch that needed a console restart. Mobapad’s M12 Pro page does not say whether it charges while the console sleeps, which is the first thing I would want confirmed.
Mouse mode, finally
Mouse mode is what separates a full Joy-Con 2 replacement from a good controller. Nintendo’s Joy-Con 2 can be detached and slid across a table like a computer mouse, and some Switch 2 games are built around it. Mobapad’s product page gives the M12 Pro its own Mouse Mode feature, showing a detached right controller used on a desk and promising precise control with ultra-low latency for aiming. Its FAQ adds that detailed operation follows the latest manual and firmware.
This is the biggest step up from Mobapad’s earlier Switch 2 controllers, which had no mouse mode at all. How well it tracks on different surfaces, and how it feels next to Nintendo’s own, is the first thing the hands-on reviews will need to show.
How it compares
The closest rival is NYXI’s Hyperion 3 Ultra, which has already shipped. It is $159.99 on NYXI’s store, discounted from $199.99, and Retro Handhelds’ review confirms mouse mode, NFC and HD Rumble 2. Nintendo’s own Joy-Con 2 are now $99.99, up from the $89.99 Nintendo first announced, according to LevelUp. I own the base Hyperion 3, which I bought for $90 and which has neither mouse mode nor NFC, and my Hyperion 3 Ultra is on its way.
| Mobapad M12 Pro | NYXI Hyperion 3 Ultra | Nintendo Joy-Con 2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $129.99 ($119.99 pre-order) | $199.99 ($159.99 on sale) | $99.99 |
| Status | Pre-order, ships from October 29 | Shipping, reviewed | Shipping |
| Mouse mode | Yes (advertised) | Yes | Yes |
| NFC | Yes (claimed) | Yes | Yes |
| Rumble | Mobapad “HD2.0” wide-frequency | HD Rumble 2 | HD Rumble 2 |
Why I pre-ordered
For me, the appeal is that the M12 Pro promises a native Switch 2 controller experience at last, with proper protocol and support, actual NFC and mouse mode. It is pretty much the full package: as close to a Joy-Con as it gets, while still adding third-party features and a shape I can actually grip. The charging grip I already have matters too, because it lets me use the two halves as a proper controller.
What I will test first
Once the M12 Pro arrives, a few things go to the top of my list. Mouse mode comes first: how well it tracks on a desk and how it feels next to Nintendo’s own. Then NFC with my amiibo, how Mobapad’s rumble compares in Switch 2 games, and whether it charges while the console is asleep, which owners of the older M12 HD wished it did. My Hyperion 3 Ultra is on its way too, so I will put the two side by side.
