Switch 2 Pro Controller still $89, but a $17.99 PowerA alternative does the job

It’s been a year since the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller arrived and its $89 MSRP has largely held firm — price cuts have been rare for Nintendo hardware. While Joy‑Con come in the box, anyone after a more traditional, fuller gamepad shape faces a fairly hefty bill for the official Pro controller.

Third‑party options exist, and Amazon’s early Prime Day Nintendo Switch deals have the PowerA Advantage Wired controller marked down to $17.99 (was $39.99). I tested the wired PowerA unit alongside the Switch 2 Pro Controller and the differences were immediately obvious: the PowerA feels lighter and hollower, its buttons and sticks click louder, and the navigation buttons have been moved lower on the shell.

This isn’t a luxury controller and it doesn’t pretend to be. At full price I’d usually steer players toward sturdier $40 gamepads, but at $17.99 the PowerA offers very fair value.

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