Mobapad Chitu HD controller review: A must-have Nintendo Switch accessory
Mobapad has created another superb Nintendo Switch controller that you won't want to miss
🏆 Review Score: 5 out of 5
🏅 Editor’s Choice Award
Pros:
✅ Has every feature of the official Nintendo Switch Pro Controller
✅ Lightweight and ergonomic design
✅ Hall Effect sticks to prevent stick drift
✅ Back buttons give you additional control
✅ Macro programming and turbo function
✅ Microswitch buttons are fantastic
✅ Swappabble circular or cross-shaped D-pad
✅ Customizable via an app
Cons:
❌ The gray and red color scheme won’t be for everyone
❌ Slightly slippy analog sticks
The Shortcut Review
I had high hopes that the Mobapad Chitu HD controller would take all the features I loved about the excellent Mobapad M6 HD and repackage them into a Nintendo Switch Pro Controller format. Thankfully, that’s exactly the case.
Everything I praised about the Mobapad M6 HD rings true here, making the Mobapad Chitu HD the gold standard of Nintendo Switch controllers.
You don’t have to sacrifice any desirable features like with other third-party pads. The Mobapad Chitu HD has amiibo support, gyro, HD Rumble, but it also improves on Nintendo’s official pad in several ways: the addition of two back buttons, a pinpoint accurate D-pad, Hall effect analog sticks, a turbo function and macro programming all make it superior. Even the battery life is comparable, clocking in at an impressive 30 hours – 10 hours less than Nintendo’s trusty gamepad.
The Mobapad Chitu HD is a smart investment and the best Nintendo Switch controller I’ve ever used. Period.
Mobapad Chitu HD controller specs 🛠️
Price: $59.99
Connection: Bluetooth/Wired
Compatibility: Nintendo Switch/Nintendo Switch OLED
Weight: 219 grams
Vibration: Original ALPS motor HD vibration
NFC support: Yes
Mechanical keys: Omron Microswitch
Colors: Gray/Red or Pink
If that wasn’t enough of a reason to choose the Mobapad Chitu HD, it’s also slightly lighter compared to the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, which comes in at 219 grams and 249 grams, respectively. The ergonomics are strikingly familiar, too, and the non-slip soft grip means the controller is a pleasure to hold. It also works with the Mobapad Nintendo Switch Dock, as an adapter is included.
With the Nintendo Switch 2 rumored to work with existing Pro Controllers, the Mobapad Chitu HD is a smart investment and the best Nintendo Switch controller I’ve ever used. Period. Read my full Mobapad Chitu HD controller review below.
A review unit was provided by Mobapad.
What I loved about the Mobapad Chitu HD controller ❤️
🤗 Microswitch buttons feel so good. The Mobapad Chitu HD controller and the Mobapad M6 HD before it have made me a microswitch button convert. I love how rapidly you can press them, how responsive and clicky they are, and how they don’t cause any fatigue. It’s hard to return to the lifeless feeling of membrane buttons, similar to how I felt when I ditched my old gaming keyboard for a mechanical one.
👍 Familiar ergonomic design. The Mobapad Chitu HD controller has an almost like-for-like shape and layout of Nintendo’s official gamepad, which I consider one of the best the Japanese company has ever made. The Chitu HD is slightly lighter but doesn’t feel cheap as a result, with a rock-solid build along with zero rattling parts.
It’s a rarity, but the Mobapad Chitu HD includes every feature you’re used to from the official Switch Pro Controller.
🙏 Includes every feature from the official Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. It’s a rarity, but the Mobapad Chitu HD includes every feature you’re used to from the official Switch Pro Controller. Whether it’s HD Rumble or amiibo support, gyro or a great battery life, you don’t have to make any compromises.
👏 Swappable D-Pad styles with no missed inputs. The weakest part of Nintendo’s Pro Controller is the unreliable D-Pad. Not only can you switch between a circular D-Pad (great for fighting games) or a cross D-Pad (perfect for platformers) with the Chitu HD, but it’s also extremely accurate and perfect for games that require precision like Tetris 99. No accidental hard drops here.
🫡 Hall effect analog stick sensors. Like the Mobapad M6 HD, the Chitu HD controller uses Hall effect sensors to eliminate stick drift and provide more precision when gaming. It’s something that I hope first-party manufacturers like Nintendo adopt moving forward as it’s quickly becoming the standard with third-party accessories.
The D-Pad is extremely accurate and perfect for games that require precision like Tetris 99.
🔋 Beefy battery life. Even though the Mobapad Chitu HD controller can do it all, the battery life doesn’t suffer. You’re looking at 30 hours of playtime from a single charge, which shames the PS5 controller battery life and falls just short of the excellent battery found inside the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller.
🤩 Back buttons and macro support. With two easy-to-press back buttons on the rear of the controller, the Mobapad Chitu HD goes a step further with its support for macro programming, a feature often found on keyboards but not controllers.
🚀 Turbo function button. Similarly useful to the macro programming is the turbo function. A turbo key allows you to hold a button like jump or punch repeatedly, without having to press it over and over again. It’s not something that I’d personally ever use, but it’s another nice to have.
📱 Simple mobile app. You can check your button mapping and adjust the analog stick dead zones using the Mobapad mobile app. It’s super easy to use and even lets you reduce the rather bright LED indicator in the middle of the controller and change its color.
What I disliked about the Mobapad Chitu HD controller 💔
😖 The gray and red color scheme. The Mobapad Chitu HD has a rather distinctive color scheme with its dark red accents and gray shell. It doesn’t look bad by any means, but it may put some people off. It also doesn’t match the Mobapad Nintendo Switch Dock, which is odd.
🫨 Slightly slippy analog sticks. The tops of the Chitu HD’s analog sticks use a silky finish that feels nice on the thumbs but isn’t the best during those clutch gaming moments. It’s slippier than other pads, but it’s a small problem that can be rectified with something like the Skull & Co thumb grips.
Should you buy the Mobapad Chitu HD controller? 🤔
Yes, if…
✅ You want a superior Nintendo Switch Pro Controller with zero compromises.
✅ You’re looking for a reliable D-Pad that’s great for any game genre.
✅ You’d like a controller that isn’t prone to stick drift and has great battery life.
No, if…
❌ You can’t stand the color scheme.
Adam Vjestica is The Shortcut’s Senior Editor. Formerly TechRadar’s Gaming Hardware Editor, Adam has also worked at Nintendo of Europe as a Content Marketing Editor where he helped launch the Nintendo Switch. Follow him on X @ItsMrProducts.