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GuliKit Elves 2 Pro: two-minute review
The GuliKit Elves 2 Pro is heavily inspired by the Sega Saturn gamepad, yet it’s embellished with enough modern-day features to make it playable with today’s games and platforms.
Its soft curves look good, as did the colorway I had, with its retro off-white base and multicolored accents. It’s also available in all-black, which lends it a more menacing appearance.
Its shape is more than just for show: it also helps with ergonomics. It fitted the contours of the hand very well, and I found the pronounced dips housing the face buttons and D-pad made it easy to use those inputs.
However, the small overall size of the Elves 2 Pro, coupled with the short length of handles, might deter those who prefer something more substantial. In this regard, the Elves 2 Pro falls short of the best PC controllers.
The build quality, on the other hand, is level with those gamepads. The chassis feels sturdy, and all the buttons are solid yet easy to press. The analog sticks are of a similarly high standard, although they’re shallower and have a smaller traveling circumference than many other modern controllers.
Despite the lack of customization software, there are a surprising number of tweaks you can make on the fly. There’s a settings button that’s used in conjunction with other buttons to adjust various parameters, such as stick sensitivity, D-pad modes, and the Motion Aim Assist.
In action, the Elves 2 Pro performs better than its looks might lead you to believe. The buttons are snappy and responsive, although they’re less damped than you might expect, but satisfying nonetheless. The D-pad is the real highlight, with its thick, circular design allowing for precise inputs and easy rolls without mis-presses – aspects that make it great for fighting games.
Despite their small size, the analog sticks are also a joy to use, with plenty of tactility and accuracy. When I tested the Elves 2 Pro on my Nintendo Switch, I also found the motion controls to be very accurate, although the tracking was worse when using the Motion Aim Assist mode in PC games.
Connectivity is good, and the Bluetooth seemed reliable. Switching between various devices on the fly can be a bother, though, requiring re-pairing at times. Battery life is admirable, lasting for several days in my experience.
The Elves 2 Pro sits somewhere in the middle of the third-party wireless controller market. However, it’s a little disappointing that it lacks certain common features, such as analog triggers, 2.4GHz connectivity, and companion software.
There are better value rivals that offer greater versatility, but if you want a good balance between retro design and modern performance, the Elves 2 Pro is a fine example in the space.
GuliKit Elves 2 Pro review: Price and availability
- $49.99 / £59.99 (about AU$76)
- Available now in two colorways
- Middling value compared to rivals
The GuliKit Elves 2 Pro costs $49.99 / £59.99 (about AU$76) and is available now in two colorways: Retro and Black. It comes with a USB-C cable for charging.
This is a middling price for a wireless third-party controller. The multiplatform support is nice to have at this price point, but it’s a shame there are no analog triggers, no 2.4.GHz option, and no software.
You can find more controllers for the same price or less with more features. The GameSir Cyclone 2, for instance, has superior TMR sticks and Hall effect analog triggers, as well as both 2.4GHz and Bluetooth connectivity options. It also has a shape similar to the best Xbox controllers, which means it should accommodate more hand sizes.
If you want a gamepad with even more retro appeal, though, Retro-Bit’s Sega Saturn Wireless Pro Controller is probably the better pick. This costs about the same as the Elves 2 Pro, but has the advantage of 2.4GHz connectivity, and it even works with the original Sega Saturn console.
GuliKit Elves 2 Pro review: specs
|
Price |
$49.99 / £59.99 (about AU$76) |
|
Dimensions |
5.8 x 3.4 x 1.8in / 147 x 87 x 45mm |
|
Weight |
6.7oz / 190g |
|
Compatibility |
PC, Nintendo Switch, Android and iOS |
|
Connection type |
Wireless (Bluetooth), wired (USB-C) |
|
Battery life |
About 20 hours |
|
Software |
None |
GuliKit Elves 2 Pro review: design and features
- Retro looks
- Small with short handles
- Surprising number of on-board tweaks
The Elves 2 Pro leans heavily into the retro aesthetic, aping the Sega Saturn controller from 30 years ago. I liked the finish of my review unit, with its off-white base offset nicely by the red shoulder buttons and multicolored face buttons. An all-black colorway is also available, though, if you’d prefer something a bit more menacing.
It’s also just as small as an old controller, which might be a problem for larger hands. I found the handles too short to get a sufficient grip on them, which contrasts drastically with many modern controllers. The diminutive size does at least help with portability, and so does the lightweight construction.
Thankfully, the Elves 2 Pro has plenty of modern touches to redress the balance: the layout is fit for contemporary games, complete as it is with two analog sticks and two shoulder buttons. However, the triggers lack analog capability, which keeps the Elves 2 Pro somewhat rooted in the past – although Nintendo fans won’t be phased by this omission.
Overall build quality is impressive. Despite its light frame, the Elves 2 Pro feels sturdy, while the buttons are solid yet light to press. I also liked the craters on either side housing the face buttons and D-pad, which make for more comfortable thumb placement.
The analog sticks feel premium, and their soft coating helps with grip. They’re smaller and shallower than those on many other controllers, but I found them to be a good fit for my thumbs nonetheless.
There are a few buttons related to connectivity, which are clear and easy to use. There’s a pairing button on the front and a selector switch on the back to choose the appropriate platform for the Elves 2 Pro to work with.
There’s also a settings button on the front that works in combination with other buttons to give you access to an admirable number of tweaks. You can alter stick sensitivity and vibration modes, as well as swap the A and B buttons with X and Y, and toggle the D-pad between four- or eight-direction mode.
You can also adjust parameters for the Motion Aim Assist on PC and set up Continuous Fire mode. What’s more, there’s a dedicated button on the pad for the Auto Pilot Gaming (APG) mode, which is GuliKit’s name for its macro function. You can record 10 minutes-worth of inputs, which is quite astonishing, by holding this button for three seconds, and playback the sequence by pressing the same APG button. Double-tapping the button lets you play back the macro on a continuous loop.
GuliKit Elves 2 Pro review: performance
- Snappy and responsive buttons
- Excellent D-pad
- Inconsistent device switching
The overall performance of the Elves 2 Pro is pretty good. The face buttons are responsive and satisfying to use, despite their lack of dampening relative to many other controllers.
The sticks also feel as smooth and as accurate as you would expect given their Hall effect technology, and I personally didn’t find their small size and confined travel an issue – but hardcore console FPS fans might feel differently.
However, it’s the D-pad that stands out most on the Elves 2 Pro. Personally, I usually prefer pronged hats rather than circular ones, as I tend to find them more accurate and less prone to unintended inputs.
But the Elves 2 Pro’s are an exception, as it allows for easy multi-directional rolls while maintaining high levels of accuracy, which I certainly welcomed when playing Tekken 8. It’s also well-damped and has a light actuation, which makes it effortless to use.
I also found the motion controls to be excellent when playing The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom on Switch, matching the performance of the best Nintendo Switch controllers in this department. You can also turn on motion controls when playing PC games by activating the Motion Aim Assist mode.
This allows the gyroscope to replace right stick movements when either L or ZL is held (your typical aim-down-sights buttons). However, when I played Atomfall on PC, the motion controls failed to track with anything like the same levels of accuracy as when using motion controls on Switch.
The Elves 2 Pro’s lack of 2.4GHz connectivity might deter those after pro-level performance, since this standard generally provides better response times. However, I can’t say I experienced any notable lag over Bluetooth with this gamepad, on any platform.
Connecting to various systems is also easy. I had no issues pairing the Elves 2 Pro to my Nintendo Switch or PC. It also connected to my Android phone with the same ease as the best mobile controllers.
Hot-swapping between PC and Switch was also a cinch, requiring a mere flick of the underside selector switch. However, switching between my phone and Switch for some reason proved more onerous, as I had to re-pair the Elves 2 Pro with my Switch. Thankfully, due to the aforementioned pairing process, this isn’t too bothersome, but it’s an aspect worth pointing out all the same.
The battery life of the Elves 2 Pro is admirable, lasting several days according to my testing. GuliKit claims it can last up to 20 hours, and I’m inclined to believe this figure.
Should I buy the GuliKit Elves 2 Pro?
Buy it if…
Don’t buy it if…
GuliKit Elves 2 Pro review: Also consider
Here are some alternatives to the GuliKit Elves 2 Pro Controller if it doesn’t sound right for you:
| Row 0 – Cell 0 |
GuliKit Elves 2 Pro |
GameSir Cyclone 2 |
Retro-Bit Sega Saturn Wireless Pro Controller |
|
Price |
$49.99 / £59.99 (about AU$76) |
$49.99 / £49.99 / AU$79 |
$49.99 / £44.99 (around AU$78) |
|
Dimensions |
5.8 x 3.4 x 1.8in / 147 x 87 x 45mm |
6.1 x 4.1 x 2.5in / 156 x 103 x 63mm |
5.91 x 3.54 x 1.18in / 150 x 90 x 30mm |
|
Weight |
6.7oz / 190g |
8.1oz / 229g |
13.8oz / 390g |
|
Compatibility |
PC, Nintendo Switch, mobile |
PC, Nintendo Switch, Android and iOS |
PC, Nintendo Switch, Sega Saturn |
|
Connection type |
Wireless (Bluetooth), wired (USB-C) |
Wireless (Bluetooth, 2.4GHz), wired (USB-C) |
Wireless (2.4GHz, V2 for Sega Saturn), Wired (USB-C) |
|
Battery life |
20 hours |
10 hours |
15-20 hours |
|
Software |
None |
GameSir Connect |
None |
How I tested the GuliKit Elves 2 Pro
- Tested for several days
- Played on multiple platforms
- Extensive controller experience
I tested the Elves 2 Pro for several days, during which time I used it to play multiple games on various platforms.
I played Tekken 8 on PC, which provides a stern test for D-pads and the overall responsiveness of inputs. On Nintendo Switch, I played The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, which I used to test the motion controls, among other inputs. I played Atomfall on PC to test the Motion Aim Assist mode, and I played Alien: Isolation on my Google Pixel 7a to test the Elves 2 Pro’s mobile gaming credentials.
I’ve been gaming for decades across all manner of platforms, from retro consoles to the modern PC. I have experienced a number of controllers during this time, and have reviewed a diverse selection of them, too.
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lewis.maddison@futurenet.com (Lewis Maddison)
