Hori Break up Pad Professional: One-minute evaluation
The Hori Break up Pad Professional was simply one of many greatest Nintendo Change controllers when it first launched along side Daemon X Machina over 5 years in the past, providing a improbable wired-only Pleasure-Con different that delivered superior consolation and efficiency at the price of just a few nice-to-have options like HD Rumble, movement controls, and wi-fi compatibility. It stays an honest possibility in 2025, particularly given its comparatively modest value level, however the rise of completely killer, feature-packed options just like the CRKD Nitro Deck or CRKD Nitro Deck+ imply it’s not fairly the titan that it as soon as was.
The complete-size thumbsticks, bigger face buttons, and massively improved shoulder buttons are amongst its largest benefits nonetheless, particularly in comparison with the usual Pleasure-Con controllers. It’s arduous to overstate simply how a lot this may enhance some video games, particularly shooters like Borderlands 3 or Doom Everlasting the place the restricted thumbstick movement and shallow triggers of the Pleasure-Con are a continuing frustration. Even so, the absence of movement controls is an actual disgrace on this regard, particularly when most Nintendo Change shooters now help them for extra exact aiming, and makes it unsuitable for the likes of Splatoon 3 if that’s your most well-liked enter technique.
The D-pad of the Hori Break up Pad Professional is a powerful level too and ideal for exact platforming in video games like Tremendous Mario Bros. Marvel. It’s joined by some useful extras, like two remappable rear inputs and an elective turbo mode, although I don’t discover myself reaching for both of those that always. All of this may be configured on the controllers themselves, which eliminates the necessity for any additional software program.
There’s additionally the matter of the controller’s general form, which is considerably bigger than that of the Pleasure-Con. Does this make your Nintendo Change more durable to stash in a bag? Completely, however I feel this trade-off is price it given the higher stage of consolation that it brings. It makes the Nintendo Change a pleasure to play over prolonged intervals of time and is usually a lifesaver if you happen to’re attempting to sport all through an extended journey.
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Hori Break up Pad Professional: Worth and availability
- Plain fashions go for $49.99 / £39.99
- Licensed variations get costly
- Accent pack out there for TV mode wired play
The plain black model of the Hori Break up Pad Professional is simple to search out for $49.99 / £39.99 at on-line retailers like Amazon along with Greatest Purchase and Walmart within the US or Argos and Currys within the UK. There are additionally a plethora of licensed variations out there, although these are usually costlier. To present an instance, the The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom variant that I examined prices $59.99 / £53.99 on the time of writing, so solely spring out for these editions if you happen to’re keen to pay extra for the aesthetic.
This value level places the Hori Break up Pad Professional in shut competitors with the $59.99 / £59.99 CRKD Nitro Deck, particularly whenever you keep in mind that the latter is sort of perpetually on sale for as little as $39.99 / £37.99. Having examined each extensively, I can say the CRKD Nitro Deck is definitively higher due to a barely extra comfy form (although the Break up Pad Professional remains to be cozy) and the addition of options like movement management and rumble. Nonetheless, the Hori Break up Pad Professional is price selecting if you happen to want its smaller kind issue – or need one thing that doesn’t want a cellular app to tweak.
It’s also possible to purchase the Hori Break up Pad Professional in a bundle that comes with a small attachment that goes in between the controllers for wired TV mode play and in addition allows PC compatibility. This is available in at $79.99 / £69.99 and is the one method to purchase that attachment as it isn’t offered individually.
Hori Break up Pad Professional: Specs
Worth | $49.99 / £39.99 |
Weight | 0.18 lbs / 80 g (every) |
Compatibility | Nintendo Change, Nintendo Change OLED |
Connection kind | Wired |
Battery Life | N/A |
Options | 2x remappable rear enter, turbo mode |
Software program | N/A |
Hori Break up Pad Professional: Design and options
- Rather more comfy than the Pleasure-Con
- However gentle weight feels fairly low cost
- Turbo mode, plus remappable buttons featured
Taking the Hori Break up Pad Professional out of the field, the very first thing you’ll discover is its gentle weight. These controllers are available at simply 0.18 lbs / 80 g every – which is definitely just a little greater than the usual Pleasure-Con however, due to the elevated measurement, feels rather a lot much less substantial within the fingers. They arrive throughout as virtually hole, which isn’t the most effective first impression given the worth. Fortunately, that is barely noticeable as soon as you fit them into the Pleasure-Con rails, they usually slide in seamlessly earlier than securing in place with a reassuring click on.
Hori has opted for an uncommon, virtually squashed look with the Break up Pad Professional, giving the impression of a Nintendo Change Professional Controller that somebody has unintentionally sat on. The grips are tiny, lumpy protrusions on the nook of every aspect of the gamepad, which actually seems fairly ridiculous. That mentioned, the corporate should be on to one thing right here because the Hori Break up Pad Professional is significantly comfy to carry.
The grips match properly in my palms and the chunky depth provides you masses to know on to. The shoulder buttons are a large enchancment over these discovered on the Pleasure-Con, coming in bigger and with a a lot softer press to them. The triggers are additionally enhanced, with a bit of additional motion for a extra satisfying pull. Likewise, the thumbsticks have a fantastic vary of movement, permitting for extra exact inputs than the fiddly tiny ones on the Pleasure-Con – although they’re sadly not Corridor impact like these of the CRKD Nitro Deck. There’s additionally a correct D-pad, with a satisfying, spongy really feel (not too dissimilar to that of the Nintendo 2DS) and a slight concave form that’s nice on the thumb.
On the subject of options, you might have a modest choice to select from. Both sides of the Break up Pad Professional has its personal rear enter, which might be mapped by holding the tiny ‘Assign’ button on the entrance. This may solely be achieved whereas your Nintendo Change is powered on however, fortunately, does save your choice in between makes use of. There’s additionally a turbo button, which you’ll be able to maintain to simulate speedy button presses with out ruining your thumb – useful if you happen to play a number of arcade shoot-’em up type video games.
As I’ve beforehand talked about, it is a wired controller that may solely be used connected to the Change. In contrast to the Pleasure-Con, you additionally don’t get HD Rumble (or any vibration for that matter), gyroscope controls, an IR digicam, or Amiibo help which is a disgrace however not too shocking within the realm of third-party controllers.
Hori Break up Pad Professional: Efficiency
- Very comfy to make use of
- Good for shooters
- Outclassed by the CRKD Nitro Deck
There’s little or no I can fault the Hori Break up Pad Professional on in uncooked efficiency. It feels nice within the fingers and stays so over prolonged classes. I usually discover my fingers develop into cramped after a number of hours with the Pleasure-Con and that’s by no means the case right here.
The buttons and D-pad are completely responsive and a fantastic measurement for these with bigger fingers too, additional including to the consolation issue. The bigger thumbsticks don’t have a number of resistance so are perfect for fast movement, whether or not that’s in 3D adventures like Tremendous Mario Odyssey or fast-paced driving video games comparable to Rocket League.
My solely grievance with the buttons is the usage of a really delicate rubbery materials for the beginning, choose, residence, ‘Assign’ and turbo buttons, which makes them pretty boring and gradual to press. These aren’t buttons that you simply’re going to be utilizing on a regular basis, after all, however plastic could be an enormous enchancment. Though I do miss the flexibility to tweak settings like thumbstick sensitivity, the truth that you don’t want an app to entry the rear button project and turbo is refreshing and would make this a very good match if you happen to’re buying for a kid.
Sadly, the Hori Break up Pad Professional suffers due to its relative age. The CRKD Nitro Deck and CRKD Nitro Deck+ have launched over the past couple of years and outclass it in virtually each regard – be that the presence of movement management, rumble, two extra rear inputs, a HDMI port, or Corridor impact elements. Having examined each extensively, I even discovered that the Nitro Deck is a tad extra comfy due to its elevated heft and definitely has a extra premium construct. The one space the place the Hori Break up Pad Professional comes up on high is the truth that it’s smaller and simpler to take away, so barely extra transportable general.
Ought to I purchase the Hori Break up Pad Professional?
Purchase it if…
Do not buy it if…
Additionally think about…
Contemplating the Hori Break up Pad Professional? These options also needs to be in your radar.
| Row 0 – Cell 0 | Hori Break up Pad Professional | CRKD Nitro Deck | Nintendo Change Professional Controller |
Worth | $49.99 / £39.99 | $59.99 / £59.99 | $69.99 / £59.99 |
Weight | 0.18 lbs / 80 g (every) | 0.59 lbs / 269.3 g | 0.54 lbs / 246 g |
Compatibility | Nintendo Change, Nintendo Change OLED | Nintendo Change, Nintendo Change OLED | Nintendo Change, Nintendo Change OLED, Nintendo Change Lite |
Connection kind | Wired | Wired | Wired / Bluetooth wi-fi |
Battery Life | N/A | N/A | 40 hours |
Options | 2x remappable rear enter, turbo mode | Corridor impact thumbsticks, 4 remappable buttons, rear kickstand, gyro help | Gyroscope, NFC (Amiibo help), HD Rumble |
Software program | N/A | True Assortment System App | N/A |
How I examined the Hori Break up Pad Professional
- Examined this unit for 2 weeks
- Tried with an enormous quite a lot of Nintendo Change video games
- In comparison with different Nintendo Change equipment
Though Hori offered the The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom version for the needs of this evaluation, I’ve owned the black model of the Hori Break up Pad Professional for years with it being my foremost Nintendo Change controller between 2021 and 2023, at which level I upgraded to the CRKD Nitro Deck. I’ve spent actually tons of of hours with it, testing all of its capabilities and taking part in an enormous number of Nintendo Change video games.
For this evaluation, I in contrast my expertise with the Hori Break up Pad Professional to that with different Nintendo Change controllers and equipment – particularly the CRKD Nitro Deck.
First reviewed February 2025
