BIGBIG WON Blitz 2 (TMR)

The Blitz 2 is the latest controller from BigBig Won - well actually, there are two versions – the grey and white with TMR joysticks and a blue and white one with ALPS joysticks. We were sent the TMR version, but apart from the different technology used for the sticks, they have exact functions for the rest of the controller.

*This review should have gone up a few months ago, but we had a few setbacks

The Blitz 2 looks and feels like a Switch Pro controller, being more square than say, an Xbox controller. It's very comfortable to hold, and the rubber textured gripped handles ensure you keep a good hold during gameplay.

I will say, I personally prefer the colour scheme of the TMR version over the ALPS one - the grey and white looks a lot more premium than the blue and white, but this is more of an aesthetic preference.

In the box you'll find the Blitz 2 controller, Nearlink wireless dongle, 4 additional keycaps (x2 short, x2 tall), an 8-way d-pad and a long braided USB-C to USB-A cable. I immediately swapped the D-pad for the 8-way one as I feels these both look and feel better than the standard d-pad - I also put some orange Skull & Co rubber caps on the sticks, as I've gotten used to using these on other controllers, but the orange really looks good as the sticks have an orange ring around them.

One of the standout features is the 2000Hz wireless polling rate. It’s tremendously fast, especially compared to standard controllers, and the 1000Hz gyroscope works seamlessly for games that support motion aiming.

Both the wireless Nearlink connection and USB both have the high polling rate of 2000Hz. - To switch between inputs, the following button combinations are needed:

• Press and hold the B+HOME button for 2 seconds until the HOME indicator turns green to switch to Xinput mode.

• Press and hold the A+HOME button for 2 seconds until the HOME light turns red to switch to Switch mode. Note: Bluetooth connection between iOS and Android platforms must be switched to Xinput mode first.

Usage of the Blitz 2 is overall a great experience - you can connect to PC/Mac via the included Nearlink wireless dongle, USB-C cable or bluetooth, and to Nintendo Switch or Android/iOS by Bluetooth.

I found the Blitz 2 to be very comfortable, and the rubber grips on the handle make for a pleasant gaming experience when using it for a prolonged time.

The Blitz 2 is the first controller I've used with TMR sticks, and it's an interesting experience. Typical controllers, like the standard Xbox controller, use potentiometer-based joysticks, while lots of controller over the last few years have brought Hall-Effect sticks to the table which are more durable and accurate, albeit at a higher power consumption.

Hall effect technology is more durable and accurate than the typical potentiometer-based joysticks found in most controllers and handheld gaming consoles. Now, there is another technological development in this space, and TMR, or Tunneling Magnetoresistance, is the new thing. TMR sensors are generally more sensitive, have lower power consumption, and are more thermally stable than Hall effect sensors

The lower power consumptoin is ideal for wireless controllers, and on top of that, they still retain the durability of Hall effect joysticks.

The analog sticks of the Blitz 2 are very accurate, with an insanely high polling rate of 2000Hz - but whilst this all looks great on paper, it should be noted that the difference in real-world performance between TMR and Hall Effect will not be as significant as it is between the potentiometer and Hall effect joysticks.

That being said, the TMR sticks on the Blitz 2 perform very well, and they feel incredibly responsive.

The ABXY buttons are mecanical and respond well - with my critisism being that they follow the traditional Xbox colour scheme (A is green, B is red etc), which would normally be a good thing - but with the colour scheme of the controller already being quite busy, I think it would have looked better if they followed the orange and grey colour pallet that is already on the Blitz 2.

The mechanical shoulder buttons of the Blitz 2 are long and can be easily pressed on the outside edges, which means they're accessible no matter how you grip the controller.

The triggers on the other hand - whilst very responsive, are digital only, and they work really well for shooting games, but they're not good for racing titles. If you primarily play Call of Duty, Fortnite etc then the Blitz 2's low actuation force buttons and excellent analog sticks make for great competitive play - but if you're more of a Rocket League or Forza player, then the triggers will leave you limited.

Something that would be nice to see on a follow up to the Blitz 2 would be a trigger lock function to allow players to swap between analog and digital.

On the bottom of the front of the Blitz 2 is a is a protruding panel with four buttons, each of them controlling one of the Blitz 2’s extra functions, from left to right these are:

• Turbo - hold button and press desired function button

• RE-Map M1-M4 buttons

• Record Macro - BigBig Won app allows more control

• Profile Switcher - Up to four profiles, all with different settings

There are two additional buttons on the back (M1 and M2) and these are very easy to reach without being in the way, whilst the additional shoulder buttons (M3 and M4) are within reach but not as easy to access as the back paddles.

As with a lot of controllers, you're only able to re-map these extra buttons to face buttons - not control camera sensitivity etc like you can on the Razer Wolverine series controllers.

The BigBig Won application allows you to switch between the controller’s modes, as well as update firmware, assign keyboard inputs to different buttons, and also fine-tune your analog sticks, including response curves and dead zones.

Whilst there are a great deal of features, the PC/Mac app isn't very intuitive, but the mobile app is a lot smoother. An odd ommision is the non-customizable LED lights on the Blitz 2. Whilst I'm not a huge fan of RGB, it seems odd that the lights are bright green, when both the TMR and ALPS versions have very specific colour schemes - orange for TMR and blue for ALPS, to me it makes sense that this should follow suit in the lights. They do change colour depending what mode you're on, but that's it.

Connection to PC via the Nearlink wireless dongle is easy, as it's already paired by default - simply turn on the controller by holding the logo button, then insert the dongle into your PC - if this doesn't work, you can re-link the controller and dongle by holding the button on the Nearlink adapter and then holding the pairing button on the top of the controller.

I really enjoy using the Blitz 2 - it's incredibly responsive, and it feels great in the hands - the digital analogue triggers will be a dealbreaker for some, but for shooters it's fantastic - and they'll still function for driving games, just not to the same level as something like the EasySMX X20 with it's Hall Effect Linear triggers and trigger locks.

🛍️ Blitz 2 at BIGBIG WON

🛍️ Blitz 2 at Amazon