BigBig Won Rainbow 2 Pro Wireless Controller Review

Highlights

• BigBig Won’s Rainbow 2 line offers versatile and customizable controllers.
• Rainbow 2 Pro prioritizes comfort and grip with rubberized texture.
• Despite some minor setbacks, the app allows for in-depth controller customization.

Third-party controllers have been a staple of budget gaming for decades, yet browsing the options remains a tricky task. BigBig Won is far from a recognizable brand name, but it is quickly garnering a good reputation with its Rainbow 2 line of controllers, which include the Rainbow 2 SE and the Rainbow 2 Pro. Both options are extremely versatile, offering an incredible amount of customization and providing players with a significant amount of swappable parts.

Game Rant was able to get a hands-on experience with the Rainbow 2 Pro to determine how exactly this wireless RGB controller manages to be so feature-packed, yet cost less than most wireless controllers on the market. From fast-paced shooters like Fortnite to sprawling RPGs like The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, this controller was tested over the course of a few weeks on several relatively new and popular game titles.

What’s in the Box?

• 4 extra joysticks
• 1 circular D-pad
• 1 2.4gHz USB receiver
• 1 charging dock

Design & Comfort

BigBig Won uses many smart tricks to make their controller stand above the rest without increasing the cost too much, a fact that’s immediately apparent when the controller is first picked up. Thanks to its rechargeability, the Rainbow 2 Pro eschews heavy batteries, providing users with a surprisingly lightweight wireless controller. Though the controller can be charged using any decent USB-C cord, players can spend an extra $15 to get the matching charging dock, which recharges the controller simply by having it rest on top, displaying a vibrant RGB base while active.

Rather than a finely carved case, the Rainbow 2 Pro offers a comfortable, grippy texture in the form of rubberized wraps around each handle. The rubber feels very smooth, but the indentations effectively keep hands cool, despite being fairly inconspicuous. The triggers likewise include some texture, but the joysticks have the most impressive grips, with deeply concave tops and stippled centers providing a premium feel.

Although the rubberized grip is impressively comfortable, it does somewhat get in the way of the back buttons, which also sport a minuscule amount of texture, possibly for consistency’s sake only. The back buttons are a little too small and lack a short actuation, requiring more pressure to be activated than comparable controllers, such as the GameSir G7 SE. While the difference is minor, after about half an hour of using the back buttons, the controller becomes uncomfortable to use and at times a bit frustrating as the player’s hands can begin to cramp.

In the same vein, the other two programmable buttons aren’t super useful sitting along the top of the controller rather than higher up the back like with more expensive options. They certainly have a place for some gamers, such as those who play MMOs or RPGs with lots of mappable abilities, but overall, they’re a little tough to hit when the triggers are also being used in a game.

The rest of the button layout is pretty standard, though BigBig Won uses the space above the 3.5mm headset jack not for any kind of audio controls, but mostly for remapping. Most wired gaming headsets include a mute button, but players with budget headsets might be a little disappointed in the lack of a mute button on the Rainbow 2 Pro. However, this minor inconvenience is yet another example of how the Rainbow 2 Pro manages to cut costs without reducing its features; most of the available configuration and customization can be done right on the controller itself, even in the middle of a match.

Customizability & Software

When it comes to the Rainbow 2 Pro, customization starts with the physical parts that come with the controller. Four extra joysticks offer a total of three different heights for players to swap between, while a circular D-pad gives players the choice between classic and advanced directional control. All of the swappable parts are well-crafted, each featuring excellent texture and indentations that help make each movement more intuitive.

Despite having instructions in the dreaded form of a medieval proclamation, nowhere in the nearly three-foot-long guide are there any instructions on how to swap out the parts. They fit very snugly and thus can be tough to remove. Bold or more experienced players who are used to swappable D-pads that don’t want to come out will have no issues at all, even with the joysticks being keyed to fit in a specific orientation.

Scrolling along the instructions, players will eventually come to the extremely easy pairing explanations. Connecting the controller to the Switch was absolutely effortless, which was a little surprising coming from such a cheap, basically unrecognizable brand. Connecting to mobile devices and the PC was just as easy, with only two buttons being necessary to pair the controller.

Unfortunately, there’s no PC app, which is far from ideal, but again exemplifies BigBig Won’s cost-cutting efforts. The only way to digitally customize the Rainbow 2 Pro is to use the mobile app, though this has its own issues, or rather, one glaring issue. Many reviews note that the controller is not recognized by many devices, and even during this test period, the Pixel phone it was connecting to said that the controller could not be communicated with.

Normally, this would be pretty damning for a customizable controller, but it turns out that these “cannot communicate” messages are a lie. Users can simply open the app and double-tap the Rainbow 2 Pro to gain full access to the customization. It’s unclear why phones often say the controller isn’t connected, but it most certainly is. It is a little annoying that the controller also acts like it isn’t connected, flashing constantly, until it’s being used in an app.

This inconvenience is something that can likely be fixed in the future, so it shouldn’t be considered a big negative, but only because the app itself is incredibly in-depth. Everything on the controller can be reconfigured, from trigger sensitivity to custom macros, and everything is plainly laid out. The app even gives definitions and explanations for each adjustable setting, meaning that new players can actually learn and understand how and why they should adjust their controller, without having to go to YouTube or read some guide before diving in. These small details are something that most customization apps take for granted and fail to provide, essentially excluding less knowledgeable gamers from fully enjoying their new peripheral.

The app could be even better if there was a way to test the controller before finalizing the changes, but this is more than acceptable given the affordable price, the plethora of information provided through the app, and the comprehensive on-board customization controls. A bit more difficult to deal with than using the app, players can use buttons on the controller to activate turbo mode, remap buttons, create complex macros, and change the RGB lighting.

Changing colors is just as easy as the rest of the customization, with the default options being red for gaming on the Switch, green for other wireless connections, a neutral, blue-toned cycle mode, and, naturally, an off mode. From within the app, players can customize the blue-toned slot for any one of six different colors, though all of them are displayed with the default cycle, which shifts between similarly-toned colors.

Performance & Connectivity

Being a fairly standard wireless controller, the Rainbow 2 Pro comes with few caveats related to its performance and connectivity. The one major complaint a user could have is that the RGB lighting is a bit lackluster, with colors not being particularly accurate or bright. The basic red, green, and blue colors are displayed correctly, but more dynamic shades aren’t often correct at all, with pink looking more purple and yellow being mostly orange, for example.

As far as inputs, BigBig Won has taken advantage of the now affordable Hall effect sensors, implementing them for more accurate and durable triggers. The trigger stops and customizable sensitivity further support the overall responsiveness, giving the controller better physical durability. There were just a few instances of lag with the remappable buttons, but the standard buttons never presented any issues, which is unsurprising given its industry-standard 125-200 Hz polling rate (dependent upon whether the wireless dongle is in play). Unlike some other wireless controllers, the Rainbow 2 Pro never disconnected, even after hours-long game sessions.

This reliability isn’t too shocking, as the controller seamlessly connects with devices. The Rainbow 2 Pro connected with the Switch easier than any wireless controller in recent memory, especially within this price bracket. Even better is the fact that once connected, the controller can start up the Switch from sleep mode, a feature that most budget controllers overlook. The controller will stay synced with the Switch even while the Bluetooth and wireless dongle connections are being used and swapped around regularly. While competitive players may want to use the wireless dongle with the Switch too, it’s not necessary thanks to the excellent wireless connectivity built into the controller.

There is one more pain point with the Rainbow 2 Pro, but it is a common issue among third-party wireless controllers: there’s no battery indicator. BigBig Won states that the Rainbow 2 Pro’s battery life is approximately 15 hours. However, the controller was used for about 15 hours and the Switch still showed 75% battery life. Since the controller couldn’t properly connect to mobile devices, there was no way to check the battery through that either.

Assuming the battery was pretty low due to the length of time it had been used, the controller was charged on the included dock. After a little less than an hour, the dock lights turned off, indicating the battery was full, which isn’t too shabby for a $15 add-on. While it’s tough to say exactly how long the battery lasts or how long it takes to charge, it’s clear that the Rainbow 2 Pro can sustain at least 15 hours of gameplay and players can safely assume that it can be fully charged in about an hour.

Overall Impression

BigBig Won may not be a household name, but it’s not for lack of trying. The Rainbow 2 Pro wireless RGB controller has an insane number of features, especially when considering that it’s $10 cheaper than the Nintendo Pro Controller. Frequent sales and coupons make it even more affordable for budget gamers to have a seriously premium gaming experience.

Despite having somewhat dull RGB lighting, the Rainbow 2 Pro manages to pack in just about every feature gamers want out of their controller. Four remappable buttons, easily customizable macros, swappable parts, Hall effect triggers, and a comfortable grip come together beautifully to offer gamers a reliable and responsive controller at a significant discount compared to major players in the market currently.

Similar Products

Although some players like more muted LED lights on a controller, plenty of users are on the hunt for something different. These alternatives can be perfect for players who have something specific in mind for their gaming setup.

FAQ

Q: Is BigBig Won legit?

Yes, BigBig Won is a real manufacturer producing gaming accessories under Black Shark storefronts at online retailers such as Amazon.

Q: How long is the battery life on the BigBig Won Rainbow 2 Pro?

The Rainbow 2 Pro has a battery life of up to 15 hours.

Q: Is the BigBig Won Rainbow 2 Pro compatible with Xbox?

No, due to Microsoft’s recent crackdown on third-party controllers, no controller that has not been licensed by Microsoft is compatible with Xbox systems.