GuliKit’s new Switch controller features next-generation anti-drift thumbsticks

GuliKit announced its first wireless controller to use an improved version of the anti-drift tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) thumbsticks featured in its budget-friendly ES Pro that debuted nearly a year ago. Available now for $49.99, the new GuliKit ES Max is more expensive than last year’s $29.99 ES Pro, but still cheaper than Nintendo’s Switch 2 Pro Controller, while offering more features and functionality without the risk of stick drift that plagued the original Switch.

The TMR thumbsticks in the ES Max don’t feature a complete reimagining of the technology but measure stick movement in a slightly different way that improves performance. The traditional TMR tech uses a sensor to measure changes in the distance between it and a magnet that moves closer and farther away in response to stick movements.

Instead of measuring changes in the strength of the magnetic field, the new TMR tech uses its sensor to measure the rotational angle of a nearby magnet as it moves along with the stick. With this new approach, the strength of the magnetic field never decreases, resulting in more accurate measurements and thumbsticks that are more precise, responsive, and stable.

The ES Max is compatible with all versions of the Nintendo Switch as well as Windows and macOS PCs, iOS and Android mobile devices, and Steam. Other upgrades include the addition of two remappable buttons on the back, swappable thumbstick caps, and Hall-effect linear triggers that can be switched to micro-switches for shorter travel and faster reactions. GuliKit is also bundling a Hyperlink 2 Bluetooth adapter it claims offers lower latency when using the ES Max as a wireless controller and is introducing its first mobile app for customizing, configuring, and updating its gamepads.