Introduction: Why the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller Feels So Different
For years, Mobapad has focused on solving the real pain points of Nintendo Switch players—stick drift, rough joystick feel, inconsistent vibration, and short product lifespan. Instead of chasing specs on paper, we benchmark ourselves against premium controllers and design around one simple goal: better control and deeper immersion for real players.
When the Joy-Con 2 and Nintendo Switch 2 Pro controller finally landed on our desks in June 2025, we did what we always do: took them apart, tested them hard, and compared them with our own designs. The new 9-axis motion sensor and mouse-style functions are great upgrades—but what truly surprised our whole R&D team were the Switch 2 Pro analog sticks.
Everyone on the team agreed:
“This is what smooth, effortless stick control is supposed to feel like.”
In this article, we’ll break down:
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How analog sticks evolved on game controllers
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What’s special about the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro controller sticks
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How Mobapad TMR glide sticks build on that and go even further
If you’ve ever wondered why some controllers feel “gritty” and others feel like air, this is for you.
1. The Evolution of Gamepad Analog Sticks
Over the last few hardware generations, analog sticks have gone through several stages:
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Digital sticks – simple on/off style inputs
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Potentiometer sticks – traditional analog sticks used in most controllers for years
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Hall effect / TMR / capacitive sticks – newer tech focused on durability and precision
On paper, new sensor technologies (like Hall effect and TMR) solve drift by eliminating physical contact between wiper and resistor. But in the real world, most players don’t just lose control because of drift. Instead, problems often come from:
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The mechanical structure of the stick
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The materials used around the stick shaft and housing
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Long-term friction and wear between the stick and the limiting ring
The limits of POM and metal rings
The original Nintendo Switch Pro Controller used a POM ring (a mellow, wear-resistant plastic) around the stick. It feels great at first: smooth movement, low friction.
But as we’ve seen in long-term testing and from community feedback:
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Continuous friction sheds POM powder
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Powder builds up around the stick and PCB
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Friction increases, movement feels “sticky”
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In worst cases, it can contribute to drift-like behavior
Third-party brands—including Mobapad in early designs—upgraded to POM + metal-polished rings (KK rings) to improve smoothness and reduce friction. This did help, but created a new problem:
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The metal polish layer wears unevenly over time
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Resistance becomes inconsistent
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Drag spikes at certain angles, hurting fine control
No-edge-contact designs: A partial fix
The next step was the “no-edge-contact” joystick structure. By adding an internal limiting gate, the stick shaft never directly grinds against the shell edge:
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Edge friction drops sharply
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Movement feels smoother
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Shell wear is reduced
However, the base stop is still hard material against hard material. Over time, this still causes:
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Powder shedding at the base
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Buildup that can jam or slow the stick
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Long-term mechanical damage under heavy use
It started to feel like a vicious cycle:
Reduce one friction point, and another one becomes the weak link.
Then came the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro controller and quietly broke that cycle.
2. Inside the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller: Smooth-Gliding Sticks
When we opened up the Switch 2 Pro controller, the stick design immediately stood out. Nintendo didn’t just change the sensor—they changed how the entire stick assembly moves.
The core ideas behind the Switch 2 Pro smooth-gliding sticks are:
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Lowered limit stops
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The joystick cap never makes contact with the edge of the shell
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This removes traditional edge friction and cutting at the housing
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Silicone rubber ring at the base
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Silicone has excellent lubricity and elasticity
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It tolerates rougher surfaces without heavy wear
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It cushions movement instead of scraping against the plastic
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Inverted snap-fit stick structure
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The stick cap and internal stem are locked tightly together
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Travel is controlled within a precise range
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The cap lightly glides over the silicone track instead of grinding against a hard edge
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The result is:
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Much lower mechanical friction
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Softer, more cushioned movement
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Significantly reduced powder shedding
From a player’s perspective, it feels:
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Lighter
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Smoother
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Less fatiguing over long sessions
Is it perfect? Not quite.
Silicone is soft, which means:
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Under heavy pressure, it can compress and potentially change the effective range over time
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There’s still room to improve precision and long-term stability
That’s where Mobapad stepped in.
3. Mobapad TMR Glide Sticks: Building on the Switch 2 Pro Design
With the Mobapad TMR glide sticks, our goal was simple:
Take the core ideas from the Nintendo Switch 2 Pro controller sticks and push them further—for better durability, precision, and comfort.
We made two major upgrades:
3.1 LSR (Liquid Silicone Rubber) Track Ring
Instead of standard silicone, Mobapad uses an LSR (Liquid Silicone Rubber) track ring:
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Precision-molded to micron-level accuracy (0.01 mm contact points)
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More consistent in shape and hardness across production
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Higher wear resistance compared to regular silicone
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Naturally lubricated feel for an even softer glide
This means:
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Even lower friction than the Switch 2 Pro base design
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A more stable “track” for the stick to ride on
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Less long-term deformation, even under heavy inputs
3.2 Custom TMR Sensing Module
The second upgrade is inside the stick:
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A custom TMR (Tunnel Magneto-Resistance) sensing module co-developed with our suppliers
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Designed specifically for this inverted snap-fit, glide-ring joystick structure
Compared with traditional potentiometer sticks:
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No physical contact between wiper and resistor = dramatically reduced drift risk
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Higher precision and stability over time
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Lower power consumption for longer battery life
Our engineers and testers tuned the internal damping so that:
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Initial movement feels light and effortless
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Fine adjustments are easy to control
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Long sessions feel less tiring on your thumb
Together, the LSR glide ring + TMR sensing deliver what we call:
Mobapad TMR Glide Sticks – push the stick, and it feels like your thumb is moving through air, with almost zero mechanical resistance.
4. What This Means for Nintendo Switch 2 Players
For Nintendo Switch 2 and Switch 2 Pro players, the evolution from traditional sticks to smooth-gliding, low-friction designs brings real, practical benefits:
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More accurate aiming and movement in shooters, action games, and competitive titles
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Less stick drift over the lifespan of the controller
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Smoother, quieter motion when making micro-adjustments
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More comfortable long-term play with less friction and resistance fighting back
And when you combine this with:
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Mechanical or liquid-silicone face buttons
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Advanced HD vibration
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Refined ergonomics
…you get a controller that doesn’t just look high-end—it genuinely feels next-generation.
5. From Nintendo’s Innovation to Mobapad’s Interpretation
The Nintendo Switch 2 Pro controller set a new standard for how analog sticks should feel in 2025:
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No more harsh plastic-on-plastic edge grinding
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Better control of stick travel
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Smarter use of soft, elastic materials to reduce friction and wear
The Mobapad TMR glide sticks build directly on that foundation and aim to solve the remaining issues:
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LSR track for better long-term consistency and lubrication
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TMR sensing for drift resistance and higher precision
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Tuned damping for lighter, smoother movement
If you’re curious what a true “Switch 2 Pro-level controller” can feel like, this is where that experience starts—not just with sensor specs, but with the mechanical design around the stick itself.
6. What’s Next
We’ll continue sharing more teardown insights and controller design breakdowns in our community and on this blog—covering:
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How we tune HD vibration using audio data
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Why different players prefer different trigger structures
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How firmware updates can change the feel of your controller without changing hardware
If you’re interested in Nintendo Switch 2 controllers, drift-free TMR joysticks, and pro-level Switch 2 Pro alternatives, stay tuned—this is only the beginning.