Stefan Mileschin

Nyko's PlayPad Pro controllers make gaming on Android much less painful, as anyone who has attempted to control a high-speed Sonic with a touchscreen can attest. So, how does the company follow up a largely successful peripheral that already performs its appointed tasks with aplomb? By changing very little, it appears. The PlayPad Pro 2 has a slightly sleeker and more aggressive design than its predecessor, but at a glance it may be hard to tell the two apart. The most distintive change is the addition of fins along the sides that should help keep your hands from getting too sweaty during extended button-mashing sessions. The biggest change, though, is to the analog sticks, which Nyko has upgraded with components from Alps that feel just about as good as what you'd find on a first-party controller from one of the big three console makers. Switching between HID, mouse, iCade and app modes is also incredibly easy thanks to the switch underneath.

The rubberized grips and soft-touch coating also ooze style in a way that many mobile gaming controllers can't even dream of matching. Impressively, the gamepad is quite well balanced, despite being incredibly light. Though we don't have an official weight, it's certainly no heavier than the original. Our lone complaint is that the directional pad feels a bit stiff, but there's always a chance for Nyko to rectify the situation since we were only handling prototype hardware. The PlayPad Pro 2 will be out later this year for $40. Make sure you check out the gallery below and the PR after the break.

http://www.engadget.com/2013/06/12/n... ign=Engadget