Rii 2.4GHz Mini Wireless Keyboard with… vs 8Bitdo Pro 2 Bluetooth Controller Hall Effect… — Head-to-Head (2026)

Our verdict

For a Raspberry Pi or HTPC build in 2026, buy the Rii mini keyboard first and the 8Bitdo Pro 2 G Edition second — the Rii is the only one of the two that can type `sudo raspi-config`, while the 8Bitdo's Hall effect sticks and 20-hour battery make it the better device once the box already boots to a game. It's a tie because these aren't substitutes: they're two stages of the same build, and the honest answer is a buy order, not a winner.

Buy the Rii 2.4GHz Mini Wireless Keyboard if you need to configure, administer, or navigate a Raspberry Pi, HTPC, or Android TV box from the couch — first boot, Wi-Fi setup, Kodi/Plex menus, terminal work at 15 meters — and want one inexpensive device that covers keyboard and pointer duty on a machine with no desk. Buy the 8Bitdo Pro 2 Bluetooth Controller (G Edition) if the machine is already configured and its actual job is playing games — RetroPie/Batocera on a Pi, Steam on a PC, Switch, macOS, or Android — and you want Hall effect sticks that don't develop drift, two programmable back buttons, and 20 hours of play per 4-hour charge.

SpecPicks editorial verdict, written June 5, 2026. Prices move, so check the current price on each listing before you buy.