I wondered if anyone had any experience with a controller that they used while docked? If the 20-30 8bitdo is as good as a one of the premium controllers, id prefer to save some money, since I don't own a console. If thought I'd ask the community, to see if anyone had any experience to share!
I really enjoy my 8Bitdo Pro 2. I think that's one of the best controllers for $40-$45. I also have the SN30 Pro that I keep in my bag along with a small USB-C hub so my friends and I can play party games at their house. If you're willing to look at the $80 range, the Ultimate Pro is a really nice controller. You want to make sure you check what it's compatible with, though I can confirm it works on with the Steam Deck as long as the dongle is plugged in.
EDIT: I almost forgot. There is a $30 8Bitdo Ultimate controller. The only real catch is it's wired, but should be a great pick for the price. Kevin Kenson and Wulff Den on YouTube has covered all of these controllers.
I also use the 8bitdo Pro 2, it fits very well in my hands and has the correct joystick layout. The battery life on it is insane compared to a Dualshock 4 (other controller I've used quite a lot and can compare to).
My only issue with it is that I wish the buttons on the bottom weren't useless and could be mapped to something - even the official application does not allow you to send any other keypresses through them than what is standard.
Also works over bluetooth, none of that dongle nonsense.