The most productive Xbox controllers: Microsoft, Razer, PowerA, and extra

We are living in a golden age of gaming controllers. The gamepads available on the market now are upper high quality, extra flexible, and extra customizable than anything else from only some console generations in the past. Should you play on an Xbox Sequence X or Sequence S (or a Home windows PC), you’ll be able to choose from a number of top of the range controllers from Microsoft in addition to a plethora of significant choices from the likes of 8BitDo, PowerA, Razer, Scuf, Nacon, and Turtle Seashore, a few of that have even began the usage of drift-proof Hall effect sticks for advanced longevity. The times of the inexpensive “little sibling” controller that seemed cool however slightly labored are over.

I’ve spent a ton of time enjoying a wide variety of video games (first-person shooters, combatants, third-person action-adventure, racing, indie roguelikes, and so forth.) to check a large swath of Xbox controllers, and it is probably not a wonder that the usual Xbox Wireless Controller is the most suitable choice for many people. It makes an excellent PC controller, too.

However whilst the default Xbox gamepad moves the precise steadiness of high quality, convenience, versatility, and worth, there are a number of choices value making an allowance for.

Connectivity: Xbox wi-fi, Bluetooth, stressed / Connector sort: USB-C / Mappable rear buttons: No / Instrument customization: No / Energy: AA batteries or add-on rechargeable

K, I already know what you’re considering. “The most productive controller for Xbox is the one who comes with the Xbox?” That can appear to be a no brainer, however this common controller actually does earn this name as the most efficient all-rounder. It lacks some extras discovered on pricier choices, however this controller is the distillation of over two decades of Xbox gamepads, and it displays.

Because of Microsoft’s proprietary wi-fi protocol, that is the one inexpensive wi-fi Xbox controller available in the market. (3rd-party wi-fi choices had been trickling out lately, however they’re most commonly on the excessive finish.) Whilst some hate the usual Xbox Wi-fi Controller for its use of AA batteries as an alternative of a integrated rechargeable mobile, that still method it’s versatile, making an allowance for rechargeable AAs or a battery pack. And user-replaceable batteries imply you’re now not caught with a controller that doesn’t hang its payment after years of use. It additionally works over a USB-C connection.

However the standard-issue Xbox pad isn’t simply nice as a result of its connectivity. The {hardware} itself is very good for the controller’s $60 asking value. The sticks, buttons, triggers, and the sunken dish-shaped D-pad all really feel impeccably tight, with the latter having a lovely clickiness to it. Should you’re a hardcore preventing sport fan, you can be higher served through a devoted struggle stick or a controller aimed at that style — one with a very good D-pad like Hori’s Horipad Pro — however the Xbox Wi-fi Controller is an odd jack-of-all-trades.

The one issues it actually lacks in comparison to pricier choices are more, customizable buttons and tool tuning for such things as stick sensitivity, despite the fact that Microsoft does be offering beauty customization via its Xbox Design Lab, which bumps the fee from $69.99 to $109.93 relying at the configuration. There’s so much to like about those controllers, whether or not you’re making your individual or select one from the various colours Microsoft gives.

Connectivity: Stressed / Connector sort: USB-C / Mappable rear buttons: Two / Instrument customization: No / Energy: Stressed

Should you’re on the lookout for an excellent controller however don’t have some huge cash to spend — and also you don’t thoughts a cable — PowerA’s gives a forged price with out a lot sacrifice. Its complete retail value is $37.99, however some colour schemes dip as little as $25. The Merit is PowerA’s follow-up to its Enhanced Stressed Controller, our preceding price range select. Like the Enhanced, the Merit is available in all kinds of hues and designs, but it surely has some great enhancements. Particularly, the brand new fashion has a removable USB-C cable (as an alternative of micro-USB) and three-way hair-trigger lockouts. It additionally has two customizable rear buttons just like the Enhanced, rounding out a pleasing arsenal of options for a low cost gamepad.

The one more thing I’d love to look in a controller this reasonable are drift-free Corridor impact sticks. If that’s a concern to you whilst on a decent price range, imagine spending just a little extra at the GameSir G7 SE. It’s every other nice USB-C stressed possibility that places the float worries to mattress for around $40, despite the fact that it doesn’t have set off lockouts just like the Merit does.

Connectivity: Xbox wi-fi, Bluetooth, stressed / Connector sort: USB-C / Mappable rear buttons: As much as 4 / Instrument customization: Sure / Energy: Integrated rechargeable

The Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 is Microsoft’s fancy controller, and it’s were given numerous great extras, like higher construct high quality, more buttons, user-swappable sticks and D-pad, a integrated rechargeable battery, and a lot of tool customization. The place the usual Xbox controller is built totally of unassuming plastic, the Elite mixes upper high quality soft-touch plastic, rubberized grips, and steel touches for a awesome are compatible and end. This makes it heftier than the inventory controller, and it simply feels great for your palms. It additionally comes with a charging dock and zip-up case with passthrough charging, finishing a actually great bundle for $179.99. There’s additionally the stripped-down Elite Series 2 “Core” version with an MSRP of $129.99, which ditches the add-ons. You’ll purchase them one at a time in , however you’ll finally end up paying extra that means, barring gross sales or reductions.

An expensive controller like an Xbox Elite is a little bit of an emotional acquire. Maximum folks aren’t competing at e-sports ranges, but it surely’s a laugh to make use of one thing that feels nicer, gives techniques to custom-tailor it in your likings, and perhaps will give you a slight aggressive edge because of options like hair triggers and detachable rear paddles. In concept, you might be able to get photographs off sooner in a web based shooter with the hair triggers, and you’ll be able to map the paddles to purposes like leap, crouch, reload, and so forth. whilst conserving your thumb at the proper stick. You want to educate your self claw grip to perform the latter with even an inexpensive stressed controller, positive, but it surely simply received’t really feel as cool as when the usage of an Elite. (And why attempt to get just right or be told one thing when I will purchase my means there as an alternative?)

Whilst the Elite remains to be an excellent controller in 2025, you will have to remember the fact that it’s been round since 2019 and a Sequence 3 revision is feeling lengthy past due. The Sequence 2 additionally has a little bit of a name for lackluster high quality keep watch over — with horror tales from customers about going via more than one replacements underneath guaranty. Microsoft extended the controller’s warranty from 90 days to a year in overdue 2020 to assist deal with considerations, however purchasing an Elite Sequence 2 might nonetheless really feel like a reasonably dangerous proposition. It additionally predates the current-gen implementation of a devoted Proportion button, and its potentiometer-based sticks run the danger of stick drift after long-term use (one thing 0.33 events are addressing with controllers that use drift-free Corridor impact sticks, not like all 3 giant console producers). 

Even with the ones heaping mouthfuls of salt, the Elite 2 stays through a long way probably the most well-rounded possibility for a step-up Xbox controller — thank you largely to its spectacular construct and expansive tool enjoy. If most of these caveats come up with pause, despite the fact that, there may be every other promising possibility.

Read our Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 review.

Connectivity: Wi-fi USB dongle (Xbox / PC), stressed / Connector sort: USB-C / Mappable rear buttons: 4 / Instrument customization: Sure / Energy: Integrated rechargeable

At $199.99, Razer’s Wolverine V3 Pro controller is much more pricey than the Elite Sequence 2, but it surely’s definitely worth the added value if you wish to have a high-end controller with drift-free sticks. Now not best is the V3 Professional Razer’s first foray into the usage of Corridor impact sticks, it’s the corporate’s first totally wi-fi Xbox gamepad. It additionally sports activities one of the crucial very best hair-trigger lockouts round, with a mouse-like click on typically discovered on even pricier Scuf controllers (a prior high-ranking select of ours). As opposed to that, the V3 Professional is very similar to the former V2 Professional, with six remappable buttons — 4 rear paddles in new, angled orientations and two more shoulder buttons — and a few RGB lights. The buttons and D-pad nonetheless have that enjoyable micro-switch tactility and audible clickiness just like the previous-gen V2 Professional, however the RGB lights is extra delicate this time round.

The Wolverine V3 Professional’s greatest shortcomings in comparison to Microsoft’s Elite Sequence 2 are its  extra fundamental tool customization, loss of Bluetooth, and the truth that it wishes a USB dongle to paintings wirelessly. The V3 Professional is in a different way the easier select if you’ll be able to justify its very excessive value. And if you’ll be able to’t, there’s additionally the $99.99 Wolverine V3 Pro Tournament Edition that has a just about an identical set of options in a stressed model.

• Nacon’s Revolution X is without doubt one of the maximum customizable stressed controllers you’ll be able to get (it even has detachable weights in its handles), and its tool is just about as expansive as Microsoft’s first-party app.
• Turtle Seashore’s controllers have choices with at hand audio options aimed at aggressive shooters, just like the Recon and React-R. Its fanciest possibility, the Stealth Ultra, is a $200 wi-fi fashion with Corridor impact sticks that’s total superb. Regardless that, for a similar cash, I desire the Razer Wolverine V3 Professional, because it feels higher to make use of and the Stealth Extremely’s integrated 1.5-inch display for customizing purposes (or getting social media notifications) is clunky.
• 8BitDo’s Ultimate Wired Controller for Xbox and PC is a high quality, inexpensive gamepad with two rear buttons and tool customization, despite the fact that the long USB cable isn’t removable. There’s a new model with Hall effect sticks and a removable USB-C cable that appears like an actual contender, and it’s on our shortlist of choices to check subsequent.
• In brief discussed above, the Horipad Pro has one of the most very best D-pads round. It additionally gives numerous tool customization at an inexpensive value, however its shoulder buttons are a little bit stiff.
• Should you’re the nostalgic sort, the Hyperkin Duke, DuchesS, and Xenon are trustworthy stressed recreations of Xbox gamepads from Microsoft’s first two console generations. They’re roughly dumb however endearing (particularly the chunky Duke), however they’re distinctive collector items you’ll be able to additionally use on trendy video games.

Images through Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge

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