Review for the Xbox One Elite Controller covering the controller itself along with the hardware for customization in this in-depth look after a long trial across many games.
"Your current -- and pricey -- Xbox Elite 2 Controller will not be able to take advantage of the new Share button and related functionality found on new Xbox controllers, including those that ship with the Xbox Series S & X," writes Stevivor's Steve Wright.
Why on earth would you want to use the button that maps everything as the share button anyway?
Amended class-action adds additional plaintiffs and specific mention of Elite Series 2
I was wondering if something was up with these controllers. I have a friend that had multiple Xbox controllers with drift issues ... Seemed like more than just bad luck
Thats weird, me and my friends have over 20+ controllers and none of them have drift. Not saying it can't happen but maybe it IS bad luck. I think it's mostly isolated to the Elite Series 2 being the newest controller.
20+ controllers? You ever wonder why you guys need so many controllers? Maybe it's because their build quality sucks.
This is a problem that occour in all controllers from all brands due to users making a lot on stress on analogue, some controllers are less resistance them other like the Switch, but that the way it is.
I never had this problem on any controller of any brand in my 32 years of gaming, on the other hand I know people that have this problem in every controller after 6 months.
I have close to 40 xbo/ps4 controllers and none of them have drift issues. I bought them all 2nd hand and you would think they should (with the way some wrench on the sticks) but thankfully they do not. My son's xbo has developed stick drift as well as one of his ds4 so I let him use a couple of my spares. Not the fancy ones though... just regular ones.
@seal, maybe this person collects controllers? I know I do.
Yeah, it seems to be more of an issue recently. It's like they deteriorate over time rather than being dodgy from the get-go.
Only had one out of my 5 drift this gen on Xbox. Annoyingly it is the custom controller I ordered.
I have 4 controllers one of them is an original from back in 2013 when the console was released which did eventually get some drift on the left stick after about 3 years all the others haven't including my Elite V2 and I do tend to put my controllers through the wringer. I have no idea why you have so many friends who seem to get this issue as none of my friends with Xboxes have reported it. Maybe anecdotal evidence from people you know is not used in law courts for a reason? However I do think that all console manufacturers should extend their warrantee for this, 90 days is pretty stingy for something like stick drift.
@ crazy
You must be crazy Xbox elite controllers are perfect and only lying fanboys find imaginary defects on them. My works perfect without any issues and I have 2 on each room. Said you know who here
I mean, there's a lawsuit against the Elite 2 controllers drifting. So its clearly something that happens. Did you ever think that you were lucky that the ones you have just don't have that issue?
@darkwingsoul I need to have issues to buy controllers? 😂 Yall are definitely some lonely virgins. Look at the agrees lmfao
I have extra controllers for when my friends come over to play videogames. Plus elite controller 2 and a design lab controller. Easily could have been more if I bought a few special edition ones.
I have this on two of my controllers. It seems like it happens over time tho, as mine worked fine for about 6 months.
I also had a drifter. I was pissed that they wouldn't do anything about it. I lived in Denmark then, which is notoriously know for absolute sh!t customer service.
Drift happens, no really. It is caused by a combination of ware and dirt. Every single one of my controllers develop drift. Without fail. To be fair, i am not kind to my controllers. They get used on the daily for 3-5 hours and 10-15 hour sessions are not too infrequent. Hands covered in chip residue, spills on and around them. TBH, I always get the 2 year add on warranty from Best Buy. Then trade them in when it starts happening. Trade for a new one.Then get a new warranty (40$ for Elite Controller, 20$ for normal) on that one, Rinse and repeat. I did this 5 time with the original Elite, with the last time paying the additional 30 bucks for the upgrade to V2. Still going strong.
I had one analogue stick brake, had no drift issues but went though quite a few, 3 with broken usbs, rubber came off first one.
Strangely third party ones dispite being crap were never broke
That's good, but an analog stick is a moving part and after a period of use they wear down no matter what gaming system the controller goes to.
Xbox: 1 out of 5
PS4: 1 out of 7 including 3 with shredded analog tops-my second release PS4 controllers have been good
Switch: 2 sets out of 2, can only play with a pro controller
Every single one of my DS4 controller's drift , I've accepted that this is just what happens.
I have. I've had a couple with stick drift. Only difference is, I didn't pay 100+ for them.
@ JAckBNimble you are so full of it. You don't even own Ps4 controllers. I mean just on one page of your commetn history.....
"Those days are long gone bro... these sonybois are much worse now"
"I have a feeling that over confident sonyboys are going to be blindsided next gen with all their expectations of ps5 and down playing of xsx."
I don't pretend to Xbox controllers. You shouldn't pretend to have all these DS4 controllers and they all have drift. You're full of it
that's because on PS4 you often won't notice it. I've had controllers that work perfectly fine then while playing some game I put the controller down and notice L3 is drifting. Sometimes simply clicking the analog in and rotating clears it up for good or for a while. But imo, from what I've experienced, it's pretty minimal and something that can be easily overlooked or go unnoticed.
As for the mention of triggers below. Sony has made changes to the triggers over the course of each DS4 generation. There's at least 3 generations of DS4s. The latest bolstering the trigger somewhat.
Two of my DS4 controllers got it - one I'm still using because it's too close to the release of the PS5 to invest in a new one.
Replies(2)I haven’t had any drift issues. My elite 1 controller grips did fall off-but it’s still playable.
Even my Switch is fine.
Can it be one of the assemblies that they contract out that makes them be the issue?
At this point I feel lucky.
Have a elite 1 and don’t have any issues whatsoever or any of my controllers. So far I’ve been lucky but I’ve had my switch have stick drift
Never had stick drift using 7 different Xbone controllers over the course of 5 years. Unless I screwed them up myself which I did once by leaving one upside down with some clothes on top of it.
Lucky you, I had drift on 2 out of my 4 ps4 controllers. Luckily is wasn’t on my scuf.
I been gaming for 25 years now and never even seen drift on any of my joypads, maybe some of us just ain't hashy gits with our controllers.
I get drift eventually every gen, its the racing games man, I love em, but the twitchy way I use the sticks must mess with em lol
I put at least 800 hours between those 7 xbone controllers and I bought several of them used off craigslist.
I have used 9 over the course of 4 years and all 9 have drift and I keep them all in plastic safety cases.
I now have over 40,000 controllers and I have them individually sealed in titanium cases now! Unfortunately they all have drift...
Why would you need to use 7 controllers? I've still got my launch PS4 pro controller and it's fine still now. 7 controllers? I am guessing a couple don't work which is why you have so many and use them all. I don't know, but 7? That seems crazy to me.
The Digital Foundry review of the Microsoft Elite Series 2, what we believe is the best Xbox and PC controller on the market.
Not from what I have seen..
Having button issues..
Have not heard about stick drift like in the original.
I would go to the forums instead of trusting a review.. especially about a Microsoft product.
To every shill trying to protect Microsoft with the “disagree” button..😂
https://www.windowscentral....
Most of the time people go to forums to complain instead of taking The time to praise. You'll have to weed through what is an issue affecting a small percentage of people or a wide spread problem. Doubt you even own one. My first gen elite is going strong.
Hopefully we don't see an elite pad for series x at launch or I'll be pissed at buying this and it's not compatible with the series x fully. I hear there is an extra button on series x controller
There is a "share" button. Other than that: Every Xbox One controller works on Xbox Series X.
Got mine on Day One and its been simply awesome!
Much more durable internals than the original, which you can see from any teardown of it on YouTube. Mine is the same condition as I got it and I've played regularly since release.
It's basically an improvement in every area compared to the original. Watch a teardown there's a few that point out all the differences and improvements inside it and don't fall for the people throwing negatives into the mix here. It's mainly Playstation fanboys who will put down anything Xbox related.
Yes A button has 'stuck' for some people on the first batch but it's not often and its fairly small scale. There's also a easy fix for it.
I have the series 2. I have had zero issues with it since launch. It's been great and you can tell that it's improved from the first version.
As an owner of the first one, I had to replace the bumpers (both bumpers are actually attached into a single piece of plastic which was not durable at all), as well as the grips on both the left and then eventually the right. Wasn't a huge issue, but it was like a car, the older it got the more issues it began to have. Replacement parts were limited, but repairing it was pretty simple. Not something I was fond of doing after paying a premium though.
“Optional” elite controller that is mainly used for eSport and competition. Yeah, if it is not for us then why it should exist right?
@nucky64: is that really overpriced? Depends on who you ask from. Overpriced to you? You are probably not the target customer then. Overpriced to competitive fps guy who invests hundreds or thousands of hours to fine-tune their game play? Hell no. Just check what is the market price of these special controllers. It is anything between around $130 - $200 at the moment.
These are extremely high quality controllers. You'd have to hold one to really understand the difference.
Problem is the shell and buttons are all high quality, but it all relies on the same quality board internally. You'd think with all that money they charge you would get tougher solders and internal toggles but on the 1st elite controller they weren't really any better than the regular controller. Hopefully thats different this time around.
Yup for maybe an extra 3 dollars worth of components on the pcb and maybe like 80 cents worth of extra plastic.
@PyroMessiah86
Somebody doesn't know how much components and material cost. These type of controllers existed before MS made theirs. They didnt spend any more than a few bucks, no matter what they say, coming up with this controller.
Well gee whiz. I'm sure I have some "components" and at least 80 cents worth of extra plastic laying around the house. I guess I can just make my own controller, huh?
sigh
I don’t care what anyone says, wayyy too much for a pad. The margin has to be through the roof. $125 max. To each their own, people spend on what they see value in. I fail to see that much value.
No they aim for people who is willing to buy. if they knew people would pay 500 they would charge that
Did you know logitech makes a gaming keyboard that cost $249 and a gaming mouse at $149? Guess what? The keyboard doesn't do anything special besides being specifically geared for competitive gaming. If you think $200 for an enthusiasts and competitive level Xbox gaming pad is too expensive, then it's not meant for you. However, the pricing is in line with other enthusiast/competitive gaming level products
I mean if you dabbled in the PC market you would see what's overpriced there. People spend all sorts of money on gaming keyboards, mice, monitors, etc. They all do something extra above a regular piece of hardware. These controllers go above and beyond a standard controller.
This controller isn't for you for sure.
There is some hardware out on PC which is significantly better than what you get with the standard style mouse or keyboard. It's not that games are unplayable with the lesser hardware, but if you spend a lot of time on some games, a good keyboard or mouse can really be a much better experience.
When I played WOW, I raided a lot, and I had a $150 mouse. I didn't buy it for the DPI, but because it was programmable and had hot key buttons where I could set up my rotation without having to move my hand across the keyboard, and I just cycled through a series of well placed number buttons on the side. It had extra ways to use the top buttons, and it improved my game play in Raids and my general enjoyment of the game.
Same with keyboards. Mechanical keybaords tend to be more responsive, which is good for games. Some have lighted keys which makes them easier to see if you play in the dark, and many of the good ones have larger buttons and layouts, and often they have their own set of hot keys to do what you could do with the mouse.
This controller is essentially the same thing, but the need for all those extra perks is more limited due to the input options being constrained to the default controller. But, being able to map say the directional keypad to the back buttons is really good in games which allow you to switch stuff up, especially in games where those switch may come during an action scene where taking your thumb off the left stick isn't ideal. Triggers tend to be more resposive, or at least feel better so it becomes more natural.
I wouldn't personally pay that much for a controller nowadays though. But, there is merit to why people are willing to spend that much money on them. I'm fine with the default controllers, but even I still have times where I wouldn't mind some of the features available on the higher end ones.
My last 2 kb/m setups were $200+. I can't type on them though, so I still need to switch the kb out for anything non-gaming.
If I can defend those kinds of purchases to my skeptical wife, these controllers are cake. I'm waiting for next gen to see if Series 3 offers anything else, or grab the Series 2 at a end-of-life discount.
One Logitech keyboard i had was hard to type text on at first. It was one of those semi-ergonomic ones. I liked it because the keys were bigger than normal keyboards. It took some getting used to, but eventually I was pretty proficient on it. If I hadn't also had a job where I typed a lot on more common keyboards, I think it might have been hard to go back.
I don't care what you say as you don't represent the whole gaming community. And what does margin has to do with anything? Special products are always sold at higher margin. It's not like companies put a certain fixed margin on top of their costs. That's called "cost plus" pricing and is almost always the worst possible way to do business. This product is using value based pricing, as it should. The price is in line with other products in this segment. There is A LOT of people who see value in this and will gladly pay $200. I know I would if I was a Xbox gamer. Unluckily Sony doesn't have anything like this in their lineup so I'm stuck with Razer and Scuf controllers instead.
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wish i could find one. sold out everywhere
Off to get min now! Wahoo finally :D
Guess the only way to get one is to buy the console bundleoh well.