New Xbox Elite Controller Doesn't Change Much, But It's $50 Cheaper

Mar 28, 2024

The Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 is one of the best Xbox gamepads available, and one of the best first-party controllers, period. It offers extensive customization options, lots of components you can swap in and out—and a high $180 price.

Microsoft just announced a more affordable Elite controller in the form of the awkwardly named Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 - Core. We'll call it the Elite Core controller for simplicity.

The $129.99 Elite Core gamepad is almost identical to the Elite Series 2 controller, physically differing only with its white body, rubberized grip, and shorter trigger locks. It supports the same extensive controller mapping through the Xbox Accessories app for both Windows PCs and Xbox consoles. Functionally, it's the same gamepad for $50 less.

The Core part of the Elite Core comes in its accessories, or lack thereof. In addition to what comes installed on the controller itself, the Elite Series 2 includes four swappable analog sticks, a swappable direction pad, four removable metal paddles, a charging dock, a carrying case for all of those components, a tool for adjusting the tension on the analog sticks, and a USB-C cable. The core only comes with the tension adjustment tool and cable.

The inability to switch out the direction pad and thumbsticks is one thing, but the really big missing element is the rear paddles. The Elite Core still has four small slots on the back with tiny circular buttons that can work with the removable paddles, but without the paddles themselves those buttons are almost impossible to press.

The rear paddle slots on the Elite Core mean it can be upgraded to a full Elite Series 2 controller, though, and Microsoft is offering an accessory pack to make that happen. The Complete Controller Pack provides every accessory the Elite Series 2 has and the Elite Core lacks, for $59.99. This means you'll be paying $190 for a white Elite Series 2 gamepad instead of $180 for the currently black-only model, but it's still an option.

Microsoft has also announced that the Elite Core will be added to Xbox Design Lab, letting players customize the colors of their gamepad beyond black and white. The ability to order your own personalized Elite gamepad will launch this holiday season.

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