The best Xbox controller to buy right now

We unrecorded successful a aureate property of controllers. The gamepads connected the marketplace now are of higher quality, much versatile, and much customizable than thing from moreover 1 console procreation ago. If you play games connected an Xbox Series X aliases Series S (or a Windows PC), you person the unenviable task of choosing betwixt respective controllers from Microsoft arsenic good arsenic a plethora of awesome options from the likes of 8BitDo, PowerA, Razer, Scuf, GameSir, and Hyperkin. Some of them person drift-resistant Hall effect aliases TMR-based joysticks for improved longevity, yet each of them are bully for 1 logic aliases another. The days of the inexpensive “little sibling” controller that looked cool but hardly worked are over.

We’ve spent clip playing each kinds of games (first-person shooters, fighters, third-person action-adventure, racing, indie roguelikes, etc.) to trial a wide swath of Xbox controllers, and it whitethorn not beryllium a astonishment that the modular Xbox Wireless Controller is the champion action for astir folks. It makes for a awesome PC and Steam Deck controller, too. The default Xbox gamepad strikes the correct equilibrium of quality, comfort, versatility, and price, but location are respective alternatives worthy considering.

Connectivity: Xbox wireless, Bluetooth, wired / Connector type: USB-C / Mappable rear buttons: No / Software customization: No / Power: AA batteries aliases add-on rechargeable

Okay, I already cognize what you’re thinking. “The champion controller for Xbox is the 1 that comes pinch the Xbox?” That whitethorn look for illustration a no-brainer, but this modular controller genuinely does gain this title arsenic the best. It lacks immoderate extras recovered connected pricier options, but this controller is the distillation of each that has made the past 20 years of Xbox gamepads great, and it shows.

Thanks to Microsoft’s proprietary wireless protocol, the Xbox Wireless Controller is the only affordable wireless action retired there. (Third-party wireless alternatives are available, but they’re mostly astatine the precocious end.) While immoderate dislike the modular Xbox wireless controller for its usage of AA batteries alternatively of a built-in rechargeable cell, that besides intends it’s flexible, allowing for rechargeable AAs aliases a artillery pack. And user-replaceable batteries mean you’re not stuck pinch a controller that doesn’t clasp its complaint aft years of use. It besides useful complete a USB-C wired connection.

But the standard-issue Xbox pad isn’t conscionable awesome because of its varied connectivity. The hardware itself is fantabulous for the controller’s $65 (and often less) asking price. The sticks, buttons, triggers, and the sunken dish-shaped D-pad each consciousness impeccably tight, pinch the second having a satisfying clickiness to it. If you’re a hardcore fighting crippled fan, you’ll astir apt beryllium champion served by a dedicated conflict instrumentality aliases a controller geared toward that genre — 1 pinch a superb D-pad for illustration Hori’s Horipad Pro — but the Xbox Wireless Controller is different an bonzer jack-of-all-trades.

The only things it really lacks compared to pricier options are extra, customizable buttons and package tuning for things for illustration instrumentality sensitivity (button remapping is available), though Microsoft does connection cosmetic customization done its Xbox Design Lab, which bumps the value from $79.99 to $124.93 depending connected the configuration. There’s a batch to emotion astir these controllers, whether you make your ain aliases prime 1 from the galore colors that Microsoft offers.

Connectivity: Wired / Connector type: USB-C / Mappable rear buttons: Two / Software customization: Yes / Power: Wired

The 8BitDo Ultimate Wired Controller for Xbox is simply a awesome fund exemplary that typically retails for $44.99 but tin often beryllium recovered for arsenic small arsenic $29.99. The style is reminiscent of Nintendo’s Switch Pro Controller, only a spot smaller, pinch hints of Xbox power and a curvaceous creation that feels awesome to hold.

On the hardware front, the Ultimate Wired Controller features Hall effect sticks pinch satisfying tension. It besides uses Hall effect triggers pinch dedicated vibration motors, though it lacks trigger stops, dissimilar our erstwhile fund pick, the PowerA Advantage Wired. Its D-pad, look buttons, and bumpers are bully and clicky, too, contempt being smaller than we’d typically like. It has 2 rear paddles, remappable buttons, and the expertise to prevention up to 3 profiles, which you tin move betwixt connected the alert utilizing a dedicated button. There’s moreover a built-in shut up move for audio, which isn’t communal connected cheaper controllers. You tin download the 8BitDo Ultimate Software X app connected PC aliases Xbox to afloat customize this controller.

The 8BitDo Ultimate Wired useful arsenic a wired controller pinch your PC, but if you for illustration wireless connectivity, the institution besides makes a three-mode wireless type for $69.99 pinch support for some Bluetooth and 2.4GHz wireless (via a dongle). The wireless type is simply a spot much expensive, however, and it’s still constricted to wired connectivity connected Xbox consoles.

Connectivity: Xbox wireless, Bluetooth, wired / Connector type: USB-C / Mappable rear buttons: Up to 4 / Software customization: Yes / Power: Built-in rechargeable

The Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 is Microsoft’s fanciest controller, and it’s sewage a batch of bully extras, for illustration amended build quality, other buttons, user-swappable sticks and D-pad, a built-in rechargeable battery, and loads of package customization. Where the modular Xbox controller is constructed wholly of unassuming plastic, the Elite mixes higher value soft-touch plastic, rubberized grips, and metallic touches for a superior fresh and finish. This makes it heftier than the banal controller, and arsenic a result, it conscionable feels nicer successful your hands. It besides comes pinch a charging dock and zip-up lawsuit pinch passthrough charging, completing a really bully package for $199.99 (or sometimes less, if it’s connected sale).

There’s besides the stripped-down Elite Series 2 “Core” version pinch an MSRP of $149.99, which ditches the add-ons but is arsenic customizable. You tin bargain them separately successful a $59.99 accessories pack, but you’ll extremity up paying much that way, barring income aliases discounts.

A pricey controller for illustration an Xbox Elite is simply a spot of a splurge purchase. Most of america are not competing astatine e-sports levels that require its high-end features. Nevertheless, it’s nosy to usage thing that feels nicer, offers ways to custom-tailor it to your liking, and possibly gives you a flimsy competitory separator acknowledgment to features for illustration hairsbreadth triggers and removable rear paddles. In theory, you whitethorn beryllium capable to get shots disconnected faster successful an online shooter pinch the hairsbreadth triggers, and you tin representation the paddles to functions for illustration jump, crouch, reload, etc., while keeping your thumb connected the correct stick. You could thatch yourself claw grip to execute the second pinch moreover a inexpensive wired controller, sure, but it conscionable won’t consciousness arsenic cool aliases easy arsenic erstwhile utilizing an Elite.

While the Elite is still a awesome controller successful 2025, you should support successful mind that it’s been astir since 2019 and a Series 3 revision is emotion agelong overdue. The Series 2 besides has a spot of a estimation for lackluster value power — pinch scary stories from users astir going done aggregate replacements nether warranty. Microsoft extended the controller’s warranty from 90 days to a twelvemonth successful precocious 2020 to thief reside concerns, but buying an Elite Series 2 whitethorn still consciousness for illustration a somewhat risky proposition. It besides predates the current-gen implementation of a dedicated Share button, and its potentiometer-based sticks tally the consequence of stick drift aft semipermanent usage (something 3rd parties are addressing pinch controllers that usage drift-free Hall effect sticks, dissimilar each 3 large console manufacturers).

Even so, the Elite 2 remains by acold the astir well-rounded action for a step-up Xbox controller — acknowledgment successful ample portion to its awesome build and expansive package experience. If each these caveats springiness you pause, though, location is different promising option.

Connectivity: Wireless USB dongle (Xbox / PC), wired / Connector type: USB-C / Mappable rear buttons: Four / Software customization: Yes / Power: Built-in rechargeable

At $199.99, Razer’s Wolverine V3 Pro controller is arsenic costly (or more, depending connected disposable deals) than the Elite Series 2, but it’s worthy the costs if you want a high-end controller pinch drift-free sticks. Not only is the V3 Pro Razer’s first foray into utilizing Hall effect sticks, it’s the company’s first afloat wireless Xbox gamepad. It besides sports immoderate of the champion hair-trigger lockouts around, yielding a mouse-like click usually recovered connected moreover pricier Scuf controllers (a erstwhile high-ranking prime of ours).

Other than that, the V3 Pro is akin to the erstwhile V2 Pro, pinch six remappable buttons — 4 rear paddles successful new, angled orientations and 2 other enarthrosis buttons — and immoderate RGB lighting. The buttons and D-pad still person that satisfying micro-switch tactility and audible clickiness for illustration the previous-gen V2 Pro, but the RGB lighting is much subtle this clip around.

The Wolverine V3 Pro’s biggest shortcomings compared to Microsoft’s Elite Series 2 are its much basal package customization, its deficiency of Bluetooth, and the truth that it needs a USB dongle to activity wirelessly. The V3 Pro is different the amended prime if you tin warrant its precocious price, which, dissimilar the Series 2, is seldom subjected to discounts. Luckily, if you can’t, there’s besides the $99.99 Wolverine V3 Pro Tournament Edition that has a astir identical group of features successful a wired configuration.

Connectivity: Wired (Xbox), wireless USB dongle (PC), Bluetooth (Android) / Connector type: USB-C / Mappable rear buttons: Two / Software customization: Yes / Power: Built-in rechargeable

If you don’t mind utilizing a wired controller, GameSir’s G7 Pro offers immoderate features of the splurge-worthy Xbox Elite Controller 2 for nether $100. It has remappable buttons, smooth-feeling drift-resistant TMR power sticks, a satisfying weight, and textured grips that made it consciousness comfortable to clasp moreover pinch sweaty palms.

The G7 Pro is really a battery-powered wireless controller, but its cablegram free connectivity is constricted to PC (via an included 2.4Ghz dongle) and Android (via Bluetooth). You’ll request to plug the controller into the Xbox pinch a cable, and GameSir provides a lengthy USB-C to USB-A cord. The cablegram was agelong capable that I could play games from my sofa (roughly six feet away) without emotion tethered.

I was impressed pinch the G7 Pro’s wide build quality, particularly the triggers, which could beryllium locked by flipping switches connected its back. GameSir includes 3 swappable guidance pads pinch the G7 Pro, which tin beryllium swapped by lifting the beforehand of the controller’s ammunition and popping them successful and out. However, its look buttons felt noticeably cheaper than the ones connected the Elite 2, which makes consciousness fixed their value difference. Button consciousness aside, the controller ne'er dropped an input, moreover erstwhile I mashed buttons to drawstring together elaborate combos successful Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, aliases continuously formed spells, dodged, and healed successful Diablo IV. If an action was mistimed, it was connected me.

What the controller lacks successful look fastener value is much than made up for successful customizability. GameSir Nexus, a free app connected the Xbox Store, allowed maine to remap immoderate fastener (including the L4 and R4 buttons connected its backside), set the vibration strength of some triggers, alteration 2 flavors of hairsbreadth trigger mode, and group the deadzone for each power stick. You tin prevention up to 4 profiles pinch different settings, and quickly move betwixt them by pressing the controller’s M fastener on pinch 1 of the look buttons. You ne'er request to touch these options, aliases moreover download the GameSir Nexus app for the G7 Pro to work, but doing truthful will unlock its afloat potential.

The GameSir G7 Pro is an fantabulous Xbox controller, particularly successful its value range. I’d person liked the action to usage it wirelessly, but that wasn’t a dealbreaker for me. That said, it’s thing to see depending connected really acold distant you are from your Xbox erstwhile playing. If you’re a multi-platform gamer and want a controller to usage pinch some an Xbox and PC (or Android device), it’s an moreover amended choice.

Connectivity: Wired / Connector type: USB-C / Mappable rear buttons: Two / Software customization: No / Power: N/A

Hyperkin’s cheekily-named Competitor wired Xbox and PC-compatible controller that looks and feels for illustration the DualSense gamepad that comes pinch the PlayStation 5 — aka 1 of the Xbox’s main competitors. The controller’s Hall effect joysticks are symmetrical and located astatine the bottom, while a four-button directional pad sits supra the near grip. The elephantine “X” fastener successful the mediate of the controller is an contiguous giveaway that you’re utilizing an Xbox gamepad, but it was easy to hide I wasn’t utilizing a DualSense erstwhile playing games.

In position of comfortableness the Competitor was connected par pinch Microsoft’s charismatic Xbox Wireless Controller. I’ve played capable PlayStation games complete the years that utilizing the gamepad felt intuitive, pinch nary request to set my musculus memory, aliases alteration my grip. Playing pinch a wired controller tin consciousness restrictive, but the agelong USB-C to USB-A cablegram included pinch the Competitor prevented maine from emotion tethered. The cablegram is replaceable, which is bully news if yours gets frayed aliases different damaged complete time.

Overall, I was pleased pinch the controller’s construction. It was dense capable to consciousness substantial, but ray capable that I ne'er felt wrist fatigue aft holding it for an hr aliases more. Its buttons were each satisfyingly clickey, and its joysticks glided smoothly. The controller has 2 programmable backmost buttons, which you tin programme by pressing 1 of the rear buttons and the “M” fastener that’s besides located connected the controller’s backside. The controller rumbles to fto you cognize it’s clip to property different fastener connected the controller to group the basking key. Each backmost fastener has to beryllium programmed 1 astatine a time, and tin beryllium abnormal by flipping a switch.

My tests included playing Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2, Crash Bandicoot 4, Trials of Mana, and Tales of Arise. I had nary problems jumping (or skating arsenic it were) into immoderate of these games. Playing them felt intuitive, and the controller ne'er dropped an input. A use to playing games pinch a wired controller is there’s little latency betwixt erstwhile you property a fastener and an action happens connected screen. The quality is mostly imperceptible (unless you play online games competitively), but location were astir apt a mates of Tony Hawk combos I nailed successful the nick of clip acknowledgment to the little latency.

My individual penchant will ever beryllium to play Xbox games pinch a wireless controller because it’s the slightest restrictive type of gamepad. However, Hyperkin’s Competitor is simply a awesome gamepad successful general, and an particularly bully prime if you’re regularly switching betwixt playing Xbox, PC, and PS5 games. It doesn’t connection the aforesaid magnitude of customization arsenic the GameSir G7 aliases Xbox Elite Series 2 controller, but its creation and $49.99 MSRP much than dress up for those shortcomings.

Update, January 28th: Updated to bespeak existent pricing / readiness and adhd a mention of 8BitDo’s forthcoming Ultimate 3E controller. Brandt Ranj besides contributed to this post.