Biggest problem with the elite controllers is how much they break. Something will break in 6 months guaranteed. You NEED to get the warranty.

Hey Bob, you should probably do a re-review of this controller a year from now. I only had mine for a year, with what I would consider regular, adult use, and I have rubber lifting from the handles, analog sticks that lost adherence to their shaft, and paddles that do NOT retain the same clickiness/responsiveness as when you first get them. I don't believe the core made any changes to the construction or the components, so I'm willing to bet you're gonna see some problems in the near future.

I remember there being a LOT of reports of QC issues and poor durability over time with the first run of Elite controllers which is especially egregious given how much they cost. That alone has kept me from even giving them a chance.

Gyro missing is the only thing stopping me from switching to it.

I have a white Elite V1 and I love the look without the grips. I also have an original V2 and the tension adjustments is the best part.

Love the Xbox controller as primarily a PC user. It just works seamlessly, is built well, feels good to use and lasts seemingly forever. What more could I want!

100% agree, so many quality of life upgrades to a normal controller. I've been using mine for 5-6 years now I think and it's been amazing. The last year or so some of the rubber on the thumb sticks has worn off, but they gave me more of them so I just switched. I really love that I don't need to click in the thumbsticks anymore, for whatever reason that is something that always hurt my thumbs the most over time.

I always love how Bob walks out at the end of all of his videos. It's like he's saying, "This was a great time we just had, my good viewer. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need resume being a human being and do things like drink water." It's very endearing.

I think it'd need hall effect sticks and gyro for me to want one, but I do like the case with built-in charging and the color customization. I don't care about how well-supported Xbox controllers are. That's primarily been an issue on Windows and maybe macOS (and isn't nearly as bad as it used to be). I think a DualShock 4 would also work on all the same stuff you listed, probably a DualSense too. The Linux kernel has support for all sorts of controllers and has for a long time. I was playing Euro Truck Simulator 2 with a Wii U Pro Controller like a decade ago. I also prefer the Nintendo button layout, but it sounds like you can remap the buttons on the Elite controller to mimic that probably. Microsoft has been avoiding getting on the gyro train, but they were also the last to put Bluetooth in their controllers, so I think there's still a chance they'll come around. I can't imagine playing shooters with an analog stick after seeing how well gyro works in Splatoon. It's very close to being as good as keyboard and mouse. We'd probably see more games adopt gyro aiming as an option if Xbox controllers supported it.

Xbox has always had a pretty great controller. I’m curious to see how the PlayStation “pro” controller will be like for ps5. With me having big hands this has always been a great choice.

The rubber grips are a game changer IMO. I love them. On your elite controller, I love that you change the color of the xbox color. That's a nice touch.

These are the best controllers I've ever used. And they also have the record for the fastest breaking controller. I don't even use mine intensively. A couple hours a day, then the bumpers become unresponsive. It was always the bumpers for me. Lots of other people report tonnes of other issues with buttons and etc. For something so expensive, it shouldn't be this fragile. Unless you want to juggle these things on a warranty, I would not get one unless they fix the build quality issues.

Definitely gonna create a custom one. I don’t want to wear out my halo one any more than I have. It really is gorgeous in person. I’ll probably just use the paddles from the halo one though cause they aren’t anything special really.

I bought an elite series 2 for my steam deck setup. Good ergonomics, but feels a little on the small side. When using with the Deck I kept getting dropped inputs on the A button. I thought it was just me, but upon researching online, lots of other people have been going through microsoft support and multiple RMAs with the similar face button issues. I returned mine and decided I would avoid that headache.

I bought the original elite controller, twice. Both had issues within a year that led to me basically never using them again. Grip even started peeling off, and I take great care of my tech. Tempted to try this new core model out due to the price, although my Hyperkin Duke has met all my gaming needs and holds up great, just wish it was wireless 😅

*GAMING JESUS!*

I love the Xbox controller but it doesn't have gyro aim so u have a big disadvantage when going PC players online. "Just use a KB&M" KBM doesnt have analog inputs

I love my Elite 2 controller and think the paddles are perfect... or at last I have adapted to where I think they are perfect. The only thing I'd like now is if they would use hall effect sensors instead, that would def tip me over the edge. I do have a slight bit of stick drift on one analog but I guess every controller I have ever had gets stick drift at some point

If only it had gyro, it would make the decision a no-brainer for me. But it doesn't, so that's a massive tradeoff. Especially since I've become accustomed to the Steam Deck and playing with dual analog + gyro, it just feels better than both dual analog alone and keyboard + mouse (in my opinion). Keyboard + mouse is fine, I do love the precision I get with the mouse, but not having analog control for the movement is also a huge tradeoff.

All this time of owning the Elite 2 I never knew you could adjust the stick Tension. I always found myself going back to the new series controller because I felt my Elite was too loose.

As someone who bought into the controller early (day one) and have tried out many third party options I can confidently say the series 2 elite controller is the best all around and the controller I go back to time and time again. I’ve tried hex, I’ve tried scruff, they’re good, but the elite series 2 is remains great and best on the market in my opinion. The only thing you have to look out for is quality control but from what I can see it’s been better since the initial launch.

I'm curious if these thumbsticks are any different from the Elite Series 2. I have returned five or six of them and they all have the same stick click issue. It's hard to describe but the L3 and R3 just won't click when the sticks are tilted in certain directions. Each one seems to behave differently, the "non-click" point will land in a different spot on each controller. I think it has to do with the stick tension mechanism so I don't anticipate these to be any different.

Remember, if you go for the non-Design Lab version of the Core, it is $10 more if you buy the accessory pack later.

I had both a elite, and elite series 2. It really saddened me that the original elite lasted me 2 and a half years and never broke, but then I upgraded to a series 2 and within 2 weeks the stick drift was so awful I just had to toss it because the warranty wouldn’t even work

I love the whole "If you're going to hell for one sin, might as well just commit to all of em" energy of this video, although I will never buy such a thing because hotdamn, my poor wallet, I always love seeing the whole "walkthrough" of these... "niche?" things.

If there was an Elite controller with leveled sticks, HAL effect joysticks and gyro as I play on PC and use gyro for aiming, I might have actually bought one as I am in the market for an extra controller. Best controller I have owned is the 8bitdo SN30 Pro+ (Succeeded by Pro 2). It works well on my PC, it works well on my Nintendo Switch and I like how it feels in my hand while playing. Only issue I got with it are weak haptics, but I can deal with that.

The "WHAT!?!?!?" "Oh my God" on the ad read 😂😂😂😂😂

I got a custom Elite 2 and I LOVE it. I got it in purple, teal, and bright green. It looks SICK.

As good as the Xbox Elite controller is, I can't help but use a Dualsense/Dualshock 4 for most pc games because of the added benefit of gyro and the touchpad. Admittedly, the touchpad doesn't get used all that often, but the gyro is perfect for emulators like Dolphin and Citra and FPS games.

This controller has the worst reliability, I’ve had 2 broken out of the box 😂

Man, I've used my elite controller v1 a lot and I haven't encountered any peeling or issues with the quality that people talk about breaking down. It's one of my fav controllers.

Someone who bought one of these here: I bought one and it has stick drift on the left analog stick after 3 months. Everything else worked great. I sent it in to Microsoft to get a replacement, since I didn't feel comfortable replacing the stick myself, and I still had a warranty, so I figured why not. They sent me back a controller that has stick drift in both of the analog sticks, AND the D-Pad up doesn't function at all. Don't get these controllers, the QC is garbage.

I own an elite Gen 2 as well as a King Kong Pro 2. They get pretty much equal use. One is in my living room and the other one is connected to my desktop PC. I feel like the joystick experience is very similar and might actually be better on the kkp2. Both controller experiences are very similar however because I don't really use the paddles. I use both controllers mostly to play first person shooter games but I occasionally also play third person RPGs.

The thing that kills me is that the paddles can't be mapped to non-controller inputs. For Xbox, this doesn't matter. But as a PC controller, all I want is to map those as four *additional* inputs. But they can only clone the existing standard inputs of a normal controller to a new position. Steam Deck really highlights how awesome this functionality is.

I remember hating the official software solution for changing control layouts. I only use my elite series 2 for PC gaming, so I had to use the PC application and change my layout between every game I was playing. Maybe it’s been updated, but I haven’t touched it for a while. I use ReWASD for my control mapping so I can assign control layouts for my paddle buttons there, and have the software automatically switch to the appropriate control layout when the corresponding executable is run.

Hopefully they worked out the shoulder button problem where it just refuses to work after a pretty short time

The timing for this video is odd. I've just started hearing about the very high failure rate the Elite controllers have. Like, within the last couple of weeks, lol.

I was a xbox controller user until I switched to Dualsense for PC this year, not just PS5. Few reasons: - It has gyro. I know many folks don't think its a big deal but its a game changer for FPS games, especially if you are playing on TV. Way better than just joysticks. Xbox refuses to innovate there. And you can get pretty good with gyro after a few hours of practice. And the FPS game doesn't need to support gyro, so that's awesome (thanks to Steam Input). You can play old school or new FPS games on TV with gyro, it feels great! - Joysticks are way better calibrated. You can do a test or find tests online showing the difference. My performance in Rocket League is actually better with Dualsense - Input lag: Lookup xbox input lag vs dualsense input lag. Inexplicably, dual sense wireless lag is lower than wired, and beats xbox controller's wireless lag by a lot. like 5ms vs 18-20 ms. I think this is one of the reasons I play better on Rocket league too. - chargeable. I can't fathom how microsoft sticks to AA batteries even today. - That trackpad is actually usable via steam input. This is useful mostly in more complex games so doesn't apply to many gamers. But you can find ready made gaming profiles on Steam which makes it nice. - of course, if you have a PS5 too, it has many other benefits. But you don't need a PS5 to benefit from a dualsense controller. Steam supports it out of the box, no other software needed! I hope someone can make a good video showing all these because Sony has developed an amazing controller and it deserves all the recognition!

love the series 2 elite controller, but the QC issues are pretty unacceptable for something that costs this much. From experience I'm on my third series 2 elite because the first 2 had issues straight out of the box so they had to bE RMAed. So far the third one has been alright, but it will turn off randomly during games, which is quite annoying but it doesnt happen frequently so i deal with it since its the best controller i've used when its working.

Bro I like your set up. Felt like you and me chillin in my living room and you talking to me about this controller

I mean I've heard of a ton of drift issues with these so unless it has hall sensors now I doubt it's DEFINITELY the best

The only thing that STILL sucks about the Xbox controller is the lack of gyro. I can take/leave rechargeable batteries, touch pads, HD rumble, or whatever. But the lack of gyro aiming really makes it feel a gen behind.

I've always had the issue with Xbox controller face buttons where the click doesn't work when you press it softly (The B button in particular) and the bumpers usually double click(Had this issue mostly on the elite 2). I honestly prefer the Nacon revolution unlimited in terms of how it feels

Bob try back paddles in adventure games like Breath of the Wild! I've been using it as the sprint button to free up my thumb for camera controls, item grabbing & jumps and it's amazing.

Yes, but it has motion controls?

Any news on if the analogs are still the same units as the base controller? I don't want to buy an Elite until it can work for a whole decade like OG xbox/360 analogs.

i bought the gen2 elite 2 years ago on amazon for 120€ and i couldnt be happier with it, i also used it with my switch via a dongle

Thanks for the review! Any chance you checked the latency of the elite controller? Did it improve or is it still far behind the ps5 controller?

have they added gyro yet?

It can't be the best without gyro. Even Warzone now introduced gyro on PlayStation and PC, but not Xbox.

Correction: You actually can connect an Xbox controller to a Switch! All you need is an adapter such as the MayFlash Magic-NS 2. That one added support for Xbox Bluetooth controllers. I have the Magic-NS 1 that doesn't have support for it, but I've used it to connect a PS4 controller to my Switch before and it works very well!

Great review. I just bought a DUALSENSE and really enjoying it with the added haptics and adaptive trigger. The best!

Watching this video made me realize my obsession for well designed controllers. I almost want this one now 😅

No gyro is an instant dealbreaker

Ive been using xbox controllers since i first bought my OG xbox one at the beginning of 2015. Ive went through soo many controllers and im not even a hardcore gamer or got monster hand grips. I remember one time i brought one of their newer models with the back grips and it literally started getting stick drift 2 weeks into use. I cant deny its one of the most comfortable controllers i ever used but they really need to improve the build quality on those joysticks. I remember seeing an article that they literally get them for like a $1 in China and the life expectancy was somewhere like 2-3 months

Thought my XBOX One S controller malfunction completely and had to let go - found out I just had to internally clean it and replaced it with a new, overall shell (all parts) and it's all freaking good again. Can't even remember how long it's been with me but it's still my durable, and working controller to date~ 😊

I'd stay far away from Xbox's Elite controllers. They've had serious QC issues from the start. I had 2 arrive with defective thumbsticks, and one that only worked for like 5 or 6 months with light use. A real shame because in my opinion this is possibly the best controller on the market... when it works.

No Gyro = Worthless.

I found an elite series 2 (the black one that comes with all the accessories) at Walmart with a sticker on the shelf that read $76.97. I double checked with an employee to make sure that wasn't an error, and it was legit. Got an elite series 2 for just about 80 bucks. The elite series 2 core was right next to it for full price

In my country xbox desig lab charges $195 for the elite series 2(full model) with all extras, name, designs etc. Could be worth checking out other countries design lab pages to save money

Nahhh, not even close to best. It's mid tier at most. Maybe I'll change my tune if they add gyro in the future, but I'm not gonna spend anything close to that price for something that technologically inferior.

I’m really interested to see your thoughts on the Scuf controller. I bought one over a year ago when I couldn’t find an elite at all. The Scuf will randomly disconnect itself from my Xbox while I’m playing though, it’s very frustrating.

I love my Elite V2. Was worried, but no issues so far. Only had it about 7 months though, so we'll see.

Love a good Bob controller video! I got the Elite 2 when they first come out. Still love it!

you make one of the most visually pleasing videos on the platform also damn you for making me spend extra 200€ this Christmas for an elite series 2 lab controller..

I'm happy with my own Retro Fighters Defender, since it works for all PlayStation consoles up to PS3.

I’ll be honest, if Gulikit were to make an elite King Kong Pro 2, that would probably be the best controller.

My only problem with the elite controller is there seems to be some QC issues. Some of the ones I've had are grips peeling off after a month of use, bumpers stop working and premature stick drift.

I picked up 2 for parts elite controllers on ebay a few months ago for like $80. Fixed them both, sold one for $100 and kept the other. Still haven't used it months later haha.

I didn’t expect to hear the phrase “balls to the wall” so many times today

Bob’s not the controller guy, he’s the CUSTOMISATION GUY

The Elite Series II does work with the Nintendo Switch! All you have to do is get one of those cheap and widely available USB dongels from 8bitdo. And not only does the controller work, but it keeps all three profiles and customizations for each. I have mine set up so the first profile has the standard Xbox layout, and the second profile swaps the position of A/B ane X/Y for Switch gaming. And all four paddles works too!

Oh, and the easiest way I found to train myself to use the back paddles instead of the default button is to map the paddle to the button you're trying to use it for, then *unmap* it from the default button. Sure, you'll eat dirt if you use the default button, but that little emotional kick will help bind the new action. I don't even use the left or right analog stick "click" buttons anymore, those live on back paddles. And more's the benefit, I've heard that's what contributes to the stick drift these controllers seem to suffer from over time.

I've had 2 Elite controllers. The first one got stick drift after a year. The second one got stick drift after 2 years. My OG Xbox One controller still works perfectly. I can't commit to spending a ton of money on another paperweight.

Also really love the new studio and filming setup!

I've been happy with just the regular xbox controller. More specifically, I'd buy it on sale and then buy the mods I want from Extremerate. It's well worth it to save money plus the experience doing it all yourself, but I get that some people aren't into doing DIYs (i.e. voids warranty or some difficulty with installing mods). Personally I've never had problems with my controllers messing up, but I also don't game often.

I saw a video a long time ago that recommended the elite 2 controller conditionally: they recommended getting it if you could get it with the warranty if you were a heavy duty gamer because the warranty was affordable and covered near everything for 3 years. I actually did that and when the first one experienced issues I got a new one with the warranty and I have been cycling them in and out of getting repaired ever since. Hefty price to pay upfront for sure, but there are two heavy duty gamers in my house including me, and only needing these two controllers, repairs taking only a week to turn around has actually turned out to save me money in the long run.

I just subscribed, I’m part of the Wulff pack so to say, cheesy pun aside, i really like your takes on controllers, i am a controller snob. I will pay to get the goods on controllers, cause we know no one is going to give us deals on these often. I like Scuf’s mouse like triggers better, but everything else is nicer on the elite. I did buy dual sense Edge and while it’s better, it’s still a dual sense and feels bad in my hands and i do not like the overall layout as much as the Xbox setup. Great reviews, love the channel and look forward to seeing what you have in store for what should be a great year in gaming.

Not sure if someone mentioned but Xbox removed most controller body color options in their design lab. Really hoping to hear how soon the sticks die or get drift! :D

Couple things. I just had an Elite for just over a year, I absolutely loved it. But I had to keep servicing the bumpers. It's super frustrating. So I just went ahead and did the Design Lab for a brand new Elite. I'm super excited. But I'm crossing my fingers that the bumpers do not crap out at one year. Please Microsoft, fix the bumper issue.

If not for the horrible QC issues, I would agree. I went through two of the OG xbox elite series 2 and in both, the R1 just doesn't work! My 8bitdo controllers with way more hours, and even my series 1 elite have never given up on me. both of my elite series 2 broke within 1 year of generally light use...

The xbox elite controllers triggers still register analog input when you change the physical travel. It's incredible i set it halfway and it's so comfy for everything... Ps back paddles can be disabled for fidgeters ;)

So much respect to you for buying a halo edition elite controller & leaving it on display. Probably what I would’ve done too 😂🤙🏻

I like the contoured stick for Halo. I don't need to re-adjust my thumb as much when running. Love my Elite controller.

I had the original Elite for 5+ years before developing the grip issue, which are easily replaceable with 3rd party grips. But soon after that the dpad failed (intermittently). I may eventually try to open it up and fix it but honestly the new Series controllers are great for the price...the dpad is top tier.

Let me know how the thumb sticks and buttons do in a few months. Im in my second pair and after 6 months it cant handle my dedication anymore

I love the paddles honestly, i almost entirely went away from the abxy face buttons, yeah muscle memory still kicks in from time to time but it's so sweet not having to take my finger off the camera stick(idk how you guys call it, the looking shifter? Lol)

Let's not forget that with an adapter this does work on switch and ps4, wish it did it otb though

I wish some 3rd part made an all in one controller that has analog face buttons, a touchpad, gyro, and adaptive triggers.

but the thing with that trigger switch is that its another part that moves thus will break down with usage. and replacing(repairing) might be more complicated.

where do i go to get one? i looked on the xbox website and see nothing about customizing it

Bought mine a week ago, and like you, didn't realize the additional thumb sticks and D pad were also customizable. Went through the whole process again just to see where I messed up. When I first added the accessories, I didn't see the options to choose each part individually and customizing it. Now that I do it again, I see the option. When thinking back to when I made the purchase, and I had it in Cart for 2 days before deciding, I still can't remember seeing the option to do this. I went back a few times to redesign it, but still ended up using my first design, so I don't know how I didn't see that. Still, I also don't think I'll be using the additional thumb sticks, or the D pad for that matter, so I guess I'm stuck with my choices.

I'm using the Gulikit KingKong 2 Pro controller, or the rebranded Zen Pro wireless, same controller. It's basically an Xbox controller but it can do the older D input not just the X input, can do android and ios, and nintendo switch, since it was designed with the switch in mind. It has hall effect joysticks and hall effect analog triggers, programable macros, can sense amiibos etc. I love the controller. Some people have complained about quality control, but I've had no problems with it. Maybe not for everyone, but a definite contender.

This guy has holes in his clothes but is buying custom video game controllers. That's dedication to youtube.

The Brook XOne adapter has been the best investment I've made for the elite controller. Solid on the Switch, lag is negligible for me.

I loved my V1 Elite controller until the vulcanized rubber grips came loose. Replaced them with identical ones and came loose 6 months later as well. I wish they either fix their rubber issue (if it is even fixable) or give the option to get a Elite Controller without the rubber grips. (I like their feel, but they are just not durable). The rest of the controller is in pristine condition.

Used to plug the Xbox 360 controller into our main security camera on our COP in Afganistan. Made moving it around so much easier.

When I was at pax west everything I played was using an Xbox controller, I think I only used a different controller once and that was for a switch only game. Thanks for the video!

I loved my elite 2 but it is over 4 years old. It has been stick drifting for longer than I care to mention. I am going with the core because I still have usable accessories.

Love my Elite 2, but I've had to use a lot of isopropyl alcohol to keep my left bumper and A button working. Something about the design of this (which is different to the standard controller) seems to collect crap and cause the buttons to stop working. Be prepared to take it apart if you get one.