Expensive peripherals are nothing new in the gaming industry. Dating all the way back to the very first popular home console, even the Nintendo Entertainment System had its fair share of needlessly expensive add-ons, from its Zapper, to the Power Glove, to the infamously redundant R.O.B. Nowadays, these expensive peripherals tend to revolve around different methods of controlling a game, with racing wheels and motion controllers being pretty prominent. But by far the most prevalent console gaming peripheral is the pro controller, an expensive control pad specifically designed for competitive play, with plenty of adjustable components. Though there's plenty on the market, the Elite Series controllers from Xbox may just be the best out there.
Originally launched in October 2015, the Xbox Elite controller was packed to the brim with a slew of shiny bells and whistles, from a new D-Pad, to adjustable thumbsticks, triggers, and some back buttons. In November 2019, Xbox released the Elite Series 2 controller, an upgrade of its predecessor in almost every way. And now, in September 2022, Xbox has just released the Elite Series 2 Core controller, a cheaper model designed to offer the same competitive experience, for a fraction of the cost. But before fans decide which controller to pick up, they may want to know the key differences between each Elite Series model.
How the Xbox Elite Series 2 Compares to the Original Model
When the original Xbox Elite controller dropped in 2015, it was state-of-the-art, especially for the console market. Based on the design of the Xbox One controller, the Elite had a few defining features that set it apart from its competition, and cemented it as one of the best pro controllers around. The Elite came packaged with a handful of interchangeable thumbsticks, and two differed D-Pads, which could be easily swapped out on the fly. The paddles on the back of the controller could all be mapped to any button on the controller. And the triggers' sensitivity could be manually adjusted to better fit the user's play style.
On the surface, the Xbox Elite Series 2 controller offers a pretty identical set of features, though there are some notable improvements with the revised model. The Elite Series 2 comes with the same general components as its predecessor, with some changeable thumbsticks and D-Pads, but it also comes with a new tuning tool that can be used to customize the controller's thumbstick tension. The Elite Series 2 also comes in a sturdy case that doubles as a charging port, as the new Elite Series 2 has a rechargeable battery, which the previous model did not.
Appearance-wise, the Elite Series 2 is a little more subtle than the original, with more black highlights being used than silver. The back paddles are also a little smaller on this model, making inputs more precise. The triggers on the Series 2 have also seen some subtle upgrades, with a textured grip, and three-speed settings to better customize the experience. The handles of the controller also feature a textured grip for more comfort.
The big difference between the two Xbox Elite Series models is that the revised variant can benefit from a range of software features. Accessible through the Xbox Accessories app, the Elite Series 2 has three customizable profiles to choose from, each of which can be swapped on the fly using the controller's central button. These profiles allow the user to mess around with a plethora of technical aspects, from thumbstick dead zones, to trigger tension, and everything in between. While the original Elite Series offered a lot of the same features, the Elite Series 2 makes it all much easier to control and customize.
How the New Xbox Elite Series 2 Core Model Compares to the Rest of the Line
Released just a week ago, the new Xbox Elite Series 2 Core controller offers essentially everything the standard model does, but for a much cheaper price. Currently, the Core model retails for $129.99, while the normal variant comes in at around $179.99. Now, the Core model is still an expensive controller, but it seems to be more than worth the $50 price reduction.
The big difference between the two models is that the Core doesn't come with any of the physical components that the Elite Series 2 has. This means that the Core is missing any changeable thumbsticks and D-Pads. However, the tool to adjust the tension of the thumbsticks is still packaged in with the Core model, so users can still customize them fully. The one big difference in the controllers' features is that the Core model is completely missing its back paddles, which are admittedly quite a big selling point of the original Xbox Elite Series model and its successor.
That being said, the Xbox Elite Series 2 Core still has all the same internal features and software customization options that come with the more expensive version of the controller. The Core still comes with an impressive 40-hour battery life, a rechargeable battery, as well as completely customizable button-mapping. The Core also comes with three fully-customizable user profiles which can be swapped out on the fly, and it makes full use of the Xbox Accessories app, making that customization an incredibly easy process. The Elite Series 2 Core can also be used on a PC, making it a pretty great option for a versatile control pad. The Xbox Elite Series 2 Core model is certainly a more affordable pro controller, but it may make too many compromises to get to that lower price point. For the same price, gamers may be able to get a better controller somewhere else, one that's got all the bells and whistles as the standard Elite Series 2 model.