The Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 is Microsoft’s fancied-up, premium version of the stock controller. It’s also older, having been released a year before the Xbox Series X / S consoles arrived. So while it does sport a USB-C port and wireless support, it lacks the convenient Share button found on the latest Xbox Wireless Controller. However, it makes up for that in droves with exceptional build quality, extra buttons, user-swappable sticks and D-pad, and lots of customization.

You may not realize it, but we’re living in a golden age of gaming controllers. The gamepads on the market now are higher quality, more versatile, and more customizable than anything from just a few console generations ago. If you’re gaming on an Xbox Series X or Series S (or a Windows PC), you now have a plethora of great third-party options from the likes of PowerA, Scuf, Nacon, and Turtle Beach, as well as high-quality first-party controllers. The days of the cheap “little sibling” controller that looked cool but barely worked are over.

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Scuf’s Instinct Pro is its top-tier controller for Xbox consoles and PC. It’s one of the only third-party wireless options around, and for its very high price, you get rubberized grips, built-in mappable rear paddle buttons, hair-trigger locks, swappable sticks, and user-configurable cosmetics.

Interactive graphs – click the legend to toggle lines on or off, hover over data points for detailed information. Mono, Sony IMX250/264MZR CMOS Quantum efficiency of each polarized pixel angle. Colored lines represent measurements with matching polarized light angle to the angle of the pixel. Mono, Sony IMX250/264MZR CMOS Relative quantum efficiency. Ratio of QE to average of 4 angles. Click the legend to toggle lines on or off, hover over data points for detailed information EVMA 1288 Results Dynamic Range 71.34 dB SNR (Max) 40.14 dB Saturation Capacity 10318 e- Absolute Sensitivity Threshold (Measured at 527.5nm) 5.28 γ Temporal Dark Noise 2.16 e- Gain 0.369 DN / e- Dark Current 3.51 e- / s Dark Signal Non-Uniformity 0.71 e- Photo Response Non-Uniformity 1.66 % Linearity Error Max/Min 0.22/-0.50 % Mono, Sony IMX250/264MZR CMOS Extinction Ratio. Minimum among 4 angles at each wavelength. Extinction Ratio Explanation: Extinction Ratio (ER) is the ratio between the maximum and minimum signal detected by a particular polarization pixel channel for a linearly polarized input. The ratio is computed by taking the maximum response divided by the minimum response for a particular polarization channel (ie. 0° polarization pixels). For example, the 0° polarization pixels have maximum response when the polarization angle of the input light is 0° and minimum response when the polarization angle is 90°. Extinction Ratio for the 0° pixels is computed by taking the ratio of the two values. The extinction ratio can be interpreted as how many folds the maximum transmittance is when compared with the minimum transmittance. For example, at 430nm, the ER of 425.83 means the maximum signal is 425.83 times greater than the minimum signal at 430nm. Color, Sony IMX250/264MYR CMOS Quantum efficiency of each polarized pixel angle. Click the legend to toggle lines on or off, hover over data points for detailed information Colored lines represent measurements with matching polarized light angle to the angle of the pixel. Color, Sony IMX250/264MYR CMOS Relative quantum efficiency. Ratio of QE to average of 4 angles. Click the legend to toggle lines on or off, hover over data points for detailed information EVMA 1288 Results Dynamic Range 71.67 dB SNR (Max) 40.23 dB Saturation Capacity 10538 e- Absolute Sensitivity Threshold (Measured at 527.5nm) 6.116 γ Temporal Dark Noise 2.11 e- Gain 0.371 DN / e- Color, Sony IMX250/264MYR CMOS Extinction Ratio. Click the legend to toggle lines on or off, hover over data points for detailed information Minimum among 4 angles at each wavelength. Extinction Ratio Explanation: Extinction Ratio (ER) is the ratio between the maximum and minimum signal detected by a particular polarization pixel channel for a linearly polarized input. The ratio is computed by taking the maximum response divided by the minimum response for a particular polarization channel (ie. 0° polarization pixels). For example, the 0° polarization pixels have maximum response when the polarization angle of the input light is 0° and minimum response when the polarization angle is 90°. Extinction Ratio for the 0° pixels is computed by taking the ratio of the two values. The extinction ratio can be interpreted as how many folds the maximum transmittance is when compared with the minimum transmittance. For example, at Blue 430nm, the ER of 589.6 means the maximum signal is 589.6 times greater than the minimum signal at 430nm.

The Fusion Pro 3 is the latest version of PowerA’s affordable alternative to premium controllers like the Xbox Elite Series 2. It comes with swappable sticks, friction rings, a compact zip-up case, and features four programmable buttons built into its rear.

The rest of the PowerA Enhanced Wired Controller is a whole lot of table stakes, but it executes everything quite well for a ridiculously affordable price. There’s no impulse trigger rumble, but if there’s any feature to cheap out on, I’d say that’s the right choice. On the flip side, the Enhanced Wired Controller comes with a two-year warranty, which is twice as long as pricey options like Microsoft’s Elite Series 2 offer.

I’ve spent a ton of time playing all kinds of games (first-person shooters, fighters, third-person action-adventure, racing, indie roguelikes, etc.) to test a wide swath of Xbox controllers, and it may be unsurprising that the standard Xbox Wireless Controller is the best Xbox controller for most. It makes a great PC controller, too.

The Phoenix polarization camera features Sony’s IMX250MZR/MYR CMOS polarized sensors. The sensors use Sony’s Polarsens technology with on-chip four different directional polarizing filters (0°, 90°, 45°, and 135°) on every four pixels.

If you pick up an Xbox Elite controller, you instantly recognize the quality of materials put into it. Where the standard controller uses an unassuming plastic build, the Elite mixes higher-quality plastic with rubberized grips and bits of metal. Combine this with its built-in rechargeable battery, and the Elite is noticeably heavier than its cheaper brethren. It also comes with a charging dock and zip-up case with passthrough charging.

Microsoft also has a stripped-down Elite Series 2 “Core” version with an MSRP of $129.99, which is the same controller in white-and-black, red-and-black, or blue-and-black finishes without the rear paddles, accessory charging case, or extra stick toppers and D-pad. You can get all of those in a $59.99 accessories pack, which turns the Elite Series 2 Core back into a standard Elite Series 2 for a slight premium compared to buying the full bundle outright.

If you’re looking for a great controller but don’t have a lot of money to spend — and you don’t mind a cable — PowerA’s Enhanced Wired Controller offers an impeccable value without sacrificing too much. Its full retail price is $37.99, but some color schemes can dip as low as around $25. Speaking of colors, the Enhanced Wired Controller comes in a wide variety of hues and designs, including licensed ones from game franchises like Mass Effect and Fallout. Some of these designs may make you suspect these are cheap, cringe-inducing knockoffs, but the quality of the controller may surprise you when you use it.

The customization doesn’t stop with software, audio, or lighting, however. The Revolution X comes with ring spacers to adjust the range of the analog sticks, too, as well as a series of small weights ranging from 10g to 16g, which you can insert into its grips to give them an additional amount of heft.

Learning to use all these controls may sound daunting, but the controller’s quick-start guide makes it easier. Superhuman Hearing is very helpful for shooters and worth using extensively for games like Halo Infinite — just be aware that it’s going to muddy up the soundtrack a little, so you may want to leave it off during story-driven, single-player games.

As excellent as the fit and finish are, the key components that may give you a competitive edge are the hair-trigger locks and rear paddle buttons. In theory, the hair trigger gets shots off faster when playing shooters, and the rear paddles allow you to jump, crouch, reload, etc., without taking your thumb off the right stick for aiming. However, using that many buttons on the back of the controller definitely takes some adjustment. You have to train new muscle memory, and since it requires dexterity with more fingers, they’re not for everyone.

But while the de facto Xbox gamepad strikes the right balance of quality, comfort, versatility, and price, there are several alternatives worth cross-shopping if you have specific needs — ranging from high-end options like the Xbox Elite Series 2 and Scuf Instinct Pro to quality budget picks like the PowerA Enhanced Wired Controller.

Rear buttons aside, the Scuf’s other big feature is its hair triggers, which have the quickest response of all the controllers tested here. Just flick a switch on the back, and the left and right triggers feel like you’re clicking a mouse — it’s incredibly satisfying. The hair triggers, rear buttons, and the excellent textured grip material on the controller’s underside make this controller a joy to use.

The official Xbox Wireless Controller has a dedicated share button for saving clips and screenshots and sharing them online, Bluetooth support, and a USB-C port for charging up Microsoft’s play-and-charge rechargeable battery.

These premium features come at a steep cost, too. The Elite Series 2 is normally priced at $179.99, and even though it’s dropped as low as $139.99, it’s still more than twice as expensive as a regular Xbox controller. You have to really want its extra features and user customization, and if you’re not using its rear paddles or the software adjustments for stick sensitivity, you’re not getting your money’s worth. (And if you want to customize the colors, you’re looking at $209.99 for the Design Lab “Elite Package.”)

The RIG Nacon Revolution X is a wired controller for Xbox consoles and Windows PCs that offers a slew of detailed software customization options. It’s also got four customizable rear buttons, adjustable sticks, and optional weights to insert into the grips to give it more heft.

The Instinct Pro feels like Scuf essentially hot-rodded a stock Xbox controller, but like any boutique item, it comes with a massive cost. Meanwhile, it still uses AA batteries and lacks software customization, so as much as I enjoy using it, I’d only advise getting one if you’re super passionate about its very specific qualities or you absolutely love the colorful accents and magnetically swappable faceplates on Scuf’s configurator.

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

Adding up all these features, you see why the Nacon is such a great controller for tinkering. It took me time to warm up to it, but upon setting it up the way I preferred, it made for a very compelling controller in a variety of game types.

But the standard-issue Xbox pad isn’t just great because of its connectivity. The hardware itself is excellent for the controller’s $60 asking price. The sticks, buttons, triggers, and the sunken dish-shaped D-pad all feel impeccably tight, with the latter having a satisfying clickiness to it. If you’re a hardcore fighting game fan, you may be better served by an arcade stick or a controller geared toward that genre — one with an impeccable D-pad like Hori’s Horipad Pro — but the Xbox Wireless Controller is an exceptional jack-of-all-trades.

Turtle Beach’s Recon Controller is a USB-C-wired gamepad that offers a great deal of audio tweaking for wired headsets. Its Superhuman Hearing mode draws out footsteps and gunfire in the mix, and the two rear buttons help make it great for FPS games.

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When you first pick up the Revolution X, it seems very unassuming — and borderline cheap. While it’s not a looker, it’s a form-follows-function type of controller. It’s comfy to use, and its four rear buttons built into the grips are large and nicely contoured. The real stars of this show, however, are the analog sticks and their software customizations, as well as the expansive custom options for other inner workings of the controller.

The Xbox Elite Series 2 is easily one of our favorite controllers at The Verge. It’s an improvement on the already excellent Elite controller, with deep customization, optional rear paddle buttons, a swappable D-pad, and analog sticks that allow you to tailor its layout to suit your play style.

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Connectivity: Wired / Connector type: Micro USB / Mappable rear buttons: Two / Software customization: No / Power: Wired

Audio controls aside, the Recon lacks fancy features like hair triggers and swappable thumbsticks, and the D-pad looks like the standard Xbox Wireless Controller but pales in comparison. The controller’s plastic build feels cheap, but the rubbery grips redeem it with a nice and comfy feel. As for the sticks, triggers, and additional rear buttons, they all feel tight and snappy. Combine that with Superhuman Hearing, and you’ve got a great recipe for shooters. The Recon has a bit of a learning curve, but if you play ranked matches and value a fairly priced wired controller with extra buttons and helpful audio functions, you can’t go wrong here.

The only things it really lacks compared to pricier options are extra, customizable buttons and software tuning for things like stick sensitivity, though Microsoft does offer cosmetic customization through its Xbox Design Lab, which ranges from $69.99 to $99.94 depending on the configuration. There’s a lot to love about these controllers, whether you make your own or pick out one from the various colors Microsoft continues to offer.

By Antonio G. Di Benedetto, a writer covering tech deals and The Verge’s Deals newsletter, buying guides, and gift guides. Previously, he spent 15 years in the photography industry.

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This pad isn’t going to win any beauty contests thanks to all those awkward buttons located smack-dab in the middle of its forehead, but each one has a valid purpose. There are four levels of microphone monitoring, overall game volume controls, game chat volume mix, four EQ presets, four programmable modes for mapping the two rear buttons, and four levels of optional right-stick sensitivity adjustments. That last feature, dubbed Pro Aim by Turtle Beach, lowers the sensitivity of the right analog stick while you hold the right-hand rear button, allowing for very small movements like sniping, though it’s a bit clumsy to use.

PowerA offers a whole lot of bang for your buck with the Enhanced Wired Controller if you’re on a tight budget. It also sells the Advantage Wired Controller, which is essentially a newer version of the Enhanced Wired Controller with USB-C and hair-trigger lockouts. The Advantage could be a shoo-in to dethrone the Enhanced Wired as the best budget controller, but at $37.99, it doesn’t match the Enhanced Wired frequently-discounted price of around $25.

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Turtle Beach is known for its headsets, so it makes sense that its Recon wired controller features some robust audio controls. Its strengths really come into focus when playing first-person shooters, where its Superhuman Hearing mode tweaks the audio of any wired headset to draw out footsteps and distant gunfire in the mix. At its regular price of around $60, and once selling as low as $39.95, the Recon is a fairly affordable way to gain a slight competitive edge in multiplayer games without spending well over $100 on a controller.

This is the only affordable wireless Xbox controller out there, thanks to Microsoft’s proprietary protocol. While some may hate that it comes with AA batteries instead of a built-in rechargeable cell, that also means it’s flexible, allowing for rechargeable AAs or a battery pack. It also works as a wired accessory with a USB-C cable, and user-replaceable batteries mean you’re not stuck with a controller that doesn’t hold its charge after years of use.

Okay, I already know what you’re thinking. “The best controller for Xbox is the one that comes with the Xbox?” That may seem like a no-brainer, but this “standard” controller truly does earn this title as the best option for most Xbox gamers. It may lack some of the extra features that we’ll go over on premium options, but this controller is the distillation of four generations and numerous first-party models before it — and it shows.

The PowerA Enhanced Wired Controller is a budget-minded wired controller for Xbox and PC that connects via Micro USB and features two customizable buttons on its rear. It’s offered in many different colors and licensed designs.

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

The Scuf Instinct Pro finds itself in a bit of a weird spot. It’s one of the only wireless options currently available from a third party — Razer’s new Wolverine V3 Pro is another — but it’s also one of the most expensive Xbox controllers around (it starts at $199.99). The one I tested clocked in at $263.91 with a special faceplate and added color accents. That’s more than the Xbox Series S occasionally sells for, which is an entire console. Still, you’re in for a treat if you’re okay with spending that kind of money, as the Instinct Pro is arguably better than Microsoft’s Elite in some very specific ways — primarily, its comfort and implementation of rear buttons and hair triggers.

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

The Instinct Pro has very unique rear buttons, and I actually prefer them. Instead of paddles, there are four rocker-like buttons built into the controller’s body that you push toward or away from your hand with a middle finger. It still requires training your brain a bit to get accustomed to it, but I found them more intuitive.

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First off, let’s get its biggest downside out of the way: it uses a microUSB connection (gross, I know). You at least get a lengthy, detachable cable with it, but not having a reversible connector is annoying. Thankfully, nothing else about this controller feels so outdated. Its build quality is just fine, and it even has two mappable rear buttons built into the grips — which is great to have at such a low price.

If you have Elite controller tastes but a standard controller budget, the PowerA Fusion Pro 3 is a fine alternative if you don’t mind that it’s wired. It looks a bit like the Microsoft Elite Series 2, complete with four rear buttons, trigger lockouts, and rubberized grips, but costs much less. The Fusion Pro 3 is significantly lighter than its predecessor, plus it has a more compact case and is $10 cheaper — offering quite the value for $79.99 (especially if it starts going on sale). The older Fusion Pro 2 is still fine, especially if you prefer detachable rear paddles to built-in buttons, but at this point, it’s only worth it for that preference or if it’s heavily discounted.

RIG’s Nacon Revolution X may be worthy of an award for terrible naming, but its real strengths are in its deep customization. If you’re the type that likes to endlessly tinker with lots of detailed settings, this is the controller for you. Normally priced at $99.99, the wired Revolution X and its added features don’t come cheap, but the price is a little fairer when you consider the competition it squares up against.

EMVA 1288 is the Standard for Measurement and Presentation of Specifications for Machine Vision Sensors and Cameras. For more information of the EMVA 1288 standard please visit http://www.emva.org/standards-technology/emva-1288/

While other user-customizable controllers have three user profiles you can swap between on the fly, the Revolution X has four — plus a “classic” mode with basic settings and a ring of RGB light around the right stick to remind you what mode you’re in. The software app is not the most user-friendly, but the controls go very in-depth. Thankfully, there are helpful starting points with presets for arcade fighting games, racing, FPS games, and even sniping, which makes the options much easier to understand. Add the ability to customize and remap every button on the controller, as well as a Dolby Atmos for Headphones app license, and you’ve got a lot of customization options.

You must also be aware that the Elite has a bit of a reputation for lackluster quality control, with horror stories from users about going through multiple replacements under warranty. Microsoft extended the controller’s warranty from 90 days to a year in late 2020 to help address concerns, but buying an Elite Series 2 may still feel like a slightly risky proposition. However, when you nail that perfect sequence — switching to your pistol and landing a headshot with a quick pop-pop of the hair trigger while your thumbs stay firmly planted on the sticks — it can feel worth it.