- 7 hours ago
Looking for a new Xbox controller? Paul’s got you covered with 7 of the best Xbox controllers you can buy right now. Whether it’s an affordable replacement or an extra controller for multiplayer, or a professional grade premium controller with customizable buttons, there’s a controller for every type of gamer. And every one of these controllers is compatible with PC, with many also working on Mac, iOS, Android and more.
Category
🤖
TechTranscript
00:00Looking for a new Xbox controller? Whether you need a budget pick to replace the one that you
00:04rage quit with too many times, want the ultimate customization, or after competitive play,
00:09I've got seven of the best first and third-party Xbox controllers that you can buy today. And if
00:14you didn't know, all these controllers also work with PC, but a lot of them also have support for
00:18Mac, mobile devices, and a lot more. You'll find the best deals for everything that I'm sharing
00:22linked down below, so let's get into it. My budget pick for Xbox controllers is the Gamester G7
00:28SE Xbox wire controller. For $45 and frequently on sale for around $35, you get a real quality
00:36Xbox controller here with a lot of features that you normally wouldn't find at this price point.
00:40It has hall effect triggers and analog sticks, as well as an extra pair of customizable buttons on
00:46the underside of the controller. And since it ditches a battery, the Gamester G7 is super lightweight,
00:52which could be a big plus for longer gaming sessions. It also comes in some really eye-catching
00:57colors and the faceplate is actually magnetic and swappable. You can also change out the analog
01:02sticks. So this is also one of the most customizable budget Xbox controllers. The Gamester G7 SE Xbox
01:09wire controller proves that you can get a great controller without breaking the bank. Sometimes
01:14you don't want to mess with success. For most people, the best overall Xbox controller is still
01:19the standard Microsoft Xbox wireless controller. There's a good reason this design hasn't really
01:24changed that much since the original Xbox One. It's comfortable, it's built like a tank, and thanks
01:29to its Bluetooth and 2.4 gigahertz connections, it works with just about everything. Xbox, PC, Mac,
01:35iOS, Android, and even most new smart TVs. The latest version goes for about $70, but frequently
01:40goes on sale for under $50. It has a hybrid D-pad for easier diagonal inputs and comes in more styles
01:46than ever. There are eight standard colors, tons of special editions like this transparent pulse
01:51cypher that I have here, and you can even customize your very own design with the Xbox Design Lab.
01:57The controller takes two AA batteries, but if you want, you can add rechargeable batteries so that
02:01you can swap them in and out more quickly. But I think going with the play and charge kit is the way
02:06to go because you can just play over USB-C and charge at the same time. Of course, you can always
02:11just plug this in directly and play with a wire connection if the controller is ever dead, or you just
02:16want a direct connection to your device. This may not have all the bells and whistles like my other
02:20picks here, but this really is the gold standard for Xbox wireless controllers.
02:26All right, so Microsoft practically invented the premium controller with the original Elite
02:30Series, so it's not surprising that the Xbox Elite Series 2 is still one of the best Xbox
02:36controllers that you can buy today. From its clicky buttons to its adjustable analog sticks to the
02:41metal D-pad, the Elite Series 2 just feels high-end overall. The rubbery textured grips are a pleasure
02:47to hold, and it's solid without feeling too heavy. And if you spring for the $60 complete pack, you get
02:53a case, charging pedestal, as well as paddle buttons that you can install in a number of different
02:57configurations, alternate analog sticks, and a cross-style D-pad that you can all quickly install and swap out
03:05with a satisfying magnetic snap. With the Xbox Accessories app on your Xbox or your PC, you can
03:12customize almost every single part of the Elite Series 2. Fully remap any of the buttons, adjust the
03:18analog sensitivity, or even change the color and brightness of the Xbox logo. You can store up to
03:24three profiles on this controller, taking your tweaks with you wherever you play. For around $150, the Series
03:30Elite 2 has the same great compatibility as the standard Xbox wireless controller, and it comes in some exciting
03:36colors including red, white, or blue. It's my choice for the best premium Xbox controller.
03:43Sometimes you don't want to worry about charging batteries or syncing to your devices, which is why
03:48I recommend the Power 8 Fusion Pro 4 as the best Xbox wired controller. It's got a great grippy texture
03:55and comfortable design, and is packed with a ton of features. We're talking Hall Effect analog sticks,
04:01customizable back buttons, and even three-way trigger locks, which you won't find on the more affordable
04:06Gamester G7 SE. You can also adjust the height of the analog sticks with Power 8's unique
04:11quick twist tech. Try saying that three times fast. Choosing between three different height levels.
04:17No need to keep track of swappable sticks, which I absolutely love. And for $80, you get a really
04:22solidly built controller with a 10-foot braided USB-C cable. And when you don't need wireless connectivity,
04:27the Power 8 Fusion Pro wired controller is the perfect choice.
04:30If you're looking for an Xbox controller for competition-level play, then you have to check
04:36out the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro. Razer built the Wolverine to be tournament-ready, which includes
04:41adding extra-clicky mouse switches in the buttons, ultra-fast hyper-triggers, and the highest possible
04:47polling rates. 250Hz wirelessly, or whenever you're connected to an Xbox, or 1000Hz when you're plugged into
04:54a PC. It's even got these two extra shoulder buttons that are perfect for players who play claw grip. The build
04:59quality is very premium, too. Hall effect thumbsticks and high-end textured plastic throughout,
05:05and four underside paddle buttons. Plus, you get a case with alternate thumbsticks depending on if
05:09you prefer playing with concave or convex caps. The buttons and thumbsticks can also be calibrated
05:15and customized with the available controller setup app, which is on PC and Xbox. One thing to note,
05:20though, this $200 controller relies on its 2.4 GHz USB Type-A dongle for wireless connectivity,
05:27so no Bluetooth. It's only compatible with Xbox and PC. But for competitive play,
05:33the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro will not let you down. What if your Xbox controller could look and feel a
05:40little bit more like a PlayStation controller? How about a setup for fighting games? The Turtle Beach
05:45Victrix Pro BFG Reloaded is the most customizable Xbox controller and can easily be adapted to your play
05:51style. Designed with button attachments that you can easily swap out and rotate, few controllers come this
05:57close to being as customizable. You can easily switch to PlayStation-style thumbstick symmetry,
06:01and if you're picky about your D-pads like I am, it comes with three. You'll even find an extra
06:07clicky six-button module fight pad. Add in its four remappable buttons on the underside and five
06:12different stages of trigger locks, and there's very little that you can't change about this controller.
06:17The included software also lets you calibrate the analog sticks and buttons, and even its microphone's
06:23EQ setting when using it with a 3.5 millimeter audio jack. And when it comes to connectivity,
06:28you've got your choice of Bluetooth and an ultra low latency mode with its USB transmitter,
06:33or of course, USB wired. On top of all that customization, this is also a really premium
06:38controller. The triggers and analog sticks are hall effect, the textured grips are really solid,
06:43and every attachment is neatly organized in the included carrying case. Yes, this is a little bit
06:47pricey at around $200, but when it comes to customizability and build quality,
06:51the Turtle Beach Victrix Pro BFG Reloaded is hard to beat.
06:58Remember, this is an Xbox Now. At least, that's what Microsoft keeps telling us.
07:03With Xbox Game Pass Cloud Streaming and NVIDIA GeForce Now, you can easily take your Xbox and PC
07:09games, along with their cloud saves, wherever you go, so long as you have a good internet connection.
07:15I've actually got an entire video sharing the top cloud streaming services that you can get,
07:19along with some great tips that you can check out right now. But to get the best experience with
07:24your phone or tablet, you'll still need a solid mobile controller. For the most versatility with
07:30your mobile devices, I recommend the Razer Kishi V3 Pro. It's compatible with USB-C, iPhone,
07:36Android, and even fits iPad mini, and tablets up to eight inches, which I'd argue is the perfect size
07:42for playing your games on the go. You can also just directly plug this into your PC and use this as a
07:47wired controller if you ever need. Besides that, one of the reasons I like this so much is that
07:51its build quality and ergonomics are some of the closest to a real Xbox controller compared to the
07:57other mobile controllers that I've tested in the past. The thumbsticks are swappable and use tunnel
08:02magnetic resonance, which is supposed to be even less prone to drift than Hall Effect. The triggers are
08:07only Hall Effect, but they're specifically designed to be nearly silent. It has two mouse click buttons on the
08:14back and two claw grip bumpers as well at the top. This also offers USB-C pass through charging and
08:20a 3.5 millimeter jack for your wired headphones. Together, that makes the $150 Kishi V3 Pro my pick
08:27for the best mobile Xbox controller. But just like all the other Xbox controllers I've shared today,
08:32the number of mobile specific controllers have exploded in just the last year alone. And I have
08:37a dedicated mobile controller buying guide dropping that you can check out. Still not sure which controller
08:42is right for you. First, consider where you game most. Wired controllers can make a lot of sense if
08:47you're sitting closer to your console or you're at a desk, but if you're playing further away,
08:51you're probably better off with a wireless controller so that you don't trip over cables.
08:55That said, wired controllers are still going to be a really great choice if you're on a tighter
08:59budget or want something a little bit lighter. Depending on the games that you play most or your style
09:04of play, some of these controllers also offer really unique customization or pro features,
09:09which could be worth the extra premium, but be prepared to pay at least $150.
09:15While most of these controllers are also compatible with your phones and tablets,
09:19if you primarily play on the go, a mobile first controller probably makes most sense since they
09:25also grip your devices at the same time. Finally, a lot of these controllers are really good at
09:30different things. Keep in mind that an Xbox can pair up to eight controllers simultaneously for your local
09:35multiplayer games. And if you have a bunch of different gaming setups or different types of
09:40games that you like to play, it never hurts to have a couple different controllers on hand.
09:45Whichever Xbox controller you do end up going with, you're going to have a really great gaming
09:49experience. Don't forget to check out the best deals for everything linked below.
09:53But if there's a controller that you love or think that I should check out for next time,
09:57let me know in the comments. If this video helped you out, make sure to subscribe for more buying
10:01guides and you can follow me to see what other cool tech I'm reviewing. Until the next one, I'll catch you later.
Comments