Performance: Another strong feature here, that you won't find on other pads, is the dedicated mic volume switch you'll find at the center bottom of the controller. This is a wonderful addition that saves you from having to dive into your console's settings to adjust your mic's output. You want something simpler: While robust, the Recon's busy on-board audio controls do lend a slightly convoluted feel to the pad. The best Xbox One controller overall, in our opinion, is the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2. It offers impressive customisation options and is truly built for professional or intense gamers.

Either way, it's a fantastic controller that feels great in the hand and is as responsive as you could wish for. It's just painfully pricey with all my chosen greebles. Read more: Best Razer controllers 2022 Best Xbox One Controller: FAQs Which is the best Xbox One controller? Every single Xbox controller we have available can be found right here and right now. Whether you want a custom Xbox Elite controller to give you the competitive edge or even a classic custom Xbox One controller with the best design, you can find it right here along with some of our most popular designs. And with next-generation consoles becoming more available each and every day, now has never been a better time to get your hands on a custom Xbox Series X controller. Find your dream controller today. Overall that's an astonishing value, and particularly impressive considering just how good this Xbox One controller feels to use. Some sacrifices have been made by slimming down the previous release (the Turtle Beach Recon Controller). You're dropping rubberized grips and Pro-Aim assist mode, for example. However, the textured plastic still holds your position well and you're still getting particularly pleasing ridges on the shoulder buttons as well.

The Thrustmaster eSwap XR is the latest successor to the eSwap X Pro that's also available for Xbox One. However, this model that sports a quite beautiful Forza Horizon 5 livery is an easy controller to recommend if you play a lot of driving and racing games, especially if you don't want to fork out the cash for a proper racing wheel setup. However, if you've got a newer model you're all good to go. Hold the Xbox button to power up and then press the Pair button for three seconds. Navigate to your PC's Bluetooth settings and search for a device - once the Xbox logo starts flashing, you'll see the option for Xbox Wireless Controller appear in the menu. Select this option to connect. How we test Xbox One controllers The Razer Wolverine Ultimate is a genuine contender to Microsoft’s excellent Series 2 Elite for the title of best Xbox One controller and arguably has even greater customization thanks to the additional M1/M2 shoulder buttons. The four buttons underneath the controller on the rear are less like paddles and more like additional triggers that might be a little bit more of a reach, but we found them far less susceptible to accidental touches than the Elite’s paddles that expand into your natural grip area. You also get a few swappable elements like taller or rounder analogs and a four or eight-directional d-pad. The Asus ROG Raikiri started 2023 as the controller to watch as it swept up award after award at CES. As the months progressed, some seriously strong gamepads were released, and by the time the ROG Raikiri arrived, it made me question that award-winning reputation I had been excited for.

The Xbox Elite Series 2 Core takes the high quality of the full-fat Elite Series 2 and brings it down to a more affordable price point, making it one of the best Xbox Series X controllers out there. To the untrained eye, and thanks to confusing naming conventions, it's quite tough to see what the differences between these two controllers are - besides the obvious colour changes. In fact, these two gamepads are practically identical in every way, and the main difference is the accessories you get bundled along with them.

Sports games are the most obvious, as anyone who has tried to play FIFA using the strange keyboard/mouse control scheme can attest to. But there are other titles, specifically those which were primarily designed for consoles whose control schemes are so unwieldy away from a pad that playing them any other way is a pain. The controller market is in a great place at the moment. The Xbox One generation sparked a lot of interest in the production of pro controllers that blur the lines between the comfort and ease of gamepads, and the competitive functions of a mouse and keyboard. After Xbox came out with the Elite line, a myriad of choices exploded onto the shelves, and now there are so many great controllers to suit all hand shapes and game genres. Before we break down the explicit benefits of each controller in detail, it's worth noting that many of the options below will serve you as the best PC controllers too. The short answer is yes. The slightly longer answer is that you might need to perform a little fiddling the first time you set it up—although after that it will just be a case of plugging it in. As you can see from our list, we think that the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 is currently the best Xbox One controller on the market. It has insane customisation options, providing over 30 new ways to play. It shines in subtle areas compared to its cheaper counterparts, making it the best gamepad for most Xbox One players.In other words, yes - we do think the Elite 2 is worth it. Is there a better Xbox controller?

One of the dumbest yet most endearing controllers is the Hyperkin Duke. This reissue of the original Xbox pad is a love letter to the salad days of 2001. It’s just not great to use for modern games. Thankfully it comes with a display stand, as it’s more of a collector piece. Not sure what to choose? Then let us give you a hand. As said in the beginning, the Xbox Elite controller is a must-have if you want high-end features that give you a competitive edge. Our Xbox Elite custom controllers not only have all of the amazing features listed below, but also some of our best designs. Make your competitive experience absolutely perfect. We only have custom Xbox Elite Series 2 controllers available, so you get the most up to date controls. And as promised, some of the features included are: Many may disagree, but the truth remains: controllers are sometimes the best tool for the job, even in games considered PC classics. Take Elden Ring, for example—it has a much simpler control system when played with the best PC controller than a mouse and keyboard. You can bet that the best gaming mouse and the best gaming keyboard will prevail in almost every PC exclusive ever made, but adding a great controller to your inventory will cover the areas where they fall short. Unlike the Duke, the Hyperkin Xenon is a reissued gamepad that’s actually worth using, especially if you have an affinity for the mid-aughts Xbox 360 design. The original 360 controller’s biggest innovation was its intuitive wireless system, which is sadly absent from this wired reincarnation. But hey, at least Hyperkin improved on the Xbox 360 controller’s awful D-pad and included some cool color-matched USB-C cables.Your Xbox One controller can go further than you might think, connecting to gaming tablets, gaming laptops, and gaming PCs. That means there's a whole world waiting for your buttons, and you can put that mouse and keyboard down. Connecting your Xbox One controller via a cable is easy - it's a plug and play affair that works straight out the box. However, if you're after a wireless connection things are a little more complicated. Though I've done some testing with first-person shooters, I've largely ignored the genre. While it may be necessary for console gamers, we're almost always going to use WASD for any kind of shooter. With that in mind, the games I used mainly for testing are the ones mentioned below: Design and features: Design-wise, most thing here are identical to its counterpart, but has an Xbox makeover that's aesthetically fitting for the console. It retains the same weight and feature set as its Nintendo Switch counterpart, so all you're really getting here is console compatibility. The original Xbox One Wireless Controller was a staple for PC gaming. With the release of the Xbox Series S/X, we were all curious to see how Xbox improved on an already outstanding gamepad. What's more, you get some seriously conclusive customization software in Asus's Armoury Crate. This is a serious win, and it's also where you can customize your OLED display which is fun, if a bit pointless.

Elsewhere, this is just such a comfortable controller to use in driving games, particularly thanks to the tapered shapes of the triggers that make them nice and easy to hold down for long periods of time. If you have larger hands and like the feel of a taller controller with longer grips, this is for you. Being able to swap out modules mid-game is fantastic, and the controller is only really let down by the fact it's still wired-only. The most significant changes in the Series 2 over the Series 1 (which we also loved) include a neat little carrying case that doubles as a portable USB Type-C powered charging station for the controller's new rechargeable battery, which has around 40 hours of juice. Finally, with project XCloud and Apple Arcade bringing some great games to mobile devices, you can easily pair the Series 2 controller via Bluetooth. This might seem an utterly offensive question to ask in the annals of PC Gamer, but it remains true that certain PC games are far better played with a controller than the classic keyboard and mouse combo. The DualSense does not have official PC drivers, but that is not a major issue, as Steam makes it incredibly easy to use the controller via USB and Bluetooth. The DualSense uses the older DirectInput API instead of the more widely supported XInput, meaning many games may not instantly recognize it. By enabling ' PlayStation Configuration Support' in Steam's controller settings, your controller will work with most games.

It all depends on personal preference. If your console is set up at a desk, you're probably closer to your screen, so a wired controller won't feel like too much of a tether. But, if you're using one of the best gaming TVs rather than one of the best monitors for Xbox, a wireless controller provides a little more flexibility. How we test the best Xbox controllers The best Xbox controllers are tested and reviewed based on a number of criteria, including design, feature set and arguably most importantly of all, price. There's rarely a one-size-fits-all Xbox controller, so we endeavor to test each to their strengths, such as options for voice chat or being suited to a particular genre. For example, you could play Elden Ring without a controller, but using a pad on a PC felt far better. How we test controllers