Xbox One Elite Controller | Thinking of buying one? Watch this video first…
The Xbox One Elite Controller was released a few months ago, and the general consensus is that it’s a great, if a bit overpriced, accessory for any serious gamer. The original Xbox One controller is already well-designed (in my opinion the greatest game controller ever made), and the Elite Controller adds several customization features essential for any competitive player. But there is a growing segment of gamers who are not exactly happy with Microsoft’s latest peripheral, and a severe quality control issue may be the culprit. See below:
Now, this could be the case of a loud minority with some unfortunate luck, but my own personal experience with the standard Xbox One controllers, while not as extreme as many of the cases in the above video, leads me to believe otherwise. My launch controller had issues with it’s RB button from the beginning, it’s replacement had a menu/start button that had to be pressed with the strength of 100 men to register, I’ve had 2 other controllers experience various degrees of analog stick drift (including my beloved Lunar White), and a controller with a faulty d-pad. I take great care of my controllers, so negligence can be ruled out as the cause for the myriad of issues I’ve had. Build quality is definitely lacking, and it’s compounded by a woefully short 90-day warranty. One would think the Xbox One Elite Controller, being nearly 3 times the price of the standard controller and touting durability as one of it’s selling points, would have a longer warranty than it’s standard counterpart, but nope: 90-days as well.
This isn’t meant to dissuade anyone from purchasing an Elite controller, hell I plan to get one myself eventually (price drop?). But I do feel this information needs to be taken into account before plunking down $150+tax. Given the high price, the short warranty, and the Microsoft’s track record for problematic Xbox One controllers, one would be wise to proceed with caution… or consider purchasing an extended warranty.
