Yesterday Microsoft held their annual E3 press conference, along with that came a whole slew of new announcements and reveals. Among them was the long rumored reiteration on the Xbox Elite Controller, and we got our first look at the Series 2 version.
Features of the new Xbox One Elite Controller Series 2 include:
- Adjustable-tension thumbsticks. If you are playing a first person shooter and want those quick movements from side to side, you might opt for a loose setting. Playing a racing game? Tighter tension could make things that much better.
- New trigger grip and redesigned bumpers. The triggers now feature a textured pattern that helps fingers from slipping off.
- Wrap-around rubberized grip. The previous version of the controller featured a more textured rubber only on the backside where fingers would lay. Now that’s extended to the rest of the grip.
- Bluetooth connectivity. The previous version did not include this, but now those on a Windows 10 PC with Bluetooth capabilities can now connect the new Elite controller and play PC games.
- Three profiles. A little upgrade from the Series 1 Elite controller, which previously only had two assignable profiles.
- New internal battery. The previous version simply took AA batteries or one of Microsoft’s rechargeable batteries that could be bought separately. The Series 2 now comes with a rechargeable internal battery, that boasts up to 40 hours of playtime. There’s also a dock and it charges by USB-C.
With many options available on the market for high-end controllers, it’s interesting to see Microsoft pursuing their own controller, rather than going through another company like Razer or Scuf. Added bluetooth functionality helps connect to more devices and finally having a rechargeable battery in an Xbox controller is a welcome addition. Hopefully the 40 hours of battery life is more than a brag when it gets put to the test at launch.
The Xbox Elite Controller Series 2 is available to pre-order from the Xbox website. The controller releases on November 4th, 2019 with a price tag of $179.99 USD.
