The best Xbox controllers: Microsoft, Razer, PowerA, and more

We live 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 play on an Xbox Series X or Series S (or a Windows PC), you can choose between several high-quality controllers from Microsoft as well as a plethora of great options from the likes of 8BitDo, PowerA, Razer, Scuf, Nacon, and Turtle Beach, some of which have even started using drift-proof Hall effect sticks for improved longevity. The days of the cheap “little sibling” controller that looked cool but barely worked are over.

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 not be a surprise that the standard Xbox Wireless Controller is the best option for most folks. It makes a great PC controller, too.

But while the default Xbox gamepad strikes the right balance of quality, comfort, versatility, and price, there are several alternatives worth considering.

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

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 all-rounder. It lacks some extras found on pricier options, but this controller is the distillation of over 20 years of Xbox gamepads, and it shows.

Thanks to Microsoft’s proprietary wireless protocol, this is the only affordable wireless Xbox controller out there. (Third-party wireless options have been trickling out in recent years, but they’re mostly at the high end.) While some hate the standard Xbox Wireless Controller for its use of AA batteries instead of a built-in rechargeable cell, that also means it’s flexible, allowing for rechargeable AAs or a battery pack. And user-replaceable batteries mean you’re not stuck with a controller that doesn’t hold its charge after years of use. It also works over a USB-C connection.

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 a dedicated fight stick or a controller geared toward that genre — one with a superb D-pad like Hori’s Horipad Pro — but the Xbox Wireless Controller is an extraordinary jack-of-all-trades.

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 bumps the price from $69.99 to $109.93 depending on the configuration. There’s a lot to love about these controllers, whether you make your own or pick one from the many colors Microsoft offers.

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

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 Advantage Wired Controller offers a solid value without much sacrifice. Its full retail price is $37.99, but some color schemes dip as low as $25. The Advantage is PowerA’s follow-up to its Enhanced Wired Controller, our previous budget pick. Like the Enhanced, the Advantage comes in a wide variety of hues and designs, but it has some nice improvements. Namely, the new model has a detachable USB-C cable (instead of micro-USB) and three-way hair-trigger lockouts. It also has two customizable rear buttons like the Enhanced, rounding out a nice arsenal of features for a low-cost gamepad.

The only other thing I’d love to see in a controller this cheap are drift-free Hall effect sticks. If that’s a priority to you while on a tight budget, consider spending a little more on the GameSir G7 SE. It’s another great USB-C wired option that puts the drift worries to bed for around $40, though it doesn’t have trigger lockouts like the Advantage does.

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

The Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 is Microsoft’s fancy controller, and it’s got a lot of nice extras, like better build quality, extra buttons, user-swappable sticks and D-pad, a built-in rechargeable battery, and loads of software customization. Where the standard Xbox controller is constructed entirely of unassuming plastic, the Elite mixes higher quality soft-touch plastic, rubberized grips, and metallic touches for a superior fit and finish. This makes it heftier than the stock controller, and it just feels nice in your hands. It also comes with a charging dock and zip-up case with passthrough charging, completing a really nice package for $179.99. There’s also the stripped-down Elite Series 2 “Core” version with an MSRP of $129.99, which ditches the add-ons. You can buy them separately in a $59.99 accessories pack, but you’ll end up paying more that way, barring sales or discounts.

A pricey controller like an Xbox Elite is a bit of an emotional purchase. Most of us are not competing at e-sports levels, but it’s fun to use something that feels nicer, offers ways to custom-tailor it to your likings, and maybe gives you a slight competitive edge thanks to features like hair triggers and removable rear paddles. In theory, you may be able to get shots off faster in an online shooter with the hair triggers, and you can map the paddles to functions like jump, crouch, reload, etc. while keeping your thumb on the right stick. You could teach yourself claw grip to accomplish the latter with even a cheap wired controller, sure, but it just won’t feel as cool as when using an Elite. (And why try to get good or learn something when I can buy my way there instead?)

While the Elite is still a great controller in 2024, you should keep in mind that it’s been around since 2019 and a Series 3 revision is feeling long overdue. The Series 2 also 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. It also predates the current-gen implementation of a dedicated Share button, and its potentiometer-based sticks run the risk of stick drift after long-term use (something third parties are addressing with controllers that use drift-free Hall effect sticks, unlike all three big console manufacturers). 

Even with those heaping mouthfuls of salt, the Elite 2 remains by far the most well-rounded option for a step-up Xbox controller — thanks in large part to its impressive build and expansive software experience. If all these caveats give you pause, though, there is another promising option.

Read our Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 review.

Connectivity: Wireless USB dongle (Xbox / PC), wired / Connector type: USB-C / Mappable rear buttons: Four / Software customization: Yes / Power: Built-in rechargeable

At $199.99, Razer’s Wolverine V3 Pro controller is even more expensive than the Elite Series 2, but it’s worth the added cost if you want a high-end controller with drift-free sticks. Not only is the V3 Pro Razer’s first foray into using Hall effect sticks, it’s the company’s first fully wireless Xbox gamepad. It also sports some of the best hair-trigger lockouts around, with a mouse-like click usually found on even pricier Scuf controllers (a previous high-ranking pick of ours). Other than that, the V3 Pro is similar to the previous V2 Pro, with six remappable buttons — four rear paddles in new, angled orientations and two extra shoulder buttons — and some RGB lighting. The buttons and D-pad still have that satisfying micro-switch tactility and audible clickiness like the previous-gen V2 Pro, but the RGB lighting is more subtle this time around.

The Wolverine V3 Pro’s biggest shortcomings compared to Microsoft’s Elite Series 2 are its  more basic software customization, lack of Bluetooth, and the fact that it needs a USB dongle to work wirelessly. The V3 Pro is otherwise the better pick if you can justify its very high cost. And if you can’t, there’s also the $99.99 Wolverine V3 Pro Tournament Edition that has a nearly identical set of features in a wired version.

• Nacon’s Revolution X is one of the most customizable wired controllers you can get (it even has removable weights in its handles), and its software is nearly as expansive as Microsoft’s first-party app.
• Turtle Beach’s controllers have offerings with handy audio features geared towards competitive shooters, like the Recon and React-R. Its fanciest option, the Stealth Ultra, is a $200 wireless model with Hall effect sticks that’s overall very good. Though, for the same money I prefer the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro, since it feels better to use and the Stealth Ultra’s built-in 1.5-inch screen for customizing functions (or getting social media notifications) is clunky.
• 8BitDo’s Ultimate Wired Controller for Xbox and PC is a quality, affordable gamepad with two rear buttons and software customization, though the lengthy USB cable is not detachable. There’s a new model with Hall effect sticks and a detachable USB-C cable that looks like a real contender, and it’s on our shortlist of options to test next.
• Briefly mentioned above, the Horipad Pro has one of the best D-pads around. It also offers a lot of software customization at an affordable price, but its shoulder buttons are a bit stiff.
• If you’re the nostalgic type, the Hyperkin Duke, DuchesS, and Xenon are faithful wired recreations of Xbox gamepads from Microsoft’s first two console generations. They’re kind of dumb but endearing (especially the chunky Duke), but they’re unique collector pieces you can also use on modern games.

Photography by Antonio G. Di Benedetto / The Verge

Update, December 20th: Overhauled buying guide with a more condensed conroller selection and write-ups. The Razer Wolverine V3 Pro has supplanted the Scuf Instinct Pro as our pick for the best Elite alternative, and the PowerA Advantage Wired is our new pick for best cheap controller (for now).