Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 [Console and PC]

Major Nelson said in an interview that it will be forward compatible. Do you think the next gen Xbox will use the same controllers?

 

I think the current controllers will carry over, but I think all the newer ones will have slight enhancements like going USB-C as the Series 2 is. "No one gets left behind" - Phil Spencer.

Tommy McClain

 

Confirmed that they will be compatible with next gen.
Doesn't mean next gen won't have slightly different controllers though.
Maybe a share button

 

Wasn't rumored to be something incredibly innovative?
I'm so much out of the loop that I see just a slightly fine tuned Elite?

 

So Microsoft finally found out that included rechargeable batteries that charge in the controller itself are convenient.

Only took them 13 years after Sony.

 

They can handle defect issues in batteries in the Elite controller by aiming for very high battery quality SKUs. I mean the price of the controller
Should come with better internals one would hope given the price point. The switch to an internal battery for Elite 2 requires a great deal of trust for me. I still prefer to use my own Amazon Basics rechargeables.

I do not think the idea of going with internal batteries is a good idea for the budget line of controllers.

My 2 cents on that matter.

 

Unfortunately, it looks like the battery isn't made to be user replaceable. HUGE mistake, IMO.

That said, I'm still getting one. The big new features for me are.

• Adjustable tension of the thumb sticks. The different height thumb sticks and software controlled response curves of the current Elite make the controller much more useable for me than past controllers, but it's still not perfect. Being able to adjust the tension might be just what I need to make me like using controllers for games that I typically hate using controllers with.
• Bluetooth. Being able to easily connected it to my PC wirelessly is fantastic.

Huge con for me.

• Potentially hard to replace battery. For 180 USD. Make the dang thing user replaceable. I could understand if it was a cheap 60 USD throw away controller. But at this price let me easily replace the damn battery.

Regards,
SB

 

This makes me twitch

 

ok lets write this again...under my actual account

I think we have gone through two Elites here so I’m definitely hopeful the quality control is the other/main reason for v2

 

Yes, it took me a little bit to get used to using the paddles underneath, but they are immensely useful for letting me use some face buttons without taking my thumbs off the analog sticks.

I'm expecting the Elite 2 controller to be completely sold out at launch similar to the launch of the Elite controller. So, sometime next year is when I plan on getting it.

Whoops, nevermind. ​

Regards,
SB

 

I think the paddles are the best part of the controller except and until you toss the controller to the side to say get your delivery order and having to deal with any in-game repercussions from said additional button presses. Not that this has ever happened to me..........
I’m definitely pre-ordering 2 or 4 since accessories are forward compatible. Probably starting with 2 and then judging durability which was my only complaint previously.

And wow, I still recognize some names here. Amazing.

 

Microsoft must be testing the waters on non-replaceable batteries for next-gen. I won't be pleased if they do this for every controller going forward. Hopefully they have some kind of service for replacing them & not just the ones under warranty.

Tommy McClain

 

Even having to send it in to replace the battery would be a pain in the rear. Just let us replace the batteries ourselves for goodness sake. I really REALLY dislike the non-user replaceable battery.

It's one of the things I really REALLY hate about my iPhone 6s. I had to pay Apple to replace the freaking battery instead of being able to easily do it myself. What a freaking ripoff.

Regards,
SB

 

Agreed. My only thought is they wanted to go with bigger batteries but didn't want to offer a charge and play sku just for the elite.

 

They had a panel at the E3 Coliseum where they discussed the Elite v2 in depth. Regarding the battery (and charger) in particular, they discussed that at 16:45, mentioning that the goal was that the internal battery would provide at least as much play time as double As (which they rate at 40 hours), and they hint pretty heavily that that's actually lowballing it a little.

Later on during the Q&A session, they're asked about the battery, and confirm again that they guarantee a minimum of 40 hrs battery life, adding that this should hold for "the standard lifetime of the product", whatever that is. Presumably a couple of years at least. MajorNelson mentions that when he got one to take home for testing last year (he mentions playing through all of RDR2 with it), he didn't get the charging cable, and used it for two and a half weeks before remembering that it needed to be recharged.

So it definitely sounds it's going to be more Nintendo Pro Controller than Dual Shock 4 when it comes to battery life. Combine that with the handy charging dock they're including, and I can't see the battery being an issue for quite some time.

 

2-3 years is abysmal (the typical "life" of a controller). I expect my controllers to last me 5-10 years. I'm not expecting the battery in the Elite 2 to hold for that long. And that's a REAL shame.

I have X360 controllers that are still being used. With great battery life. Because I can replace the batteries quite easily. My Halo Reach controllers (love the shell design on this) still get a lot of use when I have friends or family come over for local multiplayer gaming.

But I guess this is a way to try to force people to buy controllers more frequently. Bleh. Not like it's going to happen, but I hope there's a lot of backlash about this and MS offers an Elite 2 v2 with user replaceable battery.

Regards,
SB