Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 [Console and PC]

[milk]

So pretty much the existing play-and-charge kit with a turbo charger enhancement?

My ideal controller accepts standard AA batteries rechargeable or not, and if I plug the controller to power with bateries on it, they are recharged at whatever spec rechargeable AA bateries are supposed to, with a switch for turbo-recharge meant for the included ones that are garanteed to handle it which I can still use with batteries from a different brand if I know what I'm doing.

 

[Davros]

The new xbox gamepad (the elite) $180 wtf...

 

[cheapchips]

I just bought the £19.99 enhanced wired controller. That's almost exactly the same thing isn't it? ;-)

 

[BRiT]

The new xbox gamepad (the elite) $180 wtf...

The old Elite was $150, but often had deals to save a bit. It's amazingly better build quality than standard wireless controllers which are $60 to $70. At a cost of $120 to $130 its a solid deal since it will easily last twice as long as the other controllers.

I dont know if the Elite 2 will last three times as long to justify the $180 price, maybe they figure since it has a built in play-and-charge kit that's where the $30 increase comes from.

I'm waiting for the Elite 2 Version 2 with user replaceable battery and a $140 price range. We'll see what Holiday 2021 brings.

 

[Sigfried1977]

Considering how expensive other add-on controllers are (like 200+ bucks for a fightstick, even though a Sanwa stick + buttons is like 40 bucks), 150+ dollars for such a complex beast isn't really that shocking.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

Considering how expensive other add-on controllers are (like 200+ bucks for a fightstick, even though a Sanwa stick + buttons is like 40 bucks), 150+ dollars for such a complex beast isn't really that shocking.

However, considering the price of a console to use such a controller with, it's utterly preposterous! You can get an S All Digital from the MS store right now for $200. The controller, with far less components, is priced nearly as high. I know that's free market economics, supply and demand, charge what they'll pay, yada yada, but it's still bloody ridiculous.

And fightsticks are even more bloody ridiculous.

 

[BRiT]

You need to look at it longer term, once you factor in having to replace the standard controller in 2 to 3 years depending on play styles, but not the Elite, the price is not as bad.

 

[dobwal]

I expect a standard lifetime of an Elite controller to be at least 10 years. I expect a battery life of play-and-charge to be 2.5 to 3 years. If an Elite 2 controller can't last the entire 10 years without having to send it in for replacing the battery, then Microsoft fucked up.

Who knows? Consumer electronics tend to kill batteries faster because consumers tend to favor longer use times over longevity. Therefore, CEs tend to have access to their batteries' full capacity (100%-0%). But fully charging a battery and then completely depleting it on a consistent basis is the fastest way to kill a battery's capacity.

Microsoft may be doing something like whats done with EVs (tend to have 8-year warranties) which use over provisioning and keeps battery capacity between ~80% and 25%.

 

[dobwal]

However, considering the price of a console to use such a controller with, it's utterly preposterous! You can get an S All Digital from the MS store right now for $200. The controller, with far less components, is priced nearly as high. I know that's free market economics, supply and demand, charge what they'll pay, yada yada, but it's still bloody ridiculous.

And fightsticks are even more bloody ridiculous.

Im pretty sure MS could sell us the Elite controllers for much less if they could convince us to buy subscription based services and a ton of accessories just for a controller. Console and controllers don't share the same revenue and profit model.

 

[Silent_Buddha]

Who knows? Consumer electronics tend to kill batteries faster because consumers tend to favor longer use times over longevity. Therefore, CEs tend to have access to their batteries' full capacity (100%-0%). But fully charging a battery and then completely depleting it on a consistent basis is the fastest way to kill a battery's capacity.

Microsoft may be doing something like whats done with EVs (tend to have 8-year warranties) which use over provisioning and keeps battery capacity between ~80% and 25%.

Apple does that but their batteries still deteriorate significantly after about 3 years or so. I have no hopes of the Elite 2 holding over 80% of its charge after 3 years or so even with that sort of battery protection.

Regards,
SB

 

[dobwal]

Apple does that but their batteries still deteriorate significantly after about 3 years or so. I have no hopes of the Elite 2 holding over 80% of its charge after 3 years or so even with that sort of battery protection.

Regards,
SB

Can you point me in the direction where that is pointed out? I know Apple throttle performances as the battery degrades but I haven’t seen where they over provision capacity to extend battery life. EV tech use a method/model similar to how manufacturers extend the life of NAND memory. You get more than stated and are gradually given more to combat degradation.

75%-25% gives you access to only half the true capacity of the battery. As the battery degrades the battery will charge above the 75% limit and/or discharge below the 25% to maintain capacity. Theoretically before you even notice battery degradation in terms of capacity you have to burn through more than half the battery.

Regardless, Apple’s aim isn’t to maintain battery life for years. Apple’s aim is to have you routinely replace your phone after a few years so I hardly doubt apple is investing in bigger batteries and management schemes that .allows an iPhone battery to operate as if new for years into the future.

 

[Silent_Buddha]

Can you point me in the direction where that is pointed out? I know Apple throttle performances as the battery degrades but I haven’t seen where they over provision capacity to extend battery life. EV tech use a method/model similar to how manufacturers extend the life of NAND memory. You get more than stated and are gradually given more to combat degradation.

75%-25% gives you access to only half the true capacity of the battery. As the battery degrades the battery will charge above the 75% limit and/or discharge below the 25% to maintain capacity. Theoretically before you even notice battery degradation in terms of capacity you have to burn through more than half the battery.

Regardless, Apple’s aim isn’t to maintain battery life for years. Apple’s aim is to have you routinely replace your phone after a few years so I hardly doubt apple is investing in bigger batteries and management schemes that .allows an iPhone battery to operate as if new for years into the future.

I must have gotten it conflated with another phone maker that started doing it with their phone years ago.

It seems that it's coming to iOS 13 for Apple devices.

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/06/12/app...ery-life-with-optimized-battery-charging.html

That said, I know eneloop batteries have circuitry to do this and while it helps with extending the life of the battery it still degrades quite significantly after 2-3 years.

I'll eat my words if the Elite 2 can retain at least 90% of battery capacity after 5 years and 80% after 10 years. I don't think it'll happen though.

Regards,
SB

 

[dobwal]

I must have gotten it conflated with another phone maker that started doing it with their phone years ago.

It seems that it's coming to iOS 13 for Apple devices.

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/06/12/app...ery-life-with-optimized-battery-charging.html

That said, I know eneloop batteries have circuitry to do this and while it helps with extending the life of the battery it still degrades quite significantly after 2-3 years.

I'll eat my words if the Elite 2 can retain at least 90% of battery capacity after 5 years and 80% after 10 years. I don't think it'll happen though.

Regards,
SB

No worries. Looked it up and apple guarantees 80% capacity at 500 charges which isn’t all that great given typical charging habits of smartphone users. Remember a controller’s battery rated at 40 hrs on a single charge and used for ~6 hours a day would take far longer to get to 500 charges than an iPhone that’s typically charged on a daily basis.

Even with an iPhone type of guarantee you could charge a controller once a week and still be using it 10 years from now with close to 32 hours of gaming per charge.

Also iPhone 1.3 update isn’t about over provisioning it’s battery. Its new feature literally charges up the phone to 80% and then uses machine learning to find more opportune time to charge the last 20%. So if you routinely charge at night and typically grab your phone at 7 am to start your day, the iPhone won’t fully charge itself until right before 7am. It saves on wear that comes from phones trying to keep themselves at 100% while we all are sleep.

 

[BRiT]

@AlBran

https://twitter.com/x/status/1141374067825491969

https://twitter.com/x/status/1141387559446036480

 

[BRiT]

Microsoft Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 review: masterpiece
The best Xbox and PC controller on the market, but it'll cost you.​

The Elite 2 is the best controller Microsoft have ever made, a triumph of engineering that sets a new standard for premium-grade gamepads on any platform. The new gen-two design includes more features, deeper customisation and clever creature comforts that make the Elite 2 a pleasure to use. Here's why we love it - even though it's not for everyone.

First off, let's address the price. At £160 in the UK and $180 in the US, the Elite 2 costs three times the price of a standard controller; and it's actually the same ballpark price as a brand new Xbox One S All Digital. That means it remains a luxury item that simply doesn't make sense for all but the most invested Xbox and PC owners. Thankfully, this price differential is at least reflected in the depth of the feature list and build quality of the controller, with that premium feeling starting from the moment you take it out of the box.

While the Elite 2 comes in the same soft shell case as its predecessor, the lump of foam that supported the controller before has been replaced by a convenient charging stand - which complements the new rechargeable (but sadly irremovable) battery nicely. Remove the fabric cover, and pins on the wedge-shaped charger will line up nicely with contacts on the back of the controller. You can even plug a USB-C cable in through a specially designed flap in the back of the case, allowing you to charge your Elite 2 while keeping it fully covered.
​

Read the full DF review at: https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/digitalfoundry-2020-microsoft-elite-2-controller-review

 

[BRiT]

I'm still rocking the Elite version 1, but if I was on the market for a new one I'd still have reservations about the Elite v2. My concern is still about the integrated battery that isn't user replaceable. I would be less concerned if it was cheap Sony controllers where you just replace it entirely after the batteries die out, but this isn't that cheap.

There's some reports of issues with sticky buttons and stick drift with some talk about things being fixed after Lot 1950 (2019 year and week 50).

Maybe I can keep holding out until Elite V3 with play-and-charge batteries and the new dedicated Share button.

 

[Silent_Buddha]

I'm still rocking the Elite version 1, but if I was on the market for a new one I'd still have reservations about the Elite v2. My concern is still about the integrated battery that isn't user replaceable. I would be less concerned if it was cheap Sony controllers where you just replace it entirely after the batteries die out, but this isn't that cheap.

There's some reports of issues with sticky buttons and stick drift with some talk about things being fixed after Lot 1950 (2019 year and week 50).

Maybe I can keep holding out until Elite V3 with play-and-charge batteries and the new dedicated Share button.

Yeah, same here. The fact that the battery isn't easily user replaceable means that I just recently purchased another Elite 1 controller rather than buying the Elite 2 controller.

Shame as I like some of the new features that have been added to the Elite 2. Unfortunately, for me, that doesn't outweigh the drawbacks of a non-removable battery.

Regards,
SB

 

[BRiT]

There are a large number of user-replaceable parts for the Elite 1 at a reasonable price, at least for the most troublesome areas like the right and left side grips and the bumpers.

 

[mpg1]

Aren't li-ion batteries lifespan based on charge cycle count? I mean if you are only having to charge the battery every few weeks the lifespan should be fairly decent should it not? It's not a like a phone or laptop.

 

[BRiT]

Would still prefer the warm and fuzzy feeling from knowing I can easily replace it if I ever need to.