Last year, I took a massive gamble and bought the Xbox Elite Series 2. This gamble ultimately paid off, as I think the Series 2 is currently the best PC controller that money can buy. As a PC gamer, I never really found a controller that felt like a perfect fit for the platform.
From DualShocks to Xbox to third-party controllers from GameSir and 8-BitDo, I tried everything. However, none of it felt like it belonged on the PC. Whether it was the fickle nature of a Bluetooth connection or the hassle of installing multiple drivers, there’s always some quirk to getting a controller up and running on a PC.
But despite how good the Xbox Elite Series 2 is, it’s surprising how little Microsoft has talked about what is easily the best controller of this generation, period.
The Xbox Elite Series 2 offers everything I want from a PC controller
A bigger battery and better ergonomics
Priced at $200, the Xbox Elite Series 2 is essentially a simple upgrade over the original Elite Series for Xbox One. However, the upgrades made to the controller, especially to its ergonomics and, most importantly, its battery, cemented it as my favorite controller. It’s the perfect controller for players like me, who don’t want the hassle of wires, prefer a longer battery life, and also like some customization options without having to install third-party applications on their PC.
The Xbox Elite Series 2 comes with a handy carrying case that also houses a removable charging dock. While the Series 2 certainly isn’t “pocketable” like the Razer Prio, the added carrying case does make it a lot more portable than the standard Xbox or DualSense controllers.
Additionally, you get one set of swappable sticks with alternate grip styles, two different-sized sticks which are best used for FPS games, two sets of back paddles, a swappable D-pad, and a braided USB-C cable. Unlike the standard Xbox Series controller, the Series 2 doesn’t have a removable battery.
- Brand
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Microsoft
- Platform
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Xbox, PC
The Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 is a premium, highly customizable gamepad designed for competitive play on Xbox and PC. It features up to 40 hours of battery life, adjustable-tension thumbsticks, shorter hair trigger locks, and wrap-around rubber grips. Players can save three custom profiles for ultimate personalized performance.
The controller has a built-in 2050 mAh battery that holds enough charge for up to 40 hours of gaming. However, in my testing, a single charge lasts the controller about 35 to 36 hours. And yes, the battery life is the same even after a year of regular use. The Xbox Accessories app also lets you lower some controller settings to further preserve battery life.
Speaking of Xbox Accessories, it’s the official app from Xbox that you can download on both Windows and Xbox Series consoles, which gives you complete control over the Series 2.
You can use this app to create custom profiles and hot-swap between them. You can also use the app to calibrate the sticks, assign inputs to the back button, and also change the color of the front LED. Oh, you can also update your controller’s firmware using the same Accessories app. That said, if you don’t want to use the app, it’s perfectly fine; the controller will still work for most PC games on Windows 10 and 11.
As for connectivity, the Series 2 supports Bluetooth and also Xbox’s proprietary wireless connection. In my case, I use an Xbox Wireless dongle, which regularly goes for 10 bucks on Amazon.
This dongle lets me connect up to six Xbox controllers simultaneously. And since it’s a proprietary connection, I don’t have to stress about my controller interfering with 12 other Bluetooth devices in my room. And the best part: connecting the controller via the dongle lets me check the battery status and even update its firmware wirelessly.
Coming to the controller’s ergonomics, it’s excellent. The entire controller is wrapped in a rubber-like material for added grip. However, unlike the DualSense Edge, which gets very slippery after a few hours of gaming, the Series 2 remains dry, for the most part. I also prefer the metallic, tactile feel of the Series 2 buttons over the DualSense, but that’s just me.
One thing that I really like about the Series 2 is its customizability. The sticks and the D-pad on the Xbox Elite Series 2 are connected via magnets and, as such, are very easy to remove and swap around.
While I might not be a big fan of Xbox’s consoles or their games, Microsoft certainly knows how to make good controllers. Be it the classic Duke for the original Xbox or now the Elite Series 2, Xbox’s controller designs have always impressed me.
Why not choose DualSense Edge over the Xbox Elite Series 2?
A good controller bogged down by some baffling design and logistical decisions
I have never been a big fan of the “pro” controller idea. However, as games got more complicated and my tastes shifted from the usual single-player RPGs to more multiplayer-focused games, I found that extra buttons (back paddles) help a lot. This was the primary reason why I bought a DualSense Edge when it was released back in 2023. However, despite being a rather excellent controller by virtue of being, well, a DualSense, the Edge ultimately disappointed me.
It’s a controller that’s marketed as a “pro” option for players. However, at the same time, it’s also an objective downgrade in multiple respects over the original DualSense.
For starters, the Edge has a significantly worse battery life, is heavier, and is also significantly more costly than the DualSense. And mind you, the standard DualSense is already a rather expensive controller. And worse of all, it still uses the same stick modules as the regular DualSense, which are extremely prone to drifting.
The swappable sticks are a novel idea that fails in execution.
My unit’s right joystick started drifting within just a year of use. Now, PlayStation markets the DualSense Edge as a more “customizable” option for players with swappable stick modules.
And I did buy into that, thinking even if one of my sticks started drifting, I could just buy a replacement module for 20 bucks, instead of having to shell out $60 to $70 for a brand-new controller. However, to my surprise, just a year after the controller’s official release, the stick modules became extremely rare to find.
I could never find a module in stock at Amazon or my local PlayStation retail store. I eventually had to shell out roughly $50 to ship a stick module from Japan, but at that point, I could’ve just bought a new controller.
While the idea of swappable sticks is quite novel, it doesn’t really work if the modules aren’t readily available at a reasonable price. At the end of the day, even if you shell out upwards of $200 for the DualSense Edge, you’ll still have to deal with stick drift, with your only options being manually replacing the sticks (which voids the warranty) or buying a new controller.
Now, the Xbox Elite Series 2 isn’t any better in the joystick department. It’s still using the same potentiometer-based sticks as the original Series controllers.
However, it does have an edge (no pun intended) over the DualSense Edge when it comes to battery life. Not to mention the additional back paddles, which come in extremely handy in fast-paced action games like Battlefield 6, Elden Ring Nightreign, and even Monster Hunter Wilds.
And when it comes to the sticks, you can easily replace them with TMR or Hall Effect sticks. And the best part: you only need a prying tool and a screwdriver to disassemble the Elite Series 2.
While I do agree that the DualSense Edge is an excellent controller, it didn’t really make a lot of sense for me to pick it up over the Elite Series 2. That said, if you’re gaming exclusively on your PS5, I think the DualSense Edge is still the best controller that you can buy. Granted, you’re okay with shelling out 200 bucks for a controller.