A Detailed Look At The New Elite Wireless Controller Series 2

June 23, 2019

With E3 2019 done and dusted, we’ve been looking back at some of the cool moments that probably deserved more attention such as this Maneater announcement, and today we decided to take a detailed look at the new Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 which was announced during the Xbox Press Conference, coming this November for Xbox One and Windows PC, and presumably the next generation console, currently code-named Project Scarlett.

At 345g (+/- 15g depending on what attachments you are using), the new Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 is nothing short of an extraordinary achievement in not just mechanical engineering but also listening to customer feedback from the Series 1. They have improved on the Elite Wireless Controller in practically every way, with new adjustable-tension interchangeable thumbsticks, custom profiles, three ways to connect to your platform of choice, as well as a charging dock that even works inside the carry case, the new Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 ticks every box we can think of.

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Starting with the grip, the controller now has a grip that wraps entirely around the front to allow for maximum comfort as well as giving people with different play styles and hand grips different options to maximise their gameplay experience. The controller has gone through rigorous testing to make sure it can withstand the toughest and angriest of hands. It might not survive getting thrown into a brick wall, but the buttons and sticks are all built to last.

A 3.5mm stereo headset jack is included (because what kind of a lunatic wouldn’t include it?), and the controller will also be fully compatible with the Xbox One Stereo Headset Adapter. Unfortunately there was no news at E3 2019 on a single-ear wireless headset.

The controller now has a third hair trigger on the back which allows you to use the triggers faster than ever, which will be great for first person shooters, and any other game that requires you to rapidly press your triggers. Speaking of mixing up the games, there’s now a digital profile switch that allows for three customisation profiles, meaning you can quickly switch between your controller settings for Halo, Gears or Forza without having to go through the menu settings each time.

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You can now also completely change what a button is used for whether the game lets you or not, meaning, for example, you can quickly set up the Y button to take a screenshot, or the down button on the directional pad to jump if you feel so inclined. Key binds are a core component to pro gaming, so having the ability to set up your controller exactly how you want it no matter the game preferences, and have an on-the-fly digital profile switch with three different configurations means players that use this are going to have a huge advantage over not just regular players, but also players using the original Xbox Elite Controller.

The battery is now built-in to the controller which some players might not appreciate, however Xbox has explained that by doing this they can guarantee up to 40 hours of game time before it goes flat. The controller also now comes with a charging dock (or puck as they’re calling it) that you simply place the controller on, and the dock also works inside the carry case meaning you can charge on the go, discretely and safely.

The new Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 features a USB-C plug (and includes a 9′ USB-C cable) and can connect directly to your Xbox or Windows PC for players that want to eliminate any wireless lag they believe they may have, however Xbox Wireless and Bluetooth options are also available. The controller will even connect to Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 PC’s, however Xbox has told us that some functionalities will not be supported on those operating systems. Drivers will be available here.

See how the new Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 works in this official demonstration video from Xbox:

 

The all-new Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 features over 30 new ways to play like a pro, including adjustable-tension thumbsticks, new interchangeable components, up to 40 hours of rechargeable battery life, and limitless customization with the Xbox Accessories app on Xbox One and Windows 10 PC.* *Battery life varies significantly with additional accessories, usage, and other factors. Testing conducted by Microsoft using preproduction units.

The new Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 will launch worldwide on November 4th, 2019. For more information head to the official accessory page here.