Elite 2 is Microsoft's best controller ever. It is an engineering triumph that sets new standards for advanced gamepads on any platform. The new second-generation design includes more features, more in-depth customization and smart biological comfort, making Elite 2 times more pleasing. That's why we like it-even if not everyone likes it.
First, let's talk about prices. The Elite 2 costs £ 160 in the UK and $ 180 in the US, and it is three times the price of a standard controller. In fact, the price is the same as the new Xbox One S All Digital. This means that it is still a luxury, meaning nothing to everyone except the most invested Xbox and PC owners. Thankfully, this price difference is at least reflected in the depth of the feature list and the build quality of the controller, which gives you a sense of sophistication from the moment you box it.
Although the Elite 2 uses the same soft-shell case as the previous product, the foam block that previously supported the controller has been replaced by a convenient charging stand-a great complement to the new rechargeable (but immovable) battery. Remove the fabric cover and the pins on the wedge charger will align with the contacts on the back of the controller. You can even plug in the USB-C cable through the specially designed flip cover on the back of the case, so you can charge the Elite 2 while it's fully covered.
In addition to the removable charger, you will also find a kit that includes four replacement fingertips, four picks, a more traditional four-way d-pad, and a weird item that looks like a guitar pick And SIM card removal tool. Pop your fingertips and you can use it to adjust the tension of each fingertip, you can choose from three levels: a standard loose chin paw feel and two tighter settings that push the fingertips back more firmly To the center. The replacement fingertips are also wild, with a pair of taller, flatter, less textured alternatives, a double high bar and a crested top. Throughout the testing process, I regularly exchanged between these devices and ended up with a flat rod for movement and a convex option for precise aiming. Combined with clickable facial buttons, this makes it the easiest responsive controller I've tested-the depth of choice here means it should be suitable for a wide range of gamers.
In addition to being an evolution of the Elite series, Elite 2 also includes changes to Microsoft's latest generation of standard Xbox controllers. This means that Bluetooth connectivity is already in use, eventually making the Elite controller work with mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets-especially useful for playing Xbox titles on the go with Project xCloud. It also offers new connectivity options for Windows PCs, reducing the need for a £ 20 / $ 20 Xbox wireless adapter-although the inherent latency of Bluetooth connectivity means that serious PC gamers should still opt for faster 2.4GHz wireless encryption Dogs can save cash. The all-in-one design of the new controller is also retained, with an almost flush Xbox button and a 3.5mm port for connecting headphones. It's weird to buy the expensive first-generation Elite in 2019, and it feels like the standard controller is more advanced in some ways, so it's great to see that Elite 2 solves this problem.
Looking at the two elites side by side, another obvious difference is the size of the textured grip. On the original Elite, it only extended down to the back of the controller's arms, but on the Elite 2, the grip texture was found on the front and back, extending upwards to meet the sides of the shoulder buttons, covering a larger area Surface area. Even the texture of the trigger is similar, helping to prevent the fingers of sweaty fingers from slipping off during a fierce battle. Here, comfort is at an unprecedented level, and it's great news for those who play enough to justify an advanced controller like this.
The hair clipper has also been upgraded, and the original Elite introduced a new stroke between the two extremes. I didn't find it useful-hairpins for action games such as full racing and Nioh are enough for me-but I don't mind the extra options as it won't affect other designs. In the end, the first two Elite profiles changed to three on the Elite 2, and the simple switch was replaced with a combination of LEDs and buttons. There is even a new shortcut-press the profile button and the controller will return to the swamp standard settings to disable the bottom trigger. This is useful if you want to turn down the controller and don't want to accidentally cut down friendly NPCs, or if you give your companion to the controller and don't want to confuse it with your unorthodox setting.
The original Elite controller failed to win our clear recommendation.
To actually set up a profile, you need to venture into the Xbox Accessories or Xbox Accessories app on Windows. From here, you can remap any buttons on the controller (except Xbox, Start and Select). As you hold down the shift buttons of your choice, each button can also change its mapping, allowing the dial to be used for eight different functions instead of four. Elsewhere, you can adjust the sensitivity of each joystick, set a dead zone for each trigger, turn down or disable vibration in the four zones, and even adjust the brightness of the Xbox buttons. This is a sensible package that offers deeper and more intuitive customization than the first-generation Elite, which lacks the Shift function and cannot map buttons to system functions such as starting recording or screenshots.
Although pinning the physical design and delivering powerful software is an impressive feat for Microsoft, they have managed to do just that-despite these advantages, the original Elite failed to win our clear recommendation. After all, although the price is many times higher than the standard controller, users of the original Elite gamepad have reported a series of issues with the device-such as the grip falling off, shoulder keys stuck, and stick drifting. Over the course of a year, many users experienced multiple replacements, suggesting that these issues were not limited to the first controllers, while other users opted for third-party fixes, such as additional adhesives, to address what appeared to be design defect. Of course, some Elite controllers have stood the test of time. I picked one up for review twelve months ago, and despite being heavily used in racing simulation games, soul-like games, and party games, I had no problems. Except for Microsoft, no one really has the data to tell whether the original Elite has a higher failure rate than other gamepads, but the construction and reliability of the advanced controller should be better than the one that comes with the console, not more less.
This long history means that Elite 2 faces a higher level of scrutiny. We haven't found any build quality issues for specific units, but the thread on the / r / XboxOne child reddit comes with 3000 comments, and counts indicate that this iteration has its own gremlins, and a large number of users have reported sticky face buttons and fingertips Drift Microsoft has promised to investigate. These issues are covered by the controller's warranty, which is 90 days in the US and Canada, and one year in the UK, but it may be wise to choose a major retailer that does not provide any problematic returns or replacements.
Fortunately, these quality assurance issues will be resolved, and all Seriers 2 controllers manufactured in the future will provide reliability suitable for advanced options. After all, the Elite Series 2 is a great controller with a rich feature list that provides first-class accuracy and control-the right choice for next-generation Xbox consoles and PCs.
