Ever since Microsoft introduced their Elite controllers in 2015, hardcore gamers have been excited to try Microsoft’s first attempt at making premium controllers to compete against Scuf. It was promising with the features it offered.
Controller players got four paddles, a carrying case, adjustable thumbsticks, assignable profiles, the ability to map each button from another, and more quality-of-life features. This was unheard of at the time, costing only $150. The price may seem high to the casual or intermediate gamer, but Scuf didn’t offer anything quite like what the first Elite controller did at the time.
The world’s most advanced controller?
The Elite Series 1 seemed like the perfect controller for Xbox fans to use, but unfortunately that wasn’t the case. The controller encountered quality control issues. There were reports of people having issues such as stick drift, broken bumpers, thumbstick sticking, peeling grips and more since the beginning.
Video credit: Crowbcat.
This has caused a tarnished image for the Elite controller when one examines different players’ experiences with them. When Microsoft started releasing their second installment, fans thought they would fix the problems of the first.
That was not the case. There were also reports of similar problems from the former. This again upset many Xbox fans and controller buffs as the issues began to become widespread via internet messaging.
The issues would lead to Microsoft being sued in October 2020 for their Elite controllers.
With all this mentioned, it’s about time to get into the main focus of the topic: Elite controllers need to be more durable.
My personal experiences
As someone who was a user of the original Elite series, mine certainly took a beating from all the wear and tear. It is certainly still usable, but it is in an inconsistent state.
I have not owned an Elite controller since day one. I bought a used one in April-May 2021 as I was interested in trying a premium controller as I had never tried one before.
The controller I bought was in the best condition at the time and the price was reasonable in the used market. When it got to me, it largely lived up to its description.
There were some shady things like the seller didn’t tell me the buttons were sticky and the down d-pad was broken. The buttons eventually became less sticky after heavy gaming sessions and the downward d-pad was something I didn’t bother with as I could assign it to a paddle.
Games like Halo 5 really benefit from the Elite Controller.
During the time I used my Elite controller when it was still in working order, I loved every moment of it. The paddles were very cool and I loved the customization.
It’s definitely a nice feature for shooters because you don’t have to take your thumbs off the stick, giving you more control. For some games I use two or three, and I loved how easy it was to customize them.
The adjustable thumbstick was also a nice feature. I personally love the medium dome stick for the left thumbstick. For the right thumbstick, I usually prefer the standard Xbox thumbstick. Sometimes I use the long stick for the right when I’m playing a game that might require more long range shots, which I think the long stick helps as it has more leverage.
My own personal Elite controller for your viewing pleasure.
The Elite controller experience was fantastic. Until the problems started to arise and I went from a fan to a critic.
You want to love it, but you want to hate it…
My left bumper is definitely broken after too much use. It’s not because I pressed too hard on them, it just decided to cut one day when I was playing Eternal doom.
I decided not to tape it, because even though the bumper had broken off, it still functioned quite smoothly, but the problem only got worse. Eventually the registration started to deteriorate; I had to press harder to get it to register.
The Gears of War 4 Edition is highly sought after among collectors.
Another thing is that sometimes it started to get double registration which basically made my left bumper useless for Eternal doom. Not only that, sometimes I also get a failed registration. For all games where I have to use the left bumper heavily, I have to assign it to a paddle.
I also started developing stick drift the more I played with the controller. The problem is very inconsistent. Sometimes my controller starts to drift crazy and makes shooters unplayable to play, but sometimes the drift just randomly disappears.
I found a weird technique just blowing into the right thumbstick, and it seems that the drift reduces the look considerably. However, it is not a perfect solution to the problem.
I also came across the infamous peeling handles. There have been many reports of people saying that the Elite 1’s grips are poorly made. My left hand tends to sweat intensely after long gaming sessions and is no longer intact on the left side.
The right side of the grip still feels very firm, but that’s because my right hand barely sweats. A recent issue that is starting to annoy me is the registration of the left d-pad. It gets noticeably worse.
Video credit: My buddy VINCE.
When I first got the controller, I remembered that it had an extremely smooth registration. I could touch with little force, it would register easily. That is no longer the case; I have to press hard on it.
I can no longer use the disk-like d-pad module to play games that often require me to press the left d-pad. It’s just too hard to get it to register when you press it hard. The standard d-pad is generally the optimal setup.
As you can see, my Elite controller is still usable in some ways. Despite being usable, it’s very disappointing to see a controller priced higher than a stock controller have so many problems.
I still have my stock Xbox One controller in 2015, and it still works. It doesn’t look too great as it has undergone heavy wear and tear, but the functionality is better than my Elite 1.
The PowerA Fusion Pro 2 could be a good alternative to the Elite Controller.
Did the Elite Series 2 Core solve the problems?
Microsoft recently released their Elite Series 2 core controllers. One thing that stands out about this latest installment in the Series 2 family is that it only offers the controller itself.
That’s a dead giveaway on how Microsoft is aware of how bad the quality control is for their Elite series. The Elite 2 core is in fact designed to replace the failed Series 2 units.
Microsoft promised that the Core variants would be better in terms of build quality. Unfortunately, there have already been reports of people noticing issues with the latest Elite Series 2 installment.
This is what the Elite 2 Core looks like.
YouTuber 9to5Toys mentioned at 4:45 in his Elite Series 2 core review video that he is having issues with the A and Y buttons not registering properly.
All this issue of quality control is just unacceptable. I love the Elite controller experience. I think Microsoft has established what it means to have a premium controller experience.
But durability is the most important thing for these products. I can’t believe the Elite controllers haven’t gotten any improvement when it comes to longevity.
Some final words…
Microsoft has yet to announce an Elite Series 3, but I think everyone is aware that the next Elite controller era is coming soon. The Elite Series 3 cannot repeat the same problems as the first two versions.
The controller should be more durable and gamers should not encounter any problems with the controller months later. These gamepads are expensive and deserve better build quality. We are all still waiting for the perfect Xbox Elite controller experience from Microsoft.
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