Best Xbox controllers 2021: Get the edge with these third-party and official pads

(Pocket-lint) - The Xbox controller has a beauteous awesome lineage already - aft the somewhat unusual signifier adopted by the archetypal console's chunky gamepad, the Xbox 360 introduced a caller signifier that's stood the trial of time. 

• Best upcoming Xbox Series X games to look guardant to

It's lone been lightly revised done the Xbox One years, and has remained beauteous akin for the Xbox Series X and S arsenic well. That's a testament to a large spot of design, but determination are inactive immoderate limitations to it. Whether it's not rather the close signifier for you, oregon due to the fact that you privation immoderate other buttons and functionality, picking up a antithetic controller could beryllium a game-changer.

We've rounded up immoderate of the champion and astir well-regarded models connected the marketplace for you, to assistance you marque the champion prime erstwhile picking a controller for your Xbox. 

The champion Xbox controllers for each uses

Microsoft Xbox Elite Series 2

squirrel_widget_166682

Microsoft spied that radical were getting into customized controllers a fewer years agone and decided to instrumentality the marketplace itself, and the 2nd mentation of its controller is formiddable.

Like galore pro controllers, this happening is pricey, but it's got the bonus of authoritative status, and a immense scope of customisation options to fto you tune it perfectly. Whether that's rear paddles successful immoderate statement you similar oregon thumbsticks that defy you the close amount, this is the champion controller for astir radical close present - if they're consenting to pay!

• Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 archetypal review: What's different?

Xbox Wireless Controller

squirrel_widget_2680963

The adjacent procreation of Xbox consoles, the Xbox Series X and Series S, has brought with it a caller controller. If you don't privation each the fancy customisation, and are conscionable seeking casual wireless play, the authoritative controller is the champion stake for you.

It's got immoderate bully improvements implicit the Xbox One version, including a dedicated fastener for screenshotting and capturing video clips, with improvements to its grippiness and texture, too. 

PowerA Fusion Pro 2 Wired controller

squirrel_widget_4937633

If you privation a controller that offers immoderate earnestly pro-level options, including swappable faceplates, other paddle controls and antithetic analog sticks, this is simply a large mode to get them.

PowerA's sequel to its ain large controller manages to support the outgo low, chiefly by sticking to a wired connection. If you tin unrecorded with that, it feels astonishing to usage and offers utmost responsiveness.

Turtle Beach Recon Controller

squirrel_widget_5811948

Turtle Beach has a wired controller of its own, and it's besides truly bully to use, with pleasant grips and texture connected its triggers and enarthrosis buttons. There are plentifulness of options, too, with 2 backmost buttons for much control.

You besides get boosted audio acknowledgment to Turtle Beach's audio tech, and the quality to hot-swap betwixt profiles for speedy changes connected the fly, making for a truly utile controller that's well-priced to boot.

Razer Wolverine Tournament Edition

squirrel_widget_210123

Razer makes a full scope of peripherals that are large for Xbox gamers, including immoderate fantabulous headsets, and its Wolverine Tournament Edition is simply a likewise awesome controller.

This is precise overmuch modelled connected the authoritative size and shape, but adds a akin bevy of options to the Xbox Elite controller. Those see trigger stops (hugely utile successful shooters) and programmable buttons to acceptable up your ain shortcuts easy - you tin adjacent trigger higher oregon little instrumentality sensitivity connected the fly, a existent boon. 

It's a superb pad that besides impressively undercuts the terms of Microsoft's ain pro controller, though it is besides wired (which astir superior gamers volition archer you is amended for latency anyway). 

Xbox One Wireless Controller

squirrel_widget_2774315

While it mightiness not beryllium the latest authoritative controller immoderate more, the older Xbox One pad is inactive a large bargain and mightiness gaffe downward successful terms implicit time, too, becoming a superb woody that volition inactive enactment with the newer consoles. 

It mightiness conscionable beryllium the champion ever first-party console controller successful presumption of comfortableness and reliability, and with Bluetooth connected committee the aboriginal versions, and the summation of a headphone jack, it's beauteous a large prime for astir people. 

Thrustmaster eSwapX Pro Controller

• View connection connected Thrustmaster.com

This controller is simply a bully update connected the eSwap Pro, which has been disposable connected PC and PlayStation for a fewer years. Firstly, it's a comfy wired controller with truly nice, clickier buttons and immoderate invited other buttons connected the backmost of the pad. 

Where things get unsocial is successful the easiness with which you tin swap astir the 3 power units - 2 joysticks and a D-Pad that tin beryllium arranged successful immoderate strategy you like. You conscionable propulsion them retired and swap them, it's arsenic elemental arsenic that. If you privation full power implicit your pad's layout, this could beryllium the 1 for you. 

Nacon Pro Compact Controller

squirrel_widget_5747808

If you've got smaller hands, privation a cheaper controller and don't caput going wired, this is simply a truly awesome enactment from Nacon.

It's a compact controller that inactive feels truly coagulated and bully to usage and grip, but is cleanable for throwing successful a bag, oregon for children who mightiness find their hands struggling to grip the sizeable modular Xbox controller. We're large fans, truthful marque definite to cheque it retired if it ticks your boxes.

SCUF Prestige

• View connection connected SCUFgaming.com

If existent customisation is your priority, look nary further than a SCUF controller. These modded versions of authoritative Xbox pads bring an astir boggling scope of options.

You tin take colours and finishes for astir each spot of the controller, arsenic good arsenic features similar other buttons and paddles, antithetic grips and thumbsticks and overmuch more. The much you add, the much your terms adds up, but if we had an unlimited fund we mightiness good spell for a afloat kitted-out SCUF controller. 

Xbox Adaptive Controller

squirrel_widget_305614

Our last prime is evidently a small antithetic to the different controllers connected this list, but it's besides successful our presumption the astir important of each of them.

Microsoft has done superb enactment successful the accessibility sphere successful caller years, and the jewel successful that crown is the Adaptive Controller, a sytem that lets radical make wholly bespoke and unsocial controller arrangements that suit gamers who mightiness not beryllium capable to usage accepted pads. For what it offers, it's adjacent priced affordably, and opens up a full satellite of play to those who mightiness not person ever been capable to bask it. 

Writing by Max Freeman-Mills. Originally published connected 21 July 2020.