Skip to main content
DEAL WATCH: Up to 43% off Alexa devices $22.99

Snag this sale on Amazon's Echo devices in 12 sizes, colors, and versions. Read Review

BUY NOW
Credit: Reviewed.com / Lee Neikirk

The Best Xbox Controllers of 2024

Recommendations are independently chosen by Reviewed's editors. Purchases made through the links below may earn us and our publishing partners a commission.

Credit: Reviewed.com / Lee Neikirk

Why trust Reviewed?

Reviewed's mission is to help you buy the best stuff and get the most out of what you already own. Our team of product experts thoroughly vet every product we recommend to help you cut through the clutter and find what you need.

Learn more about our product testing
Product image of Xbox Elite Series 2 Controller

Xbox Elite Series 2 Controller

Check Price at Amazon

The Elite Series 2 comes with a number of interchangeable parts for customizing your play style as well as a built-in rechargeable battery. Read More

Pros

  • Designed for competition and accessibility
  • Performance-grade construction
  • Highly customizable

Cons

  • Occasional defective parts
Product image of Scuf Instinct Pro Performance Controller

Scuf Instinct Pro Performance Controller

Check Price at Amazon

Pros love the grippy texture on the underside and the paddle design, which makes them a lot more like traditional buttons than the Elite’s metal ones. Read More

Pros

  • Designed for competition and accessibility
  • Textured grips and non-slip surface
  • Highly customizable

Cons

  • Occasional thumbstick drift
Product image of Razer Wolverine V2 Chroma

Razer Wolverine V2 Chroma

Check Price at Amazon

The Razer Wolverine V2 Chroma is a premium wired controller for Xbox and PC. It competes directly with the Xbox Elite 2 ($179) and Elite Core ($129). Read More

Pros

  • Excellent mechanical buttons and joysticks
  • Six additional buttons
  • Swappable thumbsticks

Cons

  • Wired only
  • D-pad can be finicky
  • Pricy for a wired controller
Product image of Xbox Wireless Controller (Electric Volt)

Xbox Wireless Controller (Electric Volt)

Check Price at Amazon

This is the classic Xbox One controller with some modern quality-of-life improvements for the Series X era—with a flashy yellow-green coat of paint. Read More

Pros

  • Superior design and comfort
  • Attractive yellow-green hue

Cons

  • No underside paddle support
Product image of Xbox Wireless Controller (Blue)

Xbox Wireless Controller (Blue)

Check Price at Amazon

This is the classic Xbox One controller with some modern quality-of-life improvements for the Series X era—in a simple, clean blue color. Read More

Pros

  • Superior design and comfort
  • Minimalist blue aesthetic

Cons

  • No underside paddle support
  • Xbox Elite Series 2 Controller
  • Scuf Instinct Pro Performance Controller
  • Razer Wolverine V2 Chroma
  • Xbox Wireless Controller (Electric Volt)
  • Xbox Wireless Controller (Blue)
  • Stellar Shift Special Edition Xbox Wireless Controller
  • More Articles You Might Enjoy

If you’re playing games on an Xbox One, Xbox Series X (or Series S), or modern Windows PC, you’re going to need a controller that’s up to the task. There are a variety of high-end controllers for competitive players out there—as well as stylish limited-edition designs that let you express yourself—and we’ve got a lot of hands-on experience with this particular category. That includes the Xbox Adaptive Controller from Microsoft.

Microsoft’s Elite Series 2 is easy to recommend; it’s highly customizable, built to withstand years of regular use, and is a little more accessible than your standard gamepad. A lot of serious players also swear by the Scuf brand at the higher end. Each of them comes with “paddles” underneath that let you keep your thumbs on the sticks.

Here are five of the best Xbox controllers you can get right now.

Editor's Note:

The recommendations in this guide are based on thorough product and market research by our team of expert product reviewers. The picks are based on examining user reviews, product specifications, and, in some limited cases, our experience with the specific products named.

Product image of Xbox Elite Series 2 Controller
Xbox Elite Series 2 Controller

The best controller I’ve ever owned was the original Xbox Elite, and it lasted for about five years of constant use—till the day my four-year-old got ahold of it. I know esports professionals who use the stock Elite Controller, right out of the box, in championship play. It takes the classic Xbox controller design and marries it to top-of-the-line components. It comes with a number of interchangeable parts for customizing your play style—alternate thumbsticks, two D-pads, and four paddles for the underside of the controller—as well as a rechargeable battery.

You can connect the controller to any Xbox One or Series console, or most Windows PCs, via wireless, Bluetooth, or the included USB-C cable. With the configurable paddles, you can map your A, B, X, and Y buttons to the bottom of the controller, letting you keep your thumbs on the sticks at all times.

And if you want to customize your Elite Wireless Controller 2, the Xbox Design Lab will let you customize every part of it, down to the share button. A custom laser engraving option is available for only $10 more.

Pros

  • Designed for competition and accessibility

  • Performance-grade construction

  • Highly customizable

Cons

  • Occasional defective parts

Buy now at Amazon

$191.72 from Walmart
Product image of Scuf Instinct Pro Performance Controller
Scuf Instinct Pro Performance Controller

The most skilled folks I’ve played Halo and Apex Legends with swear by Scuf Instinct Pro controllers. They’re generally a little pricier than the Elite, but players love the athletic, grippy texture on the underside and the paddle design, which makes them a lot more like traditional buttons than the Elite’s metal ones. Like the Elite Controller, the Instinct lets you customize a lot of the pieces, toggle hair triggers on and off, and swap between different configuration profiles with the flip of a switch. Some reviewers say their Instinct developed thumbstick drift.

Pros

  • Designed for competition and accessibility

  • Textured grips and non-slip surface

  • Highly customizable

Cons

  • Occasional thumbstick drift

$229.99 from Amazon

$229.99 from Best Buy

$308.40 from Walmart
Product image of Razer Wolverine V2 Chroma
Razer Wolverine V2 Chroma

The wired Wolverine V2 Chroma is Razer’s answer to the Microsoft Xbox Elite Series 2. It looks good, feels and performs even better, and can be had for $20 to $50 less. The lack of wireless connectivity feels odd for a premium controller, but it remains a solid choice with a lot of extra buttons and features.

The V2 Chroma feels right at home in our hands coming from a standard Xbox controller. It doesn’t make any changes to the original layout, but this controller offers tactile Mecha-Tactile switches that feel great and offer exceptionally satisfying clicks. The plastic used is also sturdy and durable, with good build quality.

Inputs are instantaneous and well-suited for intense competitive play. Each face button is rated for three million clicks, ensuring a long lifespan for your investment.

The Wolverine V2 Chroma also offers six additional programmable buttons (assigned in the Xbox and PC Razer Controller Setup app). Two are wedged alongside the bumpers on the top edge and feel so natural that you’ll wonder why they’re not on more gamepads. Four more are clustered in the middle on the controller’s rear, out of the way of accidental touches but require a bit of reach and are more difficult to press.

Though there are some unavoidable trade-offs with the Wolverine V2 Chroma, it’s a stellar controller for gamers that don’t mind plugging in to play their games.

Pros

  • Excellent mechanical buttons and joysticks

  • Six additional buttons

  • Swappable thumbsticks

Cons

  • Wired only

  • D-pad can be finicky

  • Pricy for a wired controller

$129.99 from Amazon

$119.99 from Best Buy

$129.99 from Target

$138.35 from Walmart
Product image of Xbox Wireless Controller (Electric Volt)
Xbox Wireless Controller (Electric Volt)

This is the classic Xbox One controller with some modern quality-of-life improvements for the Series X era. It’s compatible with any Xbox One or Xbox Series console, and most Windows PCs, via wireless, Bluetooth, or the included USB-C cable. There aren’t any paddles on the underside, and it takes two standard AA batteries, but these controllers are a joy to use.

This one’s got a flashy yellow-green “Electric Volt” color that’s evocative of Mountain Dew—or the first two Xbox consoles. They’re pretty affordable, so I tend to replace mine every couple years when a new color comes along that speaks to me.

Pros

  • Superior design and comfort

  • Attractive yellow-green hue

Cons

  • No underside paddle support

$49.00 from Amazon

$52.99 from Best Buy

$49.49 from Target

$64.99 from Abt
Product image of Xbox Wireless Controller (Blue)
Xbox Wireless Controller (Blue)

This is the classic Xbox One controller with some modern quality-of-life improvements for the Series X era. It’s compatible with any Xbox One or Xbox Series console, and most Windows PCs, via wireless, Bluetooth, or the included USB-C cable. There aren’t any paddles on the underside, and it takes two standard AA batteries, but these controllers are a joy to use.

They’re pretty affordable, so I tend to replace mine every couple years when a new color comes along that speaks to me. This one’s a simple, clean “Robot White” color that will look great in most rooms—especially if you’ve got a white One S or Series S console sitting next to it.

Pros

  • Superior design and comfort

  • Minimalist blue aesthetic

Cons

  • No underside paddle support

$49.00 from Amazon

$54.99 from Best Buy

$54.99 from Target

$49.00 from Walmart
Product image of Stellar Shift Special Edition Xbox Wireless Controller
Stellar Shift Special Edition Xbox Wireless Controller

This is the classic Xbox One controller with some modern quality-of-life improvements for the Series X era. It’s compatible with any Xbox One or Xbox Series console, and most Windows PCs, via wireless, Bluetooth, or the included USB-C cable. There aren’t any paddles on the underside, and it takes two standard AA batteries, but these controllers are a joy to use.

This is a commemorative 20th-anniversary edition, with translucent charcoal coloring and some nice green accents. Because of its limited-edition nature, it may cost a little extra, but it looks especially nice for a standard Microsoft controller.

Pros

  • Superior design and comfort

  • Gorgeous paint job

Cons

  • No underside paddle support

Buy now at Amazon

$49.99 from Best Buy

$70.93 from Walmart

Meet the tester

Alex Kane

Alex Kane

Sr. Editor, Search & Updates

@alexjkane

Alex Kane is a senior editor at USA Today’s Reviewed and the author of the Boss Fight Books volume on Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. He has written for Fangoria, PC Gamer, Polygon, Rolling Stone, StarWars.com, and Variety. He lives in west-central Illinois.

See all of Alex Kane's reviews

Checking our work.

Our team is here for one purpose: to help you buy the best stuff and love what you own. Our writers, editors, and lab technicians obsess over the products we cover to make sure you're confident and satisfied. Have a different opinion about something we recommend? Email us and we'll compare notes.

Shoot us an email

Up next