The Xbox Elite Series 2 Core controller retails for $98

If you’re in the market for a new controller, you’re in luck. Microsoft’s Xbox Elite Series 2 Core Controller sold for $98 at Amazon and Targetdown from $130. That means it’s about $3 off its all-time low – a great opportunity to upgrade to something a little nicer.

We recommended to Xbox Elite Series 2 Core controller before, and that’s mainly based on its ability to give you the best of the $180 Xbox Elite Series 2 controller at a more affordable price. This includes fits and finishes like a rubberized grip and sturdier, longer-lasting versions of traditional controllers’ triggers, joysticks, and directional pad (it’s now round). It also has up to 40 hours of battery life.

Microsoft

The Elite Series 2 Core also lets you adjust the tension of the joysticks and triggers to your liking and remap the controller’s buttons in the Xbox Accessories app. This is useful if there are specific settings you prefer Call of Duty: Warzone vs. something more relaxing, like Long live the Piñata, or if you share your controller with someone else.

The main downside to the Xbox Elite Series 2 Core controller, aside from the limited color options you have when you buy it anywhere but the Xbox Design Lab, is the lack of accessories. Included in the price of a normal Xbox Elite Series 2 controller are a variety of different joysticks, directional pads, and rear sticks that you can attach when you want to experiment with a new setup. They are not included in the Core controller at all. There are actually awkward holes on the back of the controller where the paddles are supposed to attach.

It’s a minor annoyance in the grand scheme of things, and one that can be fixed by buying the accessories when you realize you really need them down the road. Even without the paddles, the Xbox Elite Series 2 Core controller should feel significantly nicer to use, and when you’re trying to make your way through an extremely long RPG, that’s what really matters.

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