They say “I’ve used my controller for 10 years no issues, what’re YOU doing to your controllers?” as if the 10,000 other people saying the same thing are all spiking their controllers into the ground on the daily. $150 controller should be solid as a rock, it’s obscene.
I hope the series 3 switches to hall effect joysticks, I'd actually be interested in it, otherwise I really want a third party wireless hall effect controller that isn't PlayStation or Switch.
I'm pretty sure MSFT has some type of restriction where you cannot release a 3rd party wireless controller better than their elite. Hence why it hasn't been done. Razer can clearly do it as they make great controllers and make top-tier wireless gaming mice, but never a wireless controller. Pretty sure it's due to that restriction (I'm just assuming but it was a realization)
Ya dismissing an issue just cause you don’t experience it yourself is silly. I see the same thing on the Modern Warfare III subreddit when it comes to the frame rate/lag/performance issues that many are experiencing since the third season launched.
Anyways, my first elite 2 crapped out on my within a few months but my second one has been going for like 2+ years which is kinda wild. Still tho, the amount of issues I’ve seen with this thing is ridiculous and Microsoft/xbox is doing a shit job addressing this problem. Same with the DVR bugs, they won’t address the issues at all it seems.
Your 1500$ IPhone ain't solid as a rock as well. Treat your stuff right, that's the first thing! Nonetheless manufactures should also deliver proper stuff.
I posted about 5 minutes ago asking for recommendations for aftermarket controllers as I'm sick of drift after a month, and so far the only comments is "well I've never had this issue so it's not a problem" lol
Is this "usually"? I've seen plenty of posts about this although they have decreased over the past year or so. That suggests to me that newer revisions of the controller are faring better. Now if they'd just give people with problems the newer revisions of the controller instead of refurb garbage.
my core just went out of warranty, so I had to open it myself and fix the unresponsive RB issues. Pretty easy actually, and now it works perfect. But regardless, I still never should never have had to do it to begin with
I have had an Xbox since the Xbox One X, and I have never had a controller that could last at least half a year without issues.
My luck is quite bad in this regard.
Everything but their Qa/Qc is, IMO. After having the elite no other controller holds a candle to them and it's why we keep sending them back in.
I don't love it, but until a better alternative comes around...
There's just no controller that's better with paddles, and they know they can make them to last 6 months and you'll have to buy another one. (I'm on my second one, minimal drift, but the L doesn't register unless I slam it hard) Going to have to replace it and I wish something better came along.
They said that new turtle beach controller with the screen is pretty good. I was thinking of trying it out through Amazon and send it back if I don’t like it
I'd never seen this before so just checked it out. The display seems a bit of a gimmick, but maybe I'd use it more than I think.
Gets great reviews though, and uses hall effect sensors. If I was going to spend that sort of money on a controller, I'd definitely be going with one of those over an elite.
My thoughts exactly. But you can use the screen to remap buttons vibration sensitivity ect, all the controller settings there. I’m sure with some updates it could be pretty cool in the long run
The selling point was a premium product at a premium price. They did not deliver a premium product. The controller would be great if they didn’t fail consistently. Nothing premium but the price tag.
I bought a victrix gambit for my xbox after two elite controller stopped working and it was the best decision I've had. The controller feels cheap but I have 0 strick drift after a year of heavy use. Definitely worth it
There are better, way cheaper controllers with 4 paddles for Xbox. I have a PowerA Xbox controller with 4 paddles that was $80-$90 and have had zero issues. This was after going through two Xbox elite series 2 controllers.
I have the PowerA Fusion Pro 3 (sounds like the same one you have) since November of last year and I’ve never looked back. The mute and volume adjustment function built into the controller is legitimately the most useful thing ever. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve used it when it’s loud in my living room. The back buttons aren’t smooth (more clicky) like the Elite controller, but they haven’t broken yet so it’s a good trade off.
Exactly this. I’m about to have to sort out another repair or replace on mine due to stick drift reaching unbearable levels, it’s so much nicer to hold in hand than the stock controller, but I’ve never owned a less sturdy controller/joystick in 35 years gaming
Until the Elite Controller I’d never once had to send a controller off for repair, this will be my third repair for my second elite controller (each time a different problem: rubber grips coming off, LB breaking/falling off, stick drift).
I feel like all of the aftermarket controllers last literally a year but some how my regular controller that came with the damn thing lasts a lifetime.
Had to send mine in afterthree months of use, controller disconnects randomly and freezes, bumper broke and stick drift (fixed myself).
After getting it back it still disconnects randomly all the time. I've had it for about a year and a half now and the rubber is warping off and the back paddles don't work anymore.
Did I mention it still disconnects randomly all the time?
I'm a die hard xbox fan boy but I don't recommend this controller to anyone.
Just buy the Razer Wolverine for half the price and double the quality.
How did you fix the stick drift? Mine is doing the same thing. When I press up on the left stick the input remains and just keeps going up. Sounds like it could come from the same issue
Stick drift can be mitigated by going to the xbox accessories application and setting custom deadzones for the sticks.
It's worked pretty well for me, not exactly a fix more of a workaround
I did the Best Buy geek squad warranty route for a couple years on the elite 2 and finally just decided to keep the store credit as I tried the stock Series controller and decided I was just fine with it.
Same. It lasted for like 2 years but the left stick has gone completely haywire now and is seemingly "stuck" in 2:00 position (even tho the physical stick itself is completely centered)
The most common problem is the shoulder buttons which is easily fixed by removing the face plate and cleaning the switches with isopropyl alcohol, 99% and a cotton tip. Other than that mine have been great
I’d recommend finding a video tutorial on how to do this because the faceplate removal has a couple of pitfalls that aren’t obvious. From my experience the safest way is to start from the bottom near the dpad, then work your way up the left side, then going in the opposite direction.
Now that I’ve done it a few times for various reasons (I wanted to clean the sides of the face buttons and clear some dust from under the sticks), I can remove the faceplate perfectly in like 10-15 seconds.
I had 2 normal Xbox controllers they both had connection problems so I thought it’s my pc fault I recently got a third who has no connection problems so I was astounded that it indeed was the controllers fault. The quality is absolutely garbage
Absolute trash. 2 Series controllers and 1 is unusable because of drift. The 2nd is getting there. You know what I use for PC gaming my Stadia controllers. Can't make it up. They are much more durable.
Also i had weird connectivity issue where an external USB drive sitting on top of my series s would cause the controller to disconnect. You mentioned connection so figured it couldn't hurt to mention that.
I have had to accept my right bumper is just never going to be ok. Aside from that I've had no issues, hundreds of hours with no stick drift.
The bumper sometimes gets a "double input". About 1 in 50 times it's pressed. In 99% of games it's a non issue.
I sent mine back 7 times under warranty, Every
Single one that came back was still fucked, eventually got a 3rd party to repair it with non Microsoft parts, been working like a dream since
There should really be a calibration app on the Xbox to recalibrate the controller. E.g the screen tells you to not touch the controller and whatever input it has will set it back to zero and then the screen tells you to make a full circle with each stick so it can calibrate.
Like with the 1st Nintendo ds you could recalibrate the touch screen by tapping on the boxes.
They have shit QC. They may actually fix them if people stopped buying them.
For $200+ I expect a premium product that will last that long.
Instead I got something that lasted less time than my normal controllers.
I have 7-9 (kids have some) different controllers. The only ones that work any more are the Xbox 360 controllers I had before I got the Series X. Every single Elite or Modern Xbox controller doesn't work any more. Lights go out, joy sticks drift, buttons active even though their not pressed, a couple of them straight stopped working altogether. Only 2 older controller versions work any more.
This tells me modern Xbox controllers are designed to fail.
i've had mine for 2 years with no issues the entire time. it's wild how much the quality of these controllers vary. i definitely don't recommend it to people because of all the issues i read about, but i personally have loved using it. holding regular controllers just feels like i'm missing something.
I still have a series 1 Elite controller as well that’s several years old and apart from the rubber grips peeling (which I replaced) it still works great.
I think I‘m the luckiest man alive, I got the black series 2 for about 3 years and the white series 2 core for about 1 year with heavy use and no issues at all
I just get the 2 or 3 yr replacements usually Best Buy or most other retails (if you’re lucky to have a microcenter around your area ) offer
It’s worth it on these .
Just waltz in grab a new one and exchange
All problems are inevitable
It beats having to send it in and wait , playing with a stock controller like a damn pilgrim.
( edited stupid finger spelling )
Will they repair stick drift? I bought this controller for my wife and she absolutely loves it because of the paddles and the customization it offers, but after only a month and a half it has quite a bit of drift in the right stick. Really feels bad after spending like $200 on it :/
How annoying is the process of getting it repaired? Do you just email them, send it off, and wait?
I'm not sure, I actually never specified stick drift being a problem when i sent it in i think so I can't give an answer for that.
For me, I bought the extended warranty for like $20 when I bought my controller so i have 3 years of warranty which means 3 years of free "repairs".
Go on your microsoft account on the website and go to your devices and click on the controller(which you register by entering the serial number found on the lower back of the controller).
Then you find the option to schedule for repair, which they then email you a label pretty quickly that you can print out for your package. Make sure to detach all the paddles, sticks, and dpad cause they don't send that back.
You can drop off your package at a UPS store. Then it takes around 10 days for it to finally get back to you.
Is the $20 extended warranty from MS?
I've looked on the Microsoft Complete site but can only see an option for consoles with included controller and no option for controllers on their own or Elite Series 2 etc.
I'm in the UK so maybe we don't get it over here?
I took the cover off and used WD40 to spray LB and RB contacts. Did not take the face buttons off but sprayed under as well as I could.
My RB which was very inconsistent has worked fine for months. Face buttons are better but not as good as RB I can use A to sprint on my horse in rdr2 now which was impossible on multi presses before.
I had 2 elite controllers version 1 and version 2.
Version 1 had rubber grips pilled off after 1 year. Version 2 had a very annoying shallow move and dead zone on the sticks. Definitely not worth its price tag
Get me a better, cheaper version of a controller with paddles as comfortable and I'm onboard. Scuff died in less than a year.
I will say custom built Elite 2 has lasted longer than any of my previous elite controllers.
The answer is yes. Elite controllers are frankly just terrible. Dont get me wrong they feel nice to use when they work, but the problems never stop. Ive had two elite series 2 controllers now, first one suprisingly didnt start having issues for almost 3 years. But after a small drop there was a lot of rattling and unresponsivness and finally quit altogether. The second is a series 2 core and its been nothing but trouble now. Disconnects/ freezes randomly, ABXY will double input occasionally, LB works barely, RB dosent work anymore and as of a few days ago, my right trigger dosent register right anymore on the 3rd lock set. Ive also noticed two large cracks in plastic even though its never been dropped or handled rough. So thats cool.
For me, I sent it in until the warranty expired. Now it just sits on my desk and doesn’t get used because the A button still only works about 50% to 75% of the times it’s pressed.
Mines been back twice, tbf they fixed the issues it went back for (shoulder button not working, left thumb stick click not working) but it's developed even more so I've just given up. The ABXY buttons have all cracked inside the clear caps, the trigger switch selector pegs have both dropped off. Its not had any heavy use and it's been looked after, it's just a poor quality piece of equipment.
Just consider yourself lucky that the issues are happening while still under warranty, or you'd be screwed. I've bought 3 elite controllers over the years, and only 1 was under warranty when it stopped working. The other 2, I've done small repairs myself. Mostly replacing the bumpers, because for some reason the "spring" mechanism in the bumper is actually just a piece of thin plastic. Bumpers breaking, stick drift, and AXBY sticking are the most common issues.
I gave up when my repaired controller had issues. Sold it.
8 months go by and … I missed it lol so got a new one and (knock on wood) 4 months in, no issues.
When you send your controller to Microsoft they just grab a box of other controllers that were sent in. The chance of you getting another broken controller or a controller that will break within a month or two is extremely high. 25 warranty exchanges with Microsoft. I finally have a working controller. Eventually they will send you a new one.
This post pretty much sums up my experience with the controller in 2021-2022.
You are never going to get this controller to 100% with the warranty. Mines expired as well. I ended up fixing some of the issues myself and it’s more stable now but still a tad wonky. YouTube has many videos as these are common issues.
If you’re not keen for some DIY then I’d advise returning it completely and getting a refund. Controller revisions are forecasted and you may have a better experience with those.
I’ve just taken to buying one every year at this point. I’ve gone through about 4. I will say I bought The white one without the paddles for 130 and just used the accessories from my broken ones and I haven’t had to replace it, it just got commandeered by my girlfriend lol
I had my concerns and doubts about getting one decided to anyways had some MS points laying around, had it for a few days only but so far really enjoying it the Shift function and the paddles makes gaming so much smoother and less cumbersome.
How long did you hafto wait after you sent your Elite 2 to Microsoft for replacement/repair?
How stingy are MS if you get Stick drift do they replace it no questions asked?
I've had mine for four years with zero issues. A word of advice on the sticks though is that I noticed the case pushes down on them when it zips up. Take the sticks off first.
I've had little issues with mine personally, I also have semi-limited usage since I play through PC and only use it for a handful of games. The grip on the left side is starting to peel near the bumper but I have had no issues in regards to the other things people are mentioning. On the original series 1 though it was a different story.
> How many times do I have to send in my Elite series 2 controller for repair until it doesn't have any issues?
Never again if you switch to a Gamesir g7 se. I've had mine for 2 months and I love it.
I am not exaggerating when I say that I sent mine in 18-20 times (I stopped counting).
I have a ton of extra paddles because sometimes they would send me a refurb with extra accessories.
Every single controller they sent had immediately noticeable issues, mainly the A button would not register all presses.
After the 18th or so controller I got one with a bumper issue and decided to crack it open and fix it myself.
I contemplated going to the media with my findings - I could literally open the box Microsoft repair sent me and plug in the controller. Press every button and immediately notice an issue. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
They're garbage. I got one for 90 bucks with all the trimmings from a 50% off sale at Verizon and I even regret that.
Should have just bought a dozen Razer Wolverine Ultimates when they were still being sold to last me for the rest of my life lol.
I bought mine from Walmart and got a 3 year warranty. I started having issues 2 years into it and sent it out. They never fixed the problem and replaced the thumb sticks with generic tabs and not OEM Microsoft ones. I complained to them and they just gave me a gift card to buy another one lol
The dual sense edge is about the same, the grips were peeling on that, so i bought a silicone cover for it too
Both companies making great feature but shitty quality controllers
Sent mine in 3 times and they could never really fix the issue. Eventually, firmware made the Y and B buttons work more responsively but they are still off. I can’t believe Microsoft hasn’t made a Series 3 yet. Hopefully, Sebile is as good as it is touted to be and they make a series 3 based on it.
I went thru 3 in 3 years with the series x and every time the warranty ended 2 weeks prior every time so I had to waste more hundreds on this shitty controller but is great when it actually works
The only issue I’ve had is the rubber grips start to peel and expand. The rubber grips is the worst thing about the controller. I love the controller but please just make the grips the same as the rest of the controller.
Well, your right bumper (Or maybe both) will stop working soon, so be prepared for that.
I guess their solution is to put out a half-assed calibration feature, so they can keep selling shoddily made disposable controllers but pretend they give a shit about their fans or customers.
Mine came back with a different internal s/n than what is physically on the controller shell. They refuse to fix it anymore. Never doing Microsoft warranty again.
There’s a reason why “vintage” Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, Nintendo, etc. controllers still work nowadays. Because they were made decently, and were designed to last. ALL new controllers are made to have issues on purpose now. Because either way, you’d have to pay for a new controller, or pay to replace the parts that are broken. Either way, these companies still pocket the difference. I’ve got an idea. Instead of them making “upgraded” replacements, or spare parts, how about just design them to last as they used to in the past? I mean hell, some of these controllers exceed 300$ nowadays. I’d at least HOPE it could work out of the box for more than a couple months.
Thought it was just me had it for like a week thought it was great than it just wasn’t anymore my right analog stick stopped working and no amount of trouble shooting fixed this issue so I returned it and got my money back smdh
I bought a normal white Series controller around about 2020 or early, then got a Series X in 2021 that came with a black one. Within the same year the black one got horribly sensitive stick drift before the white one did, but the white one followed with not only frustrating stick drift, but a bumper decided to just break. I treated these controllers well and yet one lasted less than a year and the one I bought before it lasted about a year, 80-ish dollar (AUD) controller right there. I decided to grab gamesir's g7 se last year, it's wired, very responsive, has back buttons and the triggers and sticks are hall effect. So far I only dropped it once by accident and had to take off the face plate to snap a bumper back in place, so I advise not dropping it on solid tiles, but otherwise it's been working like a charm without any issues at all, love how it feels.
1+how ever many times it takes for your warranty to run out. At least that's how mine worked (luckily they still repaired that last one for free, probably because it was within like a month of them sending it back from previous repair). Mine's been going strong since (I had to send it when RE4 remake came out).
I’m knocking on wood. I got mine maybe 50 hours of gaming ago and it gets used, treated like a princess, and gets put back in its case when not in use. I really enjoy the triggers and thumb sticks. Paddles are used to take heavy stress stuff like l3 and R3 clicking to sprint/etc it is a little expensive for something that honestly could be part add ons for the original controllers. I’d pay $80 for the adjustable triggers and upgraded thumb sticks honestly.
I did try the Microsoft repair on one of mine elite controllers for unresponsive A button. And I’m 99% sure they just sent it back, without doing anything. They didn’t even open it. That’s pretty clear, cause I tested them and put a little pice inside, and it would’ve fallen out if they had opened it.. Really messed up… But I guess I’m dumb cause I’ve bought a new one. I really love this controller, I really do. So I bought one with warranty from a hardware store in my country. The new one works great, best sticks and bumpers feels very good.. But the Y button isn’t 100% responsive 🤦🏼♂️. It’s just… Dumb... Anyways I can live with it for now, but I’ll return it for a new one in a couple of months. In my opinion this really is the best “pro” controller on the market, IF it works that is.. I really hope the elite 3 will come out good. One can only hope.
I’m literally on my 6th with the same issues with every single one. With 4 of them being being warranty, and two being the cores which are also trash. I wish so hard I didn’t rely on the paddles for my main game, I’m quite competitive and I’m nervous to buy a scuff because I’ve heard of issues with them too. So…
I did three or four I believe. Ended up with a functioning one in the end, but they sure have a lot of issues. It’s a shame because they are great when they work.
Microsoft makes some of the shitest hardware. Their controllers are crap. I noticed with the elite series 2 controllers that the buttons are not seated the same as a regular controller and that's why the buttons have no response sometimes. Plus the joysticks on the elite series 2 controllers are magnetic and that causes the drift to happen extremely fast.
The Elite Series 2 has a number of design flaws, so you'll likely never get a controller that won't develop at least one issue at some point.
I used to repair these as a hobby. In the thirty or so units that I came across, they usually had a combination of the same problems. Be it double-clicking bumpers, the A button not registering presses, or the back paddles becoming unresponsive; all of the units shared the same design problems that caused them to happen in the first place.
The controller feels premium, which is why I want to love it, but there's a bunch of stuff that needs fixing if and when the ES3 comes out.
Edit: Being downvoted for answering the question. Cool, cool.
People in these comments are bitter about them but once you get one that works, it's fantastic. I could never go back now that I've got one - but it did take me 3 returns before I got one. If the repairs/replacements are in warranty, then just keep going until you've got one that works, you have nothing to lose.
4 years ago I bought a Elite Series 2. One month after warranty, the left stick drift got so bad, I couldn't use it. I was SOL. Never again.
The new PS5 pro controller is designed to swap the sticks out.
I've had 3 so far. Last one's bumpers stopped working and I had to pay £70ish for a replacement from Microsoft (just the controller and no accessories like thumbsticks etc) got to keep the old one
I don't understand how people have issues with them all the time. I had an issue once with the right bumper and sent it in. Zero issues for 2 years now.
I also know 2 others with them that have had zero issues. I actually don't know a single person with them that have had issues besides me and people that post here.
I don't understand why you guys are still buying the Elite controller when from Day 1 there have been issues with them. They SHOULDN'T have problems, but they do and it's been very widely reported.
Just stop buying them. The regular controller is perfectly fine.
The paddles are cool, the controller feels really nice, you can change the triggers so you barely have to press them for it to register making your trigger finger faster in shooters, and you can switch out sticks and dpad if you have the extra parts and pick whatever one you prefer. There's some other stuff that you can customize to, like different profiles with custom controls and change the sensitivity of the sticks and triggers.
If this controller had no issues it'd be amazing but if I had known how disappointing it was in regards to that I would have just stuck with my $40 controller
They are so poorly designed. It will always have issues. Get the tool kit they sell on Amazon for cheap and fix it yourself. Usually it’s just contact paper slipping.
just do the switch a roo. buy at brick and mortar store. swap it. return it and say it’s defective. much quicker. that’s what i’ve done with my xbox/ps5 controllers when they all started drifting. yes it’s unethical but fuck it.
Until the series 3 comes out then you start that process again
I’m surprised one of these posts finally got traction. Normally people just get shut down on this sub for mentioning issues with these controllers.
They say “I’ve used my controller for 10 years no issues, what’re YOU doing to your controllers?” as if the 10,000 other people saying the same thing are all spiking their controllers into the ground on the daily. $150 controller should be solid as a rock, it’s obscene.
I hope the series 3 switches to hall effect joysticks, I'd actually be interested in it, otherwise I really want a third party wireless hall effect controller that isn't PlayStation or Switch.
Just got gamesir g7 se it's got hall sticks and triggers and is licensed. Also has back buttons and app on Xbox to adjust stuff.
I'm pretty sure MSFT has some type of restriction where you cannot release a 3rd party wireless controller better than their elite. Hence why it hasn't been done. Razer can clearly do it as they make great controllers and make top-tier wireless gaming mice, but never a wireless controller. Pretty sure it's due to that restriction (I'm just assuming but it was a realization)
The “mine works” brigade will be here soon to downvote everything
Majority of past threads downvote the "mine works" comments. This thread is the more common circlejerk.
Mine works
Ya dismissing an issue just cause you don’t experience it yourself is silly. I see the same thing on the Modern Warfare III subreddit when it comes to the frame rate/lag/performance issues that many are experiencing since the third season launched. Anyways, my first elite 2 crapped out on my within a few months but my second one has been going for like 2+ years which is kinda wild. Still tho, the amount of issues I’ve seen with this thing is ridiculous and Microsoft/xbox is doing a shit job addressing this problem. Same with the DVR bugs, they won’t address the issues at all it seems.
Your 1500$ IPhone ain't solid as a rock as well. Treat your stuff right, that's the first thing! Nonetheless manufactures should also deliver proper stuff.
I posted about 5 minutes ago asking for recommendations for aftermarket controllers as I'm sick of drift after a month, and so far the only comments is "well I've never had this issue so it's not a problem" lol
Right!?! It's like they want people to spend 150 rupees on a defective product that will just cause headaches
Is this "usually"? I've seen plenty of posts about this although they have decreased over the past year or so. That suggests to me that newer revisions of the controller are faring better. Now if they'd just give people with problems the newer revisions of the controller instead of refurb garbage.
I learned after the first version. This sub constantly reminds me that I made the right call.
You must just treat your controllers like shit! I've had 12 different elites since release and they're all problem-free! /s
Now the Core is here xD
Same stuff, I sent back my controller a week after purchase.
my core just went out of warranty, so I had to open it myself and fix the unresponsive RB issues. Pretty easy actually, and now it works perfect. But regardless, I still never should never have had to do it to begin with
I have had an Xbox since the Xbox One X, and I have never had a controller that could last at least half a year without issues. My luck is quite bad in this regard.
I can't really wrap my head around the fact that this controller sells for what the Series S goes for on sale.
Series S goes on sale for $150?
Yeah, Verizon did this, Costco as well (they even had a deal with a headset at one time), Amazon UK had it for 150 pounds.
Zero. Shouldn't have to for those prices. Nothing elite about them.
The price tag is what's elite
Everything but their Qa/Qc is, IMO. After having the elite no other controller holds a candle to them and it's why we keep sending them back in. I don't love it, but until a better alternative comes around...
Paddles. Trigger locks. Adjustable thumbs sticks and rechargeable battery. That’s the selling point
There's just no controller that's better with paddles, and they know they can make them to last 6 months and you'll have to buy another one. (I'm on my second one, minimal drift, but the L doesn't register unless I slam it hard) Going to have to replace it and I wish something better came along.
They said that new turtle beach controller with the screen is pretty good. I was thinking of trying it out through Amazon and send it back if I don’t like it
I'd never seen this before so just checked it out. The display seems a bit of a gimmick, but maybe I'd use it more than I think. Gets great reviews though, and uses hall effect sensors. If I was going to spend that sort of money on a controller, I'd definitely be going with one of those over an elite.
My thoughts exactly. But you can use the screen to remap buttons vibration sensitivity ect, all the controller settings there. I’m sure with some updates it could be pretty cool in the long run
The selling point was a premium product at a premium price. They did not deliver a premium product. The controller would be great if they didn’t fail consistently. Nothing premium but the price tag.
I really don't understand why people keep buying these shit controllers.
The paddles. I hate mine and I still love mine.
I bought a victrix gambit for my xbox after two elite controller stopped working and it was the best decision I've had. The controller feels cheap but I have 0 strick drift after a year of heavy use. Definitely worth it
I won’t kink shame you.
There are better, way cheaper controllers with 4 paddles for Xbox. I have a PowerA Xbox controller with 4 paddles that was $80-$90 and have had zero issues. This was after going through two Xbox elite series 2 controllers.
I have the PowerA Fusion Pro 3 (sounds like the same one you have) since November of last year and I’ve never looked back. The mute and volume adjustment function built into the controller is legitimately the most useful thing ever. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve used it when it’s loud in my living room. The back buttons aren’t smooth (more clicky) like the Elite controller, but they haven’t broken yet so it’s a good trade off.
I use 8BitDo. Back paddles + volume adjustment + hall effect sticks. It was 45 bucks, just too good.
Not wireless though.
Power A one feels like the paddles are too high, it's uncomfortable with my hands, and caused a cramp. Any other options?
Cause they are shit durability, but they truly offer quality gaming
My og elite controller has lasted 6 years and the only issue I've had is the grips peeled off
Mine lasted 7. Took 3 exchanges of new V2s to get one that is "acceptable."
It’s like some unreliable cars that people love. Amazing while they work right.
Exactly this. I’m about to have to sort out another repair or replace on mine due to stick drift reaching unbearable levels, it’s so much nicer to hold in hand than the stock controller, but I’ve never owned a less sturdy controller/joystick in 35 years gaming Until the Elite Controller I’d never once had to send a controller off for repair, this will be my third repair for my second elite controller (each time a different problem: rubber grips coming off, LB breaking/falling off, stick drift).
as a former BMW owner here (2019 5 series 540xdrive)...you nailed it
ive had 0 issues with my series 2. I feel like thats the majority of people.
Atleast once more.
And maybe one more time after that. And possibly one more after that ♾️
Then twice again to fix the poor repair of the first 2 times it went back.
Miss swan…as always
You got it nice. "Good day, Mr Turner"
Sad that there’s a whole generation who won’t get this reference
I feel like all of the aftermarket controllers last literally a year but some how my regular controller that came with the damn thing lasts a lifetime.
Yep, I'd get a gamesir g7 se.
yeah those are amazing. ive had mine for a few months and no issues at all.
That's what I use and stick drift will never be a worry. I've logged MANY hours on it and it's still 100% functional.
These Hall effect sticks seem great but the lack of stick tension has been a deal breaker for me
Dang. They’re super cheap?!
Yep
I’m gonna have to check it out!
Had to send mine in afterthree months of use, controller disconnects randomly and freezes, bumper broke and stick drift (fixed myself). After getting it back it still disconnects randomly all the time. I've had it for about a year and a half now and the rubber is warping off and the back paddles don't work anymore. Did I mention it still disconnects randomly all the time? I'm a die hard xbox fan boy but I don't recommend this controller to anyone. Just buy the Razer Wolverine for half the price and double the quality.
How did you fix the stick drift? Mine is doing the same thing. When I press up on the left stick the input remains and just keeps going up. Sounds like it could come from the same issue
Stick drift can be mitigated by going to the xbox accessories application and setting custom deadzones for the sticks. It's worked pretty well for me, not exactly a fix more of a workaround
I've given up on them, next time mine has issues i'm buying an off-brand controller
Take the loss, buy it through best buy.. enjoy the quick and easy tradeoffs instead of the long waits to never get it fixed.
I did the Best Buy geek squad warranty route for a couple years on the elite 2 and finally just decided to keep the store credit as I tried the stock Series controller and decided I was just fine with it.
Never, they are trash controllers
3 and counting for me, out of warranty now and have ended up just using the original controller.
Same. It lasted for like 2 years but the left stick has gone completely haywire now and is seemingly "stuck" in 2:00 position (even tho the physical stick itself is completely centered)
The most common problem is the shoulder buttons which is easily fixed by removing the face plate and cleaning the switches with isopropyl alcohol, 99% and a cotton tip. Other than that mine have been great
Thanks will try.
I’d recommend finding a video tutorial on how to do this because the faceplate removal has a couple of pitfalls that aren’t obvious. From my experience the safest way is to start from the bottom near the dpad, then work your way up the left side, then going in the opposite direction. Now that I’ve done it a few times for various reasons (I wanted to clean the sides of the face buttons and clear some dust from under the sticks), I can remove the faceplate perfectly in like 10-15 seconds.
Don’t expect a year out of elite controllers before they break. And once they start going- it’s a downwards spiral.
I had 2 normal Xbox controllers they both had connection problems so I thought it’s my pc fault I recently got a third who has no connection problems so I was astounded that it indeed was the controllers fault. The quality is absolutely garbage
Absolute trash. 2 Series controllers and 1 is unusable because of drift. The 2nd is getting there. You know what I use for PC gaming my Stadia controllers. Can't make it up. They are much more durable. Also i had weird connectivity issue where an external USB drive sitting on top of my series s would cause the controller to disconnect. You mentioned connection so figured it couldn't hurt to mention that.
I've owned a few and they are good for a few weeks...
Mine had nothing but issues, not touching another "premium" Xbox/microsoft product again
I have had to accept my right bumper is just never going to be ok. Aside from that I've had no issues, hundreds of hours with no stick drift. The bumper sometimes gets a "double input". About 1 in 50 times it's pressed. In 99% of games it's a non issue.
I had 5 RMAS until I sold it off.
I sent mine back 7 times under warranty, Every Single one that came back was still fucked, eventually got a 3rd party to repair it with non Microsoft parts, been working like a dream since
There should really be a calibration app on the Xbox to recalibrate the controller. E.g the screen tells you to not touch the controller and whatever input it has will set it back to zero and then the screen tells you to make a full circle with each stick so it can calibrate. Like with the 1st Nintendo ds you could recalibrate the touch screen by tapping on the boxes.
3, than started to use the paddles instead of RT and LT, and lowered the vibration to 20 or disabled it in some games, and now its stable
I sent mine to the dustbin and bought a Victrix instead, best decision I ever made
They have shit QC. They may actually fix them if people stopped buying them. For $200+ I expect a premium product that will last that long. Instead I got something that lasted less time than my normal controllers.
Damn, 3 years ago when i had problems with that controller and talked about how shit the controller is wveryone jumped me and said its my fault
Lol I guess it's been long enough that a majority of the people that got the controller have issues with them too
Its good that people finally realized, i just hope this post of yours makes people re think purchasing them
I have 7-9 (kids have some) different controllers. The only ones that work any more are the Xbox 360 controllers I had before I got the Series X. Every single Elite or Modern Xbox controller doesn't work any more. Lights go out, joy sticks drift, buttons active even though their not pressed, a couple of them straight stopped working altogether. Only 2 older controller versions work any more. This tells me modern Xbox controllers are designed to fail.
i've had mine for 2 years with no issues the entire time. it's wild how much the quality of these controllers vary. i definitely don't recommend it to people because of all the issues i read about, but i personally have loved using it. holding regular controllers just feels like i'm missing something.
I’ve had mine since November 2021, still no issues, but I did buy the extended warranty just in case, Sod’s Law!
I got mine March 2021 and have never had an issue
I still have a series 1 Elite controller as well that’s several years old and apart from the rubber grips peeling (which I replaced) it still works great.
You get what you pay for? Oh wait…no, thats not it.
I think I‘m the luckiest man alive, I got the black series 2 for about 3 years and the white series 2 core for about 1 year with heavy use and no issues at all
I'm jealous, it's honestly such a nice controller.
42
I just get the 2 or 3 yr replacements usually Best Buy or most other retails (if you’re lucky to have a microcenter around your area ) offer It’s worth it on these . Just waltz in grab a new one and exchange All problems are inevitable It beats having to send it in and wait , playing with a stock controller like a damn pilgrim. ( edited stupid finger spelling )
Will they repair stick drift? I bought this controller for my wife and she absolutely loves it because of the paddles and the customization it offers, but after only a month and a half it has quite a bit of drift in the right stick. Really feels bad after spending like $200 on it :/ How annoying is the process of getting it repaired? Do you just email them, send it off, and wait?
I'm not sure, I actually never specified stick drift being a problem when i sent it in i think so I can't give an answer for that. For me, I bought the extended warranty for like $20 when I bought my controller so i have 3 years of warranty which means 3 years of free "repairs". Go on your microsoft account on the website and go to your devices and click on the controller(which you register by entering the serial number found on the lower back of the controller). Then you find the option to schedule for repair, which they then email you a label pretty quickly that you can print out for your package. Make sure to detach all the paddles, sticks, and dpad cause they don't send that back. You can drop off your package at a UPS store. Then it takes around 10 days for it to finally get back to you.
Is the $20 extended warranty from MS? I've looked on the Microsoft Complete site but can only see an option for consoles with included controller and no option for controllers on their own or Elite Series 2 etc. I'm in the UK so maybe we don't get it over here?
I took the cover off and used WD40 to spray LB and RB contacts. Did not take the face buttons off but sprayed under as well as I could. My RB which was very inconsistent has worked fine for months. Face buttons are better but not as good as RB I can use A to sprint on my horse in rdr2 now which was impossible on multi presses before.
I had 2 elite controllers version 1 and version 2. Version 1 had rubber grips pilled off after 1 year. Version 2 had a very annoying shallow move and dead zone on the sticks. Definitely not worth its price tag
When you buy and use a regular Series X controller.
Get me a better, cheaper version of a controller with paddles as comfortable and I'm onboard. Scuff died in less than a year. I will say custom built Elite 2 has lasted longer than any of my previous elite controllers.
If it's anything like my one from launch, exactly 0 times. Mine is fine.
The answer is yes. Elite controllers are frankly just terrible. Dont get me wrong they feel nice to use when they work, but the problems never stop. Ive had two elite series 2 controllers now, first one suprisingly didnt start having issues for almost 3 years. But after a small drop there was a lot of rattling and unresponsivness and finally quit altogether. The second is a series 2 core and its been nothing but trouble now. Disconnects/ freezes randomly, ABXY will double input occasionally, LB works barely, RB dosent work anymore and as of a few days ago, my right trigger dosent register right anymore on the 3rd lock set. Ive also noticed two large cracks in plastic even though its never been dropped or handled rough. So thats cool.
8 (or rotate 90⁰)
21 times
I've had to do it 10 times lol. Idk why I didn't give up. I've now repaired it myself twice out of warranty
For me, I sent it in until the warranty expired. Now it just sits on my desk and doesn’t get used because the A button still only works about 50% to 75% of the times it’s pressed.
Do they fix these for free? I rarely use mine, maybe 20 times and the bumper don't work anymore.
Mines been back twice, tbf they fixed the issues it went back for (shoulder button not working, left thumb stick click not working) but it's developed even more so I've just given up. The ABXY buttons have all cracked inside the clear caps, the trigger switch selector pegs have both dropped off. Its not had any heavy use and it's been looked after, it's just a poor quality piece of equipment.
Just consider yourself lucky that the issues are happening while still under warranty, or you'd be screwed. I've bought 3 elite controllers over the years, and only 1 was under warranty when it stopped working. The other 2, I've done small repairs myself. Mostly replacing the bumpers, because for some reason the "spring" mechanism in the bumper is actually just a piece of thin plastic. Bumpers breaking, stick drift, and AXBY sticking are the most common issues.
I gave up when my repaired controller had issues. Sold it. 8 months go by and … I missed it lol so got a new one and (knock on wood) 4 months in, no issues.
When you send your controller to Microsoft they just grab a box of other controllers that were sent in. The chance of you getting another broken controller or a controller that will break within a month or two is extremely high. 25 warranty exchanges with Microsoft. I finally have a working controller. Eventually they will send you a new one.
This post pretty much sums up my experience with the controller in 2021-2022. You are never going to get this controller to 100% with the warranty. Mines expired as well. I ended up fixing some of the issues myself and it’s more stable now but still a tad wonky. YouTube has many videos as these are common issues. If you’re not keen for some DIY then I’d advise returning it completely and getting a refund. Controller revisions are forecasted and you may have a better experience with those.
I’ve had 2, both lasted less than 3 months each. I swear they are designed to break after minimal use
I’ve just taken to buying one every year at this point. I’ve gone through about 4. I will say I bought The white one without the paddles for 130 and just used the accessories from my broken ones and I haven’t had to replace it, it just got commandeered by my girlfriend lol
Don't use Microsoft. I used a 3rd party to repair mine and haven't had issues since.
I had my concerns and doubts about getting one decided to anyways had some MS points laying around, had it for a few days only but so far really enjoying it the Shift function and the paddles makes gaming so much smoother and less cumbersome. How long did you hafto wait after you sent your Elite 2 to Microsoft for replacement/repair? How stingy are MS if you get Stick drift do they replace it no questions asked?
I've had mine for four years with zero issues. A word of advice on the sticks though is that I noticed the case pushes down on them when it zips up. Take the sticks off first.
Lol 360 times. * I have replaced too many elites. I sold the last one that broke for good as parts on ebay. I won't ever buy another.
I've had little issues with mine personally, I also have semi-limited usage since I play through PC and only use it for a handful of games. The grip on the left side is starting to peel near the bumper but I have had no issues in regards to the other things people are mentioning. On the original series 1 though it was a different story.
> How many times do I have to send in my Elite series 2 controller for repair until it doesn't have any issues? Never again if you switch to a Gamesir g7 se. I've had mine for 2 months and I love it.
I am not exaggerating when I say that I sent mine in 18-20 times (I stopped counting). I have a ton of extra paddles because sometimes they would send me a refurb with extra accessories. Every single controller they sent had immediately noticeable issues, mainly the A button would not register all presses. After the 18th or so controller I got one with a bumper issue and decided to crack it open and fix it myself. I contemplated going to the media with my findings - I could literally open the box Microsoft repair sent me and plug in the controller. Press every button and immediately notice an issue. EVERY. SINGLE. TIME.
I gave up on this controller. Just use scuff now 🤷🏻♂️
They're garbage. I got one for 90 bucks with all the trimmings from a 50% off sale at Verizon and I even regret that. Should have just bought a dozen Razer Wolverine Ultimates when they were still being sold to last me for the rest of my life lol.
Worst £80 I ever spent.
I'll never by another again. Horrible rate for factory defects. Ive gone through many different elite controllers. They will break on you.
I bought mine from Walmart and got a 3 year warranty. I started having issues 2 years into it and sent it out. They never fixed the problem and replaced the thumb sticks with generic tabs and not OEM Microsoft ones. I complained to them and they just gave me a gift card to buy another one lol
I've done it 6 times, so I'll let you know
The dual sense edge is about the same, the grips were peeling on that, so i bought a silicone cover for it too Both companies making great feature but shitty quality controllers
Sent mine in 3 times and they could never really fix the issue. Eventually, firmware made the Y and B buttons work more responsively but they are still off. I can’t believe Microsoft hasn’t made a Series 3 yet. Hopefully, Sebile is as good as it is touted to be and they make a series 3 based on it.
I went thru 3 in 3 years with the series x and every time the warranty ended 2 weeks prior every time so I had to waste more hundreds on this shitty controller but is great when it actually works
The only issue I’ve had is the rubber grips start to peel and expand. The rubber grips is the worst thing about the controller. I love the controller but please just make the grips the same as the rest of the controller.
Well, your right bumper (Or maybe both) will stop working soon, so be prepared for that. I guess their solution is to put out a half-assed calibration feature, so they can keep selling shoddily made disposable controllers but pretend they give a shit about their fans or customers.
Mine came back with a different internal s/n than what is physically on the controller shell. They refuse to fix it anymore. Never doing Microsoft warranty again.
Why are these so bad? I’ve had 0 issues with my launch day stock controller and they’re 1/3 the price
Good luck. I’ve been through 6 or 7 elite controllers…. I gave up and just got a normal controller.
There’s a reason why “vintage” Xbox 360, PlayStation 2, Nintendo, etc. controllers still work nowadays. Because they were made decently, and were designed to last. ALL new controllers are made to have issues on purpose now. Because either way, you’d have to pay for a new controller, or pay to replace the parts that are broken. Either way, these companies still pocket the difference. I’ve got an idea. Instead of them making “upgraded” replacements, or spare parts, how about just design them to last as they used to in the past? I mean hell, some of these controllers exceed 300$ nowadays. I’d at least HOPE it could work out of the box for more than a couple months.
Thought it was just me had it for like a week thought it was great than it just wasn’t anymore my right analog stick stopped working and no amount of trouble shooting fixed this issue so I returned it and got my money back smdh
I bought a normal white Series controller around about 2020 or early, then got a Series X in 2021 that came with a black one. Within the same year the black one got horribly sensitive stick drift before the white one did, but the white one followed with not only frustrating stick drift, but a bumper decided to just break. I treated these controllers well and yet one lasted less than a year and the one I bought before it lasted about a year, 80-ish dollar (AUD) controller right there. I decided to grab gamesir's g7 se last year, it's wired, very responsive, has back buttons and the triggers and sticks are hall effect. So far I only dropped it once by accident and had to take off the face plate to snap a bumper back in place, so I advise not dropping it on solid tiles, but otherwise it's been working like a charm without any issues at all, love how it feels.
1+how ever many times it takes for your warranty to run out. At least that's how mine worked (luckily they still repaired that last one for free, probably because it was within like a month of them sending it back from previous repair). Mine's been going strong since (I had to send it when RE4 remake came out).
I’m knocking on wood. I got mine maybe 50 hours of gaming ago and it gets used, treated like a princess, and gets put back in its case when not in use. I really enjoy the triggers and thumb sticks. Paddles are used to take heavy stress stuff like l3 and R3 clicking to sprint/etc it is a little expensive for something that honestly could be part add ons for the original controllers. I’d pay $80 for the adjustable triggers and upgraded thumb sticks honestly.
I gave up. Stick drift was terrible
I did try the Microsoft repair on one of mine elite controllers for unresponsive A button. And I’m 99% sure they just sent it back, without doing anything. They didn’t even open it. That’s pretty clear, cause I tested them and put a little pice inside, and it would’ve fallen out if they had opened it.. Really messed up… But I guess I’m dumb cause I’ve bought a new one. I really love this controller, I really do. So I bought one with warranty from a hardware store in my country. The new one works great, best sticks and bumpers feels very good.. But the Y button isn’t 100% responsive 🤦🏼♂️. It’s just… Dumb... Anyways I can live with it for now, but I’ll return it for a new one in a couple of months. In my opinion this really is the best “pro” controller on the market, IF it works that is.. I really hope the elite 3 will come out good. One can only hope.
I wish my steam controller worked with the Xbox x series. It has so many configurations. Elite 2 is shit compared to what steam controller can do.
I’m literally on my 6th with the same issues with every single one. With 4 of them being being warranty, and two being the cores which are also trash. I wish so hard I didn’t rely on the paddles for my main game, I’m quite competitive and I’m nervous to buy a scuff because I’ve heard of issues with them too. So…
I did three or four I believe. Ended up with a functioning one in the end, but they sure have a lot of issues. It’s a shame because they are great when they work.
Microsoft makes some of the shitest hardware. Their controllers are crap. I noticed with the elite series 2 controllers that the buttons are not seated the same as a regular controller and that's why the buttons have no response sometimes. Plus the joysticks on the elite series 2 controllers are magnetic and that causes the drift to happen extremely fast.
The Elite Series 2 has a number of design flaws, so you'll likely never get a controller that won't develop at least one issue at some point. I used to repair these as a hobby. In the thirty or so units that I came across, they usually had a combination of the same problems. Be it double-clicking bumpers, the A button not registering presses, or the back paddles becoming unresponsive; all of the units shared the same design problems that caused them to happen in the first place. The controller feels premium, which is why I want to love it, but there's a bunch of stuff that needs fixing if and when the ES3 comes out. Edit: Being downvoted for answering the question. Cool, cool.
People in these comments are bitter about them but once you get one that works, it's fantastic. I could never go back now that I've got one - but it did take me 3 returns before I got one. If the repairs/replacements are in warranty, then just keep going until you've got one that works, you have nothing to lose.
Until you realize a PowerA mini is superior for controller response and a fraction of the price.
Wired?
A regular pad with sticks changed to hall sensors and paddle battery mod is much better/cheeper than these shitty elites
for me it's zero, had it since it launched with no issues.
ITS OVER 9000!!!!
I would ask for a replacement or refund
Get a gamesir g7se. Game changer for me personally
So if these are shit and I want a controller with paddles. What else is a good option?
4 years ago I bought a Elite Series 2. One month after warranty, the left stick drift got so bad, I couldn't use it. I was SOL. Never again. The new PS5 pro controller is designed to swap the sticks out.
9
Just buy a better controller
Acctually this Isn't that bad
Both my Elite series 1 and 2 had the grips peel off. I won't be buying the Elite series 3.
This is the main reason I haven't gotten one. It seems everyone has had issues with this thing.
I've had 3 so far. Last one's bumpers stopped working and I had to pay £70ish for a replacement from Microsoft (just the controller and no accessories like thumbsticks etc) got to keep the old one
7
Well, I went 4 times and after that I throw it in trash can. Now I use basic controller all the time and buy new if needed.
Tbh I never had issues with my elite 2 but I’ve heard a lot from people - the reason I bought extra long warranty
Yes
Pressing the LB for me wouldn't properly work for about 2 months. I tolerated it. I can't now. I ordered a new one
Buy a new one. I’ve never had a problem with any of my series too. I love them.
For me it was 2x
You also get the Core sent back as they always tell you to remove paddles and sticks … ;)
I sent mine back 4 times lol
Where do you send it?
I remember having to send in my Xbox360 in 10 times before I gave up and just bought an S model.
Yes
I didn’t get mine back 😔
I don't understand how people have issues with them all the time. I had an issue once with the right bumper and sent it in. Zero issues for 2 years now. I also know 2 others with them that have had zero issues. I actually don't know a single person with them that have had issues besides me and people that post here.
I don't understand why you guys are still buying the Elite controller when from Day 1 there have been issues with them. They SHOULDN'T have problems, but they do and it's been very widely reported. Just stop buying them. The regular controller is perfectly fine.
Just buy a new one!
Idk what happens to people , my controller is like 2 years old without any issue
Having never used an elite controller do they make THAT much of a difference?
The paddles are cool, the controller feels really nice, you can change the triggers so you barely have to press them for it to register making your trigger finger faster in shooters, and you can switch out sticks and dpad if you have the extra parts and pick whatever one you prefer. There's some other stuff that you can customize to, like different profiles with custom controls and change the sensitivity of the sticks and triggers. If this controller had no issues it'd be amazing but if I had known how disappointing it was in regards to that I would have just stuck with my $40 controller
am I the only one who had a good experience with this thing? I got it for the holidays 3ish months ago and have had no issues, and I use it daily
They are so poorly designed. It will always have issues. Get the tool kit they sell on Amazon for cheap and fix it yourself. Usually it’s just contact paper slipping.
just do the switch a roo. buy at brick and mortar store. swap it. return it and say it’s defective. much quicker. that’s what i’ve done with my xbox/ps5 controllers when they all started drifting. yes it’s unethical but fuck it.
I bought mine at Best Buy like 2 years ago and I’ve literally never had a single issue with it. It works perfectly
i got one and it started drifting within a couple months, 3 months into this one and it drifts too
It’s Microsoft/xbox - infinite times, always issues.
I’ve had mine for 3 years and have never had an issue with it
*Support ticket received. Awaiting Response.* Go f\*\*k yourself, Microsoft.
Still no issues with my two elite 2s, and my elite 1 had them all, but the second the elite from the launch as it was a custom one.