Xbox Wi-fi Controller – One-minute overview
The Xbox Wi-fi Controller hosts quite a few enhancements, akin to tactile textures and refined geometry, to make for a greater taking part in expertise, and we’re joyful to see Microsoft lastly implement a devoted share button to make taking screenshots and movies mid-game considerably simpler.
As well as, it appears as if Microsoft’s new gamepad takes inspiration from the Xbox Elite Wi-fi Controller Sequence 2, providing among the premium controller’s top-notch design options in a extra affordable-feeling kind. The result’s a glossy, reasonably priced, comfy, and accessible controller.
Xbox Wi-fi Controller: worth and availability
- Xbox Wi-fi Controller worth: $59.99 / £54.99 / AU$74.99
- Out there in lots of colours
The Xbox Wi-fi Controller worth is $59.99 / £54.99 / AU$74.99, but it surely’s price noting that each Xbox Sequence X and Sequence S console comes with a controller within the field.
You will solely want to purchase one other controller should you’re seeking to choose up a substitute, or a second (or third, or fourth) for co-op play at dwelling. You should not have an excessive amount of hassle discovering extra models both, with the Xbox Wi-fi Controller available at many main retailers, each on-line and in-store.
Out there in Carbon Black and Robotic White, the Xbox Wi-fi Controller additionally is available in a head-turning Shock Blue. Since then, we have seen the vary open up considerably and should you’re prepared to pay the little additional for personalisation, you possibly can even design your personal coloration scheme, due to Xbox Design Lab.
Xbox Wi-fi Controller: design
- Feels acquainted within the hand but subtly completely different
- Improved tactile textures and refined geometry
- New Share button
On the floor, the Xbox Wi-fi Controller would not appear like adrastic departure from its predecessor. It sports activities an analogous form and retains the normal button and set off format. On nearer inspection, although, you start to note the refined variations Microsoft has carried out.
For a begin, the gamepad’s exterior now sports activities a matte end that carefully matches the brand new consoles’ designs. Whereas this definitely seems to be glossy, it does include drawbacks – the black controller that comes with the Xbox Sequence X simply picks up scuffs and scrapes which are noticeable.
Contemplating the quantity of hands-on time controllers are subjected to it is potential that you’re going to discover it arduous to maintain yours trying in tip-top situation for years to return. Different coloration variants of the controller can be found although (you may want to purchase these individually, whereas a white model comes included with the Xbox Sequence S), and a few could also be much less susceptible to scuffs.
That is a minor quibble, although, and general we discovered that the Xbox Wi-fi Controller resembles a extra premium controller, each in appear and feel. The revised pad now has a tactile texture on the triggers, grips and bumpers, which we discovered made the controller really feel safer in our arms.
As well as, whereas the controller is identical measurement as its predecessor, the bumpers and triggers have been rounded and shrunk by a number of millimeters. That makes the gamepad really feel much less cumbersome. For those who’re somebody with small arms, previous Xbox controllers have usually felt fairly tanky, however this easy change improves consolation ranges in a refined however noticeable means.
Maybe probably the most notable modifications to the controller are the addition of the ‘Share’ button and the hybrid D-pad. The Share button primarily acts as a seize button, permitting you to simply snap screenshots of your recreation – a single click on takes a snapshot, whereas holding the button down for longer information a 15-second video by default (you possibly can regulate the video length within the Seize settings).
That is a lot simpler than on the Xbox One, the place it’s a must to press the house button after which X or Y, however we did discover it a bit fiddly to rapidly take a screenshot – your expertise might range relying on how huge your arms are.
The hybrid D-pad, alternatively, goals to offer a middle-ground between the Xbox One controller’s basic D-pad and the Xbox Elite Wi-fi Controller Sequence 2’s changeable disc-shaped, faceted D-pad. What outcomes is a sort of conventional D-pad, laid over a disc. Once more, this can be a small however welcome change and is meant to present extra management and leverage over the D-pad – whereas typically feeling extra comfy.
The D-pad additionally offers off a loud click on we have not heard from a controller earlier than. You will both discover it satisfying or a bit annoying – we frequently discovered it the latter – although these used to mechanical keyboards is probably not all that bothered.
Nonetheless, there’s lots concerning the controller’s design that hasn’t modified. It retains the three.5mm audio jack and enlargement port on the backside, its USB cost port and pairing button on the high, and its View, Menu and Xbox buttons on the face.
Xbox Wi-fi Controller: efficiency
- Works on a spread of units
- Decrease latency
- Rechargeable battery pack wants purchased individually
- Remappable (however that is restricted)
Alongside these beauty modifications, the Xbox Wi-fi Controller brings performance enhancements too. We discovered this controller to be extra responsive, which is probably going right down to the decrease latency Microsoft has boasted about (paired with extra body charge stability of the Xbox Sequence X|S), whereas connecting the gamepad wirelessly by way of Bluetooth to a spread of units – together with the Xbox One, an iPhone 13, and a Mac – was simple.
The Xbox Wi-fi Controller once more runs on AA batteries (common or rechargeable), however if you wish to keep away from the effort of adjusting or charging batteries continually you have got two choices. You possibly can put money into a Play and Cost equipment (a chargeable battery again which you should utilize to cost the controller when you’re taking part in or between classes), or join your controller to the console by way of USB-C (though this may, after all, restrict your freedom of motion).
When it comes to remapping, you possibly can remap the Xbox Wi-fi Controller on the Xbox Sequence X and Xbox Sequence S by way of the Xbox Equipment app – although the extent of customization is considerably restricted.
The app means that you can remap a good few of the controller’s buttons to your tastes and even offers you management over features akin to whether or not your controller vibrates and whether or not you need your sticks mechanically inverted. We discovered remapping pretty simple, even when there are some buttons – just like the Xbox button and the triggers – which might’t be modified.
Provided that the Xbox Wi-fi Controller makes use of the impulse set off characteristic present in earlier iterations of Xbox gamepads – offering haptic suggestions to your fingertips once you, for instance, drive the filth roads of Grime 5 – the dearth of set off remapping is comprehensible.
Xbox Wi-fi Controller: ought to I purchase it?
Purchase it if…
