Update: Mark your calendars, the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller finally has a release date: October 27, 2015.
The Xbox Elite Wireless Controller is going to level up the skills of Xbox One and Windows 10 gamers later this year with a better feeling, more complex gamepad.
As soon as I wrapped my hands around the E3 2015 prototype, I could tell right away that was meant to be a performance-class take on Microsoft's console-bundled controller. Serious gamers need apply.
It has more trigger buttons, configurable inputs, a better grip and a heavier feel. All of this makes it fit for pro-level gamers and anyone who has money to burn on a new controller.
It's not for everyone, but the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller is worth the price if you're desperate to push more buttons and push your way up the multiplayer leaderboards.
Release date and price
There were two downsides to briefly one-upping my play style with the Xbox One Elite Wireless Controller at E3. First, it's not going to be available for another four months. My hands have to revert back to the original gamepad for now.
The official release date is October 27, according to the Microsoft Store.
The company is being a lot more exact on how much it'll cost. The Xbox Elite Wireless Controller price is $149 (likely £99, AU$199). That's a pretty high price to pay for the almost all-black gamepad.
Xbox One Elite Controller buttons
Fan-requested features make the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller the best gamepad you can pre-order right now, thanks to new trigger buttons and swappable parts.
There are four slots for interchangeable paddles on the back, and all four can be attached and removed without tooling. They're the Apple Watch bands of video game controllers.
Both the right and left thumb sticks can also be popped off with ease, giving your fingers the best grip, with (concave), tall (flat) and domed (convex) options. There's a little bit of magnetism holding them in place.
The all-metal D-Pad choices works much the same way, with a standard cross design and a faceted plate that fits over top of the controller.
Hair triggers tucked away on the underside of the Xbox Elite Controller are another surprise. Flipping these switches halves the press of the right and left shoulder buttons.
All of a sudden, accelerating, braking or firing weapons can be done in half of the time in games that use these analog shoulder buttons. Flipping the switch off returns them to their full range of motion.
Design and comfort
The extra triggers of the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller don't make the new controller more uncomfortable, but they did take me more than a minute to adjust to.
That's mostly because the four interchangeable paddles gave me some figurative pause. It's important to know what these new buttons do in each game and how to hold the controller without pressing them.
Of course, this is a pro-level gaming controller, so it's designed for the best players who are in need of more buttons at their literal fingertips. Therefore, the adjustment period can't be seen as a con.
There's also an Xbox One and Windows 10 app to fine tune the new controller, giving the pedals reason to exist and tweaking the analog sticks' maximum and minimum resistance. This changes the software, but not the resistance of the actual stick hardware.
What I found instantly comfortable were the new grips on the underside. The controller handles now have a rubber mold over them with a diamond pattern on back.
The top of the controller has a more normal-looking, soft touch paint with a little more grip, so it's not hard to readjust your hands. My thumbs could still easily slide across the top while playing.
The face buttons and right and left bumpers haven't changed in size, but they are now colorless. After all, true elite gamers don't need to see yellow, blue, red and green. They just see win.
Early verdict
There's a lot going on with the Xbox Elite Controller. It has four interchangeable paddles that act as extra, software-customizable triggers and a swappable D-Pad and pair of analog sticks. It's well laid out so that the extra input buttons don't feel like they clutter the look or feel.
The rubberized undercoat on the new controller handles may be my favorite feature, and while we haven't reached a point for a full Xbox Elite Wireless Controller review, I can imagine this is an ideal gamepad for sweat-filled gaming marathons. It's easier to hold, and the nearly all-black color scheme is just another way to subtly brag as a gamer.
The price is the only thing holding me back from pre-ordering this gamepad. At 150 bucks, it's almost three times the price of the normal Xbox One controller on Amazon. On top of that, for that high price, it doesn't come with the Play & Charge kit battery. Just AA batteries. Really? Microsoft says it does come with a USB cable and a carrying case, so there's that.
Xbox Elite Controller is designed for pros and, really, considering how much it costs, that's who should be first in line for the October release date.
from TechRadar: Technology reviews http://ift.tt/1ioiLud
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