Xbox elite controller series 2 for pc

Built for performance
Designed to meet the needs of today’s competitive gamers, the all-new Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 features over 30 new ways to play like a pro. Enhance your aiming with new adjustable-tension thumbsticks, fire even faster with shorter hair trigger locks, and stay on target with a wrap-around rubberized grip.

Optimized for you
Tailor the controller to your preferred gaming style with new interchangeable thumbstick and paddle shapes. Save up to 3 custom profiles and 1 default profile on the controller and switch between them on the fly with the Profile button. Use Xbox Wireless, Bluetooth, or the included USB-C cable to play across your Xbox One and Windows 10 devices.

More ways to customize
Experience limitless customization with the Xbox Accessories app. Utilize exclusive configuration options such as button mapping to voice commands such as “record that” or “take a screenshot”. Assign a button to act as a ‘Shift key’ to enable alternative inputs for each of the other buttons

Designed for extended gameplay
Stay in the game with up to 40 hours of rechargeable battery life and refined components that are built to last. Charge the controller either inside or outside the carrying case with the included USB-C cable and charging dock

• Adjustable-tension thumbsticks
• Shorter hair trigger locks
• Wrap-around rubberized grip
• Re-engineered components

Fulfilment by Amazon (FBA) is a service Amazon offers sellers that lets them store their products in Amazon's warehouses, and Amazon directly does the picking, packing, shipping and customer service on these items. Something Amazon hopes you'll especially enjoy: FBA items are eligible for and for Amazon Prime just as if they were Amazon items.

If you’re a seller, Fulfilment by Amazon can help you grow your business. Find out more about the programme.

The Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 is the best gamepad for the Xbox One/Xbox Series consoles, and one of the best for PCs. It has an excellent feel, plus hardware and software customization tricks that the standard Xbox Wireless Controller does not. It’s also quite expensive at $179.99. With that in mind, Microsoft now offers the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 Core (we’ll refer to it as the Elite Core going forward). At $129.99, the Elite Core is $50 less than the standard Elite, and it’s the same controller at its heart. The savings come from Microsoft ditching the Elite's carrying case, cradle, rear paddles, and alternate analog sticks and direction pads. The paddle removal feels odd, since the connections remain on the gamepad's back and the controller feels a bit naked without them. But this is otherwise the same gamepad that you can upgrade to the full Elite for another $60. 

Our Experts Have Tested 24 Products in the Game Controllers & Accessories Category in the Past Year

Since 1982, PCMag has tested and rated thousands of products to help you make better buying decisions. See how we test.(Opens in a new window)

I’ve been PCMag’s home entertainment expert for over 10 years, covering both TVs and everything you might want to connect to them. I’ve reviewed more than a thousand different consumer electronics products including headphones, speakers, TVs, and every major game system and VR headset of the last decade. I’m an ISF-certified TV calibrator and a THX-certified home theater professional, and I’m here to help you understand 4K, HDR, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and even 8K (and to reassure you that you don’t need to worry about 8K at all for at least a few more years).

There are three ways that you can use the Xbox Elite Controller Series 2 on PC. The first way is to use Bluetooth; this only works with computers that have Bluetooth, of course, but if you want to use the controller on your modern laptop or tablet hybrid, this is a great way to do it wirelessly. The second option is to use a USB-C cable to connect the controller to a computer, which is doable out of the box since the controller comes with one in the package. This forces you to stay tethered to your computer, but it does prevent the need for recharging your controller's battery.

The final option available is to use the Xbox Wireless Adapter, which is a nifty accessory that fits into a USB slot and gives off the same wireless signal that an Xbox One console does. Any controller, including the Xbox Elite Controller Series 2, can then pair with the adapter and be used with the computer it's plugged into wirelessly. If your PC doesn't have Bluetooth, this is the option for you if you want wireless play.

Xbox Wireless Adapter

$25 at Microsoft (opens in new tab)

Who needs a cord, anyway?

The Xbox Wireless Adapter enables you to use controllers on PC wirelessly, making it an incredibly useful accessory.

Why get the Xbox Elite Controller Series 2?

If you want a controller that offers incredible customization and extra options, the Xbox Elite Controller Series 2 will be ideal for you. Compared to the first edition of the Elite Controller, this one sports several performance boosts. Boosts such as more durable plastics and hinges, rubber grips that have better durability, and tension control for thumbsticks that allow you to tweak how you aim in-game from the analog input side of things. On top of this, the controller has Bluetooth connectivity for use with PCs and Project xCloud, as well as a fantastic battery life of 40 hours per charge. Lastly, all of the first Elite Controller's benefits make a strong return here. These include the myriad of different D-Pads, thumbsticks, and buttons that you can opt to use and swap out at your leisure, as well as lockable triggers and paddle buttons on the back of the controller. This controller may not be cheap, but you definitely get the quality that you pay for.

The best

Xbox Elite Controller Series 2

$154.99

$169.95

$179.99

Probably the best controller ever

With improved parts and durability, the Series 2 is everything the original Elite controller should have been and much more, but it's still very pricey.

Does the Xbox Elite Series 2 controller work on PC?

How do I program my Elite 2 controller to my PC?

Can the Elite Series 2 connect to PC Bluetooth?