Best Xbox Series Controller 2021: Xbox Series X/S Controllers for All Gamers

If you’re gearing up to save the galaxy again in Halo Infinite or explore the globe in Microsoft Flight Simulator, you’ll want to come strapped with the best controller you can get your hands (and sometimes feet) on. Xbox fans have always been spoiled for choice when it comes to picking a pad, wheel, or joystick, and the Xbox X/S generation continues this tradition.Unlike with the PS5, players can bring all their own old Xbox One controllers to the Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S and there’s a handful of new options too. That opens up Xbox gamers to an almost overwhelming number of controller choices. So we’ve gone down the lists and hand-picked our favorite controllers for a variety of budgets and games. Whether you’re looking for affordability, customizability, or a competitive edge we’ve got your back.

TL;DR – These are the Best Xbox Series X/S Controllers:

1. Xbox Core Controller

Best Xbox Series X/S Controller

The reigning champ. The go-to gamepad for general use on Xbox and gaming PCs. There isn’t a whole lot to say about the Core Controller (see our review) because it just speaks for itself. It’s a solidly-built, reliable, standard-setting piece that’s friendly to lots of different hand sizes and control schemes. It’s almost like the Platonic ideal of a game controller. There’s nothing extra fancy about it, because it doesn’t need any gimmicks to do what it does best. It simply gets the job done.

The one thing that I’m not thrilled about with this one is that it requires AA batteries to play wirelessly. But if you get rechargeable ones and a wall charger, you can get away with charging one set of batteries while you’re using the other and not have to keep buying those giant blister packs like it’s 1999 or something. And the core controller comes with a USB-C plug that works on PC and console, if you don’t want to have to deal with batteries at all.

2. PowerA Enhanced Wired Controller

Best Budget Xbox Series X/S Controller

On the other end of the spectrum, PowerA’s Enhanced Wired Controller (see our review) continues a tradition of offering cheaper options that still hold up well. If you want to be that awesome friend who has a full flight of controllers ready to go whether your buddies remembered to bring one or not, you probably don’t want to splurge on four Elite controllers. That would be a power move, so don’t let me tell you how to live your life if that’s the kind of baller you are.

But for the rest of us, these more affordable workhorses are perfect for those P3 and P4 slots. They can stand up to a lot of punishment, and don’t feel as cheap as a lot of other options in this price range. They also come with a built-in share button and a mic mute switch, which is nice if your pet suddenly demands your attention in the middle of a match. The face buttons aren’t quite as tactile as the ones on the core controller, but the overall ergonomics feel great.

3. Xbox Elite Series 2

Best High-End Xbox Series X/S Controller

The Xbox Elite Series 2 (see our review) is the fancy sports car of Xbox controllers. It’s going to cost you, but you’re paying for premium components, customizability, and luxury feel. The thumbsticks, D-pad, and triggers are swappable, so you can pick the parts that feel best for you. It also comes with a rechargeable battery that can last up to 40 hours, so you won’t have to go hunting for batteries like you might with the Core controller.

It even comes with four additional paddles on the back that can be programmed to do things like change the function of your face buttons when held down. This is especially awesome if you’re using it on PC for games like Final Fantasy XIV where you might have more abilities than a standard controller can handle. All of that comes with a price tag more than twice that of a Core controller. But you get what you pay for.

4. Razer Wolverine V2

Best Tunable Xbox Series X/S Controller

Priced at a nice mid-point between the Core and Elite pads, the Razer Wolverine (see our review) is the overall best third-party pad for Xbox. This isn’t like that janky off-brand controller you used to hand to your little brother during Halo night back in the day. Razer has gone all-out to make sure that it stacks up to, or even surpasses, the official hardware Microsoft has put out.

Like you might expect from Razer, this thing is highly customizable. The face buttons are fully remappable, and there’s even a hair trigger mode you can activate on the fly using physical switches. That means your LT and RT will register an input with only a slight tap, rather than having to push them down all the way, which is a huge edge in fighting games and shooters. This is an ideal option for competitive players who don’t want to drop a fortune on something like the Elite controller, but need more features than what the Core controller can offer.

5. Thrustmaster TMX Force Feedback

Best Upgradable Xbox Series X/S Controller

The next Forza game might not have a release date yet, but there are already plenty of great driving games on the Xbox and PC best played with a proper steering wheel set-up. Thrustmaster always impresses me with the ruggedness and feel of their components. When I buy something from them, it feels like it came off of an industrial assembly line in a car factory, not out of a toy store. The TMX provides seriously realistic force feedback with its fine-tuned internal motors and the non-slip wheel grip feels great.

It only has two pedals, so you’ll be shifting gears with the attached paddles instead. But it’s also relatively cheap for the quality you’re getting at just $200. You could definitely spend a lot more than that on a racing set-up. I also really like the button layout and styling on this one, because it looks more like something you’d see in a professional race car as opposed to on a standard controller.

6. Thrustmaster T-Flight HOTAS One

Best Xbox Series X/S Flight Stick

Microsoft Flight Simulator looks incredible on the Xbox Series X and modern PCs, and for the proper experience you’re going to want to play it with a stick and throttle. Thrustmaster brings an excellent all-in-one controller to your virtual cockpit with the T-Flight HOTAS One, which is simple enough for even brand new pilots to get the hang of quickly but also satisfying for seasoned aces.

This is a one-piece controller, which is ideal for console play, and it has a very modern, streamlined look that won’t seem out of place sitting around your living room. The switches and buttons on both the stick and throttle are raised and shaped in such a way that you can easily find them without looking down, which can be trickier on other sticks like Logitech’s where all of the buttons kind of feel the same. It also has a Share button built right into the base for capturing the scenic vistas you’ll be swooping over, which most made-for-PC sticks usually don’t.

Leana Hafer is an avid PC gamer. Talk action-RPGs, strategy games, and more with her on Twitter at @AsaTJ