9 Reasons to Buy the Xbox Elite Controller 2 and 3 Reasons Not To

Is the Xbox Elite Controller 2 worth buying? Here’s our look at the reasons you should buy the Xbox Elite 2, or Series 2, and the reasons you should hold off on buying this model.

I’ve been using the new Elite Controller 2 for the last few days and comparing it to my original Elite Controller that I’ve been using since it first came out. This definitely feels like an upgrade that answers a lot of the shortcomings and limitations of the original.

There are exciting new features like thumbstick tension, more trigger settings, and profiles as well as other key upgrades to usability. The new shorter paddles even help you avoid accidental button presses while using one of the best features.

Will the Elite Controller 2 immediately make you a better gamer? No, but it does give you an edge in many games that can complement your skill. The shorter trigger pulls and ability to press up to four buttons without taking your fingers off the thumbsticks is something you can use as an advantage in many first-person shooter games and in popular battle royale games like PUBG and Fortnite.

This isn’t a cheap controller, in fact, it cost as much as an Xbox One S or three standard Xbox One controllers, but it offers much more than a normal controller. What it’s missing is an upgraded warranty to go along with the $180 price tag. The good news is that it is compatible with the Xbox Project Scarlet, which is the new Xbox coming in 2020.

You can buy the Xbox Elite Series 2 at Amazon, Best Buy, Microsoft and GameStop for $179.99.

Here’s look at the reasons you should buy the Xbox Elite 2 controller and why you might want to wait a little bit longer before you make an investment in the latest and greatest.

Buy for Thumbstick Tension

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One of the biggest game-changers for me, and something I noticed when coming from the Elite Controller 1 is the new thumbstick tension adjustments.  There are three settings that you can change on the Xbox Elite 2 controller. This changes how much resistance you feel when pushing the thumbstick to the side. You can adjust this setting, adjust sensitivity curves in the Xbox Accessories app and also change the thumbsticks to get a different feel.  Together these settings make it easier to quickly change direction and more accurately track players in games. I'm finding it very useful in shooters like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and PUBG.  The tension is brand new for the Elite Controller 2, and it is a huge reason to buy this if you are using the original elite or if you are upgrading from a standard controller.

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