Bought 2 Xbox Series X Controllers - One with USB-C cable and one without?

JayBabay · Jan 14, 2021

Hey all,

I ordered a Series X controller from Target for PC gaming and later found it on sale at Best Buy so I ordered one from there intending to return the one from Target. I hadn't opened either and today the Best Buy order arrived and the packaging is different and seems like one includes a 9' USB-C cable and one does not.

Both say they are Model: 1914 but the one with the USB-C cable is LOT: 2044 and the one without is LOT: 2045. I attached a couple pictures, does anyone know anything about this? Do all future controllers no longer come with a USB-C cable included?

gameguy682 · Jan 14, 2021

I think the one with a UBC-C cable is more geared towards being a PC controller. It is the better deal (if the same price), but it is the only way for the controller to work out of the box.

That said, I do wish Microsoft included a Play and Charge kit in every controller so you could have a choice between rechargeable, AAs, or wired.

G_Shumi · Jan 14, 2021

It's probably just so Microsoft can spend less and waste less on USB-C cables since they assume that if you are buying an Xbox Series controller for your console, then you already have a USB-C cable that was included with it.

Sony did the same thing with the PlayStation 5.

Here are the links for both SKUs on Microsoft's website. The controllers are the same price:

Xbox Series Wireless Controller
Xbox Series Wireless Controller + USB-C Cable

JayBabay · Jan 14, 2021

So, the controllers are identical then? I'm better off keeping the one with the included USB-C cable if that's the case. The way one just says Wirelsss play and the other specifically says Bluetooth is confusing too.

The one without the cable also includes 2 batteries, whereas the one with doesn't.

Tappin Brews · Jan 14, 2021

G_Shumi said:
It's probably just so Microsoft can spend less and waste less on USB-C cables since they assume that if you are buying an Xbox Series controller for your console, then you already have a USB-C cable that was included with it.

Sony did the same thing with the PlayStation 5.

My XSX didn't come with a usb-c cable...?

Dekanach · Jan 14, 2021

I bought the blue shock version and it does not come with a USB-C cable either. I knew this beforehand, so I bought a rechargeable battery and that one does come with a cable.

ohlawd · Jan 14, 2021

gameguy682 said:
I think the one with a UBC-C cable is more geared towards being a PC controller. It is the better deal (if the same price), but it is the only way for the controller to work out of the box.

That said, I do wish Microsoft included a Play and Charge kit in every controller so you could have a choice between rechargeable, AAs, or wired.

really

just use rechargeable batteries?

Crazymoogle · Jan 14, 2021

op_ivy said:
My XSX didn't come with a usb-c cable...?

The XSX doesn't come with a USB-C cable, apparently.

As already mentioned, the "cable" version is targeted at PC users while the non cable version is targeted at console users. But I totally agree the difference is hard to spot...

G_Shumi · Jan 14, 2021

JayBabay said:
So, the controllers are identical then? I'm better off keeping the one with the included USB-C cable if that's the case. The way one just says Wirelsss play and the other specifically says Bluetooth is confusing too.

The one without the cable also includes 2 batteries, whereas the one with doesn't.

op_ivy said:
My XSX didn't come with a usb-c cable...?

Crazymoogle said:
The XSX doesn't come with a USB-C cable, apparently.

As already mentioned, the "cable" version is targeted at PC users while the non cable version is targeted at console users. But I totally agree the difference is hard to spot...

Oh, my bad. Sorry about that. I forgot the Xbox Series controllers use AA batteries in addition to having USB-C ports.

It really is a minor difference if you're looking for a black Xbox controller though. Still weird of them.

JayBabay · Jan 14, 2021

Crazymoogle said:
The XSX doesn't come with a USB-C cable, apparently.

As already mentioned, the "cable" version is targeted at PC users while the non cable version is targeted at console users. But I totally agree the difference is hard to spot...

I don't think that is the case because the LOT number should indicate when it came out right? So the more recent LOT number would mean that all future releases are not going to be packed with a USB cable.

Are they totally identical then asides from one coming with batteries included and the other with a cable?

Deleted member 39374 · Jan 14, 2021

The USB-C one is super in demand and hard to find. I managed to snag one for $39 on black friday

Crazymoogle · Jan 14, 2021

JayBabay said:
I don't think that is the case because the LOT number should indicate when it came out right? So the more recent LOT number would mean that all future releases are not going to be packed with a USB cable.

Are they totally identical then asides from one coming with batteries included and the other with a cable?

At launch here in Singapore the two types were both sold simultaneously, with the cable version at a premium. I'm not aware of one of them going out of production, though yeah the cable version is harder to find.

JayBabay · Jan 14, 2021

Polymerization said:
The USB-C one is super in demand and hard to find. I managed to snag one for $39 on black friday

It's still in stock on Target.com: https://www.target.com/p/xbox-wirel...-xbox-one-series-x-s/-/A-81524797#lnk=sametab

I guess I didn't even pay attention that it says with USB cable, however the only 2 in black they have is one with the Cable and one with Wireless adapter for PC.

Mr. Mug · Jan 14, 2021

Crazymoogle said:
At launch here in Singapore the two types were both sold simultaneously, with the cable version at a premium. I'm not aware of one of them going out of production, though yeah the cable version is harder to find.

Yeah I bought the cable one recently in Singapore as well and it was 5$ more than the one without. 5$ for a pretty long usb c cable is not bad though.

Yappa · Jan 14, 2021

Didn't even know that the cable is USB-C. Nice.

JayBabay · Jan 14, 2021

Okay after scoping around, I guess they are selling both at the same time. Oddly, they are the same price.

Loud Wrong · Jan 14, 2021

Yep, the one with the cable costs the same, it just doesn't include the batteries. I purposely bought that one since the cable can be used to play wired on XSX and also used to charge my Dualsense controllers.

dlauv · Jan 14, 2021

gameguy682 said:
it is the only way for the controller to work out of the box.

Does this mean the regular controller has pack-in batteries?

yyr · Jan 14, 2021

gameguy682 said:
I think the one with a UBC-C cable is more geared towards being a PC controller. It is the better deal (if the same price), but it is the only way for the controller to work out of the box.

That said, I do wish Microsoft included a Play and Charge kit in every controller so you could have a choice between rechargeable, AAs, or wired.

As someone who's been using rechargeable AAs for some years, I'm personally glad that they don't include the Play and Charge kit with every controller, because it would just be garbage to me. I haven't plugged in an Xbox controller for years, and I'm not going to start now! Plus it would likely drive up the price.

Jaded Alyx · Jan 14, 2021

dlauv said:
Does this mean the regular controller has pack-in batteries?

yes

Bought 2 Xbox Series X Controllers - One with USB-C cable and one without?

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