Xbox Series controller: Is it an improvement?

bounchfx · Nov 14, 2020

I mean, it's essentially the same, with a WAY better d-pad (at least, this one works) and the grips which feel nice.
Not having any additional features for developers to use like paddles, gyro, or haptics is a huge miss but who knows, maybe they'll release a different pro controller in 3 years if the DualSense picks up a lot of steam. Would just have liked them to push it a little more. Controllers make such a huge difference.

HiLife · Nov 14, 2020

It's perfect by virtue of fixing the shitty dpad. Everything else was already great. The only thing that can make it better would be adding paddles, gyro and taking some cues from the dual sense haptics.

Shadow Walker · Nov 14, 2020

Mentioned it in the other thread but my A button creeks every now and then it's a bit annoying.

theAllseeingEYE · Nov 14, 2020

Yes, it's an amazing controller, and undisputedly the best pack-in controller for an Xbox. It feels high quality in a way even X360 and X1 pack-in controllers haven't since the OG Xbox (but better). Everything feels tight, it has a nice heft, the grips feel great, and the share button is an excellent and well positioned addition. The Dpad feels great too, but jury is still out on if its good for 2D fighters. I wil say it did great with Tetris.

I will also say that it feels perfect in my hands. It's a bit slimmer, feels closer to an X360 controller in size, but just has a beautifully sleek shape.

I have yet to try the PS5 controller, so I can't compare to that, but I am much more impressed with it than I expected.

Hippopuncher12 · Nov 14, 2020

Yeah it's overall better, I have been using it over my Elite, as I just like the way it feels a little better and I don't use the paddles anyway.

Glass · Nov 14, 2020

Bumper buttons are a night and day difference between my OG one controller. Everything else are little improvements which all add up to a great controller.

Gamerasi · Nov 14, 2020

MiserablePerson said:
Hard to figure where exactly it lands on the scale, but they are definitely tighter than the One version.

Thanks for the answer.

teraMEL0S · Nov 14, 2020

I did want to add that I think the bumpers are the best they've ever been on an Xbox controller. I don't often see people complain that much about the Xbox One controller bumpers, but I always disliked the hollow feel and glossy texture to them. I definitely love the dpad, too.

The matte finish on the entire controller feels wonderful. It feels very comfortable and easy to hold.

bytesized · Nov 14, 2020

I can only compare to the 360 one but i can say it's got the best sticks of any pad I've tried. It feels amazing to play a racing game and being able to do super slight turns to correct your direction ever so slightly. I've never been able to do that so effortlessly with any gamepad before. The dpad is great but it can be quite noisy.

The only real negative i have is that the light of the logo is too bright. I wish it could be turned off or dimmed down.

TalonJH · Nov 14, 2020

It is. Nothing big but It's better than the XBO controller and honestly it fits my hands slightly better than my Elite 2.

ghostcrew · Nov 14, 2020

It's subtle changes. Like, extremely subtle.

If you're used to using an Xbox controller you'll instantly notice that it feels different. But if you're happily using one then I wouldn't rush out and replace it either.

The d-pad is great. It's better than the d-pad on the Elite v2 (which is annoying because that's still the controller I'm using). It's got the great textured triggers that the PUBG controller and the Elite v2 had. It's got the share button. The back, where you're fingers grip it, is textured. It feels really nice and premium.

It is slightly smaller which I actually don't like as much. I've got big hands. 🙌🏼

Edge · Nov 14, 2020

The vibrations are wayyyyy smoother and you barely notice them anymore, not because they're bad, but because they feel so natural.

Besides that, the screenshot button is a gift from heaven.

OdjnRyu · Nov 14, 2020

I like it! (only bought the controller, for PC usage). I'm not sure whether I prefer its D-pad over the Xbox One's, though.

My right bumper is clicky while the left bumper is mushy / not clicky. Anybody else experience this?

dock · Nov 14, 2020

I bought one for PC use only.

It feels really nicely made, but I can't bear how loud and clicky the dpad is. It's so noisy that it dominates the game audio.

I am returning the one I bought.

ChuckXL · Nov 14, 2020

Even coming from an Elite 1 controller to this new one feels like an improvement. It's a solid controller.

Deleted member 56752 · Nov 14, 2020

I love the grips

Prine · Nov 14, 2020

Feels heavier (more dense) then Elite V2 too. Didnt expect that.

Deleted member 2752 · Nov 14, 2020

sjackso3 said:
All I know is that I'm suddenly head shotting everything on Gears 5 at a higher difficulty. Don't know how a placebo could make me do that, but everyone's entitled to their opinion I suppose.

Isn't that running at 120 fps now?

entremet · Nov 14, 2020

Love the textured feel. Feel so good.

JustinH · Nov 14, 2020

I like it more than the Xbox One controller, but still don't fully like it more than the elites, so I really haven't been using it for a lot of games.

I do think it feels better in the hands, though. I love the dpad. I wish they'd sell these "faceted" d-pads with the raised cardinal directions for the elite pads now. It feels really grippy to me, without feeling "sticky" at all, which I kinda like, too.

This reminds of of something I heard Jeff Grubb say a while ago about it, and I guess I'd have to agree. The weight of the controller feels mostly in the grips where your hands are in the new Xbox Wireless controller were on the Xbox One controller, a lot more weight is in the middle areas of the controller. I think he's right when he said that was something that makes it feel better.

bytesized said:
I can only compare to the 360 one but i can say it's got the best sticks of any pad I've tried. It feels amazing to play a racing game and being able to do super slight turns to correct your direction ever so slightly. I've never been able to do that so effortlessly with any gamepad before. The dpad is great but it can be quite noisy.

This is something where I could never agree with people who like the 360 pad over the Xbox One pad too, although I never related it to racing (even if it makes perfect sense). The 360 sticks have like almost a "hump" of resistance before you can make tiny adjustments with the sticks. I found that infuriating in first-person shooters since I play with higher sensitivities.

oatmeal · Nov 14, 2020

It boggles my mind that it doesn't have gyro.

derFeef · Nov 14, 2020

Compared to the older standard Xbox controllers it feels way better. Less hollow, more tight. Close to an Elite even I would say.

Cats · Nov 14, 2020

I'm using it on PC and it's a massive massive improvement over the 360 controller and dualshock 3 (The last two I used). Everything about this controller is a massive upgrade. I love the bumpy plastic which actively feels good to the touch, to the amazing dpad that has a clicky feel (in a very good way) and finally has good accuracy (they f'd up the 360 dpad soooooo bad).

It's a great controller. It also just looks really nice. I have the white one and it's very clean looking.

ClamBuster · Nov 14, 2020

i noticed the reduced latency immediately...

pswii60 · Nov 14, 2020

It's definitely an improvement but I have a love/hate relationship with the new D-pad. From a pure control point of view, it's probably the best D-pad I've ever used as it's really clicky and responsive, perfect for 2D platformers and fighters. But on the other hand, because it's so clicky, it's also LOUD. And I'm afraid I'll wake up the house at night playing twitchy indie platformers.

nekkid · Nov 14, 2020

sjackso3 said:
All I know is that I'm suddenly head shotting everything on Gears 5 at a higher difficulty. Don't know how a placebo could make me do that, but everyone's entitled to their opinion I suppose.

Yeah I kind of expected not to notice the latency drop - I'm just not that good! But Gears 5 on the XSX was immediately noticeable compared with the 1X.

mingo · Nov 14, 2020

I had the 1X, didnt play it too much. I'd be hard pressed to tell you its that much different. Feels almost 90% the same to me, dont really use the share button. I guess the grip texture is different and a very different clicky D pad. Its a decent controller overall.

Loud Wrong · Nov 14, 2020

It's my new favorite controller. Easily. The texture on the grips is insanely good, and it's also on the triggers. I play a lot of puzzlers, so the dpad is important. MS got it right this gen while Sony fumbled theirs. Also a fan of the MS stick layout since most games are played with the left analog stick, so putting it in the neutral resting place for your hand makes the most sense, and its the most comfortable. Also the audio stream sent to the XSX controller is so much better than what the Dualsense is getting.

Stopdoor · Nov 14, 2020

Lowrys said:
All three of my new controllers have an A button that sometimes doesn't register unless you hit it dead on, which is clearly a manufacturing issue, so not for me. If I press it slight to the right, which is where I naturally press it with the slope of the controller, it registers 60% of the time.

And one of them doesn't even always register the A button even when I press it dead centre unless it's a very firm press.

I bought an Xbox One X just last year and had this issue through a couple controllers, did a few replacements and it's a bit better now but I'm convinced the quality control for this is super funky even for Xbox One controllers. I rarely see it mentioned though so I feel like I'm from a bizarro world. It's definitely a thing though.

Lowrys · Nov 14, 2020

Stopdoor said:
I bought an Xbox One X just last year and had this issue through a couple controllers, did a few replacements and it's a bit better now but I'm convinced the quality control for this is super funky even for Xbox One controllers. I rarely see it mentioned though so I feel like I'm from a bizarro world. It's definitely a thing though.

There's definitely something off with the big spongey buttons. They have a lot of "play" in them. On one of the controllers, for example, I can press the button lightly down without it registering, and then register the button repeatedly by slightly changing my pressure on the button without actually letting it release back up.

So, in other words, there's too much movement in the buttons before they make contact at the bottom to register the press.

TripleBee · Nov 14, 2020

It feels like a much more premium controller. Feels way less plastic-y. Dpad large improvement.

OmahaGTP · Nov 14, 2020

I very quickly went from it's ok and I'm not sure about the dpad, to using the DualSense and thinking this was the new hotness for comfort, then going back and realizing the dpad is amazing after a short introductory period. The controller overall is much more comfortable than the DS and somehow a good step up from the One and my Elite v1.

DOtherOneLives · Nov 14, 2020

Definitely improvement. Grips and overall more robust. More bulky in a good way. But looking at dual sense I would have appreciated some sort of innovation. Xbox's series is a bit cheaper so... happy with both

CrypticSlayer · Nov 14, 2020

The refinements all add up to make the best controller they've ever made. Hoping we get a haptics revision over the course of the gen. That said I love it, as someone who primarily plays on Xbox the changes stuck out to me.

pagrab · Nov 14, 2020

I really like the new d-pad. It is clicky but mine is not much louder than the last one and definitely quieter than a keyboard, so it should not be a shock for PC gamers.

Mesharey · Nov 14, 2020

It's pretty good and surprisingly the d-pad is awesome, the clicky sound is kinda loud and annoying though.

Loud Wrong · Nov 14, 2020

They also changed the weighting of it, and now it feels incredibly good in the hands. The XB1 controller just felt off to me.

Mesharey said:
It's pretty good and surprisingly the d-pad is awesome, the clicky sound is kinda loud and annoying though.

Agreed on the noise. I could live without that, but otherwise it's the best dpad I've ever used outside of the Vita.

Chanser · Nov 14, 2020

I do like the rubber grip compared to special edition and the feel of the triggers are nice.

Camisado · Nov 14, 2020

I've never been keen on the Xbox controllers and this one feels very similar to the Xbox One controller to me. The main issue for me is everything is so damn loud. Clicks and clacks all over the place. Even the thumbsticks are loud when you get them to the edges.

Still enjoying the system a bunch though!

Loreth_94 · Nov 14, 2020

I bought one yesterday since I wanted a new controller for my PC and can say I'm really liking the feel of it. This is my first Xbox controller though so I can do a comparison for you.

dm101 · Nov 14, 2020

I still definitely prefer my elite series 2 over the supplied X controller. It's just such a premium well built controller I can't use anything else, well except my scuffs.

Lemony1984 · Nov 14, 2020

Definitely feels better than the standard One controller but like not by a massive amount either. If you really hated the the old one this won't change your mind.

DarthWalden · Nov 14, 2020

It's very minor IMO.

The Dpad is a big improvement, having a dedicated share button is kind of handy and the. Textured handles/triggers are a nice addition.

I still prefer my OG elite though mainly because I prefer the weight of that thing.

Wtfpigeons · Nov 14, 2020

Lowrys said:
All three of my new controllers have an A button that sometimes doesn't register unless you hit it dead on, which is clearly a manufacturing issue, so not for me. If I press it slight to the right, which is where I naturally press it with the slope of the controller, it registers 60% of the time.

And one of them doesn't even always register the A button even when I press it dead centre unless it's a very firm press.

Thought that was just me, the second controller I ordered I don't get this issue though luckily.

Mingoguaya · Nov 14, 2020

Can the Share button be disabled? I've accidentally pressed it a lot while playing COD and it's annoying as fuck.

Lowrys · Nov 14, 2020

Mingoguaya said:
Can the Share button be disabled? I've accidentally pressed it a lot while playing COD and it's annoying as fuck.

F34R · Nov 14, 2020

mnz said:
They slightly improved a very good controller. Nothing ground-breaking or anything.
It is a tiny bit smaller, which should fit more hands according to Microsoft.

This. The dpad is the biggest difference for me.

Deleted member 1238 · Nov 14, 2020

I picked one up to use for my One X and for some light PC gaming since my old Xbox One controller was on its last legs. The new one is great. It feels much more solid solid, the bumpers feel better, and the biggest improvement by far is the d-pad. I played some THPS 1+2 with it and the difference is night and day. It's totally worth an upgrade if you need a new controller. It might not have any fancy next gen gimmicks (gimmick here not being a negative term), but in every way that really matters it's a better controller than the previous Xbox One edition.

SixelAlexiS · Nov 14, 2020

Lowrys said:
All three of my new controllers have an A button that sometimes doesn't register unless you hit it dead on, which is clearly a manufacturing issue, so not for me. If I press it slight to the right, which is where I naturally press it with the slope of the controller, it registers 60% of the time.

And one of them doesn't even always register the A button even when I press it dead centre unless it's a very firm press.

Wow, so it still have the SAME problem of every Xbox One controller out there... shame on MS for not fixing this A button crap :/

I mean, other then that I love my One S controller, have it for years but the A button is such an issue on game where you have to hold it to run or even platforms that use double jump.
I'm lucky that on my controller it's less pronounced but on other controllers is even worse... is the dpad of Series controller softer at least? Dpad on my One S is way too hard to press.

ShapeGSX · Nov 14, 2020

The D-pad is godlike. I want the hybrid pad for my Elite Series 2 controller.

Xbox Series controller: Is it an improvement?

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