this post was submitted on 21 Dec 2023
15 points (100.0% liked)
PC Gaming
8204 readers
505 users here now
For PC gaming news and discussion. PCGamingWiki
Rules:
- Be Respectful.
- No Spam or Porn.
- No Advertising.
- No Memes.
- No Tech Support.
- No questions about buying/building computers.
- No game suggestions, friend requests, surveys, or begging.
- No Let's Plays, streams, highlight reels/montages, random videos or shorts.
- No off-topic posts/comments.
- Use the original source, no clickbait titles, no duplicates. (Submissions should be from the original source if possible, unless from paywalled or non-english sources. If the title is clickbait or lacks context you may lightly edit the title.)
founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
I found a cosmetically defective Elite Series 2 controller on the cheap on eBay, so I've been rocking with that with zero issues.
Definitely beats buying one new that's for sure
Nice!
The prohibitive price of the xbox elite controllers is definitely a big detractor. They have the 'core' model now, for 130 apparently, but doesn't even include back paddles![](https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Fi.pinimg.com%2Foriginals%2F0a%2F38%2Ffa%2F0a38fa660db3ef781108a181704bbe9a.png&f=1&nofb=1&ipt=afe37e304312557cea5c42640bf1ea274267b6fb57f49e526b324b67576f24e5&ipo=images)
I'm curious about what they run used though
Oh yeah, new or even used most of the time is pretty pricey. I think I got mine (series 2) for 44 bucks, with the case, accessories, and all that. The grip was peeling off the front, but thankfully it was only on the front panel, so one I had some spare change from Amazon gift cards, I got the replacement cover for another 10.
All in all, I think it was mostly luck on my end and not the norm xD
New developments:
So, I actually did order a open box elite series 2 controller but ended up having to exchange it because there was substantial stick drift on both sticks. Super frustrating that this wasn't caught, or the sellers don't care enough about the quality control...
The "core" version is a little cheaper, but nobody has the paddles, which is pretty much the main reason I want one of these controllers...
There is sadly not many competitors available right now either. The Razer model is 250$!? WAY more than I want to spend...
The Guilikit one looks promising, but still have another couple of weeks before it actually releases and then would have to wait on shipping from China, which I hate.
You would think that in 2024 there would be more viable alternatives for professional level no-compromise controllers with good quality for an affordable price.
Rant over.
Damn, the stick drift as soon as you got it is unfortunate- I'm also surprised an open box product managed to be that defective. I remember getting a gaming laptop open box around 5 years ago, and from what I remember, it looked pristine and operated without any issues. I've recommended getting tech open box since, though with an experience like yours, I should probably temper my expectations and advice in the future.
But wow, I didn't even know Razer had a controller selling for that much. That's really steep. And yeah, I'm surprised as well more options don't exist, though I suppose it makes sense that the top brands like Microsoft and Razer dominate a market that (from what I imagine) is rather niche, as most people stick to standard Xbox/PS/Switch controllers. It's a shame modularity isn't more popular when it comes to controllers, or other pieces of tech for that matter. It's a real shame products like the Google Ara didn't take off, since those are the kinds of modular devices I'd absolutely love to see setting a mainstream trend.
Best buy was the culprit.... I feel like I've generally had good luck with open box stuff otherwise though.
You know, previous to the current generation of consoles, I thought FOR SURE that back-paddles/buttons would become the next standardized iteration. Controller innovation over the last TWO generations I'd argue, has been really lacking in my opinion.
Patience, I guess. I've been waiting for literal fucking years at this point. A few more won't hurt I suppose.
The Ara definitely seemed like a good thing, for repairability. I'm of the 'fuck anything google' mindset though.
The 'framework' laptop also comes to mind.