Elite sticks, minus the extras
The Xbox Store has the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 – Core in white at $111.74, down from $149.99 — the store’s Sales & Specials page labels it 26% off. We checked the US store on 4 November 2026 (SAST), and it lists no end date.
For that money you get the Elite’s adjustable-tension thumbsticks, shorter hair trigger locks, a wrap-around rubberized grip, three custom profiles and up to 40 hours of rechargeable battery life, which is Microsoft’s figure and varies. Button mapping happens in the Xbox Accessories app on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and Windows 10/11.
What the box leaves out
The Core ships with the controller, a thumbstick adjustment tool and a USB-C cable. The full Elite Series 2 adds a charging dock, four paddles, extra thumbsticks, an extra D-pad and a carrying case, and the Core includes none of them. Microsoft sells a separate Complete Component Pack if you want to add them later.
- In the box: controller, thumbstick adjustment tool, USB-C cable.
- Not in the box: charging dock, four paddles, extra thumbsticks, extra D-pad, carrying case.
We think that split is the point. If you mainly want tension-adjustable sticks and trigger locks, the Core covers it at about $112, but a paddle-less pad is no bargain if paddles were the reason you wanted an Elite. Check what the add-on pack costs before you click.
Where it works, and the fine print
It connects over Xbox Wireless, Bluetooth or the included USB-C cable, and works with Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and Windows PC, plus select iOS and Android devices where some functions aren’t supported. Windows needs Bluetooth, a USB-C cable or the Xbox Wireless Adapter, which is sold separately. If you’re setting up a console, our guide to the Xbox October update’s features is a useful companion.
No Game Pass or other membership is needed to buy, whatever Microsoft’s latest Xbox results say about the subscription. One catch: we only checked the white Core. Red and Blue are listed, but we didn’t price-check them, so don’t assume they’re discounted. The page’s comparison table also shows older prices, which we’ve ignored in favour of $149.99 to $111.74. With no end date listed, we’d still buy sooner rather than later.
