Technologies

Xbox Elite Wireless Controller 2 Is Overkill for Most People, but Still Delivers an Epic Gaming Experience

Review: The Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 still sets the bar for a pro-level controller.

The Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 (or Elite 2 for short) has arguably been the industry gold standard for a pro-level game controller for the past decade. Over the years dozens of competitors have cropped up, hoping to give Microsoft a run for its money. While the Elite 2 still isn’t perfect, it still sets the bar high.

What I like about the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2

One of the best things the Elite 2 has going for it is the layout — it’s almost identical to the standard Xbox controller that ships with every console. If you’ve used Microsoft’s Xbox controllers of the past few generations, you’ll feel right at home here. This is a good thing, as the design of the controller hasn’t changed significantly in well over a decade. It wasn’t broken, so they didn’t need to fix it.

The hardware of the controller is also top-notch. There’s nothing necessarily wrong with the buttons on the standard controller, but the moment you hold the Elite 2 in your hands, you can instantly feel a difference. The buttons feel more solid and the D-pad is noticeably improved as well.

Pro-grade customization

What really makes this controller, well, elite are the extra features and customization. In addition to the improved main buttons you get four extra buttons — paddles, technically. These sit right where your index and middle fingers rest on the back of the controller so they’re easy to hit without having to think much about it. They’re also attached magnetically, so you can quickly remove them if you don’t want them.

Each paddle can be customized to a specific button or button combo. This can be quite helpful for performing actions without having to take your finger off the joystick. For example, reloading weapons or activating secondary firing modes during FPS games, casting specific spells in RPGs, and so on. For most gamers this may not make a big difference in your play style, but for the more hardcore gamers, for whom every millisecond counts, it can come in quite handy.

To top it off, you can create custom profiles for each layout and assign up to three at a time to the controller. The memory button in the center allows for quick switching so you can hop between your favorite games without missing a beat.

Microsoft didn’t just stop at extra buttons. The triggers, joysticks and D-pad can also be customized. Included with the Elite 2 is a second D-pad with just the four directions (as opposed to the preinstalled octagonal one) if you prefer, as well as several different joystick heights. This latter aspect I didn’t think would make a big difference until I tried the tallest stick for my aiming controls. Instantly, I became a much better shot. There are also a few extra joystick covers that can give you a different grip for each one.

The coolest part, which is not something I’ve seen on another controller, is that you can customize the tension for each joystick. In the box is a small tool that lets you turn the joysticks to increase or decrease the tension to your preference. When I first got my controller, my fingers started hurting after a while, but after I adjusted the tension down, I didn’t have any more issues.

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No more disposable batteries

Not everyone will appreciate the lack of AA batteries in the Elite Controller, but I prefer it. While it might be a bit more convenient to simply swap in new batteries when the controller dies, I’d often forget to order more. So when I ran out I’d just end up having to plug it in to play anyway. Now, with the wireless charging stand included, I can just drop it there between play sessions to recharge. Conveniently, it will also recharge when plugged in while you’re playing. Microsoft claims about 40 hours of playtime on a single charge, which is a bit low compared to other controllers. I hit closer to 30-35 hours in my testing, but that’s not terrible.

What I don’t like about the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2

Some people might prefer a heftier controller, but I don’t. The Elite 2 is certainly the heaviest controller I’ve used and it’s noticeable. It made my hands tired much more quickly than other controllers I’ve used. Also, the textured grip feels weird to me. I’m not sure why, and I can’t explain it, but the Elite controller is actually the slipperiest controller I’ve used. I don’t know if it’s because the grips wrap around fully or if my hands just produce too much oil or what, but I could never fully escape the feeling that I was going to drop it.

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No easy device switching

The Elite 2 supports Xbox Wireless for connecting to Xbox consoles, along with USB-C and Bluetooth connectivity. However, while you can connect to almost any device that supports Bluetooth, including a PC, smartphone or tablet, the controller doesn’t remember which devices it’s been paired with. This means you’ll have to manually re-pair it every time you switch devices. It’s not the end of the world, but if you regularly play on multiple devices and want one controller to use between them, it can be annoying.

Should you buy the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2?

The Elite 2 controller is an incredible piece of hardware. The buttons are solid and clicky, and the customization options are among the best in the industry. However, it struggles with connecting to multiple devices, and the battery life isn’t great. It’s also probably overkill for most people. But if you’re looking for something more advanced than the standard Xbox controller and are willing to shell out for it, the Elite 2 is one of the best you can get.

When the Elite 2 first launched it was $180. That’s a lot for a controller, regardless of how good it is. However, the Elite 2 can currently be had for $159 at most retailers. You can find refurbished ones for less. There are also numerous sales throughout the year — Prime Day is coming soon — where you can probably snag one for even less. There are rumors of a Series 3 coming, but no definitive info yet as to when.

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Technologies

This Intriguing Ayaneo Device Could Be the Gaming Phone You’ve Been Waiting For

Ayaneo promises the device will be «a mobile phone truly made for gamers.»

Ayaneo, the Chinese company that manufactures handhelds and mini PCs for gaming, is entering the smartphone market.

The company teased across social media a new product, the Ayaneo Phone, that it said will be «a mobile phone truly made for gamers.»

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A YouTube video showing only the back of the device revealed it to be a black smartphone with two cameras, an LED light and what appear as dual shoulder buttons that could be used when the phone is held horizontally. The video and the caption text didn’t include any details about the phone’s features, release date or pricing, only a QR code for the company’s Discord server.

A representative for Ayaneo did not immediately respond to a request for more information.

CNET’s review of Ayaneo’s Android-based Pocket S gaming portable was positive, but found the pricing, lack of a headphone jack and fan noise to be dealbreakers for a device starting at $559.

Commenters on YouTube said some of the features they’d like to see most on the Ayaneo phone include a 3.5mm headphone jack, an SD card slot and stereo speakers.

What to expect from the Ayaneo Phone

A mobile phone focused on gaming could be a natural progression for a company that’s been experimenting with a wide array of form factors — including some with full keyboards — for its handheld products.

«Ayaneo moving from the gaming handheld market into phones might actually make a lot of sense,» said CNET Senior Editor Mike Sorrentino. «The company already makes Android-based gaming devices and making one a true phone could make it a more natural companion.»

Sorrentino pointed out that to get into the mobile phone space, Ayaneo will need to do more than deliver games on good hardware.

«A common issue with the current gaming phone market is software and security support, which is especially critical for keeping your phone secure. So I hope that a new gaming phone hitting the market prioritizes that and not just its hardware specs,» he said.

CNET Senior Reporter David Lumb added that gaming phones have not traditionally sold well, with only a few companies, such as Asus and Red Magic, having achieved some modest success.

Lumb said that while Ayaneo is using higher-end Snapdragon processors in some of its Android devices, retro games in a smartphone may not need that much power.

«While this could and likely does mean better performance, a lot of older games on such handheld devices don’t need that muscle, only when emulating more relatively recent consoles,» he said.

Technologies

Nintendo Store App Is Like a Time Portal to Your Gaming History

Among the app’s features is a list of the Nintendo games you’ve played and how long you played them.

Nintendo has released a mobile app for its storefront, the on-the-nose-named NIntendo Store app, for iOS and Android. And while it does a good job of making it easier to browse and purchase games for the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, the most compelling feature may be one that lays out your Nintendo gaming history by year.

Buried at the very bottom of your Profile page (you can get to it by tapping the icon with your Mii at the bottom right) is an option called Play Activity. At the top, your Recent Activity will display games you played recently and for how long. But scroll down through All Activity and you’ll find games and console apps stretching back years and years.

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For me, it was a shock to see Wii U and NIntendo 3DS titles I’d forgotten all about, such as a game my daughters enjoyed — Art Academy: Home Studio — and Chibi-Robo! Zip Lash, which I played in 2015 for 10 days. I have no recollection of playing Steel Diver for Nintendo 3DS, but there’s evidence to prove that happened on March 28, 2011.

Why Play Activity matters

If the feature were just nostalgia for nostalgia’s sake, that would be one thing, but for anyone who has a long history across multiple Nintendo console generations, this is good information to have. In an era of remakes and re-releases, it’s helpful to know what games you actually have played before, what console you played them on and whether you spent much time on them. My Play Activity history is littered with games I only played for less than an hour, such as Ridge Racer 3D, and abandoned for others.

It reminds me that I played Nintendogs, the cute dog simulator, for a full four years, from 2011 to 2015. Why hasn’t Nintendo rebooted that franchise?

It’s useful that you can sort the play history by most recently played, date first played, total time played and by game system. I was surprised by how many titles I played on the Wii U, but it probably paled in comparison to the number of games I played on the GameCube or the original Wii. The Play Activity doesn’t appear to go back that far; for me, it stops at 2011 with the Wii U and 3DS. Games on the Switch appear to show more detail, showing you how much you played for each gaming session.

But most of all, it’s nice to have a document that charts your relationship with Nintendo’s systems and software, whether it’s to see how much time you spent watching Netflix on your Switch or to see how many hours you’ve logged in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

What else is in the Nintendo Store app?

If Play Activity were the only feature in the Nintendo Store app, it would still be worth a download for longtime gamers. However, that’s just a nice-to-have feature, not the main attraction.

The best reason to download the Nintendo Store app is the store itself, which becomes much easier to navigate and search through than the version on the Switch, which can be slow and cumbersome. You can make purchases for your Switch or Switch 2 directly in the app, use Nintendo Points, do GPS check-ins and view events, promotions and game news from the company.

There’s also merchandise available, including game soundtracks, clothing and toys. Being able to quickly navigate which games have demo versions and being able to send a digital download to your Switch from your phone is handy.

An Ask the Developer tab is a nice area to browse in the News section of the app; recent stories discuss the making of Mario Kart World and Donkey Kong Bananza.

Using the Nintendo Store app requires linking your Nintendo account.