Gaming on the Xbox One is usually perfectly served by the stock controller. But there are more than a few reasons to consider picking up something a bit different. You’ll get modern improvements in the Xbox Core, and the Elite Series 2 offers more customization. Some other catalysts behind grabbing a different controller could be you’re seeking better comfort or more specialized playing experiences.
Though the Xbox controller is built to be universal, the shape and size of a controller matters for long-term comfort, and you may find another controller that gives you a better feel through lengthy play sessions. That’s especially true for hands that are bigger or smaller than average. Purpose-built controllers can also have an advantage in certain games. Flying games benefit from a flight stick just as racing and fighting games feel great with racing wheels and fight sticks.
We've rounded up our top contenders to help you find a controller best suited for you. Most of our picks are even compatible with the Xbox Series X/S, so you won't feel guilty for spending now if you're planning to upgrade your system in the near future – and click here to find them in the UK.
TL;DR – These are the Best Xbox One Controllers:
- Xbox Elite Series 2
- Xbox Core Controller
- Razer Wolverine V2
- MAYFLASH Arcade Stick F500 Elite
- PowerA Fusion
- Xbox Adaptive Controller
- Hyperkin Duke Wired Controller
- Thrustmaster TMX Force Feedback
- Thrustmaster T-Flight HOTAS One
Microsoft Xbox Elite Series 2
Best Xbox Controller
The basic Xbox controllers might be technically perfect for gaming on the Xbox One. However, the premium Xbox Elite takes the excellent form of the standard controller and introduces new rear controls and some swappable components. The Xbox Elite Series 2 takes the controller further, including a sturdy case, a built-in battery that’ll last 40 hours, and compatibility with the Xbox Series X/S for when you upgrade your system.
Beyond that, with the Xbox Elite Series 2, you get a solid controller with a bit of heft and loads of grip. It offers your typical controls along with a swappable D-Pad and rear paddle buttons, tunable triggers, and six interchangeable thumbsticks that attach magnetically. You can even remap the controls to customize your gaming preferences. And in addition to a wired USB-C connection and Xbox Wireless support, the onboard Bluetooth lets you connect the controller to your phone or computer for Xbox Cloud Gaming.
Xbox Core Controller
The Next Best Xbox Controller
The Xbox Elite Series 2 might be our favorite controller, but its price and features may be more than you bargained for. The Xbox Core Controller is the next best, with a familiar design that feels perfect in your hand if you loved the original Xbox One controllers, but it has a bit more grip. You get side grips, and even the triggers and bumpers are more textured, while the D-Pad has more of the concave stylings of the Elite Series controller’s alternate D-Pads.
The Xbox Core Controller has entered the modern age of connectivity, as the controller now uses a USB-C port, supports Xbox Wireless, and can connect to other devices over Bluetooth. However, it does use seemly archaic AA batteries when playing wirelessly unless you purchase a separate add-on. And though it already comes in a handful of different colors, you can get more creative with the Xbox Design Lab controller customizer.
Razer Wolverine V2
Best Third-Party Xbox Controller
The Xbox Elite Series 2 controller may offer the most advanced functionality alongside seamless integration with the Xbox console, but the Razer Wolverine V2 is a close alternative. You’ll save a bit of money going with Razer Wolverine V2 because it doesn’t offer swappable components or a wireless connection, instead offering low latency wired connectivity for fewer missed inputs and a competitive edge. It’s also nice that you won’t receive a low-battery notification in the middle of a game, and it makes for a lighter controller.
The Wolverine V2 is comfortable to hold with pleasantly tactile mechanical face buttons that improve on the mushy ones that the standard Xbox control includes. Though you lose the two rear paddles that came with the Wolverine TE, you still get an extra set of shoulder buttons to give your trigger fingers more control options. While if you’re into FPS games, you’ll welcome the toggle for trigger locks to shorten travel.
MAYFLASH Arcade Stick F500 Elite
Best Xbox One Fight Stick
Undoubtedly, the best way to enjoy fight games is with a fight stick, and the best one available for Xbox One is the MAYFLASH Arcade Stick F500 Elite. This tournament-grade fight stick offers incredible build quality with high-end Sanwa components. The nine buttons are impressively responsive, and the joystick is perfectly precise, but it’s also ready for modding out to suit whatever your gaming style is.
Not only is the MAYFLASH Arcade Stick F500 Elite compatible with Xbox One, but it also will work with Xbox Series X, making it a solid investment for your gaming now and in the future. You even get a port to plug in your headset and a handy compartment to hold cables. However, it’s important to note that you will need a hardwire connection to an Xbox controller to work with Xbox One.
PowerA Fusion Wired Fight Pad
Best Xbox One Fight Pad Controller
Thumbsticks sometimes don't cut it when playing fighting games, and the more instantaneous control of a good D-pad helps a lot. That’s where the PowerA Fusion Wired Fightpad comes into play, delivering a streamlined design to let your hands focus on the buttons that really matter in fighting games. It may be wired, but that makes it a super affordable, dependable option, and it’s also compatible with the Xbox Series X/S when you decide to upgrade.
As for the controls, the PowerA Fusion offers a large D-pad on the left-hand side that includes a three-way switch, allowing it to emulate the Xbox controller's thumbsticks to avoid issues navigating in games. The right side keeps the ABXY buttons where you need them, throwing in the right and left bumper buttons for easy smashing, and you get shoulder buttons at the top to suit any gamers style. Speaking of style, the controller offers three swappable magnetic faceplates, while a quick-release connector ensures no one accidentally yanks your console off the media center.
Xbox Adaptive Controller
Best Customizable Xbox One Controller
The Xbox Adaptive Controller is specially designed for gamers with limited mobility. On its own, the controller only gives you three inputs with its oversized D-Pad and two massive A and B buttons that are easy to hit and can be programmed depending on needs. However, it’s really meant to be used as a hub to make gaming more accessible.
This controller has 19 3.5mm jacks along its back that each correspond to a single command triggered on an Xbox One controller. Users can plug in their own accessibility controllers, which include a massive variety of buttons, foot pedals, switches, joysticks, and more to turn the Xbox Adaptive Controller into a central control panel. The only major downfall is those extra components can be pretty expensive.
Hyperkin Duke Wired Controller
Best Xbox Controller for Xbox One
Thanks to Microsoft's robust backward compatibility, you can play a huge library of older, original Xbox titles. If you're like us and want to play the game as close to the back-in-the-day experience as possible, you need the Hyperkin Duke. This wired controller might not be made by Microsoft, but it's officially licensed by Xbox and emulates the entire original Xbox Controller experience.
This version of the Duke features a nearly identical large, rotund shape to the 2001 controller along with the almost excessive resistance on the thumbsticks. You get all the same buttons and triggers, though there are two bumpers that Hyperkin has added on. It also includes the little LCD screen at the center that plays the Xbox start-up animation.
Thrustmaster TMX Racing Wheel
Best Xbox One Racing Wheel
When you're getting heavy into a racing game like Forza, F1, or Dirt, something is lost when driving hyper-realistic cars on those photorealistic tracks with a simple Xbox controller. That's where a racing wheel, like the Thrustmaster TMX, comes in for a more immersive experience. Xbox even automatically recognizes the wheel, which features all the Xbox buttons needed for easy navigation, and it’s compatible with Xbox Series X/S making it a very sound investment.
The Thrustmaster TMX uses force feedback to feel the road in your hands when you try taking a turn at high speeds. It also has a 900-degree rotation with a high level of sensitivity, giving you finer control over your steering than a cheap wheel would. The controller includes the force feedback base, an 11-inch wheel with paddle shifters, and foot pedals.
Thrustmaster T-Flight HOTAS One
Best Xbox Flight Stick
If you're aiming to be the top gun in your favorite piloting games, whether that’s Ace Combat or Star Wars Squadrons, you'll probably want to have your hands on a flight stick instead of your average controller. The Thrustmaster T-Flight HOTAS One is your best bet, giving you an authentic hands-on-throttle-and-stick feel in one affordable package. It’s simple enough for rookie pilots, but seasoned veterans can also appreciate the realistic, ergonomic joystick and throttle.
The Thrustmaster T-Flight HOTAS One physically connects the throttle and joystick with a sturdy base, but they can also be pulled apart and remain connected via a tether. That lets you position each element however you like in your gaming setup, and you can also adjust the resistance of the stick to your liking. The controllers offer up five axes of control as well as 14 action buttons, a multidirectional hat switch, and a rapid-fire trigger.
Where to Get the Best Xbox One Controller in the UK
It should be incredibly easy to pick up each and every one of the Xbox controllers we've mentioned on this list. You'll be looking at your standard tech retailers in the UK, with sites such as Amazon, Game, and Currys PC World being the typical go-to for console accessories.
Xbox and PC Compatibility
The biggest advantage the Xbox Elite 2 and Core controllers have over DualShock 4 PS4 controller and DualSense PS5 controller is they work wirelessly with your Windows PC right out of the box. No extra software or fiddling is needed.
While it's true most PC games are best enjoyed using a gaming keyboard and high-quality gaming mouse, an ever-increasing number of games and menu systems are designed around the controller instead of the traditional WASD control scheme PC gamers know and love.
With an Xbox controller, you just plug it into your Windows computer, and you're good to go. The PS4 controllers also work with PC but require a bit more effort. However, not all games will perfectly map their controls onto a DualShock 4, so an Xbox controller is definitely your safest bet. Controller compatibility also makes swapping between Windows Play Anywhere and Xbox Game Pass for PC much easier.
To use an Xbox controller on your PC requires you to have Windows. There are Linux and Mac solutions too, but they require more work. Getting it up and running on a PC is as simple as using a USB to plug into your gaming laptop or gaming PC. You can also grab a Microsoft Xbox One wireless controller adapter, or if your computer has Bluetooth, you can pair it as you would any other Bluetooth device.
Windows might take a second or two to update the drivers, but that's it. You just hook your Xbox One controller to a PC, and you're good to go from there. Keep in mind, if you move back and forth between PC and Xbox One, you'll need to pair the controller whenever you switch between the two.
Take Control
Of course, Xbox One traditional-style controllers are pretty great, and our guide to the best should help you in most gaming situations. But what about specialty controllers?
For example, are you playing fighting games on a regular controller? If so, you're doing yourself an enormous disservice. It's possible to practice and get really good with one of these controllers, but for dominance in the fighting game community, you need to pick yourself up a dedicated fight stick.
It’s a similar situation for driving games, like the excellent Forza Horizon 5, you'll want a racing wheel. It's up to you to decide if you want to go all-in with dedicated pedals, gear shift, and a racing-style gaming chair. Same with flight sticks. You can make the experience as immersive as your budget allows.
The best part about buying a dedicated controller like a fight stick or racing wheel is they have the same compatibility as the traditional Xbox One controllers. Your fight stick will work on your PC the same as your Xbox One X, and some also work perfectly on the Xbox Series X/S when you’re ready for an upgrade.
Also, be sure to check out more of our expert tech roundups, like our guide to the best 4K TVs for gaming and the best Xbox Series accessories, or jump-start your streaming career with one of the best capture cards for streamers.
Kevin Lee is IGN's Hardware and Roundups Editor. Follow him on Twitter @baggingspam.
