LOS ANGELES—Microsoft's press conference included the unveiling of a surprising new piece of hardware: a "pro" Xbox One controller coming to stores in October. The new Xbox Elite Controller earns its classification—though perhaps not its $150 price tag—with a huge number of tweaks and options.
What has changed? A lot, and much more than the updated standard controller. For starters, this controller has four "paddle" buttons on the back, which replicate other normal buttons. They're reachable by middle and ring fingers—meaning Microsoft has finally replicated third-party offerings that let players keep their thumbs on the joysticks at all times.
The paddles are also removable and replaceable, as are the controller's d-pad and twin joysticks—meaning players can switch between concave and convex joystick tops to suit their preferences. The Elite controller will ship with a total of three joystick-head options, along with two lengths of paddle and two types of d-pad—and they'll all come in a handsome carrying case, which will also include a "high-speed" USB cable. Like the updated standard controller, the Elite controller also includes a 3.5 mm headset jack. It will also be compatible with Windows 10.
The heavier controller benefits from a soft-touch plastic paint top-coat—whose "two-shot process" of manufacturing supposedly means that none of its materials will fade in color—along with a new steel construction that, combined with a low-friction resin, guarantees a "zero wear" joystick. Microsoft engineers who spoke to Ars bragged that the "zero wear" claim was actually vetted by the company's legal brass.
The other major hardware difference is a "hair-trigger" dial that lets players adjust how far they must press on the two trigger buttons before the system recognizes the presses as full. But this little tweak is only the beginning of the Elite controller's crazy sensitivity options.
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