Over the past several weeks I’ve stumbled upon a newfound appreciation for one of the finest gamepads ever made. That would be the Xbox Elite Series 2 Core wireless controller. It’s like the Big Boy Xbox Elite Series 2… minus some stuff. But I’ll get to that. More importantly, it’s currently discounted at Amazon.
Right now, the Xbox Elite Series 2 Core Wireless Gaming Controller is on sale for $116 at Amazon. Normally it costs $140, equating to a 17% discount that ends up with you making a nice $16 saving. And if you’re currently asking yourself why is the Elite Series 2 Core worth double the price of the standard Xbox Core wireless controller, let me try to explain.
I’ve owned the Xbox Elite Series 2 Core controller for 18 months or so. You know the best thing about it as a PC gamer? It just works. If you’re a fan of the best Steam games and own one of either the best gaming PCs or best gaming laptops, I can tell you the Core is so much easier to pair than its rivals.
While the Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, DualSense and DualSense Edge all officially work on PC over a Bluetooth connection, I’ve found all three to be extremely unreliable over a wireless connection. Which kinda breaks my ticker, because I love those trio of pads.
Unsurprisingly, it’s the controller from Microsoft that works most seamlessly with Windows systems. Like the regular Xbox gamepad, the Core’s pairing button is located on the top left of the peripheral, near the LB button. Just press and hold this alongside the corresponding sync button found near the disc tray on the Xbox Series X, and your pad and console will be talking to each other in no time.
On the PC front, it’s simply a case of going to the “Bluetooth & devices” in Windows settings. From “Add device”, select “Bluetooth”, then hold the sync button down during the “Add a device” pop-up menu. After a few seconds, the controller should be paired with your PC or laptop.
I’d definitely suggested paying up for those accessories I mentioned in that deal segment above. If you don’t need the extra sticks, I suggest picking up these $10 stainless steel back paddles. I love rear paddles on a games controller, not just for that extra satisfying click they give you, but also because you can easily remap button functions to them via the Xbox Accessories app.
So whether you’re planning to pick up the new Xbox Series X 1TB All-Digital Console in Robot White or want to play the best PC games with a controller that won’t let you down, the Elite Series 2 Core is the absolute business in my book.
