$150 XBO Elite controllers just as likely to die as $60 controllers

@Shewgenja: I own both controllers my 2 original Xbox one controllers I have zero issues with. The elite controller I have is noticeable better in every way over the other 2 controllers I have. Tighter analog sticks, better response, better bumpers, and modable, and interchangble. I've only ever had 1 Xbox 360 controller break and it was because it was thrown and broken on purpose. Then was replaced by that angry gamer friend lol.

I didn't not purchase this controller because I thought it would last forever and be made perfectly. I was sceptical of the magnetic analogs being replacable, and expecting looseness and spin there. I was happy to see that wasn't the case after seeing reviews. I bought this for the back paddles, hair lock triggers, and interchangble analogs and dpads. Although I'm not so impressed with the disc Dpad thing, was hoping it would be better for fighters so far it hasn't been, found my self going back to the plus d pad. But then again the Dpad feels better and sturdier than the OG one controllers.

Happy with purchase and would buy again and will buy again if breaks!

Actually, now that I think about it, last time I was on the phone with an MS rep complaining about the analog drift issue on the Xbox One controllers, the guy told me I might want to look into getting an Elite controller for its enhanced durability features... not to say they're actively pushing that BS, maybe he's just regurgitating this misconception that's been going around the internet. I see it in the Xbox Support forums too that people make recommendations of getting the Elite controller for the durability to fix recurring stick drift problems with multiple controllers.

Regardless of what MS officially said about it or didn't, it's still completely unacceptable that the system has been out nearly two years and they haven't addressed this issue, hell this video that illustrates the issue has been out 18 months and still nothing. They're utterly content letting this issue persist.

Its best to just ignore the poor peasants who can't afford such luxuries

Well, I respect that at least. Just don't give us the spiel about no one buying it for durability, because that is something MS said themselves when it comes to the product. No harm, no foul. I don't think anyone was expecting me to dig up evidence of them saying it. I'll be the first to say that MS has been given a ton of shit this gen for stuff they did not say and did not do, but this is not one of those cases.

Nope, he's straight pulling fiction from his ass. MS totally said the below and I will link the source for those who wish to continue sticking their heads in the sand over this issue.

We heard from fans that they wanted more customization options and durability from their Xbox controller. After months of research and testing in our labs to ensure the highest level of quality, as well as conversations with competitive-level gamers in their homes, we’re excited to introduce the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller launching in October 2015. Built to meet the demands of our most dedicated and aspirational gamers, the new controller features professional-level customization to give fans game-changing accuracy and faster speed as well as extremely durable and comfortable construction.

http://news.xbox.com/2015/06/17/xbox-new-customizable-xbox-elite-wireless-controller-built-for-competitive-level-gamers/

Word.

the standard XBO controller at $60 is 50% more than an Xbox 360 controller at $40 and less durable to boot, the math is correct, thus I mean to point out consumers are paying more for less longevity

it's even more egregious when you take into account the cost of the Elite controller, also less durable than a $40 X360 controller and closer to 4-times the price, and that's bad too because people are buying it because they think it's supposed to be more durable than the standard XBO controller

You know, it's funny too because when I talked to that rep I mentioned above he said he hasn't heard of any analog drifting issues but said he got constant complaints that the underside of the analog sticks were grinding against the hard edge of the stick guard (the part that limits the tilt of the analog), saying people were complaining that over time the friction of the stick on the stick guard was carving out a notch on the underside of the analog... well, I got that minor, I'd have to keep at it another several years for it to make a major difference, my analog modules would be dead long before that.

Funny though he said that's the only durability issue he's come across, yet I've only once seen this brought up in the support forums but I see the stick drift issues associated with a failing analog module brought up on an almost daily basis.

Anyhow, thanks for that bit, I'll make a note of that comment, that's very deceptive indeed they perpetuating the improved durability and it's every bit as shitty as the standard controller.

@Shewgenja: true but internals aside and IMO after using the controller I would consider it a better quality more durable controller. Everything feels too notch on it like the tight responsive analogs, all the way to the bumpers being greatly improved. It's also quiter like clacking noises out of it.

So even though the internals seem to be the same or similar it still appears to be better if that makes sense.

But it is kinda like getting got by MS, even though I've had no issues with this plastic piece in my other controllers it doesn't mean there isn't a fail rate and my elite controller could suffer the same fate.

you should have read further down, it was debunked. The plastic part in question has nothing to do with the cause of "stick drift"

That is exactly what that article states as high performance construction:

"High-performance construction. Built to withstand hours of intense gameplay, the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller uses stainless steel for the thumbstick shafts, D-pads, and paddles as well as low-friction, reinforced rings around each thumbstick to minimize normal wear and tear and ensure a smooth rotation. The thumbstick and surrounding material are so durable that our testing results showed no detectable thumbstick wear even after 1 million thumbstick rotation cycles. The controller was also designed with comfort in mind. An enhanced rubberized diamond grip gives the controller a more substantial feel while providing more stability, allowing you to hold the controller with less effort. A soft-touch finish on the top case provides a luxurious feel and nonslip control."

Nope, I'm not pulling fiction from my ass. All of that is just external and is absolutely true. Some of those third party extended sticks or extenderders, those plastic grips, those over-elaborated plastic levers you put over your original controller so that you don't move your thumbs from the sticks, tend to break, bend and not work for long. So even this:

"We heard from fans that they wanted more customization options and durability from their Xbox controller. After months of research and testing in our labs to ensure the highest level of quality, as well as conversations with competitive-level gamers in their homes, we’re excited to introduce the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller launching in October 2015. Built to meet the demands of our most dedicated and aspirational gamers, the new controller features professional-level customization to give fans game-changing accuracy and faster speed as well as extremely durable and comfortable construction."

Is true. While also keeping the price lower for the whole thing than the competition.

The only caveat in all of this is, and I repeat, neither MS or Sony have acknowledged that now they can only buy cheaper Chinese stick gearboxes, inferior to what they had available last gen.

@darkangel115: If that piece loosens or even breaks it will create stick drift. I have repaired a few controllers like that, not a XBONE specifically, but they are all the same. I have used a rubber band to get them to grip properly. If the plastic didn't crack into a lot of small pieces I simply super glued both pieces and it did the trick.

Another thing that can cause stick drift is dirt. But yes, not dropping it also helps a lot.

Amazing how you will simply take some Reddit users word like he is an engineer. Don't worry, all the other cows are guilty of this too.

Shame, but I bought one anyways. :D

Xbox One controllers have been failing? Mine's going strong.

@darkangel115: you talking about the repair guy? if so, the guy says it's not the plastic rails on the top just of the module around the stick that are failing, but he's talking about the module itself, there's two adjacent pieces on the walls of the metal module box that are plastic and that will loosen or break, this is pointed out in the video as well, in the original design those pieces aren't there, they just have a solid metal wall that prevents that axis component from slipping out of place

Um no, I know you aren't repairing them because if you are you owe some refunds for not knowing what you are doing. the little plastic "guide bars" have nothing to do with stick drift

It would mean more them addressing stick wear but it's so minimal that I'd have to keep it up a lot longer than my degrading modules will allow me to. If they fixed the analog modules first then I can start complaining about the wear of the stick guard carving a notch in my analog sticks, otherwise it's an issue I'm not all that concerned about. I think the metal parts were probably more a result of the magnetic design for controller customization than it was an intentional consideration on controller longevity.

Anyhow, you bring up Sony and MS not acknowledging the use of inferior gearboxes, I'm not sure what you mean by this or what you're implying. Of course they'd not acknowledge it, that's a given. In fact, they'll act like there's no issue as long as they can get away with it. Hell, MS went all last gen refusing to admit there wasn't anything wrong with their disc drives scratching discs except to blame the users, now they're getting sued for it, because even that that's probably cheaper than implementing new production standards.

They're using different modules between what the XBO and PS4 use and what the Xbox 360 uses; I feel they can just solve a lot of issues by making the Xbox 360 controllers work with the XBO; I'm sure they could if they wanted. This is ridiculous. They probably purposefully don't allow this simply because they want to charge $60 for controllers than let people use their last gen controllers or go out and buy them brand new cheaper. I might be okay with that if it weren't for the shoddy design of the new controllers.

I'm talking about the guy who replied on here. Last gen I had 1 Ds3 and 1 360 stick get drift, this gen my DS4 (sadly barely used though) is still pretty much new and my XB1 controllers (day 1 and titanfall) are both in perfect condition. now I'm using the elite. The stick drift is caused by the module itself wearing out, any moving part wears out, there is no way to avoid that. Doesn't mean the controller is "prone to stick drift"

Confusing, okay, you quoted my entire OP saying it was debunked below, you said if I would have scrolled down I'd of seen it debunked, there was a Reddit commenter (CTRL+F "ghost" will be first hit) saying the plastic rails at the base of the analog coming out of the box are not the reason for analog drift, but goes on to say its the wearing of the plastic axis pieces on the walls of the analog that loosen and break off, just like the video I also post illustrates.

Yes, confusing because I see where you commented on another repair guys methods, and yes that rubber band method is actually quite a common temp fix on the plastic pieces on the sides of the box fall of and break, from many YouTube videos I've seen. Probably the best DIY fixes need to be done before there's a problem, such as adding a durable adhesive around the parts that will loosen/break before they do so, or going as far to solder the flimsy pieces in place.

Yes, like you said, anything with moving parts will eventually break down with extended usage. But the quality of products will go a long way extending the longevity of these devices. They did a great job in the construction of the modules on the Xbox 360 as compared to what they did with the Xbox One, and it was significantly less money.

- - - - - -

Also, regarding what @glez13 I think he's talking about, again watch the OP video he also shows the part that snaps off, that's what the rubber band fixes...

Huh, I got you to break character from my post? Cool.

I'm getting good.

My first part of the post was about math. Nothing fanboy there.

My second post was straight up Xbox.com words. You must be calling Xbox.com cows.

I'm sticking with my main launch $500 Xbone controllers in the meantime. Unlike some here, I play a lot of games and have the 100,000+ gamerscore to prove I put in my time.

There is no Reddit users word to take if you don't want, all you have to do is look at the various videos taking apart the controllers and put the vids on mute if you want, the construction is there for all to see. Don't like videos, look at pictures. Don't like pictures, go take apart one yourself.

It's funny how you ignore the evidence being presented in front of you and go so far as to apply an ad hominems to users quoting Xbox.com, but don't worry, most hardcore lemmings (actually all fanboys) are guilty of ad hominems and strawman arguments as well.

It's the typical, if I don't like someone's post, I'll try and attack them. Eh.

If you don't like the thread or details being presented, just talk to the creator of the thread for exposing the faults of the $150 controller.

At the very least, it's safe to wait and read legit reviews (imo so far the the gaming press failed) as the continually flood in regarding this new controller...and there is the test of time we should also consider. No need to insult anyone. I don't even care that much as I'm fine right now with my current Xbone controllers (I have multiple).

I had an arithmetic question and an Xbox.com statement to post. They are selling this controller with the "extreme durability" claims. Hopefully it lives up to those claims.

I'm making my intentions clear.

I'm not writing this to bash Xbox One, I'm a big Xbox fanboy I thought my record should be obvious, but I gotta call this shit out as I see it. And it shouldn't be just Xbox One people that should care, it's a problem in the construction of the Dual Shock 4 as well as they same the same parts for the analog mechanisms as the Xbox One controller does. Hell, some PC gamers are probably considering using these new controllers (I'd advise them stick with a standard Xbox 360 controller).

I also posted this Reddit page because this is the first and only shot of the internals I've seen since it came out, everybody in the gaming press failed miserably to do a proper analysis of the Xbox One Elite controller so that's just something us users are going to have to do ourselves. It's a $150 controller and I know a lot of people are considering it because they believe it will have increased longevity and they've already had issues with other Xbox One controllers and they want to avoid it. But, if you know why the Xbox One and PS4 controller analogs wear out easily this OP video shows why. It might not have originally been MS or Sony's fault since Foxconn makes the parts but it's their duty, both of them, to run quality assurance checks on the construction and see that issues aren't arising as a result of shoddy construction. On that end they are failing us. Or maybe it's a clear cut case of planned obsolescence.

And, I bring it up because nothing compels one to adjust their abhorrent behavior like airing their dirty laundry for all to see. I've tried to tactfully present this issue to MS through their support forums and over the phone and I've only been met with apathy and censorship. Seriously, every time I post articles, show videos, show pictures, they delete my posts. I've even tried just using words I get no responses. Well, fine, only way I can address this issue is to make a lot of hot air about it as I feel the issue deserves. People should not spend good money on these devices only to have them break when last gen proves they're perfectly capable of delivering a superior product cheaper.

Even @Shewgenja pointed out, and I almost never like anything he says as it hurts me Xbox fanboy sensibilities, I agree there was some misleading marketing on the durability enhancements of the Elite controller, and even if that was't intentional I think the word going around with proponents of the Elite controller and many of the expressed intentions of those getting it was durability was a huge consideration. I think there's going to be a lot of upset Xbox One gamers in coming months if they did indeed get this for the durability when they've gone through multiple standard XBO controllers and this one fails them all the same.

This controller was mainly built and released for dumbasses that support microtransactions in Halo 5. So they wouldn't mind if it breaks, they enjoy being milked the f down.

@lamprey263: The existing controller doesn't have issues so what makes you think there is a problem with the non elite controller.

It really isn't marketed to be bullet proof and last forever. Sure they use words to say it will last longer but the main goal of it is the precision, the settings, extra button placement and increseased kills.

That is a buy for a serious gamer.

I'm not saying the controllers should last forever, I'm saying controllers shouldn't be breaking as quickly as they are for many. And it's quite clear that the fault comes in the design of the next gen analog modules using flimsy plastic pieces that loosen up and break easily, that part breaking like that simply did not happen on Xbox 360 controllers because it had a solid firm metal component to keep the axis in place.

And yes, they did sell it with durability as a feature, and that's still a narrative being pushed around. It's not a key feature sure, but anybody throwing down $150 on something that might only last them a few months is going to be quite upsetting.

Anyone stupid enough to spend $150 on a controller deserves it to break tbh.

Just so you know, I was aware of the potential for this issue before I got my Xbox One, there's simply no way to avoid confronting it if you plan on playing an Xbox One or PS4, but being mindful I took great care not to do anything rough or demanding on it that might cause pre-mature wear on the analogs, hell I'm conscious of this too after causing drift on one of my Xbox 360 controllers from excessive waggling, so for sure knew to avoid such conditions that might cause issues I play my games with a delicate finesse. Nope, still got it. Got my Xbox early December last year, problem started poking it's head up late July I believe, so about 8 months being very careful with it. I don't have kids, I'm the only one playing it, and I take care of my stuff. And I'm not a cow if that's what you're suspecting. I've clearly been in the Xbox camp since I first got an Xbox the first Christmas they were out and have been since.

LOL, no.

First I do know what I'm talking about. You're the one that isn't sure.

Second the ones I actually used to fix for a price I simply remove the unit and replace it with a new one. Rubber band and super glue is just a DIY method that anyone here should manage.

Just don't follow over-complicated methods, like soldering something to your controller just to hold a rubber band...

...and do it more like the video lamprey263 posted. If you're going to solder anything, better to just unsolder the old unit and replace it with a new one.

really loving my elite controller. its by far the best controller ive ever used.

says the guy that bought destiny twice. thats just gold.

@glez13: I take it you have experience replacing the malfunctioning module with fresh ones to keep them going. I'm curious though, do you know if one could take the module used in the Xbox 360 controller and use it to replace a malfunctioning module on an Xbox One controller? It's hard for me to tell, they look very similar just of slightly different construction in the area that fails.

Didn't the Playstation controllers always auto calibrate themselves to centre when they power on. I know on the older controllers at least if you held the analog stick in position not centre when you turned them on the centre would be off to where it was pointing when first plugged in.

Not something I've tried on the DS4, did they stop doing that or did Microsoft not do that at all.

Maybe I'm thinking of the old ps2 controllers would that not prevent "stick drift".

If I'm honest, I'm a bit disappointed with it... which is a shame considering I've had it pre-ordered for months. For starters, I can't get used to the paddles on the back (which is a major selling point), and to me it seems a little top heavy (I'm assuming because of the triggers/bumpers being metal). And it feels a bit too heavy overall for my liking (my hands cramp very easily, which I think will happen with this controller).

But anyway, there's no doubting it's a very sturdy piece of equipment. But I don't think it's for me.

@hrt_rulz01: yea, I took the bottom paddles off and it's working a lot better for me now because i kept hitting those. I love the weight but I prefer a heavy controller.that's why I left the chatpad on my 360 controller.

the chatpad was great we need another ASAP, too bad developers didn't think to incorporate it as a shortcut to game commands or inventory select and such, i hate having to use my controller to type out things on the XBO

@lamprey263: I think it's out this month. I know they announced it at e3

great, now my only question is does it come with 3.5mm stereo headset adapter functionality built in, I hope so since I use it alot

With Apple Pay such things are so much easier.

@lamprey263: I want to say it has all the functionality of the current headset adapter built in including volume control

Sorry, like I said I haven't tried to fix a XBONE controller. These modules you basically buy them from some vendor in China in a certain bulk size and they only say for what controller they are for. But I have used parts labeled for 360 on DS3 and some random Chinese controllers or at least I think they were, didn't knew the brands. The only difference I have seen is the orientation, the color of the variable resistors seems to vary(probably a manufacturer thing?), and that in some of the Chinese controllers some parts were made of plastic instead of metal. Other than that they all seemed to follow the same specs.

Still better then any other controller.

Is this a joke thread?

Btw, my Xbox 360 launch controller still works with literally thousands of hours of game time on it.

@ReadingRainbow4: pardon me have you tried the controller?

No ofcourse you didn't.

@lamprey263: I haven't had any issues with my PS4 or XB1 analog sticks yet. My Xbox 360 one did finally wear out after about 5-6 years of continuous use. The analog stick would stick in a position causing the character to move in that direction without me touching the stick. Same thing happened to the DualShock3 controllers as well over time. If these XB1 controllers last that long, I'll be happy. The Elite controllers are way too expensive. I could get 2 games for that price. Just not worth it.

It would last longer for me since it allows you to map the sprint button to the paddle buttons. To me it would be worth the money.

That's all great SW news, but I remember when it was unveiled at E3 many thought it was cool but said it wouldn't do that well because of price. Well I shit sure cant find one for under $250