Of the three major gaming consoles, the Xbox Series X / S may have the most diverse controller selection, but Microsoft’s basic Xbox Wireless Controller is still the best Xbox controller for most people. That’s mostly because it’s the cheapest one you can buy with native support for Xbox’s built-in wireless protocol (you can also use it with PC and mobile via Bluetooth or USB-C), but it’s also just really solid overall.
It’s hard to beat the value, especially when they’re on sale for as low as $39, just a few dollars more than their all-time low, as they are in select colors at Amazon and Walmart right now. That’ll get you the basic crop of colors such as black, white, and blue. You can spend a bit more to get the awesome translucent models, which are starting at $57.50 (about $12 off) at Amazon and Walmart.
The Xbox Wireless Controller isn’t loaded with fancy features and gimmicks like newer, more expensive controllers. You can’t easily remove or replace any of its parts, for example, nor does it have back buttons, sensitivity adjustments, or built-in means for customizing and swapping button mapping configurations. But it still sets the standard for how a controller should look, feel, and work. The ergonomic shape and button layout are still the most widely emulated of any controller, perhaps ever.
Some people still scoff that it doesn’t have a rechargeable internal battery, but that’s a point in its favor. Its versatile battery bay lets you either use standard AA batteries or slot in a rechargeable pack. Some of those batteries offer much more play time than controllers with built-in batteries. You’ll never have to plug it in or dock it if you have a charged spare handy, and you won’t have to dismantle an entire controller or shell out for a replacement once they run dry
