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Official Xbox Wireless Controllers are awesome as is, but if you want a little more versatility without breaking the bank, the Horizon Vista Strikepack from Collective Minds is a quick and easy way to enhance your device. The detachable gadget is available to preorder for $50 at Amazon ahead of its June 3 release.
This is revitalized and updated version of previous Strikepacks, and the layout for the Horizon Vista model remains the same. What you’re getting here is four programmable back buttons that can be bolted onto your controller through the battery pack, creating a fairly seamless appearance. You can still connect a USB-C cable for wired gaming and charging and a dedicated app allows you to tinker with each button to a high degree. Using the dedicated mobile app, you can set your own combos and do some more fine-tuning, making this a pretty versatile device.
The Strikepack is pretty cool since it allows you to keep using your existing Xbox controllers, but it’s far from the only customizable controller option out there. Our top pick is the Xbox Elite Series 2, Microsoft’s premium wireless controller that offers awesome customization features and swappable components. The more budget-friendly Elite Series 2 Core offers the same premium feel without the extra components, so you’ll want to buy a set of back paddles if you go that route.
Notable Xbox controllers with built-in customization features
Xbox Elite Series 2 — $151 ($180)Xbox Elite Series 2 Core — $117 ($140)Scuf Elite Series 2 Paddles — $15 ($20)Victrix Pro BFG modular controller — $180Turtle Beach Stealth Ultra — $2008BitDo Ultimate — $458BitDo Ultimate with charging dock and Hall Effect sticks — $70 (Releases June 13)8BitDo Pro 2 (PlayStation-style stick layout) — $45
The Victrix Pro BFG is another terrific option, especially if you’re into fighting and first-person shooter games. It has swappabl sticks (offset and aligned layouts), comes with a fight pad module with six microswitch buttons, an interchangeable D-pad, stick caps, and stick gates. On top of that, a smartphone app allows for even more fine-tuning under the plastic hood.
On the budget side of customizable controllers, 8BitDo has released a couple of solid options: 8BitDo Ultimate and Pro 2, both of which retail for $45. There’s also an upcoming 8BitDo controller for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One, although this one comes with a few caveats on console and is perhaps even better suited for PC gamers. While this controller features the high build quality and flexibility of other 8BitDo Ultimate devices, you can only use it in wired mode with the included detachable USB-C cable on Xbox consoles. PC users can sync the controller using 2.4GHz wireless or Bluetooth, sidestepping those console shortcomings.
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