The white Xbox Elite controller is real, and its new price tag is the best
The new Elite Xbox controller might be right for you, especially if you’ve been waiting for a more affordable option.
The Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 will receive a new “Core Edition” which will be available in a neat white finish – a significant difference to the solid black of the original. And unlike the Launch Edition, you can buy the new controller as a stand-alone controller, without all the accessories included with the black Elite Series 2. So it’s a drastically cheaper option, as long as you don’t care about accessories.
The release date has yet to be announced, but the price is $ 129.99 / £ 114.99 / $ 137.44. Still, you can go ahead and order the white Core Edition Elite controller from the official one Microsoft Store (opens in a new tab) now if you want to overcome the rush.
That’s a save of $ 50 / £ 45 / AU $ 113, which is a big saving compared to the $ 179.99 / £ 159.99 / $ 249.95 of the original Series 2 pad. But if you take into account all the extra accessories – like the carrying case and spare paddles and sticks – which are now included separately in A complete package of components (opens in a new tab) comes out at about the same price. The package will give you an extra $ 59.99 / £ 54.99 / AU $ 79.95, which means the total cost will be roughly the same as the Black Elite Series 2 which comes standard with all of this.
Elite for the masses?
If you can’t care less about the extras in the component pack and hope to save on the black Elite Wireless Controller, you’re out of luck. Microsoft has confirmed that at least for now, only the white Elite Series 2 will be available as a standalone Core edition. However, a Microsoft spokesman told us that they would get more information on this soon. So Core Edition branding may extend to other Elite pads in the future.
The official announcement of this white Elite Series 2 controller variant came shortly after it was spotted in the wild, complete with its packaging. It seemed like a safe assumption that the shim was indeed real, but I’m glad Microsoft didn’t leave us too long on that front.
Sure, there are no significant differences from the original Elite Series 2, other than the color scheme. But offering just the pad at a discounted price is a smart move. This gives players with a tighter budget the chance to try out the ultimate Elite controller, with the option to purchase accessories separately if they choose to do so.
Hopefully this new Core Edition branding will finally make its way to other Microsoft Elite Series controllers; those available now and in the future. Not only because of its cost-effectiveness, but also because of the potential of more colors. I really like the new white design, but such a simple color scheme will certainly not be for everyone.
The announcement by Microsoft’s White Elite Series 2 comes relatively soon after the DualSense Edge is unveiled. The debut of the Sony pro pad does not have a price and release date yet. But I’m curious to see how its customization options and overall experience will match that of the Xbox Elite Pad.
