The Xbox Elite Series 2 is back on sale for $140 (was $200) during Amazon’s Black Friday sale. The deal is also available at Walmart and Target. The $60 discount is one of the best deals we’ve seen all year for Microsoft’s premium and highly customizable wireless controller for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC. It was briefly available for $135 earlier this month, but that price only stuck around for a few hours. All three retailers have also dropped the price of the Elite Series 2 Core Controller to $125 (was $150).
The Elite Series 2 has numerous customizable features and swappable magnetic components not found on the standard Xbox Wireless Controller. Here’s a quick look at the controller’s key extra features and accessories:
- Four removable back paddles
- Metal analog sticks with adjustable tension
- Six swappable stick caps
- standard (x2), classic (x2), wide dome, tall
- Two D-pads: Circular 8-way & standard 4-way
- Built-in trigger locks with three stopping points
- Three custom control profiles
- Charging dock
- Braided USB-C cable
- Hardshell case with accessory slots
Standard and Special Edition Xbox Wireless Controllers are also on sale for great prices for Black Friday. Carbon Black and Robot White editions are up for grabs for $40 (was $65). You can also save $25 on numerous Special Editions, including the translucent Pulse Cipher, and the new Breaker Special Editions. We included a full list of deals at the bottom of this story.
$140 (was $200)
The four back paddles are located where your fingers are likely to rest naturally. Some players use all four at the same time, while others only connect one on each side. Since they are removable, you have that choice. You can also buy replacement paddles and different styles. We’d highly recommend Scuf’s officially licensed paddles, which are on sale for $15 (was $20) for Black Friday.
The paddles are the main draw for a lot of players, but the Elite Series 2 also has customizable sticks and directional pads. It comes with six swappable stick caps for the higher-quality metal analog sticks. You can adjust the tension on both sticks with the included tool. It’s worth noting these are not Hall Effect sticks, so just like with the Xbox Wireless Controller, stick drift is a possibility. I’ve never had any issues with my Elite Series 2, but it can happen.
The Elite Series 2 has a unique, circular 8-way D-pad designed for quick movements. It can take some time to get used to it, but you can swap it out for a conventional 4-way D-pad. In addition to the swappable components, the Elite Series 2 has switches on the back to lock the triggers (RT and LT) to three different stopping points.
You can create three different control profiles using the Xbox Accessories App. Control layouts save to the controller and can be cycled through on the fly. Along with remapping the paddles and other controls, you can adjust stick sensitivity, vibration intensity, and more.
Unlike the Xbox Wireless Controller, the Elite Series 2 has a rechargeable battery and can run for up to 40 hours. You can charge it via USB-C or by placing it on the magnetic charging dock. The braided USB-C cable is roughly nine-feet long and can be stored in the carrying case’s mesh compartment.
The Elite Series 2 released in 2019, but it’s still the best premium controller for Xbox and PC. I’ve tested dozens of these types of controllers for all major platforms, and I have yet to find one that matches the Elite Series 2 in the ergonomics and overall feel departments. It’s one of the rare controllers where the difference is immediately noticeable due to excellent weight distribution, textured grips, and sturdier shell.
$125 (was $150)
The Xbox Elite Series 2 Core Controller is on sale for $125 at Amazon, Walmart, and Target. It’s the same controller in terms of build and internal components, but it doesn’t come with any of swappable components: paddles, stick caps, extra D-pad, charging dock, carrying case. You can buy all the accessories separately, but you’d wind up spending more than the $15 difference between the two models right now. At MSRP, these controllers are separated by $50, and that’s when it’s more of a decision.
That said, there are some off-brand component packs for super cheap. If the standard Elite Series 2 deal sells out, you could pick up the Core and this popular accessory pack for only $15.29 during Black Friday. It comes with four paddles, four metal joysticks, a standard D-pad, and a travel case. Just keep in mind that the travel case doesn’t have dedicated slots for accessories, and you won’t get the charging dock.
The Elite Series 2 previously retailed for $180, but it received a $20 bump in May when Microsoft raised the price of Xbox hardware and first-party accessories in response to the US tariff situation. Standard and Special Edition Xbox Wireless Controllers received $5 price increases at the same time.
Black Friday 2025 Xbox Controller Deals
Along with the deals on Carbon Black and Robot White editions, the Velocity Green edition is discounted to $40 (was $70) at Walmart. Amazon is sold out of this deal, so snag one while you can.
Black Friday 2025 Xbox Special Edition Controller Deals
As mentioned, Amazon has four Special Edition Xbox Wireless Controllers for $55 each. Special Editions have more elaborate designs and retail for $80. The colorful Breaker Special Edition series launched in September, and the $55 price tags for Black Friday are the lowest yet. Walmart also has these four deals as well as discounts on a trio of Camo Special Editions–though the discounts aren’t as substantial.
If you also own a PS5, check out the official Black Friday deals on PlayStation’s DualSense Controllers. All models, including Limited Editions, are on sale for $20 off. Meanwhile, the premium DualSense Edge is on sale for $169 (was $200).
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