New Patent from Microsoft Reveals the Company's Plans for the Elite Controller 2

Megalith

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Earlier reports revealed that Microsoft was creating a successor to the Xbox One Elite Controller, which lets gamers choose between different d-pads and thumb sticks. A new patent suggests the company is taking modularity even further for the revision, showing a new mounting system that could allow the user to replace any button or other input element.

The patent description suggests the next generation of the Elite Controller may feature a new mounting system comprising of an "accessory-retention feature and a sensor-activation feature". The former will be the component that allows you to physically fix the removable accessories in place, while the latter will serve as the means of generating electrical signals once the accessory has been attached to the controller.
 
Annnd I bet it’ll still take two double AAs instead of just being rechargeable out of the box.

I always considered this a plus. I love the fact that I can change my eneloops without waiting to recharge or using the controller wired up to a charger.
 
I always considered this a plus. I love the fact that I can change my eneloops without waiting to recharge or using the controller wired up to a charger.

Agreed 100%. Once a controller with a built-in batter is on a downhill slide, you might as well toss it. With the Xbox controllers, you can just toss in a fresh set of Eneloops and it's like new. I bought a set of 8 and charger for $25 on Amazon years ago. I think the same set is still only like $30. I just cycle them through all my controllers as needed.

As far as this new Elite controller is concerned, I love the idea of being able to swap the analog and d-pad at will. For most things, the current layout is great. However for anything that uses the d-pad a lot, (fighters and classics mostly) being able to swap them would b invaluable.

I just hope they do a better job of reinforcing the bumpers. They're still incredibly fragile on all Xbox One controller models - the Elite included.
 
I always considered this a plus. I love the fact that I can change my eneloops without waiting to recharge or using the controller wired up to a charger.

Same here, love that it takes just two regular AA batteries and none of that integrated non-replaceable or proprietary bullshit. I like the original Elite but not at the price they demand for it. So as such, I'm quite happy with the two 2017 revision controllers with BT. Never thought I'd be getting controllers but as I've been mainly into retro and platformers as well as getting to play with my kids, I ended up getting a pair on sale ($40 for each Xbone controller was a steal). Trine 3 was great with a controller actually. As for the Elite, IDK maybe at $100 or so it'd have appeal but not at current MSRP. It would have to be all metal buttons and alloy body for that price.
 
Annnd I bet it’ll still take two double AAs instead of just being rechargeable out of the box.

Why is that a bad thing? If you want rechargeable batteries, which is very nice for a controller, you go buy them. Panasonic makes some excellent AA rechargeables called Eneloop and Eneloop Pro. The Pro version have a capacity of 2500mAh which is about the same as a primary cell alkaline, can be recharged a couple thousand times, and has low inherent self discharge so really lose very little energy sitting on the shelf. You buy a pack of those and a charger for your controller and you have three advantages:

1) If you play a ton and wear the batteries out, no problem, just buy more. You don't have to toss the controller.
2) You can have one set charged or charging while you use the other set. You don't have to plug in to charge after a lot of gaming, just swap batteries and go.
3) In the event you forget to charge up, just grab some AAs out of something else and use them while these charge.

Swapable batteries really is nice. Not feasible for all devices,but for shit like controllers it is great.

I just want Bluetooth on a controller that's $120-$150 dollars.

Eh I can see it both ways. Bluetooth IS convenient for hooking to other devices but it just doesn't work as well as MS's proprietary protocol. In messing with both a PS4 and Xbox Elite controller on my PC, the Elite hooks up at a longer range, has better responsiveness, and can do shit like wireless audio. It's really nice, even though it requires a dongle.

Same kind of shit with mice and keyboards. BT works ok, don't get me wrong, but it doesn't work near as well as Logitech's proprietary unifying stuff.
 
I would look to replace those slippery action buttons for something more tactile. I never liked those.
 
All of the new Xbox One controllers have Bluetooth, so I'd suspect this will, too. I did a lot of testing inputs on Bluetooth vs. proprietary dongles and both the Xbox One and PS4 controllers drop inputs via Bluetooth. That's across 3 different Bluetooth adapters plugged into different UBS ports and different distances. Yes, the proprietary dongles are an additional ~$20, but they're worth it. At least if you're playing anything that requires some level of precision.
 
Why is that a bad thing? If you want rechargeable batteries, which is very nice for a controller, you go buy them. Panasonic makes some excellent AA rechargeables called Eneloop and Eneloop Pro. The Pro version have a capacity of 2500mAh which is about the same as a primary cell alkaline, can be recharged a couple thousand times, and has low inherent self discharge so really lose very little energy sitting on the shelf. You buy a pack of those and a charger for your controller and you have three advantages:

1) If you play a ton and wear the batteries out, no problem, just buy more. You don't have to toss the controller.
2) You can have one set charged or charging while you use the other set. You don't have to plug in to charge after a lot of gaming, just swap batteries and go.
3) In the event you forget to charge up, just grab some AAs out of something else and use them while these charge.

Swapable batteries really is nice. Not feasible for all devices,but for shit like controllers it is great.



Eh I can see it both ways. Bluetooth IS convenient for hooking to other devices but it just doesn't work as well as MS's proprietary protocol. In messing with both a PS4 and Xbox Elite controller on my PC, the Elite hooks up at a longer range, has better responsiveness, and can do shit like wireless audio. It's really nice, even though it requires a dongle.

Same kind of shit with mice and keyboards. BT works ok, don't get me wrong, but it doesn't work near as well as Logitech's proprietary unifying stuff.

I don't like the wireless dongles. I've had issues that made me very angry using them in the past. But Bluetooth is included with most PCs and I've never had issues with BT and my Non-Elite Xbox controller.
 
I may actually pick up a pair of these. I recently bought one of the newer XBOne pads for my PC (was using some third party wired ones before that, and some wireless Logitech F710s) and I'm absolutely loving it. My daughter has an XBOne and I never really played anything on it, so I didn't really know. I also had some 360 pads, which were fine, but I never liked the D-Pad on those. Since I play a ton of 2D games, fighting games, (which I also have sticks for) and emulators, the D-Pad is pretty important. The one on the newer One pads is the best I've used recently. Makes me think that the Elites might actually be worth the price. As far as dongles vs Bluetooth, I've used the dongle with the 360 pads, and it worked great. Better than Bluetooth at that time (a few years back). However, I got a little Bluetooth 4/EDR stick thing, and have zero issues with range or input/sync issues with the XBOne pad, so I probably won't buy the dongle this time.
 
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