PSA: This is the one Xbox / PC gaming accessory you should NOT buy for Black Friday — get this instead

This is a bit of an anti-deal post, because what I'm about to recommend is not actually on sale, and the product that I'm telling you not to buy actually is on sale.

Yes, this is an Xbox Elite Controller Series 2 post, as you might've guessed from the banner image up there. The Xbox Elite Controller Series 2 is on sale right now at 17% off at Amazon, but you absolutely shouldn't buy it. I'm in the process of updating our official review on the Xbox Elite Controller Series 2 in the coming weeks to reflect my full reasons why, but in the interim, for those hunting deals on the best Xbox accessories, I wanted to write this quick PSA.

The main reason to buy an Xbox Elite Controller Series 2 are all those shiny premium features. The charge dock is superb. The battery life is insane. The back paddles give you an advantage. The configurability is sublime. However, I've gone through three of these controllers as of writing. My Elden Ring obsession over the past couple of years ruined not one, but two Xbox Elite Controller Series 2 controllers. I have one at my parent's place for when I visit there, and one at my partner's place where I typically live. Both are now dead. The right bumper no longer works on either of them, and the stick drift makes some games like STALKER 2 unplayable, when they have tuned the deadzones to a bit sensitive. And to make matters worse, it seems that Microsoft is no longer accepting repairs on these in some markets — indicating that a successor may be around the corner.

Either way, there's a better controller that you SHOULD buy to get a boost in Xbox and PC gaming, and while it's not on sale right now, it's still absolutely the better option. Say hi to the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro.

The best Xbox controller

Razer Wolverine V3 Pro (Wireless for Xbox/PC)
Now: $199 at Amazon

"Razer has finally made a wireless controller for the Xbox and overall it's absolutely brilliant. Combining the best aspects of previous Wolverine controllers, Razer has updated it for the present day with its excellent mouse switch technology, hall effect sticks and an ergonomic design that I would argue is better even than Microsoft's own." — Richard Devine

Windows Central Review ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

✅Perfect for: Boosting your gameplay on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, or PC, wirelessly! With added paddles, Hall Effect anti-drift sticks, clicky buttons, and superb configurability, this is the best Xbox controller you can buy today.

❌Avoid if: You find it to be a bit pricy. There's a similar, cheaper, wired version if you don't mind cables.

👉See at: Amazon

🤔 Alternative: Razer Wolverine V3 Tournament (Wired)

🔥The hottest Black Friday deals🔥

• 🎮ASUS ROG Ally (Ryzen Z1) | $349.99 at Best Buy (Save $150!)
• 💻Surface Pro 11 (X Plus) | $899.99 at Best Buy (Save $300!)
• 📺HP Curved Ultrawide (34-inches) | $299.99 at Best Buy (Save $180!)
• 💽WD_Black Xbox Series X|S Card (1TB) | $99.99 at Best Buy (Save $50!)
• 🖱️Razer Basilisk V3 Wired | $39.99 at Best Buy (Save $30!)
• 💽WD_BLACK M.2 2230 SSD (2TB) | $179.99 at Best Buy (Save $60!)

Why you should buy the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro over the Xbox Elite Controller Series 2

I recently wrote an article giving an in-depth look at what makes the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro better than the Xbox Elite Controller Series 2, but it ultimately boils down to wear and tear above all else.

The Razer Wolverine V3 Pro uses Razer's switches, and the firm has been making mice and keyboards for years. The V3 Pro hasn't been out for very long, but the clicky, tactile buttons and triggers give me a huge degree of confidence that it's not going to fall apart on me the same way my three Xbox Elite Controller Series 2s have.

I had similar issues with the first Xbox Elite Controller, albeit with the rubber grips falling off. This time around, the Series 2 has a notorious quality issue with its right bumper that have been replicated by plenty of people across the web if you search on socials and reddit. It's not impossible to repair to be fair, but it's also a pain, and requires special tools which infer additional costs.

The Razer Wolverine V3 Pro matches the Xbox Elite Controller Series 2 in almost every way. It has the same trigger locks for more rapid firing, it has profiles that can be set up and adjusted. It even has Chroma lighting and back paddles. The paddles are great for competitive play, since you'll be able to activate jumps and reloads without having to take your thumbs off the movement sticks.

Where the Xbox Elite Controller Series 2 has it beat is on modularity for one thing. There are a range of additional sticks and adjustable parts to speak of. The Xbox Elite Controller Series 2 bundle also comes with a powerful charging dock, which is arguably the best battery charger for Xbox in the business. The Elite Controller has an absolutely monstrous battery too, it simply doesn't run out. The Wolverine V3 Pro by comparison has a "decent" all-day battery life, but if you forget to plug it in after use you could find yourself out of juice. Also, Razer tends to get cheap when it comes to batteries. I could see the Wolverine V3 Pro battery degrading more rapidly over time than the Xbox Elite Controller Series 2, but it's hard to test that without a time machine — but my Razer mice tend to need charging every day after a year or so now.

Having to charge the controller more often is preferable to the bumpers straight up not working though, which is an eventuality that seems to be inevitable for all Xbox Elite Controller Series 2 models. I have one standard Series 2 and one from the Xbox Design Lab, and both have succumbed to the same issue.

Furthermore, it doesn't help that the Xbox Elite Controller Series 2 is no longer repairable via Microsoft. I wanted to look up getting the controller repaired officially through Microsoft before attempting cracking it open myself, only to be hit with a "this service is not available in your area" message. I'm based in Europe, so it might be a regional thing, but it's also not exactly encouraging even if you're in the United States.

So yeah! There's my PSA. For Black Friday / Cyber Monday, even without a deal attached, the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro is still the best Xbox controller you can buy right now. It's also a bit cheaper than the Xbox Elite Controller Series 2 bundle with the charge dock, and significantly cheaper in its Razer Wolverine V3 Tournament wired edition, too.