Xbox One Sport Red wireless controller is super stylish (and quite sexy)

Xbox One Controller
Xbox One Controller (Image credit: Windows Central)

Microsoft makes a lot of custom Xbox controllers, from the excellent Phantom range to some Halo-inspired military-style designs, like the Recon controllers.

The Sport Red Special Edition borrows some of the "tech" patterns from the Recon controllers while adding a dash of spice to the mix. We got our hands on the Xbox Wireless Controller Sport Red Special Edition to take a quick look for ourselves.

One red hot controller

The Sport Red controller, at least for me, evokes memories of some of the iconic red British football club colors from the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal, and Manchester United, although it borrows some techy flair from the Recon range for good measure.

The foil details look vivid in the light, making the controller seem almost animated.

Beyond the colorings, this is an (almost) completely standard Xbox One Wireless Controller, including Bluetooth capabilities and space for two AA batteries (included in the box). It does, however, throw in rubberized grips as an added ergonomic bonus, which the standard controllers do not have.

Given the notorious issues with the Xbox Elite Controllers, which often seem to lose adhesive stickiness over time, that might be cause for concern down the line. Hopefully, Microsoft has refined its adhesive processes for these grips, but there's no way to know for certain, as the company won't even acknowledge that these issues persist.

Everything else is what you would expect, though. It has a 3.5mm jack for your headset, as well as a propietary Xbox port underneath for adapters and things like the QWERTY keyboard pad. The plastics on the controller are mostly matte textured, save for the triggers and bumpers, which are a shiny red gloss.

The polygonal "tech" patterns on the sides of the grips add a bit of flair, and they also include some foil detailings that shimmer in the light, both on the patterns and on the d-pad. The foil details look vivid in the light, making the controller seem almost animated as you move it around.

Another stylish option for Xbox and PC

The Sport Red controller is another attractive accessory worth picking up for collectors or those who have a particular affinity for the design. I prefer the vivid translucency on the Phantom range controllers myself (Phantom Red would be awesome), but if you're a Recon Tech fan, this controller matches up nicely with the red accent color available on the Xbox One and Windows 10.

Jez Corden
Executive Editor

Jez Corden is the Executive Editor at Windows Central, focusing primarily on all things Xbox and gaming. Jez is known for breaking exclusive news and analysis as relates to the Microsoft ecosystem while being powered by tea. Follow on Twitter (X) and Threads, and listen to his XB2 Podcast, all about, you guessed it, Xbox!