First off, I was sent the wrong controller, which was not the Bluetooth one, but I don't really mind much because I could save up for a wireless adapter and for the time being, I just use my phone charger which is very convenient. I got a used controller, and when I unboxed the controller, it was in great shape, it was like new! There were only a few nicks on the triggers, and visible scratches inside the Xbox logo.
However, I do have a few complaints:
> The left stick has a bit of wiggle in the middle
> the right stick's calibration is really off, even though i tried re-calibrating the controller in Windows.
> Micro-USB port is a bit loose, so i had to put Velcro to secure my cable into a good position
> There's a bit of gunk and stuff in the crevices of the controller's frame that is hard to clean off
###Note: I got a USED controller, I doubt you would have any of these problems if you got a NEW controller!###
Other than that, I did not have many problems with the experience. Now for my overall review of the controller itself, which earns 5 stars.
The Xbox One controller is OUTSTANDING both in design and usability.
>>The aesthetics
This controller has a really sleek and neat look, with more edges and less curves than the 360 controller. The shiny top part and the redesign of the shoulder buttons and triggers look pretty cool too. It's more streamlined and takes up more surface area of the top of the controller than the 360 controller. It just looks pretty cool, and has a cleaner look than the 360 controller.
>>The Design and usability
Okay, in my very honest opinion, the way Microsoft designed this controller is an outstanding 9/10. The removal of the battery pack bulge, the redesign of the triggers and D-Pad, and the relocation of the Xbox buttons are clear evidence that Microsoft took the right steps. Furthermore, the new textured joysticks are a REALLY good addition, adding more grip, even though you have slippery or oily fingers. Finally, the new 'view' and 'notification' buttons are nice. In old games, they function just like start and back, and in newer ones they hold their functionality like they should.
The only things that take off a point is the new shoulder buttons and the main rumble motors. On the 360 controller, the shoulder buttons were hinged on the center of the controller, which meant that no matter how big your hands were, you could press the shoulder buttons from any location on its surface. However, on the new controller, the buttons are hinges on their inner edges, which means that if you have big hands like mine, you would not be able to press the shoulder buttons on the side nearest to its center as comfortable as the 360 controller's buttons. The buttons also need more pressure to make a full press, as their switches are harder to press.
The new main rumble motors are also noticeably weaker than the 360 controller's and have less 'shake' to them.
>> Features
First off, I would like to say that the new trigger rumbles are a sweet type of haptic feedback, indicating direction and origin of the source of vibration in the game. It is awesome, but it eats up battery really fast if you play games that use that feature a lot.
Thankfully, there's another new feature that I simply commend Microsoft for adding: the ability to power, charge, and use the controller through your regular phone charger microUSB cable. Unlike the old 360 controller, you would need to get the cable from Microsoft, and you wouldn't be able to play with the controller on the PC just by plugging it in.
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Overall, I absolutely love the new controller, and I hope Microsoft keeps this design, but tweaks it juuust a bit, as it is absolutely amazing!
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EDIT 12/20/2018 -- It has been well over one year now, and a few months ago, I bought new thumbsticks and they are far better than the original. It has also held up to many, MANY drops (i am quite clumsy, and any wire hanging down from my desk can pull it down), having just a few more nicks than it came in with.
samantha nicholson
Skybbles