The Official Xbox Wireless Controller is great as is, but if you’re on a budget and want a bit more versatility, the Horizon Vista Strikepack from Collective Minds is a quick and easy way to beef up your device. The detachable gadget is available to preorder on Amazon for $50 ahead of its June 3rd release.
This is a revamped and updated version of the previous Strikepacks, while the layout of the Horizon Vista model remains the same. What you get here are four programmable rear buttons that can be bolted to the controller via the battery pack, resulting in a pretty seamless look. You can also plug in a USB-C cable for wired gaming or charging, and each button is highly tunable using a dedicated app. The dedicated mobile app lets you set up your own combos and even tweak them further, making it a very versatile device.
The Strikepack is super convenient because it lets you continue to use your existing Xbox controller, but it’s not your only customizable controller option. Our top pick is the Xbox Elite Series 2, Microsoft’s premium wireless controller with great customization features and swappable components. The more affordable Elite Series 2 Core offers the same premium feel without the extra components, so we recommend purchasing a set of back paddles if you go this route.
Notable Xbox controllers with built-in customization features
The Victrix Pro BFG is a great choice for fans of fighting games and first-person shooters. It has interchangeable sticks (offset and aligned layouts), comes with a fight pad module with six micro-switched buttons, a swappable D-pad, stick caps, and stick gates, and a smartphone app that allows for even more fine-tuning under the plastic hood.
At the lower end of the customizable controller spectrum, 8BitDo has released two great options, the 8BitDo Ultimate and Pro 2, both of which retail for $45. 8BitDo controllers for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One will also be released soon, but they come with some console caveats and may be better suited for PC gamers. The controller is high quality and flexible like other 8BitDo Ultimate devices, but with Xbox consoles it can only be used in wired mode with the included detachable USB-C cable. PC users can sync the controller using 2.4GHz wireless or Bluetooth to avoid console shortcomings.