Next-gen graphics, cutting-edge design and a supercomputing performance are all very well but if you haven't got the right controller then you are simply not offering up the best gaming experience.
Microsoft knows this and that's why it has designed a controller for the Xbox One that has been created with the sole purpose to elevate your gaming.
Anyone familiar with the Xbox 360 will feel right at home with Xbox One controller. However, to make use of all of the new features the Xbox One delivers, Microsoft has made over 40 improvements. Everything about the new controller has been rethought and re-imagined. A better ergonomic design means that you have never had a controller that is better equipped to help you with your gaming.
From improved triggers to D-Pad enhancements, there is a wealth of innovations hidden within the new controller making it the perfect accessory for the Xbox One. To help get you acquainted with the controller, here is our pick of the best new features that reveal just why Microsoft has named its Xbox One controller the best it has ever made.
Trigger happy
The Xbox One features a fantastic new innovation called Impulse Triggers. These have been created to make your gaming more realistic. Whether you are a first-person shooter fanatic or prefer a polished platformer, with Impulse Triggers you will feel fantastic feedback throughout your gaming experience. Unlike feedback offered by controllers of old, these new Impulse Triggers offer much better precision – bringing realism to every rock and ricochet. The triggers and bumpers have been designed in such a way that your fingers will find them quickly and with very little effort, so the only thing you have to worry about is what is happening on the screen and not what's going on in your hand.
Taking control
The ever-trusty D-Pad is back with the Xbox One controller and we wouldn't have it any other way. This time though it's much more responsive, offering improved sweeping and directional movements. When it comes to the thumbsticks, these have been given a brilliant new shape and texture. They have been completely redesigned to enhance your gaming. Not only does the new texture and shape help with the responsiveness of the sticks but their shape makes them easier than ever before to handle.
Button it
The Xbox One controller wouldn't be complete without Microsoft's heralded button layout. Design changes to the controller means that the X, B, Y, A buttons are easier to access then ever before. In fact the design of the whole controller has been improved to make sure that a wider range of hand sizes are catered for. To help with the ergonomics, Microsoft has managed to hide the battery completely within the chassis of the controller. This means that there's no unnecessary bulk to get in the way of your gaming needs.
Pair and share
Microsoft has taken the sting out of controller pairing with the new Xbox One. Not only can eight controllers be paired with the console, there are seamless profiles and controller pairing. The controller works effortlessly with Kinect, too. Kinect tracks each individual controller through its infrared LED so it knows exactly where you are in the room to help with the precision of your gaming.
And it doesn't matter where you are in your living room either – the Xbox One controller has a massive 30-foot wireless range. So even if you decide to game from afar, the Xbox One controller will be just as responsive as if you were sat right in front of the television. The placement of the menu and view buttons means that these are also within a finger's reach so navigation couldn't be simpler.
Expanding your gaming
The Xbox One controller comes with the ability to expand your gaming further than ever before. Found on the bottom of the controller is an expansion port and on the top a micro USB connection. These can be used in collaboration with an Xbox One Play and Charge Kit and Xbox One Chat Headset.
Connect the Xbox One Play and Charge Kit to your controller and you will be able to replace the AA batteries with a rechargeable kit that will charge a controller in under four hours. Using this add-on will keep your controller powered so you will never need to swap out batteries mid game again.
You can enhance your gaming even further with the Xbox One Chat Headset, which will allow you to interact with other players during online play. Couple this with high speed data transfer that enables clearer chat audio when using a compatible headset, and what you have the best online gaming experience available.
