The Xbox Series consoles - the S and X - have great games and come with great controllers, but there's one thing about them that can put some players off the wireless gamepads: their cost. At £55 for a standard model and more if you want a special edition pad (the Elite Series 2 costs over £150), providing adequate controllers for a family of four can get expensive fast.
This is where third-party manufacturers step in. As long as there have been game consoles, there have been companies keen to sell you a compatible controller for less money than the original manufacturers charge. Sometimes you get a barebones controller, which is functional but doesn’t bring any new features with it, but others have innovations such as customisable lighting and programmable buttons.
Wireless controllers tend to be more expensive than we’ve got the budget for here, with USB-C wired connections the best as removable cables mean they can come out of their sockets if someone trips over it, saving a much worse accident. Controllers that can be taken apart and reassembled with different parts are fine, but if you’re looking for something all the family can use, their small parts and the possibility that a bit could get lost and render the whole gamepad non-functional means you are perhaps better off looking for one that remains in one piece.
What the best budget Xbox controllers can also offer is a different look - there are retro-themed pads out there that evoke the consoles of yesteryear - which can also mean the positions of the sticks are different. Xbox controllers generally use an offset stick arrangement, with the left-hand one higher up the pad than the right, while PlayStation controllers put them side-by-side. Which one you prefer to use is entirely down to personal preference, and possibly many years of muscle memory, but being able to use a controller with your console that reflects your preferences will make for a more comfortable gaming session.
Xbox controllers can also easily be used with PC games, meaning one of the best value controllers can do double-duty across your console and laptop. These are some of the best.
Best cheap Xbox controllers at a glance:
- Best for extra features on a budget: Turtle Beach React-R - £28, Argos
- Best for simplicity: 8Bitdo Ultimate C Wired Controller - £30, Amazon
- Best for purists: Xbox Wireless Controller - £55, Amazon
- Best for custom triggers: HyperX Clutch Gladiate - £37, Amazon
- Best for D-pad gaming: 8Bitdo Pro 2 - £35, Amazon
- Best for lighting effects: PDP Afterglow Wave - £33, Amazon
- Best for a long life: GameSir G7 Wired Controller - £31, Amazon
- Best for old-school gaming: 8BitDo Arcade Stick - £99, Amazon
Turtle Beach React-R
Best for: extra features on a budget
Turtle Beach’s Recon controller has some excellent features but a higher price - almost as much as the official Xbox controller - so this cheaper wired option is good to see from the firm. You get a lot for your money here, with two remappable buttons underneath the controller where you can reach them with your fingertips, and an all-round premium feel from the ergonomic, grippy plastic construction. There are audio controls built into the top of the gamepad, allowing you to mute your headset mic or activate Turtle Beach’s ‘Superhuman Hearing’ audio enhancer.
Buy now £28.00, Argos
8Bitdo Ultimate C Wired Controller
Best for: simplicity
This wired controller is broadly compatible, so as well as using it with your Xbox, you’ll be able to plug it into Windows and Android devices, and even the Steam Deck, though you may need a USB adapter. It’s a classic, very Xbox-like shape, with offset sticks and the face buttons where you’d expect them to be. This means you can switch between systems easily and not have to learn new controller layouts. There's a wireless version too, which costs a little more.
Buy now £30.00, Amazon
Xbox Wireless Controller
Best for: purists
The official Xbox controller goes for about £55, but you can often pick it up for less. It’s a great all-rounder, is wireless, and you’ll have the advantage of knowing you’re using a first-party item that’s probably not going to go wrong in an interesting way. It uses plain old AA batteries, from which you can get about 44 hours of use, and it will hook up to a PC via Bluetooth too. Microsoft’s pad might not be exciting, but it’s got years of development behind it, and can feel great to use.
Buy now £55.00, Amazon
HyperX Clutch Gladiate
Best for: custom triggers
HyperX has a great range of PC and console peripherals, and this officially licensed wired controller really looks the part with its textured finish and red lowlights. Its triggers come with customisable locks, so you can switch between long or short pulls depending on the needs of the game you’re playing, and a pair of extra paddles underneath can be customised to act like you’re pressing any other button on the pad, including clicking the sticks.
Buy now £37.00, Amazon
8Bitdo Pro 2
Best for: D-pad gaming
This may look like a PlayStation controller thanks to its side-by-side sticks, but it’s an officially licensed Xbox model with a classic D-pad that will come into its own when playing retro games or 2D fighters. The sticks are Hall effect, the 2.5m supplied USB cable means you won’t need to sit too near the TV (ask your mum why this is a bad idea), and it’s perfectly at home used with a PC too.
Buy now £35.00, Amazon
PDP Afterglow Wave
Best for: lighting effects
This wired pad is officially licensed, but comes with LED lighting you can customise across eight zones to reflect your mood or just look good. Its buttons, sticks and triggers can be fiddled with too in the dedicated app, and there are two programmable back buttons you can assign frequently used commands to for a quicker response. Four profiles can be saved and switched between to quickly change between control schemes, and it also comes in a range of colours, including a delightful purple.
Buy now £33.00, Amazon
GameSir G7 Wired Controller
Best for: a long life
This officially licensed controller features Hall effect sticks and triggers, which operate contactlessly for a longer lifespan and a smoother and more consistent experience over time. Avoid throwing it at the wall in anger when you’re shot down, and they can stay smooth and accurate for a long time. There are extra paddles underneath, with switches that can disable them to avoid unintended button presses, and you can customise its operation and save up to four profiles to switch between users.
Buy now £31.00, Amazon
8BitDo Arcade Stick
Best for: old-school gaming
This is meant to be a list of budget controllers, but for an arcade stick, this is cheaper than most. It offers both wired and wireless modes thanks to a USB dongle, and if you’re getting good at games such as Street Fighter or Tekken, it might be exactly what you’re looking for. Arcade sticks mimic the feel of a coin-op cabinet, and can be more comfortable as well as offering speed advantages from the larger joystick and programmable buttons.
Buy now £99.00, Amazon
Verdict
Getting a third-party gamepad to use with your Xbox is often a case of looking out for features the official controller doesn’t offer. This often comes down to extra buttons and a bit more leeway in customising your pad to suit the way you want to play, and when looking for a budget Xbox controller the Turtle Beach React-R offers all of this for a lower price than you’d pay for Microsoft’s kit. The market may be filled with expensive wireless gamepads, but these budget buys will keep you playing for many years to come.
