How durable are Xbox One controllers?

DarklordKyo

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A while back, I got a wired Xbox 360 controller for some PC games, it went well, and the controller eventually broke on me. Tried two more times, they still broke. Ever since then, I swore off it in favor of using my Dualshock 3 with the SCP xinput emulator (don't worry, it's nowhere near the intrusive piece of crap MotionInJoy is, from what I can tell).

Unfortunately, it's gotten it's own set of problems. Namely, the microUSB port's been worn down to a point where holding it wrong makes it disconnect from my PC (and, if I forget to unplug it, turn on my PS3, and I'll have to turn it back off). Admittedly, it's minor, but it's annoying, and it might be a sign of things to come.

Just for the sake of convenience, I'm tempted to get an Xbone controller with one of those little wireless dongles. Will it break like those three Xbox 360 controllers I went through?
 

tippy2k2

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I have found that they are super durable but then again, I never had any issues with the 360 controller either so maybe I'm just lucky or you're super unlucky?
 

DarklordKyo

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tippy2k2 said:
I have found that they are super durable but then again, I never had any issues with the 360 controller either so maybe I'm just lucky or you're super unlucky?
Well, a few days ago, some idiots totaled my car right in front of my house, so maybe the latter.
 

kilenem

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As a person who abuses their controllers they're pretty good. Although I thought I broke my X1 controller's thumb stick but I think something got something stuck inside of the controller because I took it apart and used a air canister to blow dirt out of the thumb stick and it worked out.

Oddly enough I've broken two, dual shock 3 with rumble, Shells playing racing games from pushing the left thumb stick against the Shell to hard. But the Original PS3 controller with out rumble I've never broke from playing racing games. Sony used a stronger plastic on the launch model controllers for PS3.
 

Dirty Hipsters

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I've never had a problem with my Xbox One controller so I think it's pretty durable, but then again, I still have the xbox 360 controllers that my xbox 360 originally came with, so it's not like I abuse them.

In terms of build quality I'd say it's definitely head and shoulders over the dualshock 3, which I feel is the worst controller of the last few generations in terms of build quality. The R2 and L2 buttons are squishy garbage, and the entire controller feels too small, too light, and too plasticy. Every time I pick one up I feel like I'm going to crush it in my hands (and I don't even have particularly large hands). If you don't use a Dualshock 3 for a while the rubber on the sticks seems to turn into a weird sticky jelly-like substance which is also quite bizarre, and overall it's not an ergonomic design either. Can you tell yet that I absolutely detest the Dualshock 3?

The Dualshock 4 is a delight though, battery life not withstanding it's one of the best feeling controllers I've used. If you're having doubts about the Xbox One controller I'd totally recommend the Dualshock 4.
 

Arnoxthe1

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It seems pretty darn durable. There's also this:


Now it could be that the PS4 controller in that video got used a lot more. I don't know. I'll let you judge. A couple things though.

1. The Xbox One was specifically built for durability. Learning greatly from the 360 failure rates and how much that cost them to fix, they've gone forward with a console that is now built like a tank. It only makes sense that the Xbox One Controller would follow suit with this kind of design.

2. The Xbox 360 controller was an incredible overall step-up in controller design and, besides the One controller, is my favorite controller, hands down, so Microsoft has a ton of experience in this department.

Although I will say this. The 360 controller suffers from a constant problem of slightly loosened thumbsticks after a bit. I personally really dislike loose thumbsticks. They get on my nerves. I don't know if the One controllers suffer from that same problem though.
 

Kyrian007

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DarklordKyo said:
tippy2k2 said:
I have found that they are super durable but then again, I never had any issues with the 360 controller either so maybe I'm just lucky or you're super unlucky?
Well, a few days ago, some idiots totaled my car right in front of my house, so maybe the latter.
Wow that happened to me too. Not the 360 controller, the car getting smashed in my driveway. Almost exactly one year ago a drunk drove through a telephone pole, one of my trees, and the tree fell on my car.

My wired 360 controller however is still in tip top shape after 5 years of pretty hard use. It does occasionally have a slight turn to the right even if it is in neutral position... but that goes away the second you move that stick, and won't happen again for 10 minutes or so. And, it always did that even when brand new.
 

laggyteabag

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I've found the Xbox One controller to not only be super comfortable, but also super durable, except in the one aspect that you mentioned: The micro-USB connector.

That thing is the flimsiest thing that I have ever used, and like you say, it will disconnect at the slightest unusual movement. It is terrible. I've found the Dualshock 4 controller to be better in this regard, but that controller doesn't hold a candle to the Xbox One controller, so I settled on getting a wireless dongle for the XBO controller that seems to do its job... at least when my PC games want to recognise a controller in the first place.
 

popa_qwerty

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Arnoxthe1 said:
It seems pretty darn durable. There's also this:


Now it could be that the PS4 controller in that video got used a lot more. I don't know. I'll let you judge. A couple things though.

Snip
That video shows nothing of worth seeing we know absolutely nothing about what happen to those controllers to get them in that state.

OT: Unless you are actively trying to break the Xbox 1 controllers it should last you quite a bit mine is going 2 years long and I am not delicate with it.

FYI If your PC uses Bluetooth the New Xbox 1 controllers* does not need a Wireless adapter. There are always the 3rd party wired 360 and Xbox 1 controllers will work with the PC. I used this until I got the Xbox 1 controller with Wireless adapter.

*https://support.xbox.com/en-US/xbox-on-windows/accessories/connect-and-troubleshoot-xbox-one-bluetooth-issues-windows-10
 

JUMBO PALACE

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I never had any durability issues with my 360 controllers but my xbox one wireless has been great. I highly reccommend it.
 

Dirty Hipsters

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Just remembered to mention something that I don't like about the xbox one controller.

The Xbox One controller vibrates for about 2 seconds every time that it turns on. I always have my xbox one controller plugged into my computer, therefore every time I turn on my computer my xbox one controller turns on. Every time I turn on my computer I have to lift my controller up for a couple of seconds so that it doesn't vibrate itself off my desk.

A totally minor annoyance, but an annoyance nonetheless since the xbox 360 controller didn't do that, and there's somehow no option to turn that feature off.
 

Worgen

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Whatever, just wash your hands.
I haven't had any issues with mine. One I got a few years back, the other is new and I got it for the steam link.
 

Creator002

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I'm on my third one (since 2013). First one I dropped and the left trigger didn't work. Second one, the A button got too squishy to press, and my current one (wireless with dongle as I sold my Xbox One) has an on-off again problem with the home button being a bit squishy.
I'm probably just unlucky, but take from that what you will.
 

Cycloptomese

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I'm on my second one. It's actually fairly decent when I consider how much I use them. They seem to hold up better than the 360 ones. I went through about five of them. I can't do a comparison for the Sony controllers, having not used them.
 

Lil devils x_v1legacy

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I broke microsoft xbox 360 controllers fairly easily, but found the scuf to be more durable. The microsoft xbox one controller that came with it broke easily but then the microsoft xbox one controller I bought later did not. Personally though I prefer the scuf controllers, though they will cost you quite a bit more they are very durable and come with many custom options.
 

votemarvel

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My Xbox 360 wired controller still works great but I've recently switched to a Xbox One controller. Mainly because it turns out while drunk I used Xbox Design Lab to make myself a bright pink controller.

The controller build is excellent, feels really good in my hands. The wireless dongle though I find to be awful. No matter where I place it on my PC (direct or with the extension cable, the signal will just drop at random. This happens with my black Xbox One controllers as well. Tried a replacement dongle and it was exactly the same.

No faults at all when I use a USB cable to connect the controllers to my PC though and saves on batteries, as they aren't required while using a USB cable.
 

DarklordKyo

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Dirty Hipsters said:
I've never had a problem with my Xbox One controller so I think it's pretty durable, but then again, I still have the xbox 360 controllers that my xbox 360 originally came with, so it's not like I abuse them.

In terms of build quality I'd say it's definitely head and shoulders over the dualshock 3, which I feel is the worst controller of the last few generations in terms of build quality. The R2 and L2 buttons are squishy garbage, and the entire controller feels too small, too light, and too plasticy. Every time I pick one up I feel like I'm going to crush it in my hands (and I don't even have particularly large hands). If you don't use a Dualshock 3 for a while the rubber on the sticks seems to turn into a weird sticky jelly-like substance which is also quite bizarre, and overall it's not an ergonomic design either. Can you tell yet that I absolutely detest the Dualshock 3?

The Dualshock 4 is a delight though, battery life not withstanding it's one of the best feeling controllers I've used. If you're having doubts about the Xbox One controller I'd totally recommend the Dualshock 4.

I use a DS 4 on PC too, with DS4Windows, which beats the hell out of any of those button mapping programs. I also just leave it plugged in since I'm at a desk anyways where I'm never further than the USB cord will reach. Although even on my PS4 I can play around the clock on a single charge with some to spare, and then just plug it in on standby to recharge it for next time. I have speaker volume lowered and the light bar at its dimmest to save battery, but that really just takes it from obnoxiously bright to just right so it's a win win.
 

Rangaman

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Pretty durable. I have broken one (LT no longer works) but I have a habit of breaking notoriously durable things (see my Wii, which cannot read disks anymore).