Xbox Series X controller colors and price: we've ranked them all
The Xbox Wireless Controller comes in a lot of hudes. Here are all the Xbox Series X controller colors you an buy today
There are a lot of Xbox Series X controller colors. And I mean a lot. We’ve put our heads together to rank the best Xbox Series X controllers, and have also listed the release date and price of each pad.
Compared to the limited array of PS5 controller colors Sony’s put out, Microsoft has served up a happy feast of gamepad hues for collectors to dig into. In a change of pace to many of the best Xbox Series X accessories, they’re not overly expensive, either.
The two standard Xbox Series X controller colors – Carbon Black and Robot White – are sold at the same price, while the three extra solid colors – Shock Blue, Pulse Red and Electric Volt – will set you back only a touch more. Then, of course, there are several special edition color schemes Microsoft has released over the last couple of years.
And that’s to say nothing of Xbox Design Lab, Microsoft’s online controller customization store that lets you kit out a gamepad with personalized color combos and patterns. It isn’t cheap but offers a lot of scope for customization.
Many of the best Xbox Series X games support local co-op, making a second controller a near-essential accessory. Plus, it’s always handy to have a spare on hand if the batteries in your main gamepad run out of charge. If you’re getting a second controller, you may as well get one that looks nice. That’s where this list comes in.
Standard Xbox controller colors ranked 🏆
1. Electric Volt ⚡️
Release Date: April 27, 2021
MSRP: $64.99
Electric Volt is so enigmatically alluring that its name doesn’t even indicate its color. It’s green. Although not the classic dark Xbox green. More like a Mediterranean lime green that makes it look closer to a candy than a gamepad. PSA: don’t chew your controllers.
2. Robot White 🤍
Release Date: November 10, 2020
MSRP: $59.99
There can’t be black without white – the two sides of the controller color scheme universe forever locked in a battle for hueful dominance. This is the controller color that comes with every Xbox Series S and we love how clean it looks (unless you’ve been eating Cheetos). Those who grew up in the age of the Xbox 360 and associate the Xbox brand with white might be drawn to this one.
3. Shock Blue 💙
Release Date: November 10, 2020
MSRP: $64.99
The final, third color to release alongside the Xbox Series X|S at launch was Shock Blue. It costs a touch more than the black and white options, so weigh up whether that extra $5 is really worthwhile. This controller spurred Xbox fans into a frenzy due to its color match with Sonic the Hedgehog, leading many to speculate Microsoft was about to buy Sega. Sadly, that never happened.
4. Deep Pink 💖
Release Date: May 3, 2022
MSRP: $64.99
Despite what its name suggests, this Xbox controller color is actually quite bright. A little gaudy, even. It’s the pink of roses, or an unripe radish. If nothing else, it’s distinctive. You don’t often see pink controllers out in the wilds of brick-and-mortar stores. Will it make you the talk of the town? I can’t say. Will it add a splash of color to your set-up? Most definitely.
5. Pulse Red ❤️
Release Date: February 12, 2021
MSRP: $64.99
The Pulse Red gamepad was the first non-launch Xbox Wireless Controller color scheme to release. It’s a bright, almost crimson red. And its name evokes images of blood and high-octane racing, so you know it must be really, really cool.
6. Carbon Black 🖤
Release Date: November 10, 2020
MSRP: $59.99
Carbon Black is the standard Xbox Series X controller color. Now I know what you’re thinking: black isn’t a color, it’s an absence of light. How could the boffins at Microsoft make such an elementary mistake? I have no answer for you. Just accept this is what most people will be holding when they’re playing on their Xbox.
Special edition Xbox controller colors ranked 🏆
1. 20th Anniversary special edition 🥳
Release Date: November 15, 2021
MSRP: $69.99
Released to celebrate 20 years of Xbox, this anniversary controller features a translucent black front, solid black grips, and rubberized green back panels. It’s a shot of nostalgia, from its translucent plastic mimicking gaming merch of the 2000s, to the bright green Xbox button that riffs on the original Xbox logo. It received a very limited release, however, and is difficult to find in stock today. Sign in with this controller, and you’ll receive an exclusive Xbox 20th Anniversary dynamic background.
2. Forza Horizon 5 Limited Edition 🏎️
Release Date: November 9, 2021
MSRP: $75
Released to coincide with Forza Horizon 5, this limited edition controller might just be the most striking gamepad Microsoft has released for the Xbox Series X|S. Its translucent yellow body is a first for an Xbox controller, and the pink and blue splatter looks halfway between paint and sherbert. The controller sold out very soon after launch, so finding it for a reasonable price can be tricky.
3. Aqua Shift 💦
Release Date: August 31, 2021
MSRP: $69.99
Possibly the flashiest of all the Xbox Series X|S controllers, Aqua Shift features a shimmering blue finish. Add to that its rubberized grips with a two-tone swirl that catches the light, and it really does have a galactic, space-age quality. Fans were so happy with it that finding it in stock today can be tricky.
4. Lunar Shift 🌚
Release Date: November 11, 2022
MSRP: $69.99
The Lunar Shift is essentially a pearlescent version of the Aqua Shift. Its silver-gold finish shimmers in the light, and its all-white buttons and bumpers look pretty slick. As one of the most recent Xbox controller colors to release, it’s readily available, too, so finding it shouldn’t be much of a problem.
5. Daystrike Camo 🥷
Release Date: May 4, 2021
MSRP: $69.99
The Daystrike Camo was the first special edition color scheme to release after the launch of the Xbox Series X|S. It features a red and gray camouflage pattern, but does cost a whole $10 more than the standard white and black controller. Is that camo really worth it? Probably not if you have a red and gray carpet – drop it, and you might never find it again.
6. Mineral Camo 🌊
Release Date: October 21, 2022
MSRP: $69.99
Think Daystrike Camo but in submarine blue. Mineral Camo is the latest Xbox controller color to launch and the most recent camo design. Microsoft suggests it’ll be launching even more camouflage patterns in the future.
Xbox Elite Series 2 controllers ranked 🏆
1. Halo Infinite Elite Series 2 Limited Edition 😇
Release Date: November 25, 2021
MSRP: $199.99
Another tie-in controller for Xbox’s favorite power-armored super soldier, this Elite Series 2 controller was released to coincide with Halo Infinite. Aside from its green paneled front, it’s notable for its adjustable-tension thumbsticks, shorter hair triggers, and a wrap-around rubberized grip. As you’d expect, it was in pretty high demand at launch and very quickly sold out at retailers.
Xbox Design Lab
You don’t have to settle for the retail range of Xbox controller colors. Microsoft’s official Xbox Design Lab lets you whip up your own gamepad color scheme with a personalized face plate, grips, D-pad, thumbsticks and front buttons. It even gives you the option to add an engraving if you’re hoping to make a romantic gift of it.
You’ll pay extra for a camo pattern and rubberized back grips and side grips, but a standard custom color job will set you back $69.99. It’s not unreasonable when you consider Microsoft’s own, non-personalized special edition controllers cost the same price.
If you want to pay a lot more – $149.99 – you can also create a custom job for the Xbox Elite Series 2 controller. It’s just a shame you can’t spruce up the best Xbox Series X headsets to match.
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