This special edition Xbox gamepad is 31% off at Amazon US in a solid early Black Friday deal
The Cipher Red is a favourite of mine.
I love the look of these Pulse Cipher edition Xbox controllers with a slightly translucent finish that just takes me back to the late 90s and early 2000s when tech design was a little wackier, and all the better for it. They look the business, although have traditionally been quite expensive as far as Xbox controllers go, given the left-field aesthetic.
I love the Pulse Cipher edition Xbox controllers that have made their way out in the last few months, with a translucent finish that takes me back to the late 1990s and early 2000s. They've traditionally been a lot more expensive than more standard Xbox controllers, but with this early Black Friday discount, it takes the red edition down to $55 from Amazon - a 31 percent reduction on its $80 RRP.
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Xbox Wireless Controller Pulse Cipher (Red)Now $54.99 (was $79.99) |
Beyond the lovely transparent red case with silver internals and metallic gubbins that looks excellent, this is a modern Xbox controller that comes with its usual fixtures and fittings that make it one of my favourite controllers to use. It's got a sensible layout in a comfortable shape, complete with rubberised grips on the reverse to aid comfort, while being larger than its predecessors. You can also use the Xbox Accessories app to remap buttons, giving you more versatility than before.
The most critical difference from the older Xbox One era controllers comes in terms of connectivity, with all models now supporting Bluetooth in addition to the USB-C wired and Xbox Wireless modes to make it a versatile customer across console, PC, and even mobile devices if you want to pair it with cloud-streamed games ot mobile emulators where having a physical controller counts for a lot more than finicky on-screen controls. For many of these devices, you can also grab an Xbox Wireless Adapter for a lower-latency wireless connection.
The only thing I don't like is that Microsoft is still insisting on supplying these controllers with standard AA batteries, which they say should last for up to 40 hours. If you're going to be using this controller frequently though, a quality set of rechargeable cells like these Eneloop Pros are a small investment for batteries you can use again and again. Or, there is Microsoft's official Play and Charge kit, which adds a rechargeable battery that can be topped up with a USB cable, or a twin charging dock like this Venom one I've owned since mid-2021 and used without a hitch.
If you want to grab a special Xbox controller with a substantial discount, this Amazon USA deal on the Pulse Cipher edition is a steal.