Xbox Elite Series 2 controller now comes in white, starting at $129.99

polygon.com:

There’s a new version of the Xbox Elite controller in town. As of Wednesday, the gamepad is available for pre-order in a two-tone color scheme, white with black grips, and this model is (technically) cheaper: Known as the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 — Core, the controller is selling for $129.99.

That’s $50 less than the MSRP of the existing all-black version, which launched in late 2019 for $179.99. There’s a reason for that, and the “Core” in the name of the product hints at it: The white Elite Series 2 gamepad doesn’t come with most of the accessories that are included with the black model. Instead, what you get for $129.99 is the controller itself, a braided USB-C-to-USB-A cable, and a tool that allows you to adjust the tension of the gamepad’s thumbsticks — along with the same extended one-year warranty that Microsoft began offering for the black controller in 2020, after reports of hardware issues.

Wednesday’s announcement confirms multiple leaks over the past few months of a white Elite Series 2 controller. Asked if there are plans to sell the black Elite Series 2 model in a cheaper Core package as well, a Microsoft spokesperson told Polygon that this offering is limited to the new white version of the gamepad at this time.

The $129.99 Core set may contain all that you’re really looking for, especially if you’re a price-conscious gamer: It gives you a high-end controller for much less than these devices typically cost. (And it’s a smart way for Microsoft to try to undercut Sony’s upcoming answer to the Xbox Elite gamepads, the recently revealed DualSense Edge controller for PlayStation 5, whose price Sony has not yet announced.)

Perhaps you don’t need four extra analog stick options, or four paddles for