Review of the Xbox Elite Controller

So I finally managed to spill beer on my standard Xbox controller the other night with the help of my dog.  I soldiered on with sticky buttons for about a week when I finally decided to just buy a new one. Like most gamers, I was intrigued by the release of the Xbox Elite controller but gagged on the price and quickly rationalized that there was no need for such frivolity. The announcement of the new Xbox consoles put the Elite controller back on the radar for a day or two, but once again quickly faded from view.  Enter the dog.

So I order the Elite controller and installed it yesterday.  In short?  What are you waiting for? Get it now.  I know, a bold statement, right?  Look, I'm a casual gamer.  Old guy.  Likes his RPG and big worlds to explore.  I don't do multiplayer.  I don't play games to get pissed off at my fellow man, it's simply an alternative to watching TV, with equal acknowledgement of time wasted. But that's the point really. If you sacrifice the time to play video games, shouldn't you use the best equipment available?  I realize that sounds funny coming from someone who prefers consoles over PC rigs, but that's an argument for another day.

So here it is.  You won't be impressed at first, but it won't take much game play for you to realize the advantages. The overarching advantage? When using the Elite controller, it is a rare moment when one of your two thumbs must come off the joysticks.  This happens more than you realize on the standard controller, only becoming apparent when you're not doing it anymore. But there is muscle memory training to be done to become proficient. Don't jump into a dicey battle for awhile as you will constantly be trying to remember what paddle maps to what.  Also in the beginning, it seems the sensitivity of the paddles is almost too sensitive.  Almost.  You quickly learn that the death grip you normally exert on the handles won't work anymore and you must learn to relax your hands. It's easy activating a paddle and from time to time you do it unexpectedly.

Is the Elite controller worth the price? I think it is overpriced, but having said that I also think it is a superior controller, so what it's worth to you? While I still gagged at the price I paid, I don't really feel any buyers regret.

UPDATE:  I'm simply amazed at how long batteries last in this thing. Standard rechargeable controller packs won't work on the new Elite controller (because, of course), so I just popped in a couple of standard Energizer AA's.  They've made it through many hours of Fallout 4 and only now indicating low battery condition.