The best Xbox Series X and Series S accessories in 2024

Game Pass Ultimate remains one of the best deals in gaming. For $16.99 a month, you get access to a large library of games on Xbox and PC (including day-one access to Microsoft titles), online play, and cloud gaming across a variety of devices. If you own an Xbox, it makes more sense to subscribe to Game Pass Ultimate for a year instead of buying a few full-priced games. And while the recurring cost may seem high, you'll be sold the first time you play Forza Horizon 5 or Halo Infinite on your phone, tablet or computer. — Devindra Hardawar, Senior Rreporter

We're big fans of Microsoft's Elite Series 2 Controller, but its high price sometimes makes them hard to recommend. That's where the Elite Series 2 Core comes in: It's basically just the higher-end controller without any of its additional accessories (you can purchase extra thumbsticks and other components down the line). You'll get a more premium build quality than the standard Xbox gamepad, and you'll also be able to customize your gameplay experience with adjustable triggers. If you're more than a casual gamer, you'll notice the difference. And if you're just looking for a more customized option, check out Xbox's Design Lab, where you can fashion controllers to your liking. — D.H.

8BitDo's Ultimate wireless controller is one of our favorite third-party gamepads for the Nintendo Switch and PC, thanks to its comfortable design, rear buttons and Hall Effect sensor joysticks (which avoid drifting). The Xbox version has all of those features – except the ability to go completely wireless. Still, even with a cable, the Ultimate controller is one of the best options around for the Xbox, especially since it's often on sale for far less than wireless alternatives.

If you're more interested in playing older games, or are just looking for a different style of controller, we're also huge fans of 8BitDo's Pro 2. It's incredibly comfortable, and its directional pad is one of the best on the market. It also makes a great controller for PC gaming (though any recent Xbox controller will also work on computers over Bluetooth). — D.H.

Steelseries has been making some of our favorite gaming headsets for years, and its latest Xbox option, the Arctis Nova 7X, is a sterling example of why. It features beefy neodymium magnetic drivers for crystal clear sound, up to 38 hours of battery life and a nifty retractable microphone. It can also be used across multiple systems, including PlayStation and Switch (with a bundled USB-C dongle), and it can be connected to two devices at once. (That's helpful for connecting your phone alongside your gaming system.)

The Arctis Nova 7X also supports both Microsoft and Sony's spatial audio technology, which can make games more immersive with simulated 360-degree sound. While it's pricier than mainstream headphones, you'll notice the sound difference with the Nova 7X, as well as its comfy fit, thanks to a sturdy headband and memory foam ear cushions. — D.H.

Tired of controlling Netflix playback with your controller? Then pick up 8BitDo's Media Remote. Available in long and short designs (the latter removes numbers and other extraneous buttons), they're well-made remotes that fit the Xbox's clean aesthetic and, with their low price point, they're an excellent value. I've been using the short model to control 4K Blu-rays and tons of streaming apps, and it's far easier to use than a controller when it comes to quickly fast-forwarding. Now, I don’t have to put my drink down to skip to another chapter. — D.H.

If you play Microsoft Flight Simulator long enough, you'll realize you can only go so far with a standard gamepad. Time for a flight stick! After conferring with flying simulator fanatics, and perusing plenty of reviews, we'd recommend jumping on Thrustmaster's T-Flight Hotas One joystick. It offers realistic five-axis control, 14 buttons and a detachable throttle. And unlike some clunky PC solutions, it's compact enough to fit on a coffee table or lap desk. (You can also use it with a computer, if you'd like.) — D.H.

If you're more into cars, we were impressed by Logitech's G923 racing wheel. Add it to your gaming setup and it'll feel like a genuine steering wheel, with a comfortable grip, steel paddle shifters, and a trio of solid pedals. Once it's clamped to a table, it delivers a surprisingly realistic driving experience – all the better to tear through Mexico in Forza Horizon 5. It's definitely pricey at $400, but it's a high-quality investment that'll last for many racing games to come. — D.H.

The Wolverine V3 Pro introduces Hall effect joysticks for the first time in a Razer gamepad, and it’s also the company’s first fully wireless controller for Xbox consoles (though it also works with PC). This is a top-tier controller with extra bumpers for claw-grip players, an eight-way floating D-pad and Viper mouse switches in its four back paddles. Its face buttons are microswitches in a rubberized membrane and they have a 0.65mm actuation distance — basically, they’re quick and clicky. It connects wirelessly via a USB dongle with a 2.4GHz connection, or wired with a 1000Hz polling rate. The Wolverine V3 Pro was designed with esports and high-skill competitive play in mind, and it costs $200. — Jessica Conditt, Senior Reporter

While there are many Xbox charging docks out there, we like 8Bitdo's because it looks incredibly sleek and the company has proven itself to be a trusted accessory maker. 8Bitdo's Xbox charging dock includes one rechargeable battery and a sleek translucent plastic base. It has one job: Charge your controller — and it does that perfectly. While you could save a few bucks by going for an unknown third-party alternative, we'd recommend playing it safe when it comes to charging accessories. The last thing you need is cheap batteries dying out in the middle of a clutch Call of Duty moment. — D.H.

If you were lucky enough to nab a new Xbox Series X or S at launch, chances are you're already familiar with their storage limitations. Luckily, you can easily give yourself a bit more breathing room with one of Seagate's storage expansion cards, which are just as fast as the speedy SSDs inside the consoles. In addition to the 1TB card that arrived at launch, Seagate also recently unveiled 512GB and 2TB options. We'd recommend going for 1TB at this point, especially since its price has fallen to $150. But if you can afford it, the 2TB SSD will certainly last longer. — D.H.

You can also connect traditional, external hard drives, like Seagate's 2TB Game Drive, to the Xbox Series X and S over USB. They're far too slow to run current-gen games at their full speed, but they give you a boatload of storage for a much cheaper price. They're useful to have around for playing games from the original Xbox, as well as the 360. And they can also be used as "cold storage" to free up space on your precious SSD. Newer games can easily move back and forth between those drives, which prevents you from having to download them again. — D.H.

Forza Horizon 5 is the perfect racing game for most players, offering deep customization and complex racing mechanics in a bright, welcoming package. Forza Horizon 5 is set in a fictionalized region of Mexico, with vibrant and diverse tracks, and rich personalization options for both vehicles and drivers. The game has a rewind button so players can really push the limits of every turn, and its cars look fantastic and feel great to control. Forza Horizon 5 is less serious than Gran Turismo but more realistic than Trackmania, occupying a sweet spot in the racing-game genre. This is a shining star in the Xbox lineup. — J.C.

Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II is a third-person narrative adventure set in Iceland in the 10th century, and it’s the sequel to Ninja Theory’s 2017 hit, Hellblade: Senua’s Sacrifice. Senua is a young warrior who hears a cacophony of disembodied voices in her mind, judging her every move. Senua fights in close-quarters melee combat until her pores ooze blood, screaming through each swing of her sword as whispers fill her skull.

In Hellblade II, Senua is figuring out how to live outside of her father’s influence, but his voice still rumbles in her head at inopportune times, drowning out the softer whispers that she’s come to view as her allies. Hellblade II is the perfect game for a quiet afternoon when you’re craving a dark sensory overload. — J.C.