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The best Xbox One accessories take a great console and make it better. Though some players have already moved on to the Xbox Series X or Xbox Series S, there are a lot of us who still get a lot of use out of their Xbox One consoles. Though you get everything you need to start playing right out of the box, there’s lots of gear out there that can help fine-tune your experience, from a gaming headset to chat with friends, to TV-style remote for when you pivot to watching Netflix or YouTube. Almost all Xbox One accessories are next-gen compatible, so you don’t need to worry about losing your investment when you upgrade your console. If you’re looking to enhance your Xbox One setup, we have a few ideas of what gadgets to get.
- Best Xbox One controller: Xbox Elite Series 2
- Best external hard drive: WD 4TB My Passport Portable
- Best media remote: PDP Talon Media Remote
- Best subscription: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Subscription
- Best headset: Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset
- Best rechargeable battery pack: Xbox One Play and Charge Kit
How we selected the best Xbox One accessories
When choosing the best Xbox One accessories, I relied on years of experience and research writing about video games. I’m an avid Xbox One and Xbox Series X user, and have used each product on the list extensively. In addition to my personal testing, these recommendations have been parsed from a variety of play testers and other publications’ reviews.
Best Xbox One accessories: Here’s what we recommend
There are a lot of different kinds of peripherals and add-ons for Xbox One. Consider this an overview of the best Xbox One accessories for the widest range of players. They vary widely in terms of what they do, as well as what they cost, but they all bring something important to the table.
Best Xbox One controller: Xbox Elite Series 2
Best controller upgrade
Your hands will thank you
Why it made the cut: The standard Xbox One controller is good, but the Elite Series 2 has a ton of extra features that make it feel special. It’s the best Xbox One controller for sure.
Specs:
- Estimated battery life: 40 hours
- Notable features: Haptic feedback, Impulse Triggers, rumble motors, adjustable and swappable thumbsticks, assignable buttons, rear paddles, dual analog sticks
- Connections: Wireless, USB-C wired
- Colors: Black
Pros:
- Tons of customization options
- Sturdy and stylish
- Long-lasting rechargeable battery
Cons:
- Expensive
Though Microsoft’s original Xbox controller is perfectly capable, it is not the absolute best gamepad you can get. If you’re willing to splurge, Microsoft’s luxury controller, the Xbox Elite Series 2, adds a ton of extra features, giving you new ways to customize and enjoy your controller. From removable rear paddles and a swappable D-pad, to a rechargeable battery and wireless charging dock, every aspect of the Elite Series 2 feels a little bit fancier. Even its diamond-shaped grips and matte casing feel luxurious. It’s far more expensive than the standard Xbox controller, but also easily one of the best controller designs we’ve seen this console generation or the last. When it comes to the best Xbox One accessories, this is a must.
Best external hard drive: Western Digital My Passport Portable
Best external hard drive
Spacing it out
Why it made the cut: You’ll absolutely need more space for games at some point, and this portable hard drive comes highly recommended for Xbox players.
Specs:
- Storage Capacity: 4 TB
- Size: 4.33 x 3.21 x 0.85 inches
- Weight: 0.54 pounds
- Storage Type: SSD
Pros:
- 4TB storage capacity
- Small and compact
- 3-year limited warranty
Cons:
- Not as durable as it could be
When you purchase an Xbox One, it features 500GB-1TB of internal storage. With most blockbuster games taking up between 50-100GB of hard drive space, though, you’ll fill that drive up before you know it. If you want to avoid deleting a game every time you want to install something new, you should grab an external hard drive to make more room. The Western Digital My Passport Portable is small, sleek, and ultra-portable. It’ll take up very little physical space in your entertainment system, and provide a massive amount of digital space for your Xbox One. You’ll be able to play and enjoy any game you want without worrying about filling up your console with data. And in an increasingly-digital future, that’s more valuable than you know.
Best Xbox One media remote: PDP Talon Media Remote
Best media remote
Point and click power
Why it made the cut: The PDP Talon media offers a more familiar form factor for those looking to use their Xbox consoles as streaming centers, with convenient buttons and functions.
Specs:
- Dimensions: 2.01 x 3.54 x 10.79 inches
- Weight: 1.62 ounces
- Batteries: 2 AAA batteries (included)
- Compatibility: Xbox One, TV, Blu-ray, streaming apps
- Backlight: Yes, motion activated
Pros:
- Controls your Xbox One system, TV, Blu-ray, and streaming apps
- Soft, rubberized texture
- Motion-activated backlighting
Cons:
- No programmable buttons
- Requires disposable batteries
Some of the most useful items in our homes come with remote controls, not gamepad-like controllers. The PDP Talon Media Remote is an easy way to control entertainment-focused apps and functions on your Xbox rather than having to use your controller to do so. It’s great for anyone less familiar with controllers and gaming in general, and comes with more standard buttons that can be used to control your Xbox One, TV, Blu-ray, or the streaming apps you use the most. It’s even backlit, lighting up the keys when you move it. It’s also a nice backup when your controller runs out of power.
Best Xbox subscription: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Subscription
Best subscription
All the games you can play
Why it made the cut: Xbox Game Pass is an affordable way to make sure you always have new games to play—a must have in Xbox accessories.
Specs:
- N/A
Pros:
- Extreme value
- Large variety of games
- Play new Xbox releases day and date
Cons:
- Great games are often removed
Keeping up with all the latest Xbox games can be exorbitantly expensive. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, the highest tier of Microsoft’s downloadable game library subscription, combines access to a list of over 100 Xbox games, over 100 Windows PC games, a library of games you can stream without downloading, and Xbox Live Gold service, which you’ll need to play games online. It’s the largest subscription service of its kind and, frankly, one of the best reasons to buy an Xbox console.
Whether you want to play Microsoft exclusives the day they come out, try some indies, or dig into an older catalogue, there’s a wide range of games to choose from at any given time. The best and worst part of Game Pass is that the library is always changing. Like Netflix and other video streaming services, games are added and removed from the catalog regularly. (If you love a game and are worried about it being removed, you can buy it at a discount before you lose access). Overall, Game Pass gives you the ability to try new games without having to worry too much about whether or not they’re “worth the money,” which is an incredibly freeing experience.
Best Xbox One headset: Microsoft Xbox Wireless Headset
Best headset
Spatial sound
Why it made the cut: Microsoft’s Xbox Wireless Headset is a great value, and surprisingly capable for both casual and hardcore gamers.
Specs:
- Weight: 1.53 pounds
- Connectivity: Xbox Wireless (No dongles or cables required)
- Dimensions: 9.2 x 9 x 4.2 inches
- Batteries: 1 Li-Ion battery, 15 hours, rechargeable
- Microphone: Auto-mute, voice isolation, adjustable
- Earcups: Leatherette, adjustable, rotating dials for volume
Pros:
- Excellent treble and bass
- Budget-friendly
- Clear, crisp mic
Cons:
- Somewhat smaller frame
There are a ton of great gaming headsets these days. Turn your head, and you’ll see several excellent options for getting nuanced audio while chatting with your friends and teammates. One surprisingly excellent pick, however, is Microsoft’s own first-party Xbox Wireless Headset, which is very affordable and covers all the bases. The Xbox Wireless Headset offers clean sound, clear chat, and a strong 15 hours of battery life. It features rich spatial audio using Windows Sonic, Dolby Atmos, or DTS Headphone:X virtual surround sound. And with its Xbox Wireless connection, you get a low-latency connection without plugging in a USB dongle. It isn’t audiophile-grade like, say, the Audeze Penrose X, but it’s one of the best Xbox wireless headsets for most people.
Best rechargeable battery pack: Xbox One Play and Charge Kit
Best rechargeable battery pack
Play, charge, repeat
Why it made the cut: Rechargeable controllers should be the norm, but at least the play and charge kit makes it possible.
Specs:
- Dimensions: 5.9 x 5.6 x 1.6 inches
- Weight: 6.4 ounces
- Estimated Battery Life: 30 hours
- Compatibility: Xbox Wireless Controller (Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S versions)
Pros:
- Eliminates need for disposable AA batteries
- Simple to set up and use
- Long battery life, relatively quick charge
- You can charge and play at the same time in wired mode
Cons:
- Should be a standard feature
We love the Xbox One controller, but if there’s any one thing we hate about it, it’s the fact that it requires AA batteries for power. Sony and Nintendo moved onto rechargeable controllers years ago, but Microsoft hasn’t taken the leap yet. Instead, they offer an optional upgrade, the Xbox Play and Charge Kit, which lets you slot a rechargeable battery pack into the battery housing.
While we protest the notion that it’s optional, the play and charge kit is among the best upgrades you can buy for your Xbox One. Its 30 hour battery life gives you tons of time to play, and when the battery dies, you can keep going in wired mode. You may say that it takes less time to swap out batteries than charge a controller, but at least you always have the option. There’s nothing worse than having a controller die and realizing you need to go to the store to pick up more AAs. (Plus, again, you’re generating a lot more e-waste).
What to consider when buying the best Xbox One accessories
You don’t really consider how many things there are to keep in mind when picking up some of the best Xbox One accessories. Some of the factors to influence your buying decisions are obvious, like what you’re using your system for and whether you really need a headset to chat with. But you should also consider how many games you plan on downloading and whether or not you purchased the discless Xbox One S All-Digital Edition. The best Xbox One accessories are just general upgrades: You should only buy the ones that specifically make yourexperience better.
X-amine your console usage
The Xbox One is a versatile platform. You can play games, sure, but you can also watch TV and streaming services and chat with friends, among other things. The question is, what are you going to do with it? If you plan to do all three of those core activities, there are lots of Xbox One accessories that can help. But if you use a different device to watch streaming media, you probably don’t want to get the media remote just because it’s available. Once you have a sense of how you use your Xbox day to day, then you’ll know how to upgrade effectively.
X-pand your Xbox storage
How do you feel about downloading games? Your Xbox One’s hard drive, whether 500GB or 1TB, will likely not be enough to hold all your games over time (especially if you have Xbox Game Pass). Consider that Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Warzone alone take up a whopping 200GB. If you only play a couple of core games, or don’t mind deleting and downloading games as needed, you probably don’t need to sweat the hard drive. If your interests are wide and varied, you may want to consider picking up an external hard drive to store more games. This is doubly important if your home internet service plan has a monthly data cap.
X-tend your Xbox controller’s life
Some players may be playing lengthy, marathon gaming sessions. Others like to play for half-hour or an hour or so and call it a day. If you’re using your controller for hours on end, you’re likely running through batteries quickly. Rather than using AA batteries, which generates electronic waste, consider buying rechargeable batteries or the Xbox play and charge kit, which allows you to charge your controller via USB. Many of the best Xbox One controllers that have internal power or that require a wired connection.
FAQs
The best Xbox accessories will depend on what you want to do with your system. If you plan to spend hours and hours playing the latest and greatest new releases, you may want to consider an external hard drive. If you play competitively, you may want to buy a controller with special features like rear paddles or trigger locks.
With that said, most players will probably want some kind of headset, even if it’s just to improve their single-player audio experience. And, while it is expensive, the Xbox Elite Series 2 controller is worth the expense, no matter what kind of games you play.
If you want to chat with other players on Xbox One, you’ll need an Xbox One-compatible headset to do so. Any analog wired headset can simply plug into your Xbox controller via a 3.5mm headphone jack and should work automatically. If you plan to buy a wireless headset, you will need to make sure it supports the Xbox Wireless connection standard. Most wireless headsets work with either PlayStation or Xbox: Luckily, manufacturers are generally very clear about what consoles work with any given headset model.
This all comes down to whether you play a lot of racing games or not. Xbox is home to the Forza racing series, so there’s certainly plenty of reason to invest in a racing wheel if you want to take your simulation racing experience to the next level. Steering wheels let you “feel” what it’s like to be driving your in-game car. When paired with pedals and a comfortable seat, you can close your eyes and pretend you’re actually driving that souped-up sports car. (Which is way safer than closing your eyes when you’re actually driving). Racing wheels can be pricey, but if driving is your passion then it’s well worth the entry fee.
Our final thoughts on the best Xbox One accessories
Having a cache of some of the best Xbox One accessories around ensures you can have the best possible experience with your console. Whether you’re extending your controller’s battery life with a play and charge kit or using a remote to put the controller down from time to time, there are plenty of ways to optimize the Xbox One beyond simply buying the best Xbox games.
