The Xbox Elite Controller is one of the best controllers on the market. MeinMMO author Marko Jevtic found, however, that it had significant weaknesses in an important area. Now he swears by a small purchase that cost him only €25. For him, this upgrade makes the already great controller unparalleled.
When gaming, I want to be completely in control. Whether it’s choosing the right mouse and keyboard, the right aim settings in shooters or configuring my Steam Controller – I have high demands and a lot of need for customization.
Every detail should be just right and adjustable to my needs. Since this applies to the Xbox Elite Controller, it is clearly the best controller for Xbox and PC for me and our editorial team.
Additionally, he is co-leader of several gaming Discords that focus on optimizing controls in shooters. This helps players, streamers, and esports professionals alike find the right settings and equipment for their games.
This results in an expertise for all details that are important for precise control. He is also in frequent contact with legends of the shooter community like KovaaK (known for his popular aim trainer).
In particular, I like the paddles, at least in theory. These small metal attachments go to the back of the controller. There, they become up to 4 additional buttons that can be pressed with the middle and ring fingers.
This is actually incredibly practical: I can keep my thumb on the right stick for aiming and continue to jump, crouch, or reload with fingers that were previously unused. However, I did not use it as hoped. Because the paddles that Microsoft includes with the Elite controllers are not good.
A purchase has significantly improved this fantastic controller again – and only cost me €25: SCUF offers replacement paddles for the Xbox Elite Controllers. These work with every version of the Elite Controller – both Series 1 and Series 2.
| Preview | Product | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Scuf Elite Series 2 Paddles für Xbox Elite Series 1 & 2* | Zu Amazon |
*Affiliate-Links. Wir erhalten bei einem Kauf eine kleine Provision von Amazon. Vielen Dank für Eure Unterstützung!
These paddles are a huge improvement over those that Microsoft includes with the Elite controllers. They enhance one of the most important features of the controller in terms of ergonomics, performance, reliability, and stability. Compared to the original paddles, they have only a few disadvantages – which do not matter while gaming.
I will explain to you why these SCUF paddles are such a massive improvement. And that, even though they only cost €25.
The paddles of the Elite Controller have significant weaknesses
What bothered me about the Elite Controller? Both versions of the Elite Controller suffer from the same, major problem: the paddles.
These buttons on the back were the main reason I bought my two Elite Controllers. With these removable metal attachments, there are additional buttons that can be pressed with the ring and middle fingers. They should make many inputs easier without compromise. However, with both versions of the Elite Controller, they disappointed me:
- The paddles were both too big and too easy to press.
- If I held my controller a bit tighter in intense moments, I often accidentally pressed these buttons on the back of the controller.
- Especially in ranked matches, I absolutely do not want to accidentally jump while shooting at an enemy.
Even though the paddles were so important to me, I often refrained from using them for this reason. When I did use them, it was only the two top ones – they were the most ergonomic and therefore an acceptable compromise. I never wanted to use all 4 paddles. My error rate was just too high, leading to many frustrating deaths.
Replacement paddles from SCUF are an immediately noticeable, massive upgrade
I didn’t find a DIY solution, but I did find a highly professional one:
SCUF, the famous manufacturer of controllers beloved by professionals, has produced their own replacement for the paddles.
These are called “SCUF Elite Series 2 Paddles for Xbox Elite Series 1 & 2“ and cost a comparatively cheap €25. The upgrade could hardly be more direct and problem-free. They simply replace the paddles from Microsoft: you remove the old ones and insert the new SCUF paddles. The massive difference is immediately noticeable.
Why are the SCUF paddles so good? The main differences from the original paddles are immediately noticeable:
- Compared to the original paddles, the SCUF alternative is significantly squarer and less elongated.
- They land a bit more centrally on the back of the controller.
- The SCUF paddles stick out more from the controller – there is a noticeable gap between the controller and the paddles.
- Thus, they sit noticeably higher in the controller, even if it doesn’t look that way.
- The shape of the SCUF paddles is very ergonomic for many grip types.
- Compared to the standard paddles, significantly more force is required to press them.
- The SCUF paddles feel similar when pressed, like a mouse button.
In gaming, all these changes represent a massive improvement. The SCUF paddles are positioned in such a way that your fingers are significantly more separated from the controller than with the originals. In combination with the greater resistance they provide when pressing, I have absolutely no false inputs anymore.
Additionally, they sound and click like a mouse button. This makes the inputs not only very satisfying in terms of feel and sound – it’s very easy to know when you have successfully pressed the button. Additionally, repeated inputs are much more pleasant this way.
With the SCUF paddles, I can easily use all 4 paddles and assign them important functions. It also doesn’t bother me to leave them on the controller for games where I don’t need or use the paddles directly. None of this was true in my experience with the original paddles.
All in all, the SCUF paddles are a clear upgrade to the standard solution in every functional respect. Plus, they don’t cost much and are a simple and seamless replacement.
View from the back 
View from the top 
View from the side
What are the disadvantages of the SCUF paddles? In my experience with the SCUF paddles, there are absolutely no disadvantages while gaming. However, there are 3 things to consider, especially regarding the Series 2:
- Due to the shape of the SCUF paddles, the ‘Series 2’ Elite Controller no longer fits on the charging station while the paddles are in the controller.
- The SCUF paddles do not have their own place in the carrying case of the Elite Controller.
- If the charging station of Series 2 is still in the carrying case, you cannot leave the paddles in the controller either.
These disadvantages are annoying, but only matter after gaming. My solution is to remove the paddles before placing the controller on the charging station or in the carrying case. The net in the carrying case is not an elegant storage place for them, but it serves its purpose.
Conclusion: Anyone who owns an Elite Controller should try the SCUF paddles
The SCUF paddles have been a stroke of luck for me. I have never seen discussions about them online, nor have I read any reports about them. Even on the SCUF website, they are very well hidden.
That’s a shame, because this accessory is an absolute win for me. My shooters are now significantly more enjoyable with the controller. And the Elite Controller Series 2 is undoubtedly the best controller I have ever used with this upgrade.
Yes, the SCUF paddles are an additional investment for an already very expensive controller. But if your performance in the game is so important to you that you bought an Elite Controller, you should also get the absolute best out of it.
Therefore, I recommend to anyone who already owns an Elite Controller to try these paddles from SCUF. No matter if you own the Elite Controller as Series 1 or Series 2.
Which shooters I will be playing a lot in 2022 are shown in my overview:
The 15 best multiplayer shooters in 2022 for PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, and Xbox
How did I improve the paddles? After a particularly frustrating round of Halo Infinite, with many accidental paddle inputs, I tore them off the controller very annoyed.
I thought: The paddles are ultimately just small metal attachments that you plug into the controller. Surely there’s a replacement from a clever tinkerer with a 3D printer?
I didn’t find a DIY solution, but I did find a highly professional one:
SCUF, the famous manufacturer of controllers beloved by professionals, has produced their own replacement for the paddles.
These are called “SCUF Elite Series 2 Paddles for Xbox Elite Series 1 & 2“ and cost a comparatively cheap €25. The upgrade could hardly be more direct and problem-free. They simply replace the paddles from Microsoft: you remove the old ones and insert the new SCUF paddles. The massive difference is immediately noticeable.
Why are the SCUF paddles so good? The main differences from the original paddles are immediately noticeable:
- Compared to the original paddles, the SCUF alternative is significantly squarer and less elongated.
- They land a bit more centrally on the back of the controller.
- The SCUF paddles stick out more from the controller – there is a noticeable gap between the controller and the paddles.
- Thus, they sit noticeably higher in the controller, even if it doesn’t look that way.
- The shape of the SCUF paddles is very ergonomic for many grip types.
- Compared to the standard paddles, significantly more force is required to press them.
- The SCUF paddles feel similar when pressed, like a mouse button.
In gaming, all these changes represent a massive improvement. The SCUF paddles are positioned in such a way that your fingers are significantly more separated from the controller than with the originals. In combination with the greater resistance they provide when pressing, I have absolutely no false inputs anymore.
Additionally, they sound and click like a mouse button. This makes the inputs not only very satisfying in terms of feel and sound – it’s very easy to know when you have successfully pressed the button. Additionally, repeated inputs are much more pleasant this way.
With the SCUF paddles, I can easily use all 4 paddles and assign them important functions. It also doesn’t bother me to leave them on the controller for games where I don’t need or use the paddles directly. None of this was true in my experience with the original paddles.
All in all, the SCUF paddles are a clear upgrade to the standard solution in every functional respect. Plus, they don’t cost much and are a simple and seamless replacement.
View from the back View from the top View from the side
What are the disadvantages of the SCUF paddles? In my experience with the SCUF paddles, there are absolutely no disadvantages while gaming. However, there are 3 things to consider, especially regarding the Series 2:
- Due to the shape of the SCUF paddles, the ‘Series 2’ Elite Controller no longer fits on the charging station while the paddles are in the controller.
- The SCUF paddles do not have their own place in the carrying case of the Elite Controller.
- If the charging station of Series 2 is still in the carrying case, you cannot leave the paddles in the controller either.
These disadvantages are annoying, but only matter after gaming. My solution is to remove the paddles before placing the controller on the charging station or in the carrying case. The net in the carrying case is not an elegant storage place for them, but it serves its purpose.
Conclusion: Anyone who owns an Elite Controller should try the SCUF paddles
The SCUF paddles have been a stroke of luck for me. I have never seen discussions about them online, nor have I read any reports about them. Even on the SCUF website, they are very well hidden.
That’s a shame, because this accessory is an absolute win for me. My shooters are now significantly more enjoyable with the controller. And the Elite Controller Series 2 is undoubtedly the best controller I have ever used with this upgrade.
Yes, the SCUF paddles are an additional investment for an already very expensive controller. But if your performance in the game is so important to you that you bought an Elite Controller, you should also get the absolute best out of it.
Therefore, I recommend to anyone who already owns an Elite Controller to try these paddles from SCUF. No matter if you own the Elite Controller as Series 1 or Series 2.
Which shooters I will be playing a lot in 2022 are shown in my overview:
The 15 best multiplayer shooters in 2022 for PC, Switch, PS4, PS5, and Xbox
