The corded version of the Xbox 360 controller for Windows was one of the unsung heroes of the last generation of hardware. Combining the reliability of a wired connection with the fantastic design of the 360 pad itself, it managed - for the first time ever - to establish a standardised control pad for the PC.
So around this time last year, people were excited to get their hands on the Xbox One equivalent! Only, there wasn't one alongside the console's launch. People have had to wait...and wait...and wait...(or get some drivers)
OK, now Microsoft are releasing it. It'll be out next month, and will be exactly what you thought it would be: an Xbox One controller with a cord attached, which you can plug straight into a PC's USB port, no downloads required, and use it to play video games with.
If this had launched alongside the Xbox One, I'd have bought one in an instant. Almost a year later, though, now that I've spent time with the XB1, I probably won't. Without any distinguishing new features, the Xbox One pad is, well...I just don't think it's as good as the Xbox 360 pad was. Its lightness makes it feel cheap, the plastic a little creaky. And the redesigned bumpers and shoulder buttons are just that little bit harder to get to. Yeah, the d-pad is an improvement, but let's be real, how often do we actually use it in a game?
So long as both controllers' layout is the same, then, I can't see why you'd want to opt for this newer pad when the old warhorse is still widely available.