SteelSeries Aeon Pro Xbox controller costs $259.99

SteelSeries is entering the Xbox and PC controller market with the $259.99 Aeon Pro, a wireless controller that is now available.

Its small OLED screen guides users through switching between Xbox, PC, and Bluetooth. It also supports on-controller setting changes, genre-based presets, control remapping, and rumble-sensitivity adjustments. More advanced options, including stick deadzones and profile creation, require the GG app for PC.

The Aeon Pro’s most practical feature is its swappable battery system. It includes two batteries, each lasting roughly 12 hours. The spare battery charges in the included wireless base station, which uses the same battery as the high-end Arctis Nova Pro, Omni, and Elite headsets. The station has two USB-C inputs, one for Xbox and one for PC, and can switch sources automatically or manually.

The controller has Hall effect joysticks and triggers, mechanical switches on most inputs, two-position trigger stops, and four fixed rear paddles. SteelSeries says the paddles are not removable because modular designs can become wobbly.

The Verge’s Cameron Faulkner says the battery system is appealing but questions whether it, or the OLED screen, justifies upgrading from an existing controller. The package does not include a zip-up case. Alternatives mentioned include Valve’s $99 Steam Controller, Sony’s DualSense Edge, and 8BitDo’s $149.99 Ultimate 3E.