Microsoft's XBOX Nano Controller Puts the Pad in a Pocket, With Tradeoffs
Microsoft released the XBOX Nano Controller in November 2026, a wireless pad the company calls the smallest in XBOX history.
1 source 20m ago
Reporting from 1 source: GIGAZINE.
Why it matters
The Nano trades the rumble motor and smooth analog feel of the standard pad for pocket size, which sets the bar for what a travel controller can give up before play suffers.
Key Facts
- Microsoft released the XBOX Nano Controller in November 2026.
- GIGAZINE measured the XBOX Nano Controller at 133 mm wide, 66.5 mm deep and 36.6 mm thick, weighing 102 g.
- The Xbox Wireless Controller weighs about 240 g.
- The XBOX Nano Controller supports Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Xbox on PC and Windows, Android and iOS.
- The XBOX Nano Controller has no built-in vibration motor.
GIGAZINE measured it at 133 mm wide, 66.5 mm deep and 36.6 mm thick, 102 g against roughly 240 g for the Xbox Wireless Controller. It pairs with Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PC, Android and iOS. The review found the left analog stick registers slight 8-direction angles, and the pad has no vibration motor.
The Nano is 102 g on GIGAZINE's scale, less than half the weight of the Xbox Wireless Controller, and its thinness comes partly from leaving out the vibration motor. The button layout copies the standard pad: two analog sticks, a directional pad, A/B/X/Y, and an added action button below the View and Menu keys. Pairing with an Xbox Series X took a USB Type-C cable and a press of the XBOX button. In play, the left stick showed a faint 8-direction angle when tilted through a full circle, where the wireless controller's input is smooth. The package lists Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Xbox on PC and Windows, Android and iOS, and the unit GIGAZINE received was marked as made in Beijing.
Written with AI by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited. See our editorial policy.
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