A custom Xbox One controller certainly stands out and what you may not know is that it's really easy to build one yourself.
One of the most immediately obvious customizations is a new shell, and with some fairly cheap parts and tools and about 15 minutes of your time, you can transform the look of your controller.
Here's everything you need to know.
What you need
It's handy to keep the tools mentioned above around as for any work you'll undertake on a controller you'll need them. Better still, you can snag a decent tool kit with both in and more besides for around $10.
When it comes to getting a new shell, there are plenty out there to choose from. In some cases you'll perhaps just want a new faceplate, others may want a completely new housing which also includes the backplate, battery cover, and grips. Whichever specific bits you're replacing, taking apart your controller and installing them is the same.
How to add a custom shell to your Xbox One controller
Note that this guide refers specifically to the standard Bluetooth Xbox One controller that comes included with the Xbox One S and Xbox One X.
- Remove the battery door.
Remove the batteries from the controller.
Use the plastic pry tool to detach the rear grips from the controller body. (Once you've separated them, pull firmly to remove them from the body.)
You now have five screws to remove as shown in the image with the T8 screwdriver. (The fifth is located beneath the battery label so you'll have to pierce it or remove it entirely.)
Pull the backplate away from the controller body.
Flip the controller around and pull the faceplate away from the controller body.
Follow the steps above in reverse to reassemble, adding your new shell in place of the old parts.
Now, you'll have a completely transformed controller that not only looks great, but didn't cost a lot, either.
You could also take the time to add some improved parts to the exterior of your controller, too, such as some quality grips or even some trigger stops if you're a fan of FPS games.
We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.

We're going to see tons of game delays this year and that's OK
We'll be seeing a lot of games delayed throughout 2021, more than were delayed in 2020. Right now, you should only depend on playing things that were originally supposed to release last year. Here's why that's OK.

AMD's Radeon RX 6000 GPUs have arrived. Here's where to find them.
AMD's Radeon RX 6000 GPUs aren't easy to find, and you might be wondering which models are available where. Check out the retailers and models you can expect to buy when stock normalizes.

These are the biggest PC announcements from CES 2021
CES 2021 was different in that it wasn't held at a physical location. Instead, companies relied on press kits and virtual presentations to showcase all the new products. We've rounded up the best PC-related announcements in case you happened to miss the show.

The capture cards Xbox streamers need to know about
Looking to improve the quality of your gaming videos or streams? The Xbox One does an OK job with built in software, but to kick it up a few gears you need a good capture card.