Honey, Xbox shrunk its controller

is a senior correspondent and author of Notepad, who has been covering all things Microsoft, PC, and tech for over 20 years.

Microsoft is officially announcing its Xbox Nano controller today, a smaller and cheaper controller that’s designed to fit into your pocket. The more compact controller is also designed for “younger players, smaller hands, or anyone seeking something portable for play on the go.”

The $49.99 Xbox Nano is Microsoft’s smallest controller, and it’s shorter than most smartphones at just over five inches in length. It has all the regular buttons you’d find on a normal Xbox controller, as well as Xbox Wireless and Bluetooth support for connecting to Xbox consoles and phones, tablets, and PCs.

The Xbox Nano controller also has includes a rechargeable battery, and doesn’t require AA batteries or a separate charging pack like most Xbox controllers. Microsoft has also added a programmable Action Button to the Xbox Nano controller that can be customized to take screenshots, gameplay capture, and other Xbox shortcuts.

The Xbox Nano originally leaked earlier this year with what looked like a tiny screen to indicate cloud or console connectivity. That screen isn’t part of this final shipping model, though. The rest of the controller looks identical to the leaks, including a USB-C port at the rear and a pairing button.

The Xbox Nano is available to pre-order today, priced at $49.99. It will start shipping in November.

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