Remember the Official Xbox Chatpad? These accessories have been around since the Xbox 360 era (even longer actually, but the original Xbox version never got released), allowing you to plug a mini keyboard into your controller.
Back in those days, these things were pretty popular! They were a great way to message your friends on Xbox Live and type into in-game lobbies, as well as perform tasks like redeeming codes for Microsoft Points. The Xbox One then received a new Official Chatpad a few years later, which still actually works on Series X and Series S controllers!
The thing is, the Chatpad has become kind of obsolete these days. We're seeing less and less of them in the wild now for a few reasons - Microsoft doesn't sell them anymore, keyboard and mouse support is now heavily integrated into consoles, and you can also use a variety of mobile and PC apps to message friends and redeem codes instead.
Nevertheless, we're still interested to know if you ever bought one of these Chatpads for your Xbox controller, whether it was the Xbox 360 era or the Xbox One era, and whether you're still using it on Xbox One, Series X or Series S today!
Did you buy the Chatpad for your Xbox controller? Tell us down in the comments below!
Comments 29
Yep! Still rocking it now. how else am I going to fast reply those insulting chat messages!
I have mine still for 360 and One. Kinda wished the One version was a bit ergonomic but it works fine still all these years later. Now if only the Elite 2 controllers worked as well as those chatpads...
This article is the first time I've ever seen this didn't know it existed.
Never got one.. Should i? Is there a point to this? lmao
I did have one for the 360 , they were great!
I wanted one for the X1 too but I was never able to find one in a shop. Now they are pretty rare to find but would love to have one.
Yep. Absolutely no way I could live with out it. From text chat in games, to typing out specific objects I'm looking for in thing like Planet Coaster.
Fantastic add on that needs brought back.
I wish I owned the ultimate one....
Yes: I have the official versions for 360 and Xbox one still, and a third party one for PS4, but very rarely used it. No clue why I keep buying them, to be honest, they usually get use once for some password entering and then never used again.
I guess I just like stupid gadgets like these.
Can't vote because I have one on both my 360 and Xbone.
It's actually a really good piece of kit. Naming folders, sending in chat Halo MCC messages, searching for games. It comes in handy a lot more than you'd realise. It's only when I'm doing stuff on my partner or son's xbox that Inotice and then hate not having one on there.
Typing with the analogue sticks is a pain in comparison.
In fact, I think MS should just go ahead and incorporate chatpads as a base feature in to their Series 2 pads (along with gyro). If devs could rely on the feature being there, they could actual make good use out of it. We could even have spelling based games for kids to practice their spelling. It would be great.
I loved my 360 Chatpad; it was crazy useful for my purposes
I think I always wanted one but it's always been impossible to find a legitimate one.
Have a 360 one and Xbox One one. Don't use them anymore though
Seen third party ones on AliExpress for between £7-£10. They work with the X and S and seem absolutely fine for the job. Turns out my friend uses one after I suggested it to him, and he loves it.
So I may take a leap myself on one seeing how cheap the third party ones are.
I just wish I knew my friend used one and I’d gotten one earlier. I assumed there wasn’t a third party option still available.
Anyone know a decent third party option? This would be very useful for certain games!
Yes, I did. I used it all the time. It was so much better than moving the stupid cursor around the keyboard. I just don’t use chat enough anymore to really miss it, but back when I played a lot of mp games, it was fantastic.
Bought for both consoles. That should have been a choice
And I love mine. It's so useful and also adds some weight and extra contour to the controllers.
@ralphdibny I always wanted that! ♥😂
I feel I need to get one to hit back in Rocket League chat.
@EVIL-C lol it looks amazing but I wouldn't have anything to play it with, I don't know how much I could get into PSO and the GameCubes online never really took off here in the UK
I didn't buy one, but I've always been tempted. The biggest annoyance I have with the One and Series is that they don't support bluetooth keyboards for some reason; considering practically every other device does.
It'd be super useful to use the BT keyboard I have for my tablet rather than having to get a new keyboard with a long USB cable that'd trail everywhere.
I can't vote on this one as I bought both the official XB360 and XB One chatpads.
I did buy them on deep sales, no way would I have bought them new.
Still using it with my Elite Controller 👍🏻🙂
Yes And still use it! The best keyboard for xbox ever made!
we need to restock this again... i drop once and the jack port is broken... i have a big luck to get a used one.
But today you newer get the original -.-
I have the X1 version. Don't use it for messages, just use my phone app, but still use it sparingly for games that need a lot of typing.
I bought it for 360 and Xbox One. I now use the screen keyboard, but it's so difficult. Though, the keyboard from the Xbox app is way easier, although, I have to pickup my phone so it's like another step, but I'm way faster on my phone. Kinda sad there's no official anymore.
Yes, both. The downside to the 360 one was no drivers for Windows. There was a workaround but it was EXTREMELY tedious. I loved setting up custom UI's for World of Warcraft for use with a gamepad, but also being able to type while playing. Not getting a lot of use these days, but if WoW or FFXIV come to XSX then I'll be sure to dust it off.
OK but there real question is can you use WASD to play FPS with it
@karlhendrikse
nope! its not a keyboard at all.
On the 360, it made playing the hidden text adventure Zork so much easier on CoD: Black Ops (1or2?)
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