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Because the first mannequin’s originate alongside the Xbox 360 (the customary Xbox console infamously sported a chunky and awkwardly designed controller nicknamed “The Duke”), the Microsoft Xbox controller has change into one amongst the baseline choices for console and PC gaming. This persists into its most widespread iteration alongside the Xbox Series X, even giving the PS5’s DualSense Controller a flee for its money.
Whereas lots of the face and characteristic buttons and ports on the controller include obtrusive purposes, there’s one bit on the bottom of the tool that’s much less apparent, a exiguous, rectangular port. This mysterious port is ceaselessly a leftover characteristic from the Xbox One years, originally conceived to make up for the inability of a devoted headset port.
The port on the bottom of an Xbox controller is formally identified because the Microsoft Expansion Port, a proprietary connection designed to join a exiguous form of peripherals to your controller. These peripherals basically encompass chatting units, equivalent to headset connectors and keyboards. As most widespread-generation Xbox controllers include devoted headset ports, the Expansion Port has change into seriously vestigial, with third-party offshoots of the controller scrapping it fully. That said, while you still include an Xbox controller with an Expansion Port, you might per chance maybe command it, provided you might per chance maybe even include got a properly suited peripheral.
The Expansion Port used to be originally added for chatting peripherals
The original Xbox 360 controller, fittingly for the console’s online multiplayer-focused form, featured a 3.5mm audio jack on its bottom, supposed to receive the legitimate Xbox 360 gaming headset. This used to be a properly-loved characteristic at some level of that console’s time, leaving avid gamers perplexed when the Xbox One launched in 2013 and its controllers lacked that port. In lieu of the 3.5mm audio jack, the first Xbox One controller featured an Expansion Port.
Whenever you occur to desired to run a headset into the controller, you might per chance maybe wish to aquire a separate audio adapter that can also run into the Expansion Port, which you might per chance maybe then run your headset into and command the onboard volume and quiet buttons. Which you might per chance maybe additionally join a headset to the port straight away in case your headset had an Expansion Port jack.
This proprietary setup used to be no longer a preferred different with avid gamers, with audio adapters going largely unsold. Resulting from this, a couple years later, Microsoft launched a revamped version of the Xbox One controller with a 3.5mm jack next to the Expansion Port for straightforward headset connection.
The port has been mostly dummied out, but still helps some peripherals
Because the originate of the up to this level Xbox One controller, Microsoft has frail that same framework up into the widespread day, alongside with both the 3.5mm audio port and the Expansion Port on the controllers for the Xbox Series X and Series S.
The Expansion Port, nonetheless, has largely gone missed by Microsoft itself and the gaming public at broad, as there’s no right wish to command it while you might per chance maybe neutral run a headset with its include volume and quiet buttons neutral in. Third-party controllers that mimic the Xbox controller’s form, such because the PowerA Wired Controller, forgo the Expansion Port fully, leaving entirely the 3.5mm jack.
Whereas the Expansion Port has change into roughly vestigial, while you might per chance maybe even include got a indispensable-party Xbox controller or still command your feeble Xbox One controller, you might per chance maybe command it if that is so inclined. Moreover the audio adapter, one amongst the loads of most prominent Expansion Port peripherals used to be the Chatpad, a compact keyboard you might per chance maybe run into your controller for typing in-sport chats in supported video games. Which you might per chance maybe no longer aquire the particular Microsoft Chatpad anymore, but there are third-party keyboard peripherals on hand on Amazon, such because the MoKo Xbox One Controller Keyboard, which plugs into both the Expansion Port and the audio jack. Whether the next iteration of Xbox console continues to encompass the Expansion Port stays to be considered.
