Tips and More
To know when the controller was made:
Look at the last 3 digits of the controller serial(the 14 digit number below the barcode). The numbers represent the year and week, and can also be seen the same as the lot number on the packaging with a 1 in front. Though, I haven't seen many packaging with the lot number until really Xb1 controllers. In which this last 3 digit trick seems to work for those as well.
In the example, it's the Halo 3 matte green controller, and the 3rd to last digit is 7, and the last 2 are 34. This would put it as manufactured in 2007 in the week of August 20th - 26th(week 34). The controller released on Sep. 25th, 2007, so would line up with enough time to get them out into retail. This will work on all controllers, wired or wireless. So if you have a 360 controller and want to know how old it is, look at the last 3 digits of the serial.
Reading the Controller Backing:
Wireless Controllers:
Starting from top to bottom. You can look in the top-hole and see TP23. This is a good spot to look for since stickers can be to worn or missing. Seeing TP23 means it will be either WKS368 or WC01, so you'll still need a bit more info to get the exact model.
Next, provided the big sticker is properly visible. Look towards the center right, you'll see the FCC logo with the tiny c inside the big C. Below that is the FCC ID, in this case, it's WKS368. There are many sticker layout changes through the years, but that spot stays rather consistent.
Finally, look at the smaller sticker below, it has a part number that always starts with a X. The part number is unique to the controller variation. Some controllers like the white/grey will have many different part numbers, but will always be specific to those, and those only. The PN may also be centered or be to the right. In this case it's centered and is X801769-004. The first 6 digits tend to be the same for controllers from 2005 to 2009. So when looking at older controllers I tend to just focus on the last 3 after the -. This being -004 makes it a silver-trim.
Below that is a barcode and the serial, the serial will always be 14 digits. I've been trying to get it decrypted as seen further below of this guide. But for the most part, I tend just just focus on the last 3 digits to know the controller age. This being 549 makes it being made in the 3rd to last week of 2005.
This serial sticker example shows the part number being on the right. The pattern I've found is that if the serial starts with 05, it will be centered. Where as if like below and it starts with 02, it will be to the right. There are serials that start with 03, which also has the part number on the right.
Controller serial breakdown: (Experimental)
It's 14 digits total and I've been trying to figure out what every number means. The only thing I'm 100% sure on is the last 3 digits since that's been way too consistent to be wrong.
LL = First 2 digits = Location? I've seen 02, 03, 04(04 being very rare, only on old wired), and 05(part numbers are centered when 05).
88 = Pretty much every controller has it, not sure the meaning.
00AAAA = Production Line Amount(is it only 4 digits? May be 6 digits, filling in the extra 0s.)
X = Still trying to figure it out. Possibly the day of the week it was made? I've only seen 1-7 in this area. Could also be line number.
Y = Year, at least the last digit of the year. So 5 = 2005. Can get tricky since could also be 2015, but fall back to if it's a pre-2010 or post-2010 controller.
WW = Week, this means it will only ever be 01-53. 53 being rare since not all years have a week 53, but it does seem to happen.
LL8800AAAAXYWW
Controller Changes Throughout The Years:
Pre-2010 Controllers:
Has a non-shiny silver guide button, and ‘Microsoft’ engraved in middle of LB/RB. Typically uses TP23 boards, and mostly have starting part numbers of X801769-. However, a few TP21 boards have crept in during mid-to late 2009+. I consider the TP23 models to be the most reliable/durable. Could be placebo, but all my 2010+/1403 controllers develop stick drift quite fast and feel lighter/cheaper plastics.
The exception to TP21 boards will start with a different part number, X817145-, and should say Model 1403 on the big back sticker.
Post-2010 Controllers:
Now has a shiny silver guide button, and the engraving in the middle of LB/RB changed to 'Xbox 360'. Special edition controllers also got a silver transforming d-pad and switched to concave thumbsticks that don't have 4 little nubs anymore. All 2010+ controllers will be Model 1403, minus the Halo 4 controllers being 1546 because of their white pcb. They also will have TP21 written horizontally in the top hole in the back. The part numbers vary quite a bit now, so no typical starting. Scroll below for the FCC model guide to learn more.
Old d-pad and thumbsticks:
A few post-2010 controller still released with the old style. Will have 4 nubs on each thumbstick, and the d-pad is the normal 8-way, no shiny silver. Controllers that were old style:
Black Wired
Black Wireless(though, a black transform version was released).
Fable 3
Halo Reach
Special White
Walmart Blue
Transforming d-pad and different style thumbsticks:
The new thumbsticks have no more nubs, and has round/rougher edges. The d-pad is a shiny silver and changes from a 4-way to an 8-way.
It started with the matte silver controller that released in Nov. 2010. However, not all controllers released after the silver had both new features. Like in the case of the Gears 3 controller released in 2011, it had the transforming d-pad, but then still had the 4 nubbed thumbsticks. Controllers that had new style:
Silver(the only controller with dark-grey thumbsticks)
Gears3(only the transforming dpad)
MW3
C-3PO
Black/Black Transforming Wireless
All Chrome controllers
Halo 4 UNSC/Forerunner
Tomb Raider
Green and Arctic Camo
Battery cover/shell changes through the years:
The shell itself has never changed, But the sticker on the back has a bit. Official controllers will always have a matte/non-glossy sticker. But for the later 2010+ controllers, there was an added battery symbol between the + and - section.
As for which controllers had a matching battery cover/shell or not, the list isn't long. If it's not below, there was never a matching cover for it.
Pink, Dark Blue and Light Blue had matching.
Red and Limited Green had matching.
Special White and the last 2014 Walmart Blue had matching.
Below is examples of the main variations/changes.
WC01 Backing: White
WC01 Backing: Black
1403 Backing: Black
Early back sticker: 2005-2007. Very plain sticker with battery instructions.
Later back sticker: 2008-2017. They added the 2 X 1.5V section in the bottom-right corner.
All new controllers had a little rolled up manual paper inside the battery cover compartment.
Things to look for when looking at loose controllers:
Thumbsticks, at least for all non-concave sticks, there are little nubs on top and those are the first to rub off, usually quite fast. So even lightly used controllers can have at least 1 out of 4 nubs missing. And sure, the thumbsticks can easily be replaced, but this is usually the first easy thing to look for in how used it is.
Controller shine, there is a rough coating on controllers that wear off quite fast from hand oils/sweat, so the more shine, the more it’s been used. If you are in person, it will feel super smooth, that’s definitely a sign of heavy use. While this can be considered aesthetic, I much prefer the rough coating, it not only looks better, but feels better. Once it starts to shine, I’m unsure if there is a way to recover the plastic back to rough. Either way, I like looking at this the most because even if sticks weren’t replaced, they could have used thumbstick covers. So the more rough a controller is, the most likely newer it will be.
Grime/gunk in the cracks of the controller, this is quite easy to clean up. However, I’ve spotted many controllers selling as ‘like new’ with massive gunk in the cracks, and that’s just nasty. Even if you wash your hands before using the controller, for some reason dead skin cells love to build up in the cracks and it can get pretty bad. My method for cleaning is a clothespin and some rubbing alcohol(taking it apart and soaking in soapy water is best, but the other method is for not taking it apart.).
Back Sticker Part 1, as part of the above for looking for tampering, the sticker is vital to knowing if someone has taken apart the controller before. And while if it’s missing, showing signs of being peeled up, or straight punctured to expose the screw. It doesn’t always mean the controller is non-legitimate now. But it does mean they may have replaced the thumbsticks or swapped the PCB/Shell from another controller. So I would be more wary of the controller being 100% stock.
Back Sticker Part 2, look for the right colour. The Black/Grey controllers and all pre-2010 controllers will have a grey-ish white, sticker behind the battery shell. Post-2010 controllers have either pure white with black lettering, or pure black with white lettering stickers. The serial/part number sticker can be more easily switched, but this sticker would be much harder to peel up and switch.
Black/Grey Backing:
Black/Black Backing:
Spotting new, sealed packages:
First thing to look for is the controller inside the packaging. If you see a White/Grey controller inside a red cardboard for windows box or a post-2010 packaging, surely it’s not sealed.
Second, look for cracks and openings, for the old plastic packaging, it’s usually fairly obvious if it has been opened, which is a plus/minus. Plus, you know easily if it’s sealed, the minus, you can’t easily place a controller back in for displaying if you own this type of packaging.
The plastic packaging can also be brittle, it’s pretty tough to find packaging that isn’t cracked on the outer edges. Or even if it’s in good condition, the common/cheapest way to ship is a yellow padded envelope, which can result in damages from shipping. So keep this in mind, perhaps ask if the seller can ship it in a box with good padding.
As for the cardboard box packaging, it’s easier to manipulate used/new items, so would suggest looking for the pics of the sealed stickers on the top/bottom. It’s tricky, and if ordering online, there will always be some risk of being fully sealed. In some cases, the seller may even show fully sealed pics, but you’ll get a beat up box to the point the seals didn’t need to be broken to take the controller out.
Part of the reason for this guide is to help preserve what original packaging looked like, utilize this. You can compare the UPC or the item number(B4F-0…), etc. Collecting sealed controllers will get harder over time.