The Solid Gold Xbox Controller: A Unique Testing Tool

Kind and captions are set to display the video in English.

I just want to know if this thing is going to work or not, so I'm glad we're testing it out. (pauses) Okay, let's get started then. (begins playing the game)

The Xbox controller, a staple of gaming, has undergone numerous design changes over the years. One such example is the solid gold version, which has been put to the test in this unique video. The controller, adorned with 24-karat gold plating, weighs a substantial 500 grams and features all the standard buttons and joysticks one would expect from an Xbox controller.

As Linus begins to play the game, he notes that the controller feels surprisingly similar to its regular counterpart. "The buttons just feel like regular X-Box buttons," he observes. However, as he delves deeper into the game, it becomes apparent that this solid gold controller is not without its quirks. The rumble motor, for instance, struggles to produce an effect due to the excessive weight of the controller.

"This thing feels like a third-party rumble pack from the N64 days," Linus says with a chuckle. "It's like it's shaking, but not very fast because it's too heavy." Despite this, he notes that the rumble is still present and can be felt by the player.

One of the most striking aspects of this solid gold Xbox controller is its durability. When asked if he thinks it would withstand a kick, Linus responds with confidence. "On sheer mass alone, mass plus velocity, force, this would destroy a TV," he says with a grin. The controller's weight and design make it nearly indestructible.

As the test continues, Linus becomes increasingly engrossed in the game, despite the challenges posed by his oversized hands. He notes that the controller feels like it requires "a completely different muscle movement" to use effectively, but acknowledges that this is a minor complaint compared to the benefits of owning such an extraordinary piece of gaming hardware.

In conclusion, the solid gold Xbox controller is not only a unique testing tool but also a testament to human ingenuity and innovation. Its ability to withstand even the most extreme conditions makes it a formidable companion for any gamer willing to push the limits of their console experience. Whether or not one would pay five to six figures for such an extravagant piece of hardware is up for debate, but its sheer presence on the gaming scene cannot be ignored.

Linus begins to speculate about what it would take to own this controller if he weren't limited by the necessity of selling his Xbox every time a new generation comes out. "We can assume it's backwards compatible," he says thoughtfully. If so, then owning this solid gold controller becomes all but inconsequential.

However, the question remains: where does this controller sit on the spectrum of cool and stupid? Linus ponders this as he finishes his game and sets down the controller for a moment. "There's an adage," he says with a sigh, "if it's stupid but it works, is it really stupid?" In this case, the answer seems to be yes.

The controller may not be the most practical or efficient piece of hardware, but its sheer audacity and uniqueness make it impossible to ignore. As Linus finishes his thoughts on the solid gold Xbox controller, he can't help but feel a sense of admiration for its creator. "It's like, I guess you didn't really do anything to the PCB," he says with a grin, referencing the internal components of the controller.

The final verdict on this solid gold Xbox controller is clear: it may not be for everyone, but its presence in the gaming world is undeniable.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: en- I just want to knowwhat we're doing with it.- Okay, so my original plan,which I have not admitted before,is I wanted to just- (test signal beep)That's right! It's back in the studio,and in this video, we're going to seethe Linus Tech Tips crew reactsto the solid gold X-Box controller.If you design electronics,or you're just lookingfor some new testing gear,register for Keysight University Liveusing the link in the description,and you can get a chanceto win one of over a hundredpro-grade test gear prizes.(upbeat electronic music)- What? (laughing)I have to wear gloves?- Yeah.Is it real gold?- Yeah.- Oh,I didn't know.(man laughing off-screen)- Is this like, actuallybecause it's necessary?- Yeah.- Okay.- Second that youtouch it, the finish is ruined.- Yeah, that makes sense.- Oh, wow, what's this?- Protective gloves.- Protect my hand.- It's covered by the new limited editiongold foil LTT shirt!Okay.- You made that right?- Yeah, I did, I designed it.- Oh.Oh,that's,that's substantial.- Oh Why is it so heavy?- It's solid gold.- Oh my Gods!- (Laughing hysterically)That is heavy, this is heavy!This is a weapon.- (gasping) Oh my God, thefinish is actually really nice!Oh my God, I like that theback is like, sort of grippy.That's smart.You definitely don't want torage quit a game with this.- Yeah, how muchdo you think it weighs?- That's probably good five pounds.- Six pounds?- Uh, like ten pounds?- Okay. I do training,and my ten pound weight is alittle bit heavier than this,so maybe like seven pounds, eight pounds?- This is probably, two kilograms?- Like two, three pounds?Am I in the ballpark?- Yeah, three pounds.- Three pounds?- Best one yet. (laughs)- Yeah.- You know in your braina kilogram is heavy,but yet, when you holdit, like, you know, geez!Like it's got this weight to it.Get outta here!You're not allowed to see it yet!Brandon tried to see it.- Is this actually gold?- Yeah, it'sactually gold, 18 carat.- How much did this cost?- You tell me, yeah.- I'm supposed to guess?- Yeah, guess.- I don't know what the gold price is!- $4,000, or about $3,000, $4,000?- $5,000?- 40,000, 60,000, or was it more?- Well, it costs at least like, $69.99 US.(man laughs off-screen)- I guess that'sactually quite close,what's the conversion on that?It actually is $69,000 US!You're $200 off.- Wow. (laughing)- This costs $1000.(all laughing off screen)Am I wrong?- (laughing) A bit higher.- $5,000?- Bit more than that.- Stop! How much does this cost?- $87,000.- Holy (beep)!- Why did we spend thatmuch on this? (laughing)- It's an investment.For a YouTube video?- For three YouTubevideos, we're milking it.- Oh, okay good. Yeah.Well, at least we're milking it.- (laughing) Why does thisexist? (laughing hysterically)- What'sheavier, a kilogram of feathers,or a kilogram of bad decisions?- Very funny.(all laughing off screen)- I have no idea what we're doing here.I have, (exhales heavily).- Yes, you haven'tfilmed this whole video yet.- I haven't filmed thewhole rest of this video.Oh, how heavy is it, you ask?About three pounds, one ounce,tastes like it's about $69,000 US.(alarm blaring)- Oh, you need the gloves!- Oh, Ooh! Sh- (laughing)(all laughing off screen)- So what's the deal with the back?Is that like a design on purpose,or is that due to the casting?- Both.- Both, Okay.- Yeah, basically,we couldn't keep the original texturebecause it would just die in polishing.- Ooh, okay.- So we had to create one.- Okay, so I will saythe joysticks are fine.I'm not seeing any issues,that seems normal.The buttons seem totally normal.I do notice that the right triggeris definitely hard topush. (buttons clicking)Or, the bumpers are hard topush, but the triggers are fine.Is that due to the controller?- Yeah, they normally useplastic as the spring for those.- Okay.- Ah, these shoulder buttons are,yeah, they're a little rough.(buttons clicking)These triggers are good though.(buttons clicking)- You can feel it kind of wobble.But at the same time, like,it is smooth,thanks to all the extra mass, you know?- Yeah, I was concernedthat the Springs wouldn't be stiff enough,but they seem fine.- Yeah, I think, actually,because the springs aren't too stiff,it's easier to start pulling the trigger.It's like, pretty easy to feather it.(buttons clicking)- Like, the clack.- The clack?(buttons clicking)Of these?Oh, I didn't even,I didn't even notice they made noise!Oh, that's satisfying.I really like that.(buttons clicking)Who knew that, like,a gold X-Box controllercould be so cool. (laughs)(gasps) There's birds in this game!Oh!Oh wait, where they goin'?Can I follow you?Where you going?Where you going?What you doing?(gun firing)(gasps) Oh, time to go.- Why would you do that?- It wasn't me.I'm out! (laughs)Wasn't me.Hi, Carter!No, don't go back there.Don't go back.No, don't go back there.- How's therumble feel, do you think?- Muted.It's kind of like if you were a kidduring the N64 days,and you had, like, athird-party rumble pack.- I just feel like the wholething is like, shaking,but not very fast because it's too heavy.- It's subtle.The rumble's subtle.It's there,it's present,I'm feeling it.But these bumpers are...awful. (laughing)- It feels like therumble motor is trying,but there's way too much massfor it to make any effect.Mass effect?(crickets chirping)(Linus singing aimlessly)- I don't have any grenades,I don't have any grenades!I don't know how to change weapons!My hands are fatigued already.No, I'm not,I'm not even like,I'm not even joking.Like, it's, it's like, mostly in here.Like, just cause you haveto squeeze it so tight,or not squeeze it so tight,it's just a completelydifferent muscle movement.You know?- Youthink it's a good workoutfor getting strong forearms?- I mean, it's betterthan absolutely nothing.I don't know that I wouldpay five to six figuresfor the privilege.- If you got this for free,but were not allowed to sell it,and it was the only controlleryou could use again.- Oh.- Would you take it?- (inhales sharply) You knowwhat, I like Xbox controllers.I mean, maybe?I don't know if I would payfor a controller quite this,extravagance?But if I'm not paying for it,then does that really matter?Also, you know, you can,when you want to, you can,like, do some weightlifting,kind of keep yourselfactive while you game.- Okay, but what happenswhen the next generationof consoles comes out andthen new controllers come out,am I still not allowed to get those?- You still keep using that.- I still have to use this?- Yeah.- What if it's not backwards compatible?- We can assumeit's backwards compatible.- Okay.- You're playing on PC, so, like.- Oh.Yeah. Okay.Yeah. I would take this.It's pretty nifty, as the kids say.- So what do you think would win,kick proof TV, or thatcontroller if you raged out?- Oh, on sheer mass alone,mass plus velocity, force,this would destroy a TV.Even the kick proof TV.I think this would, like,it would be destroyed in the process, but,yeah. She'd go.- Yeah, so wheredo you think this does landon the stupid or cool spectrum?- (sighs heavily) There's an adage.If it's stupid but it works,is it really stupid?And, I mean, it works.I mean the buttons just feellike regular X-Box buttons.'Cause I guess youdidn't really do anythingto the PCB, right?Coulda made the sticks gold.- I guess the fact that Ihave to wear gamer glovesis pretty sick.You know, just to use the controller.It's like, \"put the gloveson, you're in for a treat.\"Other than that though, pretty dumb.I'm sorry. (off-screen laughter)Pretty stupid.- I mean, it feels fine.There's really nothing wrong with it.I mean, it's better than like a, you know,that second player Mad Catz controllerthat you get at afriend's house. (laughing)- So I guess, Linus,when you brought me this project,did you expect it to end like this?- I didn't think it would be this good.Honestly.No offense, Alex,but I just didn't thinkthat it would be this, like,perfect, you know?- It's prettylegit, I do have to say.- Like, it looks fantastic,but this is a piece of art.Like no lie, the resolution of the gold.Like I shouldn't be that surprisedthat jewelers did this, right?But, like, seeing thestippling in the triggersis really interesting,and, like, it came out incredibly good.- Yeah.- Yeah.Oh, we're losing one.- I got to say though,for $87,000, this, Alex.- Wait, we need to laser bolt it on.- Should I wrap it backup in this T-shirt,or am I supposed to be like,\"look at this T-shirt.\"- Oh, you can, if you want.You can pimp the merch.- 'Cause like, I saw thesein the creative warehouse,and I was excited about them.I love any of the foilshirts that we have.And this one is really cool because like,people who actually are like,super LTT fans are going to be like,\"I remember when you didthat really cool project,and I bought the T-shirt for it!\"- Yeah!- Lttstore.com.(whooshing sound)These might sell reallyquick, I don't know.The other foil shirts did,so.- I think this is thething you need to haveif you're having a party at home,just to show off, (alllaughing off-screen)otherwise, I don't thinkthis will improve anythingfor gaming,but it's cool.Show this to your wife!She'll kill you.(whooshing sound)- I mean, it's not the stupidest thingI've ever spent your money on.- Did everyone else thinkthis was a really stupidthing to spend money on?- It waspretty split, actually.(Linus laughing)- Really?- Yeah.- Okay. That's surprising.Wow.It actually looked fakewhen I first took it out.How could anyone be so dumb asto cast one of these in gold?It must be fake. (laughing)I just want to know whatwe're doing with it.It seems like-- What do you mean, \"doing with it?\"Like, look at it, it's cool!- It looks fake!(both laughing)Like, actually! (laughing)Can we melt it down?- What? I'm, well-- You're done the videos now.- Well, hold on a second.- The total that we paidfor is a kilogram of gold.So if we melt it all back down,and sold the gold,then technically, it doesn'tcost anything, right?- (hesitantly) Yes...- And you would'vegotten your video's use,and you don't know whatyou're doing with it anyway.- Okay, so my original plan,which I have not admitted before,is I wanted to just keep itwhere I have my Xbox elite controller.You know, in my case, on my desk?So I thought it wouldbe just as good to use.And it would be a little bit cool.Now, as it turns out, it's notas good to use, which is bad,but it's, like, way coolerthan I thought it would be.- Why is it way cooler?- Can you at least take timeto experience it properly?- I am!- Well, you still don't like it,so clearly you're notexperiencing it properly.- I don't think time isgoing to change that.- So, wheredo you think this landson the stupid to cool spectrum? (laughing)- You know what?I think it's super cool,if we get our money back.(all laughing off-screen)- We'vegot three videos out of it.It's been milked pretty hard.- Exactly, so,and we get to milk it even moreif we get to melt down the gold.There's GameStop, and there's-(man laughing off-screen)- This isway cooler than GameStop.- Yeah.- Okay this is way cooler than GameStop.- Yeah.- But GameStop is settingthe bar really, really low.-Yeah, that's being like,\"this is a better ROYthan burning $50,000.\"- Yeah. Exactly.So, my rating out of 10 is10, if you melt it down.(man laughing off screen)- Okay, What's your rating if I keep itand just play with it?- Okay, how about this?We make a deal.If you actually use thisat least once a monthfor the next year, then you can keep it.But if you don't end up using it,then you have to melt it down.- I shouldn't have to use itif I am going out somewherewhere it could get stolen.- Where do you go out to game?(all laughing off-screen)What are you talking about?- Roasted.- I mean, what would you guys prefer?Would you prefer we melt down the goldand spent the a hundred K ona wicked Christmas party, or-- Whoa, hold on a seconddon't involve them.(All laughing off-screen)- Something else?- Why not?- Oh, it's disconnected now.The Bluetooth range isnot as good as before.- Craftsmanship.- Well, that's not because of that.It's because metal blocks the antenna.That's a tech tip.- So that's you and Alex's craftsmanship.- I wouldn't describe meor Alex as a craftsman.- Wow. (beep) you.(all laughing)- How do I get it to reconnect?- I don't.I think we're done here.- Okay. (Linus laughing)All right.I think you should getrid of it. Seriously.- I shall consider your viewpoint.- (laughing) All right.(metal clatters)(Linus gasps) Oh!Okay.Craftsmanship.(slate clacking)- This says, \"sponsor Dbrand,\"but the prompter doesn'tsay anything about Dbrand.- Let me take that from you.What's this? Give me that.- All right, Linus,can you do a segue to today's sponsor?- Sure.And this video is brought to you byDbrand, I guess, right?- Yeah, it's Dbrand.They sent you a package to unbox, Linus.(bag crinkling, thudding)- I am assuming this is the bag of moneythat I asked to be includedin the short circuit-(strains) unboxing we didof their dark plates.(Linus grunts)What is, (packaging crinkling)wait.Is this a hundred (beep)ingpounds of chocolate?- Yes. Itgot delivered to my houseand my pregnant wife had to receive it,and then-- It's a hundred pounds ofgolden chocolate loonies.(candies clattering on the table)Can I shower in them?(candies clattering, Linus laughing)- Sohere's the weird part.- That, there's a weird part?- Yeah.The robots said that this ispayment for the last videoand that they talked to youalready about this video.- No. (chewing)- Then we probably got bamboozled.- Colton!Are you embezzling me?Is this chocolate?Cause I got a,I got a little messagefrom Dbrand yesterday.(man yelling off camera)(coins crashing)- Oh, there's actually money in there!- This was, like,one of the most stressfulprojects that I've donein a really long time.It's so much money.Like, if you screw it up,like, (raspberries)casting's hard, casting's really hard.And although I'm sure that, like,I knew that the jewelers,after a couple of tries coulddefinitely get this down.Like, it's a one-off prototype,and they don't normally do stuff this big.So I was genuinely concernedthat it might just turnout like hot garbage,or we would have to like,re-melt a bunch of gold,buy a bunch more,and like, do it two or three timesin order to get the result that we want,and it would just take forever.But I'm really impressedwith how it turned out.It is fricking beautiful.Like, after I saw the castingof this piece right here,and it was just all pitted to hell,up on the top,I was like,\"how are they going to manageto make this nice and smooth?\"But like, Hendry absolutely killed it.- I'm just gonna take it for a walk now.- To the goldsmith?- Yeah.Yep, I'll just see you guys later.- Hey, howmuch do you think you could getfrom that with the pawn shop?- I don't know,but I'll probably find out!\n"