Xbox series X controller keeps drifting up

I just got a Xbox controller for Christmas. And as soon as I connected it to my Xbox it had drift on the right joystick. I opened the controller right from the box and didn’t get any dust of anything like that near it but still it drifts. I wanted a new Xbox controller because my old controller had drift. Crazy how out of the box it already has drift.

I brought a series x to use on my pc, just under 2 years ago, and it's been drifting (and getting worse) for a few months, so it's lasted just over a year (so, lucky i guess), now i can barely stand still in gta v and even worse in half life 2

thing is i had a wired 360 pad that lasted for many years with no problems, until i stood on the cable, i decided to stay loyal and got the series x pad, never again :/

I’ve been alternating between the 8bitdo ultimate for Xbox (was down to 20$ for a few week on Amazon) and the Gamesir G7 se (with Hall effects

Joysticks). Unfortunately they are both wired. The 8bitdo feels better and has an amazing app interface with mappable everything, vibration settings, tigger vibrations, multiple profiles, programmable back buttons and feels great in the hand if your an adult,, but it’s doesn’t have hall effect joysticks. So, I’m sure how they’ll be in a few months. The g7 se is good and has Hall effects but doesn’t feel as solid at the 8bitdo and is a bit more expensive at 45-50$ at most retailers. If you can find the 8bitdo ultimate for under 30$ I highly recommend it. It just sucks that there’s no decent wireless alternatives at a sub 100$ price point.

Its been established in the class action suit that the controllers have a design flaw. Cleaning the potentiometers would make the problem worse because you'd wipe off the remaining contact material that makes the potentiometers detect movement. When the material starts to "wear" away thats when you get phantom movement. The only fix is to make the potentiometers replaceable or MS needs to start making controllers with Hall Effect instead.

While it’s true the series X leaves a lot to be desired, the root of this problem is not with actual console but the controller hardware itself. A lot of controllers don’t have the drift problem and the ones that do can be fixed mostly with the physical disassembly and cleaning method.