Nacon Revolution X Pro Controller review

Out of the box, the Nacon Revolution X Pro Controller is one lovely looking piece of kit. I got my hands on the sleek camo colourway (one of two camo colours available) and it comes nestled in a cool carry case which also houses a set of 10, 14, and 16g weights that you can add to the 11oz controller to give it additional heft. There are washers that allow you to vary the range of motion for each stick, which is a particularly useful option if for example you are playing retro titles or fighting games, at least that is where my mind wandered anyhow. There is a choice of concave and convex thumbstick pads, a 3 metre USC-C lead, and a little cleaning cloth. So far, so good.

Even with the full range of desired weights and stick modifications, it has to be said that the unit does feel a little plasticky and lightweight compared to what you may expect from a pro grade and premium priced controller. It weighs in and is physically a bit smaller than the official counterpart. The additional customisable shoulder and trigger buttons on the rear of the controller are a nice addition and have a satisfying click. I do like being able to map button combos to these in my fighting games, and I am sure that they will be a boon for FPS fans. The actual face buttons on the other hand feel a bit strange. Unlike the official Microsoft versions they feel a bit springy and don’t have the right amount of “click” for my taste.

It is also a tad disappointing not to be able to play wirelessly given the relatively high price, however the cable provided is going to be easily long enough for most gaming spaces. Nacon swears by the wired option to reduce lag and latency issues, but the reality is I was unable to detect any difference between this and the variety of other wireless controllers I use at home.

Nacon have produced the Revolution X app as a means to customise and map your controller to within an inch of its life. In theory, being able to choose between a set of pre-loaded schemes, such as one for sports games, another for fighters), there seems to be a lot of emphasis on stick sensitivity that will go over the heads of most players, and likely isn’t technically precise enough to cater to high end pro esports users. There is nothing in the way of handholding or tutorials, so it is actually quite tricky to understand what is going on when you really delve deep into the options. I found it all a bit of a chore, but there is clearly the perfect profile in there for you if you are willing to work for it. The way you can quickly remap buttons, and even aesthetically alter the colour of the LED ring around your right stick is cool, as well, mind you.

One area where the Nacon Revolution X Pro does excel and even gets one over on Microsoft is the support for Dolby Atmos sound, if of course you have a headset that can deliver this superb, immersive audio. I thoroughly enjoyed blasting through Gears 5, hearing every little nuance of splattering Locust and space marine grunt. I had been tipped off that it is a particularly great title to experience with Dolby Atmos, and I was not disappointed.

Offering a wealth of customisation options and some cool features, the Nacon Revolution X Pro is a fine third-party controller, which falls just short of the best devices on the market by virtue of a slightly high price point, lack of wireless connectivity, slightly cheap feeling build and a tricky to negotiate and very finnicky app. At the RRP, I would suggest looking at one of the cheaper options on the market, although it is currently hovering around the £60 mark, which for me constitutes half decent value.