Nacon is launching its second officially licensed PS5 Pro controller, and it's the first ever to bring a built-in display and menu system to Sony's console ecosystem. Controllers with displays aren't exactly rare these days, as Xbox, Switch 2, and PC all have loads of gamepads with this feature, but Nacon's new Revolution 5 Unlimited is the first PS5 controller sporting a screen.
If you've been following the market for a while, you may remember the Nacon Revolution 5 Pro, Nacon's first crack at PS5 gamepad glory. That's been holding a top spot on our PS5 gamepad buyer's guide for a while now as the best for longevity thanks to its excellent build quality. Nacon has since launched a refined model of that controller for the Xbox Series X, called the Revolution X Unlimited (RXU).
The new Revolution 5 Unlimited picks up where that one left off, and I'm personally very excited because the RXU has become one of my all-time favorite gaming peripherals since it hit the shelves, so PS5 players are in for a treat.
As well as a screen and its own menu system that lets you control connections, button mapping, profiles, lighting, thumbstick sensitivity, and more, you also get a slew of pro controller features that modern rivals like the Scuf Omega and Razer Raiju V3 Pro will find it tough to trump.
The R5U sports six extra buttons (four back buttons and two extra bumpers), as well as top-drawer TMR thumbsticks which improve upon the Xbox version's Hall effect ones.
A personal favorite for me has to be the face buttons, which, despite being microswitches, have a beautifully light actuation that makes them feel super comfortable and tactile to use. The RXU has some of my favorite face buttons of any controller.
Naturally, like any officially licensed PS5 controller, it'll lack the DualSense's haptic feedback and adaptive trigger resistance - these are stipulations for controllers to secure their Sony licensing. Nacon has a clever way around this, which I'm really excited for, because in its dedicated PC mode, it will make use of its built-in vibration feedback.
For PS5 players, this might not make a massive difference, but personally, I prefer a controller with a bit more heft, and recent options without any rumble motors in their grips have left things feeling a bit too light and cheap for their price.
That's also where Nacon's excellent offering of accessories comes in. Nacon will provide a carrying case and even a charging dock - another first in the PS5 market. Again, this is now fairly standard in the Xbox and PC controller realm, but no third-party controller for PS5 has managed to break a charging stand through Sony's licensing parameters.
Also in the case, you'll find additional weights you can place in the controller's grips, different thumbstick tops, a wireless dongle, and a cleaning cloth and cable.
In an interesting turn from Nacon's previous gamepads, you can customize the R5U separately, but this time using a dedicated mobile app instead of a PC one. I asked Nacon if a PC application would be coming in the future, but the product managers didn't give me a concrete answer.
The biggest downside to the R5U is its price, which tops out at $229.99 for US shoppers but only £179.99 in the UK. That's a huge pricing disparity for both territories, making it one of the most expensive PS5 pads in the US but actually one of the more affordable ones for UK gamers. In the UK, that'll put it below the refined price of the Victrix Pro BFG Reloaded, which has held the best overall position on our buying guide for years.
I can't wait to test out what seems to be the most feature-rich PS5 controller to date.
- See all PS5 controllers at Amazon
Narrowing down your gamepad search? Here are the best TMR controllers, the best Xbox Series X controllers, and the best Switch 2 controllers.
