We're going to be recommending the Nacon Revolution 5 Unlimited a lot from now on, here's why

The best PS5 controllers have been a bit behind the times lately. While Xbox has been licensing all sorts of third parties to develop gamepads with built-in screens and fancy charging stands, Sony has only just been allowing a few of its favorite brands to create secondary controllers for the PS5 - and still isn't letting any of them have rumble, haptic feedback, or wake privileges - all so that the DualSense seems more special.

Nacon is the third brand to take a second crack at its PS5 controller after Razer and Scuf. The Nacon Revolution 5 Pro was a really great attempt, providing a robust product that was good, but not quite headline-stealing. Nacon then went to Xbox, improved its design, and launched the Revolution X Unlimited, maybe one of the only controllers to ever make me feel like it's worth every penny of its $200 price tag. Now, Nacon is back to PlayStation with an even more refined version, and it's nothing if not a showstopper.

The improved, TMR-wielding Nacon Revolution 5 Unlimited takes all of the excellent design, premium feel, and beautiful versatility of the RXU, and makes a renewed claim for the top of the controller market. This time, it argues its case even better than before. If you can afford a £179.99 / $229 controller, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better one than this.

Design

Sometimes, when you go from a first-party controller to a licensed third-party one, things can feel a little foreign. No matter the price, because its design is a different spin on what you're used to, it can still feel like an unofficial knock-off. The Nacon R5U doesn't exactly feel like the DualSense or DualSense Edge, but it has an ability to make you feel like you're right at home.

The controller rests in my hands and fades into my subconscious, placing all of the buttons where I need them to be, and allowing me to focus on the game I'm playing. It doesn't feel like there's an adjustment to make or quirks to get used to; this is controller design at its best. Again, if you're familiar with the Xbox version, you're essentially getting the exact same gamepad design, just with PlayStation embellishments, but I'll give you a brief rundown of what that means.

The R5U has all the standard buttons you'll need to play games on PS5 or PC, along with six extra ones for you to do with what you choose. Four back buttons are on the grips of the controller, and two additional bumpers are up on the shoulders. All of these, barring the R1 and L1 buttons and their accompanying triggers, are microswitches; clicky buttons that provide a snappier feel and more tactile actuation.

The RXU and R5U do those a bit differently than other controllers though - they have a super light actuation with a shorter travel distance than you might be used to elsewhere.

The result is a controller that feels tactile and unique, while also providing depth and speed in equal measure - a combination which is almost impossible for other controllers to nail at once. It's easy to use and it all responds to your twitchy presses almost as quickly as you think about pushing them down. Every button and material used doesn't feel like an imitation either; this thing feels more premium than any controller by Sony or Microsoft I've held.

The grips are covered in a rubberized texture that has a softening and cooling effect. There's matte plastic paneling elsewhere, but your brain blurs it all into one, and the combination of the grip shapes, materials, and ergonomics at play adds up to a really expensive-feeling peripheral. In short, it's a bloody comfortable gamepad to hold.

What's a shame about the PlayStation version is that it doesn't make the same changes as Razer's Wolverine V3 Pro did when it ported over to the Razer Raiju V3 Pro. Thumbsticks here are asymmetrical, which is welcome for a load of gamers, but isn't exactly authentic to PlayStation. That's hardly a disaster, but I'd love to see a symmetrical version at some point, even if it isn't necessarily Nacon's go-to style.

Features

Nacon's R5U is the first PS5 controller to sport a built-in screen and menu system. In the Xbox and PC controller realm, this is hardly a new feature, but given PlayStation's licensing requires a touchpad to be present, I imagine it's been hard for any brand to really crack the code on Sony's console.

As it happens, Nacon has a clever workaround for this. The touchpad isn't present, but there are six extra buttons in play, and you can map the touchpad function to any of the others. It's hardly a perfect solution, and I wonder whether making the display touchscreen would have been too much of an expense, as it would really have solved the issue beautifully.

That's not the only licensing parameter Nacon has managed to sidestep, however. You may remember from the brand's previous Nacon Revolution 5 Pro controller for PS5 that vibration motors were, in fact, present, but were locked to working in the PC mode only. The same is true here, which again isn't a perfect solution, but does make it the only other PS5-licensed controller that actually has vibration motors in it. The rest of the pack can end up feeling lighter and less up to that $200 price tag as a result.

Speaking of weight, you can adjust the heft here just like with all other flagship Nacon controllers by putting tiny, provided dumbbells into the grips. Combine that with some swappable thumbstick tops, stick widths, and a charging stand, and you get a controller that feels very feature-rich. Would I say the Victrix Pro BFG does an even better job of providing swappable parts? Yes, absolutely, but I think for most gamers, your needs are going to be covered here.

The most notable upgrade from the Nacon Revolution X Unlimited is that the thumbsticks here are TMR, not Hall effect. That gives it a bit more futureproofing, precision, and speed, and means that, for PC players, I'd default to the PS5 version, seeing as they're likely going to work out at the same price for the next little while. That said, both models have a max polling rate of 1,000Hz on PC, which is more than enough for most gamers. It's a shame the ceiling hasn't been raised slightly for the upgraded model to complement its TMR thumbsticks though. Both the RXU and R5U will be locked to 250Hz on their respective consoles anyway, sadly.

Interestingly, Nacon hasn't made a PC companion app this time around; it's opted to make a mobile-only version. I'm not sure what's caused this - perhaps there have been cost limitations, staff changes due to Nacon's current financial troubles, or Nacon really is basing it on feedback from customers.

I can see the usefulness of a mobile app for PS5 players, especially seeing as not all of them will have a PC they can easily connect to. Still, for a controller with a built-in menu system, I feel like any need for additional companion software would probably be for more in-depth things that PC players would like to deep-dive into. Would it really be impossible to make an app for mobile and PC? Or to make the R5U compatible with Nacon's existing PC software for the Xbox model?

Onboard Display

I've compared the onboard controls 1:1 to the Xbox version of the controller, and they're exactly the same. A quick tap of the menu button will bring you to options on audio, joysticks, mapping, and settings. Audio is where you can control the R5U's nifty Bluetooth, because these controllers are capable of being paired as separate devices in their own right to channel audio directly through the gamepad. That allows you to adjust mic gain right from the controller's menu.

In "Joysticks", you'll get a sub-menu for the left and right thumbsticks where you can choose input curves, set deadzone levels, and access special settings like the shooter mode and sensitivity plus option. You can even invert the sticks if that's your thing. The last section in this menu is for the gyro controls. Again, these aren't my thing, but that need is covered if it's your preferred way to play.

Button mapping is a fairly obvious one; you can set all of the extra buttons up via shortcuts, but options for mapping PC controls aren't there, so maybe check out the Steam Controller if that sort of thing means a lot to you. I set the touchpad shortcut up to be mapped to the share button, so if you can do without that functionality on PS5, I'd recommend it so you don't lose out on an extra button for in-game stuff.

In "Settings", you can see Bluetooth, pairing, vibration, and battery savings menus.

So, from my assessment, what you can't do on the controller itself and will need the app for is changing the RGB lighting ring on the right stick, diving deeper into profiles, stick response curves, and the rather confusing advanced and custom modes. All in all, it's a pretty handy menu onboard, and one that'll probably prevent most users from needing the mobile app.

Performance

To get this out of the way quickly, I've only had one bizarre tech problem with the R5U, and it may be a result of mine being an early sample for reviews. I paired it with its wireless USB dongle out of the box, but I'm not sure the two communicate all that well with one another. If I leave the dongle plugged into the same PC I was connected to last time, boot up the computer, and then the controller, it won't pair with the dongle. I'll need to take out and re-insert the dongle for it to pair with the R5U. That's a bit of an annoyance, and not ideal. It's not an issue I've had with the two different RXU models I've tested though, so I wonder if this might be a quirk of firmware or the early model I received for testing. Other than that, I've had absolutely no problems with the controller.

If I'm brutally honest, besides the charging stand and built-in display, the Nacon R5U isn't offering loads of stuff that other PS5 Pro controllers on the shelves are, so people might struggle to see why the R5U is the undisputed king of the market in my eyes.

I don't think Nacon is offering masses of things you can't get elsewhere, but I do think its version of those things is better than what else is out there. Naturally, a lot of this stuff is going to come down to subjective preferences, right? I review a new controller every week or so and have done so for about four years now, but I accept that I have my own likes and dislikes and yours will be different. All I can tell you is why the R5U has been outshining all the others for me.

Personally, it's because I compare it to other controllers I previously considered the best in certain categories, and it takes the fight to pretty much all of them. There are versatile, jack-of-all-trades peripherals out there, but few do everything this well.

For example, the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro has probably the best microswitch responsiveness of any controller I've come across. If someone was asking me for a controller recommendation based solely on clicky buttons, the V3 Pro, and by proxy, the Raiju V3 Pro, are the ones that spring to mind immediately. They just feel incredibly speedy when playing a fighting game like Dragon Ball Sparking Zero. The RXU and R5U manage to match that responsiveness with equally clicky buttons, and I'd argue they go a step beyond because their actuation is so much friendlier on your thumbs. The buttons here are more cushioned; they have a lighter pressing force requirement, and they opt for a wider, flatter shape. The Asus ROG Raikiri II has a very similar feel to the Wolverine V3 Pro, but its buttons, having more of a domed shape, result in them feeling like they dig into your thumbs more when you press them.

If someone asked me what controller was best for game feel and haptic feedback, I'd be remiss if I didn't recommend the DualSense Edge. The R5U sadly doesn't have access to Sony's homegrown tech in a game like Marvel's Spider-Man 2 on PC, and it for sure lacks the subtlety and detail of proper haptic feedback. Sadly, the R5U's vibration is either on or off, but at the same time, I'd argue there's more to game feel than just feedback through rumble and haptics. Part of game feel is how it mechanically feels to push a button and experience the result of your in-game action on screen (there's a great book called Game Feel by Steve Swink I'd recommend reading if you're a sicko and you're interested in this sort of thing). The R5U's buttons feel better to press than the DualSense's, so while the detail of feedback might not be so strong, you get added extras in the comfort area that I'd argue add up to an interesting match.

If someone asked me for a controller to use purely for driving games, I'd probably point them toward the Thrustmaster eSwap series. That brand treats racing games like a religion, and even if there are other controllers that feel good for driving, it's hard not to think of Thrustmaster as the go-to. The triggers on the R5U are bold, wide, and feel great to accelerate and brake with through the Japanese roads of Forza Horizon 6. I'd hardly say the R5U is a sim racing alternative, but I imagine it would feel great to use driving around the streets of GTA 6.

For competitive FPS games, I'd go to war any day with the FlyDigi Apex 5 thanks to its excellent thumbstick tension and really well-designed back buttons. Now, if I were heading into a virtual gunfight, the R5U would be coming with me. The TMR thumbsticks and extra shooter and sensitivity+ modes on the R5U are unparalleled. I've tested TMR controllers at 8,000Hz polling rates in my favorite shooter, Hunt: Showdown. I've tested the Apex 5; I've tested all sorts of other Hall and TMR controllers in it. I've never experienced mouse-like tracking as I have with the 8K options like the GameSir G7 Pro 8K, and I've not experienced the satisfying flicky tension of the Apex 5. But with the R5U, everything about the controller comes together to form a precision nightmare for any target in my crosshair. I can track well thanks to TMR tech, I can access loads of in-game functions thanks to six extra buttons, and I can make tiny micro adjustments or go for bold flicks and not feel like the controller is the thing letting me down.

I almost always swap for the taller thumbstick option when getting to this part of testing, but in all honesty, I didn't feel I needed it here, and that should tell you everything you need to know about how good this gamepad is in FPS games. And okay, the R5U isn't a match for the modular design of the Victrix Pro BFGs, but letting you adjust weights in the grips, letting you swap thumbstick tops, and offering a carry case with a charging stand and six extra buttons to make use of gives it almost all of the versatility you'll need.

I was actually using the FlyDigi Apex 5, my previous favorite controller for PC gaming, before testing this one. I've been playing my way through Control Resonant, and having six extra buttons is a massive help for its often repetitive combat. But I actually found that the harder actuation force of the Apex 5's buttons was starting to cause fatigue and a bit of strain. Switching to the lighter and easier-to-press buttons of the R5U was so much better. The back buttons are exactly where I need them to be to press easily, but they click with this degree of forgivingness to your hands that makes them actually feel worth the money you've spent. All the while, unlike the SteelSeries Aeon Pro, they don't massively intrude on the design language of the controller - they blend in really nicely.

There's a chance that because these ones are easier to press, you might get more accidental mis-presses, but that hasn't happened to me yet. Remember, you can always map them to be blank if they bother you.

Even battery life has been absolutely stellar. I've tested the R5U for about two or three weeks now, and despite all the use I've gotten out of it, it's only just started signalling that its battery is low.

Should you buy the Nacon Revolution 5 Unlimited?

A week or two ago, I saw people in the Controller sub-Reddit saying that you shouldn't give your hard-earned cash to big companies like Razer, Nacon, SteelSeries, Sony, and Microsoft. "The GameSir G7 Pro gives you everything you need for less than half the price", they argued, "so why give all that money to brands who just don't care about the controllers they make."

The GameSir G7 Pro is a truly excellent controller, and one that I'd recommend to most people based on pure value alone. Without a $200 budget, it's certainly the one I'd be aiming for. But I fundamentally disagree with the sentiment that brands like Nacon just don't care about the gamepads they make because products like the Revolution 5 Unlimited and Revolution X Unlimited wouldn't be as good as they are without iteration, careful design, and years of expertise in their pedigree.

Coming from me, who struggles to justify any brand charging $200 for a controller, that should mean a lot. If you can afford this echelon of gamepad, there is no other controller I'd recommend more strongly. The longer I've spent with it through the RXU, and now its PlayStation sibling, the more I've come to appreciate what Nacon has made. With TMR improvements, the R5U has become the best controller on the shelves.

How I tested the Nacon Revolution 5 Unlimited

I've been using the Nacon Revolution X Unlimited for well over a year now, going back to it for comparisons to make in different bits of controller coverage, as well as for my own enjoyment of using it. I've got plenty of hands-on time and context with that gamepad, so I drew on that when it came time to test the R5U. I also compared it closely to the R5P, Nacon's previous PS5 controller. As you'll gather from the performance section of this review, I also used my hands-on time with lots of other gamepads to evaluate it.

All in all, I used the R5U in a slew of games and genres to try and see how versatile it is.

For more on how we test controllers, take a look at the GamesRadar+ hardware policy.

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