I think if I had to choose, the Nacon Revolution X Unlimited might be my favorite controller of 2025 - it certainly has the most premium feel of any controller I tested this year. To celebrate the anniversary of Xbox 360's launch, Nacon is releasing a commemorative colorway of this Xbox Series X controller next April, and at any other time of the year, I'd be recommending you pre-order it right away.
Black Friday deals are here, however, and it just so happens that the regular version of the Nacon Revolution X Unlimited is seeing a $50 discount at Amazon right now. Perhaps my biggest issue with this controller is its $200 price tag - even if it feels worth every penny, that's a lot to pay for a gamepad. But at its current level of $150, I think this thing is a steal versus the competition.
So which version of this controller should you go for? On one hand, you have a very faithful recall of the Xbox 360 design language. For fans of that console, this new skin for the Revolution X Unlimited is going to be very hard to turn down. Hell, I never owned an Xbox 360, and this celebratory colorway even has me desperate to add it to my collection. Nacon has really nailed the nostalgic aesthetics, even using the right thumbstick's RGB ring as a callback to the 360's ring of doom. The 360 colorway is available exclusively from Nacon, but you won't get the current Black Friday discount, and you'll need to pay the full $200 price.
On the other hand, you have a $50 discount on the regular version, and let's be honest, it's pretty easy on the eye too. I doubt that if you're shopping for one of the best PC controllers on the shelves, you'll care much about an all black color. And even if you're not such a big fan of its design versus the 360 model, you can't argue that a controller is more about functionality than looks, and if you can get all of the same features for less money, why not go for the cheapest version possible to save yourself the cash?
But then again, this 360 version will likely be in shorter supply and feels more like a collector's item. This is a tough choice.
To be clear, other than the looks, there are no differences between these two gamepads. No matter which tickles your fancy, you get a broad, tall, and sturdy feeling controller. The Revolution X Unlimited has four back buttons, two additional bumpers, and some of the best face buttons I've ever found on a controller. They have a clicky response, but they actuate with more feel than any other microswitch buttons I've come across.
As big a fan as I was of the Nacon Revolution 5 Pro, I love that Nacon didn't just port that controller to Xbox and PC players. The designers there actually listened to feedback and chose to improve it.
Although I did think it was a bit of a shame that the LCD screen Nacon put on the Xbox version didn't feel all that useful. Compared to other controllers with screens this year, like the Manba One, the UI felt very limited, and most of the customization settings of the RXU are still locked to PC software.
You do get some excellent accessories along with your purchase though. A charging stand and carry case are always nice, but I'm a fan of just how many add-ons actually arrive in the carry case. You can adjust the weight of the grips thanks to tiny dumbbells, and you can swap out a couple of thumbstick tops to align with your preferences. There's an alternate D-pad, and even some thumbstick restrictor rings.
If there were a more modular outlook to this controller, or you could swap out even more of its parts, I'd have found it very tough not to swap the RXU into our "best overall" position in our controller buying guides. It has a versatile, comfortable, and elite feel to it that I really enjoyed using. Annoyingly, the Victrix Pro BFG for Xbox allows a bit more adjusting for competitive players, and it's a bit cheaper. Excluding that device, this is probably one of my favorite controllers I've ever used, so whether you get the Xbox 360 version or the launch model at a $50 discount, you're onto a winner.
Some cheaper controller deals to consider this Black Friday
- GameSir G7 Pro: $59.99 at Best Buy
- PowerA Fusion Pro: $125.99 at Amazon
- Manba One: $55.99 at Amazon
I'd make the most of Black Friday discounts while they're around. I'm rounding up the best Black Friday gaming PC deals, Black Friday Meta Quest deals, and Black Friday VR headset deals.
