Nacon Revolution X Pro Controller review: "One of the best gamepads in recent memory"

The Nacon Revolution X Pro controller is a $110 / £100 gamepad that boasts an impressive amount of customization options and stellar audio support that could easily ensure it stands out as not only one of the best PC controllers for gaming but also one of the best Xbox controllers you can get your hands on at this price point, too.

This new controller clearly shares some of the design traits of the Nacon's previous flagship console and PC gamepads but does the Revolution X Pro controller do enough to dethrone them? 

Nacon Revolution X Pro Controller review: features 

The Nacon Revolution X Pro controller comes with a few physical customization options that help it stand out from its contemporaries. These include physical weights for the grips, replaceable thumbstick heads, and a set of metal shafts to loosen or restrict the movement of your analog sticks. 

Looking closer at the controller itself, however, and you will notice features that wouldn't be out of place on other esports-centric gamepads. There is a dedicated button for changing profiles, of which four are stored at any one time, as well as two large programmable buttons on the back of the unit, which can be dialed in to do anything you would want them to. 

On the audio front, Dolby Atmos is baked into the Nacon Revolution X Pro Controller's software and it works as you might expect, though there are admittedly few options to drastically alter the soundscapes through the 3.5mm jack. The most that you can do is shift around the EQ settings, but I genuinely found that it sounded very similar through all the wired headphones and headsets I ran through it. 

The software, unfortunately, still isn't perfect. You can download the Revolution X application from either the Windows Store on PC or the online storefront on your Xbox Series X console. Through the application, you can create your own custom controller profile (or edit existing ones) but there isn't much of a discernible difference that can be felt between the four options. I'll be honest, too, the vague descriptors such as 'FPS', 'Stealth' and 'Action' didn't seem to alter very much at all.

Nacon Revolution X Pro Controller review: design 

With one obvious exception, the Nacon Revolution X Pro Controller looks very similar to the standard Xbox Wireless Controller. It's hard to miss the prominent RGB light ring that surrounds the right analog stick, and there's no accounting for taste, but I think it lends an aura of interest and novelty to what would otherwise be a fairly by-the-numbers gamepad. There's an almost military-style, angular feel to the controller with its deliberate carved lines that run underneath the left analog stick and the face buttons; it's very subtle, but it looks cool. 

Similarly nuanced is the rubber patterned grip that adorns the back of the gamepad. Unlike some controllers which can get slippery in the hand, this texture ensures that you've got a good handle on the unit at all times. Really though, I'm just glad that the Nacon Revolution X Pro controller wasn't wrapped in a glossy black finish; no one wants a lubricious fingerprint magnet. 

Nacon Revolution X Pro Controller review: performance 

Now, all the extra bells and whistles in the world would mean nothing if the controller itself wasn't pleasant to use, and thankfully, the Nacon Revolution X Pro controller - it's one of the best gamepads that I've had my hands on in recent memory. I found that there was a decent amount of weight to it in the hands, with the face buttons, bumpers, and triggers providing a satisfying amount of feedback without being either spongey or too clicky - a delicate middle ground. 

In terms of switching profiles and remapping the buttons on the back goes, it all worked as intended, and I was swapping between different modes - that had been configured in software - as quickly as I would like.

It should be noted that, unlike the Revolution Unlimited Pro, the Nacon Revolution X Pro isn't wireless. Having a physical tethered connection to your system of choice goes a long way to eliminate the likes of input lag and latency issues which are particularly pressing when playing competitively, sure, but I would have liked the option to sync up via Bluetooth (or 2.4GHz wireless) for the sake of convenience. 

One thing that received criticism on older Nacon Revolution controllers is the D-pad, but I found that the directional buttons on the Nacon Revolution X Pro controller were responsive and tactile when I put it through its paces in Mortal Kombat 11, Tekken 7, Sonic Mania, and pretty much anything else I trialed that required a digital input. 

After a few minutes of playing around with the weights and the stick shafts, I quickly found a setup that worked for me: the 16g set in each grip and the thinnest washer I could find to allow for the greatest degree of movement. I quickly put this configuration through its paces in Max Payne 3 in free-aim (soft-lock turned off completely) and was able to reliably score headsets in both full-speed gameplay and bullet time, so I had the desired amount of accuracy and precision needed.  

Nacon Revolution X Pro Controller review: should you buy it? 

I'm comfortable recommending the Nacon Revolution X Pro controller for both Xbox Series X users and PC gamers. If you've been after a controller which offers customizability options for a cheaper price than that of the Xbox Elite Series 2 controller, then you're likely to be very happy with what the Nacon Revolution X Pro Controller does. It feels and looks just as good as you would expect from an esports gamepad and doesn't skimp on any features to maintain its competitive asking price.