Nacon's Revolution X Pro is an excellent premium Xbox and PC gaming controller, and better still, it doesn't cost the moon.
- Brand: Nacon
- Platform: Xbox X|S, Xbox One, PC
- Connectivity: Wired
- Headset Support: Wired, Dolby Atmos for Headphones
- Programmable: Yes
- Extra Buttons: Yes
- Extensive customization options
- Lightweight and ergonomic design
- Zero lag input
- Easy to use desktop app
- Wireless option would be nice
It's easy to forget that changing your game controller can have massive benefits to your gaming experience. A different shape, a weight adjustment here, a customizable trigger there, and suddenly you're breezing through tricky levels and batting enemies aside with the power of Thor and Hulk combined.
The Nacon Revolution X Pro controller is the latest and greatest in the French manufacturer's Xbox accessory range, partnering with Microsoft and pro-gamers to build out the perfect Xbox controller for any gamer, of any ability.
It features customizable vibration weights, swappable joysticks, bigger buttons, and a fantastically ergonomic design that will suit hands of any size, big or small. Furthermore, Nacon's Revolution X desktop software delivers fully customizable buttons, triggers, trigger weighting, special buttons, and that's without mentioning the Dolby Vision and 3D Audio support.
Considering it's "just" a game controller, Nacon has filled this premium controller with features you'd be happy to find just on your console or PC, let alone the bit that controls the rest. So, is the Nacon Revolution X Pro controller worth the money? Should you upgrade to pro gaming control? Find out in our Nacon Revolution X Pro review.
Nacon Revolution X Pro Style and Comfort
The Nacon Revolution X Pro is a premium Xbox X|S, Xbox One, and PC gaming controller that both looks and feels fantastic. Nacon has taken the time to listen to and work with numerous pro-gamers to create a controller that slips into your hand with ease, combing contoured lines with textures to deliver what amounts to an outstanding yet familiar take on the Xbox controller we know and love.
The Revolution X Pro comes in one color—black—and has a few other flourishes to help bring the pad to life. For example, around the right joystick, you'll find four customizable LEDs in a circular configuration, allowing you to bring some colorful flair to the controller.
The joysticks themselves are also customizable, giving you the option of switching between convex or concave joysticks to suit you. Interestingly, Nacon includes two different joystick amplitude options. Switching the Revolution X Pro between amplitude levels can grant greater control over your in-game movements, switching and transitioning between directions faster than with a regular pad.
You can also run the joysticks in an asymmetric configuration, with one set to a higher amplitude than the other.
The individual action buttons are slightly larger than other controllers, too, making the Revolution X Pro easier and faster to use in comparison to alternatives or, indeed, the standard Xbox controller.
Each Revolution X Pro grip is covered in a textured surface for both additional comforts and to stop the pad from slipping from your grasp in the middle of an important moment or otherwise. The texture adds a nice premium feel to the pad, switching it up from the completely smooth pads you find elsewhere.
Nacon Revolution X Pro Features
Not only does the Revolution X Pro look good, but Nacon has also gone to considerable lengths to fill the controller with features, customizable buttons and weights, multiple processing chips, and to top things off, Dolby Atmos for Headphones and 3D spatial surround sound.
Impressive, right?
So, starting off, it's important to note that the Revolution X Pro is a wired controller. Although this may come as a disappointment to some, the detachable braided USB-C to USB-A cable in the box is 3m long, more than enough for most gaming setups. Wireless connectivity would have been a nice touch, for sure, but Nacon is pushing this as an elite bit of gaming hardware, and as such, minimizing input lag is the aim of the game.
When you first unbox the Revolution X Pro, you'll note how light the pad feels. That's because Nacon includes three different pairs of weights you can switch between, at 10g, 14g, and 16g, for a weight range between 20-32g. As an absolute outrider, I like a weightier controller in my hands, so I would have preferred a pair of 20g weights. However, that's definitely not what most people want, so the option to customize your controller weight is a welcome addition.
The Revolution X Pro includes a dual-chip design into what amounts to a pretty high-tech game controller. While one is for audio-processing, which we'll come to in a moment, the other works in combination with the Revolution X Pro's multiple integrated configurations and profiles.
Nacon has also spent time crafting ergonomic shoulder pads. The optimum shoulder pad trigger requires a single finger to activate and use with accuracy, and that's what Nacon has achieved here. Under the hood, Nacon uses Hall effect sensors, which along with additional haptic feedback motors, delivers noticeably precise triggers.
You'll notice the extra precision in games where some delicacy is required. For example, the controller allows fine control over your input in a racing game where you need to apply gradual throttle to increase speed without creating wheelspin or bogging down.
Modes and Profiles
At the rear of the pad, you'll find an option to switch between Classic Xbox style and Nacon's Advanced controller mode. Switching to Advanced mode enables the pads four customizable profiles.
Now, anyone that has had to share a gamepad between family and friends will know the difficulties of swapping your game profiles. Nacon understands your pain, and the Revolution X Pro includes four gaming profiles you can switch between, giving you quite a bit of leeway when it comes to customizing buttons and other features.
For example, you could set two profiles to different styles of racing games, one for Formula 1 and one for rallying. Or, if sharing with a sibling, you could set specific profiles for FIFA with different button configurations and shoulder pad resistance.
The four customizable buttons can be configured using the Revolution X app (more details below) in Advanced mode or through the controller itself in Classic mode. Full instructions on configuring the shortcut buttons are found on Nacon's website.
Nacon Revolution X Pro EQ & Dolby Atmos for Headphones
As mentioned above, the Revolution X Pro controller uses a dual-chip design, the second of which deals with audio. As such, when you buy an X Pro pad, you also gain access to Dolby Atmos for Headphones, Dolby's 3D surround sound feature designed to work with headphones specifically.
There's no sign-up process, but you do need to download the Dolby app on your Xbox if that's where you'll be using the Revolution X Pro controller. The Dolby Atmos for Headphones app immediately loads and works out of the box.
What's interesting about the inclusion of Atmos with the Nacon controller is the fully-fledged EQ. It has multiple channels, settings, and presets, and you can tune the Atmos output to your liking. Furthermore, you can create individual audio presets for your favorite games, another handy touch.
Nacon Revolution X App
You customize all of the various buttons and triggers through Nacon's Revolution X desktop app, available through the Microsoft Store for PC and Xbox.
The app detects your Revolution X Pro controller instantly and loads the current configuration. Once loaded, switching out buttons is quick and easy. There are more than 40 different configuration options, along with presets for popular genres like racing, sports, and first-person shooters.
Customizable through the app are:
- Adjust the response curve of the joysticks
- Reassign buttons (except for View, Menu, and Xbox)
- Alter the dead zones for the right and left triggers
- Personalize vibration and feedback for the pad and triggers
- Switch between a 4-way and 8-way D-Pad
- Set and customize the rear shortcut buttons
Is the Nacon Revolution X Pro Better Than the Xbox Elite Wireless Series 2?
The Revolution X Pro is a great Xbox and PC controller. It feels great, looks good, and comes with heaps of customization options that will suit any gamer.
Nacon's biggest direct competition is likely to come from Microsoft's Xbox Elite Wireless Series 2 controller, launched in 2019. The official pad offers a similar range of customization options, allowing you to swap out joysticks and D-pads, along with the introduction of rear paddles and custom controller mapping.
It's a close call, but the Revolution X Pro's extensive customization, including swappable weights, just edges it. Nacon's Revolution X desktop app is simple to use, too, and more than anything, Nacon delivers everything the Elite Series 2 offers at a vastly reduced price.
Furthermore, although the Revolution X Pro is a third-party controller, Nacon is an official Microsoft partner, meaning everything works as it should out of the box, and you won't find yourself scowling at a broken feature as you may with unofficial alternatives.
On that, let's talk money. The Nacon Revolution X Pro controller retails for $110, a veritable snip compared to the $180 Elite Series 2. So, if you want a customizable premium controller for your Xbox X|S, Xbox One, or PC, Nacon's excellent Revolution X Pro is sure to send you to the top of the leaderboards.
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