The word premium has started to lose its meaning when it comes to gaming peripherals. The steady rise of improved tech and manufacturing, enhanced ergonomics and better materials means that the playing field is both more level, and more competitive than ever. Nacon are a company continually pushing to raise that bar, and with the Nacon Revolution X Unlimited, their ultra-premium, command screen-equipped wireless pro controller, that bar is once again higher than ever before.
The Revolution X Unlimited offers one hell of a package. Alongside the controller, which is designed for Xbox, PC and mobile, you’re getting a sturdy storage case, which contains an accessory storage box housing a wealth of different options, with the choice of two D-pad tops, six joystick heads, six weights, a super handy charging dock, a 3m USB-C to USB-A cable and the wireless USB dongle as well.
This controller feels fantastic. The all-black soft-touch finish is alluring and immediately tactile, accentuated by the incredibly grippy rubberised material that run along the side and around the back of each of the controller’s arms. It feels utterly fixed in place when it’s in your hands, but manages to avoid the roughness that some grip textures have. While the layout is based upon the traditional Xbox controller’s setup, the ergonomics are recognisably ‘Nacon’, bearing obvious similarities to the previous Nacon Revolution line. That means there’s a little more heft, a little more girth, which feels great if you’ve got the right-sized hands to handle it. If you’ve got smaller hands, this might not be the controller for you.
Just like Nacon’s other top-end controllers, you can adjust the weight of the Revolution X Unlimited by adding tiny weights to each of the arms, the rear grips sliding off to reveal the tiny space that houses them. This has always been one of my favourite things about Nacon controllers, and it allows you to get the feel just right for you. I added two of the medium weights in (there’s three pairs to choose from), just for that additional presence it gives the controller in your hand, but at 328g without anything added, the Revolution X Unlimited might be heavy enough for most players.
The expected core inputs are all present and correct, but you’ll immediately notice the satisfying click of mechanical OMRON switches in the ABXY buttons and the D-pad. These mouse-like inputs are brutally quick, and require just that little bit less pressure to activate, making them feel swifter and operate quicker and smoother than traditional membrane switches. They are easily my preferred option for button tech, and the only downside to them is that they are mildly noisier than their older membrane cousins. Nacon have set these up perfectly here, and from the first click I knew I was onto a good thing.
There’s also mechanical switches in the underside ‘pro’ buttons in the grip, with a really interesting layout here that sees two sit under each ring finger, with the second pair further down the arms beneath your little fingers. It definitely takes some getting used to, but they’ve been placed absolutely perfectly to activate when you need them, but be out of the way if you don’t. You need to move your little finger to hit the lower buttons, and this is potentially a sticking point, as the higher ones are just right there beneath your fingers. Still, they’re done very well, and feel more natural than a lot of rear layouts do, especially after spending some time to get to know them.
The final set of mechanical switches sit within the triggers. This tech gives you a pair of switches that allow you to shorten the length of your trigger activation, and they’re primarily designed to make you better at Call of Duty or Overwatch. I love them. Every single controller should have them. Nacon have stuffed in the best version of this technology too, transitioning from Hall Effect analogue triggers into mechanical switches, and while I don’t understand the magic behind them, you can be certain that your response time is faster than ever before.
We then have the analogue sticks. These utilise the now-expected Hall Effect sensors which means they’re more accurate and longer lasting than typical potentiometer stick technology which runs the risk of developing stick drift. The Nacon Revolution X Unlimited’s sticks use magnets which means there’s no friction through the mechanism, and no friction means greatly reduced wear. They will eventually wear out – everything does – but they’ll likely outlive numerous official gamepads along the way. You’ve also got a variety of tops and collars, to get the height and feel just right, with very few controllers able to match the level of customisation on display here.
The only oddity is the shoulder buttons, and the further two pro inputs which sit alongside them at the top of the controller. The shoulder buttons use different ALPS switches, and while they’re well designed – the shoulder buttons activate across their full length – they feel very different, sitting at odds with every other input on the controller. The additonal S1/S2 inputs here again take some getting used to – this isn’t where most manufacturers put buttons – but once you’ve wrapped your head around using them, it’s fair to say that Nacon have given you an incredibly suite of options to choose from. It’s going to be a select crowd that get the most out of six additional buttons, but for those that want them, they make the Nacon Revolution X Unlimited an incredibly powerful tool.
The number one thing that you come away from a gaming session with the Revolution X Unlimited is that it feels powerful. In turn, that makes you feel like you have the best chance of success. While your own reflexes might let you down, the Revolution X Unlimited feels utterly dependable. It is one of the fastest and slickest controllers I’ve ever used. Speed is absolutely the order of the day, and while you’ve got the option of the limited Bluetooth connection, if you’re playing on PC you’re looking at 2ms latency via wireless, or an insane 1ms of latency when wired. I don’t need to tell you that’s near-instant, and if you’re wanting to be the player who comes first in a head to head showdown, this is the controller to do it.
We’ve not even got to the Revolution X Unlimited’s main party trick: the command screen that sits at the centre of the controller body. This gives you instant access to most of the controller’s customizable aspects, from button mapping through to layout and stick attenuation, as well as allowing audio mixing to the 3.5mm socket from both your gaming platform and your mobile phone. For Xbox players in particular, this is a far more helpful and easily accessible option than using the PC software, though there’s also the choice of the mobile app which you can connect to via Bluetooth. Nacon have basically given you every conceivable tool possible – it is called the ‘Unlimited’ after all – and it’s up to you to decide how you’re going to interact with it, and how you’re going to set it up to suit your playstyle.
You may have already got the sense that I’ve fallen for the Revolution X Unlimited, and that’s undoubtedly true. This is the current pinnacle of controller design, and it’s only potential downside is that it feels a fraction thicker and wider in the hand than some other controllers. At £179.99 it’s a serious investment – that’s a good chunk of the way to buying a whole console – but there’s nothing else that can truly touch it right now, while its only other minor foible is the ten hour battery life, though if you’re using the included charging dock, it’ll rarely bother you.
The Revolution X Unlimited does offer a similar set of features to the excellent Turtle Beach Stealth Ultra Pro, my previous top choice for Xbox, but the build quality of the Revolution X Unlimited is comprehensively better. There’s always Microsoft’s own Elite Controller 2, which I love the feel of, but which has had a steady stream of complaints against its reliability since it launched. If you’re looking for something that boasts a number of the different technologies at a less painful price, you’d do well to look at the GameSir Cyclone 2. All that said, If you want the best, this is it.