Build quality and features

🥜 In brief: Great battery life, durable, fantastic build quality, and maybe just on the verge of being too big.

If you're a gamer of a certain age, you'll remember The Duke, Microsoft's first controller for the original Xbox, which was approximately the size of a small Dachshund and weighed about the same.

The Duke never really took off, mostly because of the size. Even for adults, it was a chonky boy, and didn't lend well to extended gaming sessions. The reason for the trip down nostalgia lane is because the Nacon X Revolution, complete with a docking station worthy of old-school Xbox fame, is like a refined and thoughtful update on that iconic design.

The moment you unbox it, you can tell Nacon has put a lot of time into the presentation. The Revolution X arrives in a matte box, complete with its own carrying case, and wrapped in smooth protective canvas covering the built-in display at the center of the controller.

The handles are ribbed with a grippy leather texture, and the controller is hefty at 327 grams. In the box are replacement joystick heads and height adjusters, a charging dock, receiver USB, and cables. The presentation is elegant and stylish throughout, highlighting a more mature version of Pro-gaming than most others, who go for garish colors and over-the-top highlights.

I was shocked at how fast and intuitively the Revolution X Unlimited paired with my different devices

The highlight of the controller is the LED panel, which grabbed my attention from the moment I turned it on. Here, you can adjust settings on the fly, including audio if you're on a wired headset, check out battery life, set Bluetooth pairing, and configure button mapping. It's surprisingly intuitive and easy to use once you get the hang of things.

Weirdly, some of the button mapping isn't available on the screen. For example, the back buttons, which are a major draw of the controller, weren't adjustable as far as I could tell. Personally, I wanted to turn them off or at least change their sensitivity somewhat, but couldn't do that no matter what I tried. I had to take the controller to my PC (my Macbook laughed at the idea of an external controller, but that's an iOS issue) before I could really fiddle with things.

Luckily, once firmware updates were out of the way, I found no issues with the controller in terms of connectivity or usability. In fact, I was shocked at how fast and intuitively the Revolution X Unlimited paired with my different devices. In this case, my Xbox Series X and gaming PC, situated in different parts of the house.

Accessibility and daily use

🥜 Fantastically adjustable for the most, even if the size proves limiting.

The adjustable joysticks and directional pad are the big draw here, and they do not disappoint. Taking the controller apart is easy and each different piece feels sturdy enough that tinkering never felt like I was about to break anything.

The hall effect joysticks are extremely responsive, and you can adjust their height and grip with the wide array of expansions and replacable pieces included in the box. While you can't switch out the placement of the sticks themselves, I found this to be a perfect middle ground that allows for comfortable adjustments to the grip for most gamers.

You can't change out the XYAB keys, which is a shame, but they're so tactile and smooth that I didn't find myself wanting to, either. Compared to my regular Series X controller, the RXU is whisper quiet, with only a slight tactile clicking that is more meditative and soothing than distracting.

The back bumpers are an annoyance though, but that's mostly because I don't play fast-paced FPS games with a controller. I did give Apex Legends a whirl, and found the additional accessibility cleverly designed and useful for those that need it. For example, mapping out the jump or use functions to the back proved surprisingly gentle on the hands. I can only imagine that those with physical impairments will find a lot to love with the leeway the RXU brings to its modularity.

This is the first time I could see myself playing with a controller for longer stretches at a time without concern. It's a massive quality of life improvement that alone makes the controller worth its price.

Another area where the RXU really impressed me was how light the button presses felt compared to competing controllers. My fingers are prone to cramping and aches, so I favor light and bouncy keyboards and mice in my daily use. Controllers, on the other hand, tend to always go for heavy and rigid when I review them. The RXU does the opposite. Button presses are shallow, with a delightful little click to indicate the controller has registered them.

I tested the RXU with games like Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Overcooked 2, and Avowed, and each proved a much more enjoyable experience than before. In the past, I've had to bring out a mouse and keyboard to console gaming simply because of accessibility concerns. This is the first time I could see myself playing with a controller for longer stretches at a time without concern. It's a massive quality of life improvement that alone makes the controller worth its price.

The only thing that really hinders the experience is the size and weight. I have reasonably large hands, yet even I found the RXU to be on the chonky side. My partner, while enamored by the texture and tactile buttons, has gone back to using the regular controller simply because the RXU is just too big for them.

It's also not something you'll want to pack for on-the-go gaming. I took it out with me as a test on a flight, and the overall experience was simply too cumbersome. This is a Pro controller in the sense that it requires deliberate space and utilization. For LAN parties, competitions, and dedicated gaming spaces, it's exquisite. Elsewhere, you're better off with something lighter.

Battery life and competition

🥜 8-10 hours of battery life in regular mode, 20 in battery saving, beyond that, this one is in a class of its own.

The Revolution X Unlimited is a solid performer in terms of battery life, especially if you run it in power saving mode. Charging time is equally fine, usually taking about two hours from zero to full. The charging dock is quite a beast though, so you'll want to make sure you have adequate space for it.

As for competition, there are few other controllers that offer this kind of quality with such reliablity and adjustibility. Razer's lineup is impressive, especially the Wolverine P3 Pro and might be more suitable for those looking for a pure FPS experience.

But for those looking for an all-rounder controller, something that is equally impressive in any genre of gameplay, you won't find a better fit than the Nacon Revolution X.