This pro Xbox and PC controller is making me dread using standard ones again

Executing the perfect headshot. Nailing the perfect apex. Being able to play comfortably for much longer. These are all things I genuinely encountered and enjoyed more frequently while using the Nacon Revolution X Unlimited while playing Xbox Series S.

I'm someone that's used standard controllers pretty much their whole life - the only other Pro controller I've ever really used is the Nintendo Switch 2.

But after playing through a number of different games to test out Nacon's latest Xbox and PC controller, I'm being converted. There's only one downside to it I can see and it's quite a significant one but more on that later.

Starting with how I tested it, I spent a number of hours playing Call of Duty: Black Ops 6, Battlefield 2042, Avowed and DiRT Rally 2.0.

That's because I'm someone that regularly plays first-person shooters, role-playing games and racing games (yes, with a controller) and the Nacon Revolution X Unlimited undeniably feels much more responsive, granular and quite simply better compared to so-called normal controllers.

The Nacon Revolution X Unlimited / Jake Brigstock, indy100

First of all, the Nacon Revolution X Unlimited has the layout of an Xbox controller - with a LCD screen in the middle of it.

This might seem like a bit of a gimmick but it's actually really useful being able to quickly cycle through different options and presets on the fly, especially when switching between games, instead of having to go into its app on Xbox or PC to change things all the time.

The controller also has six different shortcut buttons with Hall Effect analog sticks that improve precision and prevent drift.

The package comes with a chunky and robust case, a charging port, cable, three sets of weights, six joystick heads, two D-pads, the aforementioned storage case and four different joystick rings, two medium and two large.

There's also a USB dongle to plug into compatible devices so it can be connected wirelessly, one month free of Game Pass and even a microfibre cloth.

The first thing I noticed when powering up the Nacon Revolution X Unlimited was the buttons immediately feel so much more smooth when pressing them; there isn't as much of a click feel here.

The analog sticks and rear buttons (which themselves can be adjusted to be more like triggers or standard buttons) have a bit more of a stiffness to them compared to standard pads, making precision a lot easier, while still being as responsive as you want them to be and this is especially apparent in first-person shooters.

This really came to the fore while playing Battlefield 2042. Precision is a lot more key in this game than it is in a Call of Duty title and playing as Recon, a Class that traditionally uses sniper rifles, it felt so much easier being able to slowly aim exactly where I wanted to and execute the perfect headshot.

It honestly made such a difference to the extent that in my very first round of Conquest on Haven using it, I got my career best kills and assist count, as well as damage dealt (these records continued to tumble the more I got used to the controller).

And I'm someone that's been playing this since it launched in 2021.

There's quite the robust and chunky travel case that comes with the Nacon Revolution X Unlimited / Jake Brigstock, indy100

Although the controller did not feel as critical in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 due to the more arcade nature of it, being able to tweak the controller settings to get them exactly how I wanted them still gave me an edge across all game modes.

On that, there's an accompanying Nacon app that can be downloaded through Xbox or PC that lets you alter the settings of the controller to exactly how you want them on an incredibly granular level along with battery saving settings.

There are assigned profiles, with presets for racing, shooter and fighting games that can be tweaked in terms of mapping, stick responsiveness, triggers and much more.

Playing around with these to get the controller into the exact window you want is addictive and it's fantastic when you've found that sweet spot.

This really shone through playing DiRT Rally 2.0, the rally game that's been dubbed the Dark Souls equivalent of racing given how unforgiving it is.

It's among the most realistic rally games out there. I've been playing rally games since Colin McRae Rally on the PS1 (yes, I'm that old) and I thrive on tarmac but can be a bit more cautious on gravel and especially on ice.

But within minutes, using the Pro controller, I built up a level of confidence on gravel and ice I've never previously managed to achieve on a standard pad. Again, fine tuning the controller settings to suit this game specifically really made the difference and my times tumbled quickly.

Also, I love a good RPG and thought Avowed would be a good way to test out this genre given that it's action heavy and I was not disappointed - again, everything just felt so much easier to pull off and execute with this controller.

The Nacon Revolution X Unlimited comes with a number of customisable components / Jake Brigstock, indy100

Also, across all of these games, not once did I find myself getting any aches, pains or cramps in my hands from playing for so long, something which I have experienced on normal pads (again, yes, I'm that old).

I usually get this while playing racing games for long periods of time but sunk hours and hours into DiRT Rally 2.0 without any issues at all, being able to play for much longer than I normally would.

To note as well, its website claims its battery life is more than 10 hours and this is accurate.

The only drawback I can see with the Nacon Revolution X Unlimited, and it's arguably quite a big one, is its price. It retails for £179 ($199) which drew an audible breath from me when I saw this.

This is an incredibly steep price point.

The Nacon Revolution X Untilited has obviously been designed with professional gamers in mind, yet if you're really into gaming and play a lot, I would recommend it in a heartbeat as you will notice it makes quite the sizeable positive difference to how you play your favourite games.

I'll find it very difficult to go back to using standard controllers after trying it out.

However if you're more of a casual gamer that picks up and plays every now and again, you'll need to seriously consider if the price is worth it to you as its nearing half the price of a console.

Elsewhere from indy100:

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• Xbox and PC Game Pass might not actually be that profitable for Microsoft

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