The Revolution X Unlimited controller from Nacon might be the ultimate gaming accessory, especially if you have designs on becoming a pro gamer, play lots of different genres and view gaming as something of a science.
With its vast array of customisation options, unique features and neat touches, it really feels like Nacon has gone above and beyond with the Revolution X Unlimited, which is available from Argos for £179.99.
Indeed, the hefty price tag is the only major flaw of a controller that covers all of the bases, whether you’re playing a competitive shooter or an arcade-style fighting game.
Unsurprisingly given the company’s experience of making premium controllers, the Revolution X Unlimited (for Xbox and PC) looks stylish and feels premium.
It’s weighty and chunky in the best possible way, with all the right curves and contours for a supremely comfortable gaming experience.
The rubberised grips only add to the comfort, while the near perfect button placement gives you a much better chance of firing first.
The Revolution X Unlimited actually comes with six mappable buttons, including four on the back of the device and two on top next to the trigger buttons. The two additional top buttons are a little awkward when using squeezy triggers, and tend to work better with the instant inputs of the micro-switch triggers.
Speaking of buttons, the Revolution X Unlimited’s bigger and more responsive face buttons are a huge improvement on the ones found in the standard Xbox controller.
I was also really impressed by both of the d-pads, especially the circular d-pad that’s used as default. I didn’t think I would like a circular d-pad more than the one used in the Xbox Elite controller, but the RXU’s clickier inputs feel more accurate.
Setting the controller up with the latest firmware and getting started with customisation isn’t what I would call intuitive, especially if you’re a MacBook user and don’t have a Windows PC.
Fortunately, you can download and install the Nacon Revolution X Unlimited app directly to your Xbox and go from there. (Just make sure you download the Revolution X Unlimited app and not the regular Revolution X app like I did.)
Once you have the correct app installed, simply connect the controller to your Xbox, download an update and start customising.
The app is absolutely jam-packed with different options, letting users customise everything from stick reactivity and deadzone, to lighting effects and vibration intensity. It’s kind of overwhelming, but in the best possible way.
While you could quite easily stick with the default profiles that are set up for racing games, shooters, precision shooters and arcade/fighting, you can also completely customise the controller from scratch, or make small tweaks based on your in-game preferences.
Switching between profiles is as simple as pressing a button on the back of the controller.
The customisation options extend to the feel of the controller and individual components, such as weights, joystick heads and the aforementioned d-pads.
While the controller is actually pretty weighty to begin with, the Revolution X Unlimited comes with three pairs of weights, ranging from 10g to 16g. You could even make one side heavier than the other.
One of the more unique features of the device is the interactive LCD screen, which can be used to further customise the controller, or to make small tweaks to the settings. It also displays information like battery life, platform and profiles.
While I wouldn’t class this as an essential feature, I do like the way you can actually see what you are doing when making changes. Likewise, having information like battery life, mic settings and profiles removes some of the guesswork from other customisable controllers.
It helps that it’s really easy to use, at least when you remember to press the multi-function button to return to game mode.
The LCD display coupled with other smaller features like customisable lighting and the inclusion of a charging dock (complete with a space for the wireless dongle) are just some of the reasons why I like the Revolution X Unlimited more than pretty much any other pro controller.
It looks the part, feels great and most importantly of all, lets you really get into the minutiae when it comes to customising your gameplay experience and making it your own.
Definitely keep an eye out for deals and discounts, because the Revolution X Unlimited is one of the best accessories around.