While you can never go wrong with the default controllers offered by companies such as Nintendo, PlayStation, and Xbox, third-party controllers are fantastic at offering a different kind of service. Usually, controllers created by companies such as Razer and 8bitdo are great at either providing an affordable alternative to those offered by mainline, or prioritizing competitive edge with the addition of customizable back buttons and more responsive triggers.
These controllers often don’t stray from this pattern. Once in a blue moon, though, hardware comes along that is surprisingly innovative. This is where the Nacon Xbox Revolution X Unlimited controller comes in. It boasts instant response triggers, hall effect sticks, long battery life, and most importantly, an LCD screen in the center, all at a price of $199.99.
How does the Xbox Revolution X Unlimited compare to other controllers on the market, especially at the price point? I’m thrilled to say that the Unlimited X is a great choice for those who want to customize their gaming experience and maximize their competitive efficiency.
Customization is Key
While the Revolution X Unlimited is not Nacon’s first controller, it’s certainly the company’s most advanced so far. Obviously, the first thing you’re going to notice is the screen in the center. While it’s a fairly small LCD screen, it is more than just a gimmick. It’s one of many ways that players can customize their experience.
Upon pressing a button at the top that turns the LCD screen on, you’re greeted with four menus: Audio, Joysticks, Mapping, and Settings. In audio, you can modify the mic gain, volume, and gamechat mixer. In joysticks, you can adjust the response curve, deadzone, and even switch to modes designed for first-person shooters. Lastly, as the name implies, mapping allows you to switch around certain buttons.
The Revolution X supports Bluetooth and dongle connectivity, plus a wired connection. It also features detachable buttons, screws, and d-pad, which all goes toward the controller’s mission statement: customization. Everything here is designed to be tuned to the specifications of whoever plays it. There’s even an app where you can import profiles per platform and game.
While some compatibility issues arose when attempting to get the app running smoothly on my MacBook, everything else worked great. I’m not someone who usually needs to adjust my gaming experience too much, but the features on the Revolution X were too good to pass up. I had a blast playing around with the different options on the LCD screen and tweaking certain settings so that every game on my Xbox Series S felt sublime.
That said, it is worth noting that this is a very specific piece of hardware. If you’re someone who’s buying into a third-party controller for the first time and isn’t interested in having a lot of options, then this may not be the device for you. After all, it is $200 and isn’t exactly the best choice if you are relatively new to buying third-party controllers.
As a whole, though, the controller does a fantastic job of making sure that every single piece is customizable. Regardless of whether you use Xbox or PC, prefer shooters or action games, or something else entirely, the Revolution X has something for you. That said, all of this means nothing if the controller doesn’t feel great to use. Thankfully, it exceeds expectations on that front as well.
Great In Action
In action, the Revolution X feels great to use. It has a great tactile feeling in your hands, and every game feels all the better with the controller in use. I tested it with a wide variety of different titles, each providing a different experience.
Right off the bat, I tested it with South of Midnight, a pseudo-platformer/action game. You can feel every jump and attack directly in the grip of the controller, and it all feels extremely satisfying. While I didn’t get too much use out of the back buttons, they were still a great option to have if I wanted to relegate the dash, jump, and attack buttons to alternative inputs.
Later, I tested it with shooters such as Halo and Doom, and both feel like exactly the type of experiences the controller was made for. In Halo 5: Guardians and Halo Infinite, I was able to react quickly thanks to the hall effect sticks and the instant triggers. Moving and shooting felt incredibly smooth, especially when I switched over to Doom Eternal.
Doom Eternal is definitely a game where your reaction speeds are put to the test. While there were moments where my fingers started to cramp from how quickly enemies would ambush you, that was more to do with the game itself rather than the controller. Even trying it with games that you wouldn’t think would be good with this sort of controller, such as Dishonored, yielded impressive results.
One of my favorite things about the controller is that, unlike those offered by Xbox itself, you don’t have to switch out batteries every time it runs out of charge. It operates off a rechargeable battery that lasts for ten hours and recharges pretty quickly. Due to this fact, combined with how fun it is to use with a wide variety of games, it is undoubtedly my new go-to controller when playing on Xbox.
I cannot wait to continue to experiment with how the Revolution X Unlimited works with different games and different platforms, such as the Steam Deck. This controller is extremely innovative and a great offering in the modern gaming space, especially on Xbox Series X|S. When it comes to recommending it, though, that’s when things get complicated.
An Innovative Marvel
Nowadays, if you’re purchasing a controller, you have a lot of options to choose from. You have to take into consideration many different factors, such as price, compatibility, and function. Why choose to buy an expensive third-party controller when you can buy a mostly reliable first-party controller? On the flipside, why buy a first-party controller that costs $80 when you can instead buy a third-party one that costs $40? It’s all about buying the one that’s best for you.
The Revolution X Unlimited is a fantastic piece of hardware. It’s innovative, complete with a screen in the center. Plus, the addition of hall effect sticks, responsive triggers, and numerous customizable options makes it great regardless of whether you’re playing an action game, a shooter, a platformer, or something completely different. I highly recommend it if you’re someone who likes to fine-tune every bit of your experience for maximum efficiency in gameplay.
Yet, despite all this, you may not find yourself fitting into that category. Maybe you aren’t willing to spend $200 on a controller, or you don’t care as much about remapping buttons and modifying dead zones on a joystick. Maybe none of this appeals to you! While I would recommend this controller to “hardcore gamers” who are devoted to min-maxing their experience, I wouldn’t recommend it to the average person who may be drawn to finding a good controller for their Xbox or PC.
At the end of the day, your mileage with the Revolution X Unlimited will vary depending on what you’re looking for. If you’re looking for an ordinary controller that simply gets the job done for an affordable price, then this isn’t the hardware for you. However, if you are looking for an alternative to the main Xbox controller that allows you to customize every aspect of it to fit your playstyle, I couldn’t think of a better purchase than the Revolution X Unlimited.
Disclaimer: Nacon provided Final Weapon with a Revolution X Unlimited unit for review purposes.
