Review: NACON Revolution 5 Pro

The French accessory giant NACON has developed a new premium controller: Revolution 5 Pro. We have tested it – and what do we think? Well, the question we should ask ourselves is: have the other established third-party manufacturers, such as Scuf Gaming and AimControllers, gained a real challenger – or does it fall flat?

Design & Performance

After spending about 20 hours using the Revolution 5 Pro, I must admit that Nacon has truly succeeded. The design is both sleek and robust. To address the obvious first: its shape clearly resembles the Xbox controller, and the asymmetrical thumbstick placement is the same. With small details reminiscent of Sony’s elegance, this controller is a joy to look at. On the back, we find four programmable paddles – perfect for those of us who don’t want to let go of the thumbsticks to perform certain commands. Above the top paddles, we also find the setting for the trigger stop function, which makes L2 and R2 react faster than in the fully open position. And here’s the thing: it is modular. It comes with tons of accessories! Three pairs of thumbsticks in different designs, two different D-pads, six pairs of weights (10, 14, and 16 grams – if you, like me, prefer a slightly heavier feel). Two pairs of joystick rings that reduce the travel of the thumbsticks (i.e., the distance from the center to full tilt), as well as an external microphone. In addition to that, you get a protective case for the controller and a three-meter USB-C cable – so you can play while it charges. A full charge provides around 10 hours of playtime, which I find perfectly acceptable.

Comfort and Feel

So, what about the comfort? It sits very well in the hand, and the rubberized grip feels both premium and stable – unlike the plasticky, slightly slippery feel of many standard controllers. The asymmetrical layout might appeal more to Xbox fans than die-hard Playstation players, but I must say that even after several hours of gaming, it feels comfortable. And yes… the RGB ring around the right thumbstick? It surely adds a premium touch for many, but personally, I find it bothersome – especially when playing in a dark room. The light in the corner of my eye distracts me constantly. Another thing I noticed was the bottom paddles. Compared to, for example, Scuf Impact, where the paddles are like separate levers, these are integrated along the grips. This meant I often pressed them by mistake. It’s likely a matter of getting used to it, but until you do, it’s terribly annoying. I don’t know how many times I lost 1v1 situations in Warzone because I accidentally reloaded my weapon instead of throwing a knife… But, looking at the big picture – how the controller performs – it is a very comfortable, well-designed controller that feels robust, stable, and actually a bit luxurious.

Now for the negatives

Something I really missed, especially when playing the campaign mode in Call of Duty, was haptic feedback (in fact, it doesn’t vibrate at all) – and also adaptive triggers. I didn’t understand why it wasn’t working at first, but after a quick Google search, it turned out those features simply aren’t in the controller. This is likely due to Sony’s restrictions for third-party manufacturers. So even though it’s a big downside for me, I can’t really blame Nacon. I just hope that in the future, it becomes possible for third-party manufacturers to include these features as well.

And maybe I’m becoming a grumpy old gamer, but there’s another thing that bothered me – the sound via wired headphones. Don’t get me wrong: when the price tag is just over two thousand kronor, I expect really good sound. And it wasn’t catastrophic, but… the sound felt tinny and metallic. My teammates experienced the same thing when I tested the included external microphone – it didn’t sound bad, but there was a boxy echo that didn’t quite go away.

Summary

Nacon Revolution 5 Pro is a controller that impresses – but only to a certain extent. It has a sleek design, good ergonomics, and very good modularity for those who like to adjust and customize. It feels well-thought-out and actually quite premium in the hand. But despite the premium feel, it’s noticeable that some key features – like haptic feedback and adaptive triggers – are missing. And the sound via wired headphones? Perfectly okay, but not at the level I expect in this price range. In short, it’s a good controller, absolutely. It might not reach all the way to the top, but for the right type of player, it could very well be a worthy alternative.

NACON sent review units for this test. Senders of material have no editorial influence on our tests; we always write independently with you, the readers and consumers, in focus.