Nacon Revolution 5 Pro controller review – Better choices abound

In a world where a good controller can potentially level up your gaming skills, there are a large number of choices to be made.

The Nacon Revolution 5 Pro controller for PS5, PS4, and PC is one of these options. Is it worth its $200 price tag? What sets it apart from other controllers? Is its new “Shooter Pro Mode” a difference-maker?

I’ve spent weeks with the Revolution 5 Pro, and I don’t hate it. I don’t love it either, and that’s part of the problem.

Customization is key

Custom controls, inputs, buttons, sticks, and more through the app is the biggest strength for the Revolution 5 Pro. Although cumbersome at first, the Nacon app on PC is honestly pretty intuitive when it comes to creating profiles for different game types or users. And one of its newest features is Shooter Pro Mode, which is built for FPS games like Call of Duty, Apex Legends, Battlefield, and more.

Disappointingly, I couldn’t feel much of a difference with Shooter Pro Mode enabled vs. disabled. Nacon says the mode boasts higher sensitivity “for faster reaction times in a variety of in-game situations by increasing the stick amplitude” and hall effect sticks “for maximum controller durability and highly reduced risk of drift,” but it felt the same for me.

The app, though, is cool for the ability to tweak things like trigger sensitivity, full custom button mapping, different lighting effects, and a screen to test out trigger drift and more. I had a bit of trouble setting up the app, and I feel like it’s going to be confusing for some of the more casual gamers out there, but once I got it running, it was fun to mess around with.

Busy backside

My main issue with this controller is that there’s a lot going on with the backside of it. Most of it doesn’t get in the way, but several toggles for profiles, inputs, and trigger blockers just feel too busy for my liking.

When switching between platforms a lot like I do, I always found myself forgetting to switch between PS5 and PC. It’s nice that it’s usable on PS4, too, but I personally haven’t even had that console plugged in for about four years.

I spent a few weeks with the Revolution 5 Pro and I unfortunately felt one of the back paddle buttons already getting a little loose and squeaky after heavy usage in MW3 and Warzone, with a little Elden Ring sprinkled in.

I gave it a fair shake, but I feel like I still prefer the base DualSense’s feel and build quality. Something about the Nacon controller feels shoddy, and it may be the material.

Buyer beware?

There’s nothing inherently wrong with the Revolution 5 Pro. It’s a decent controller, but I think its price point puts it in a tough place. It’s the same price as Sony’s own DualSense Edge controller, which is the company’s answer to premium controllers with backpaddles like Nacon or Scuf, for example.

Custom controller companies are all over the place these days, so there’s no shortage of choice. I don’t think the Nacon Revolution 5 Pro is a bad choice, necessarily, but I feel like there are better options out there that use the DualSense’s superior body, such as Scuf, HexGaming, and others.

In comparison, though, Nacon’s is a bit cheaper than some of these other high-end controllers, so I think it’s safe to consider this one a bit of a budget piece of hardware.