Nacon Revolution 5 Pro | REVIEW

Following on from the success of their Revolution controller range on the PlayStation 4, Nacon have now given PlayStation 5 gamers the chance to experience it themselves with the Nacon Revolution 5 Pro. However, whilst it comes with plenty of cool bells and whistles that will keep enthusiasts very happy, the high price point and lack of console specific-features can hold it back when compared to the standard DualSense controller.

Check out some images of the Nacon Revolution 5 Pro down below:

It’s hard not to be left impressed with the Nacon Revolution 5 Pro from the moment you put it in your hands, with it clear that Nacon have released a quality product that looks slick and feels sturdy. It also ditches the symmetrical setup of the DualSense controller and opts for something that’ll feel more familiar to Xbox gamers, which I’ll admit has always been a personal preference for me. Whilst that alone may make it an easy purchase for some gamers, it also has plenty of other cool features that help make it stand out as one of the most impressive third-party controllers around.

For one, the risk of stick drift is completely gone thanks to the Magnetic Hall tech that helps eliminate wear on the sticks. I’ve had to replace TWO DualSense controllers because of stick drift, so I’ve actually become a little paranoid that it’ll happen again when playing. Thankfully, that stress is completely alleviated here, whilst the precision of the sticks themselves feels great. They can be customised with different configurations too, with the varied grips and lengths allowing players to fine-tune exactly how they feel. I could really feel the difference between the Nacon Revolution 5 Pro and the DualSense controller in this regard, and with different setups suiting different games, it can give you the edge in gameplay.

The trigger design felt more comfortable when compared to the DualSense controller too (and can be customised with the Trigger Block to set the amplitude of their pull), whilst the added back buttons can be setup to replicate any of the face buttons to suit your needs across each game you play. Whilst I didn’t always need to use these, they did feel particularly useful in first-person shooters where I was able to multi-task with my actions. The only downside? There are only two back buttons, which is a bit of a shame. I’m used to playing my Steam Deck where there are four back buttons to work with, so having just two did feel a bit more limited.

“There’s no doubting that the Nacon Revolution 5 Pro is an impressive controller, with its customisation options and the quality of the build certainly helping it stand out as one of the best third-party controllers that I’ve ever used.”

One feature that I always love with these controllers is how you can customise their weight, with small dumbbells included that can be used to increase or decrease the weight of the controller. I’m one of those gamers who likes their controller to felt hefty and weighty, so being able to give it that bit of lumpiness was much more comfortable when playing. It’s a small feature, sure, but it’s one of those things that I found myself appreciating the most when using the controller.

It’s worth noting that you’ll need a PC to customise the controller, and whilst there is meant to be a mobile app coming soon, it isn’t available yet. Whilst this was fine for me, it might be a bit of a deterrent for those who only use smart devices, so it’s worth keeping in mind before purchasing. There are plenty of little things you can tinker around with in the software to fine-tune every aspect of the controller though, so it’s definitely worth getting stuck into to see what you can do. You can even download some pre-existing profiles for some games, and whilst the selection is a little slim for the Nacon Revolution 5 Pro right now, it’s nice to see some pre-existing options that you can build your own preferences around. A recently released update also saw a ‘Shooter Pro Mode’ feature added to the controller, which completely eliminates the stick dead-zone when playing. Whilst I didn’t try it, it’s DEFINITELY something that’ll appeal to multiplayer first-person shooter fans who want that quicker response to get the upper hand over their rivals.

The Nacon Revolution 5 Pro clearly has some really cool features, but it also has some downsides which will put off a lot of players. For one, there’s the high price point, with the controller currently listed at £194.95 on the official website (though you can get it a little cheaper elsewhere). This is significantly more expensive that the DualSense controller (which is £60) and only a little bit cheaper that the DualSense Edge (which is £199) – and sure, it brings with it more features than both of those controllers, but it also has some console-specific omissions that you do get with the DualSense.

Check out some images of the Nacon Revolution 5 Pro down below:

The most obvious is the lack of vibration, which is a big disappointment given how much of a difference the haptic feedback of the DualSense controller makes in the PlayStation 5 experience. With the Nacon Revolution 5 Pro, you get nothing, with the lack of any form of vibration actually feeling a little strange when playing. It is worth noting that there is vibration functionality when using the controller on the PlayStation 4 or PC, but given that it’s marketed to PlayStation 5 gamers, it’s hard not to find it a disappointing omission.

It also has to be connected via a USB dongle, which might not seem like a BIG issue, but could be a minor annoyance if you’re already using the USB port for something else. The biggest problem of all, though? You can’t actually turn on the PlayStation 5 console with the controller. This might not sound like a big problem on paper, but believe me, there was nothing more frustrating than sitting down, getting comfortable, and putting the controller in my hand to get ready to play, only to find I’d have to manually turn on the console myself (or have a DualSense controller handy).

Still, whilst it does have its downsides, there’s no doubting that the Nacon Revolution 5 Pro is an impressive controller, with its customisation options and the quality of the build certainly helping it stand out as one of the best third-party controllers around. It’s just a shame that it lacks some of the neat little features that feel so important to the PlayStation 5 experience.

You can find out more about the Nacon Revolution 5 Pro controller on the official website through this link.