This new controller could be my dream PC and Xbox gamepad — here's why I’m hyped
This premium Nacon pad could be the real deal
When it comes to premium gamepads, the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 has ruled the roost for fans of the best Xbox Series X games since it launched back in 2019. Now though, a new challenger has just been announced that could be primed to take its crown.
The Nacon Revolution X Unlimited is a high-end controller for Xbox Series X/S and PC that will be released later this year. While pricing details have yet to be announced, don’t be surprised if it’s in the $200 / £200 price bracket. After all, that’s what the company initially charged for the Revolution 5 Pro — a PS5 controller that is so good I can never go back to the DualSense Edge.
Like the Revolution 5 Pro, this new Xbox controller will also work on the best gaming PCs. The X Unlimited’s coolest-looking feature? It sports an LCD screen that allows players to save different game profiles, then switch between them on the fly without the need to jump into the pad’s app.
The Revolution X Unlimited is also Nacon’s first wireless controller for PC and Xbox, and it comes with a USB dongle that the company claims will ensure a “latency-free wireless connection”. As someone who plays the best Steam games using the Revolution 5 Pro, which sadly only supports wired play on PC, it’s great to see The X Unlimited cutting the cord.
And if you’re still playing on one of Microsoft’s last gen machines, there’s more good news, as the X Unlimited also supports the Xbox One series family of consoles.
As for the controller’s other key features, Nacon is promising up to 10 hours of battery life, which is roughly double that of Sony's DualSense Edge. Hall Effect triggers should help reduce irritating stick drift, while also prolonging the pad’s lifespan.
Like the Revolution 5 Pro, the X Unlimited also has trigger blocks that allow you to set a shorter travel distance, which will likely prove handy during the upcoming megaton twitch shooter, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
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Button down the hatches
Nacon’s new Xbox/PC gamepad features 6 programmable shortcut buttons, plus a set of action buttons with “micro-switch technology for maximum responsiveness”, according to the peripheral maker.
It also comes boxed with 2 x alternative D-Pads and 6 controller weights that can be inserted into the rear of the pad to give it extra heft. A duo of stick rings are included too, and promise to allow players to "adjust the ergonomics to their own play style".
Phew! Talk about an exhaustive feature set.
And lastly on the PC front, it will have a reduced latency of 1-2ms compared to using the X Unlimited on Xbox Series X/S. It also supports gyroscopic tech to simulate joysticks, meaning we could be dealing with a peripheral that could turn out to be one of the best PC game controllers. But only time will tell.
Still, as a massive fan of the Revolution 5 Pro, I’m fully on board the hype train for the Nacon Revolution X Unlimited.
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Dave is a computing editor at Tom’s Guide and covers everything from cutting edge laptops to ultrawide monitors. When he’s not worrying about dead pixels, Dave enjoys regularly rebuilding his PC for absolutely no reason at all. In a previous life, he worked as a video game journalist for 15 years, with bylines across GamesRadar+, PC Gamer and TechRadar. Despite owning a graphics card that costs roughly the same as your average used car, he still enjoys gaming on the go and is regularly glued to his Switch. Away from tech, most of Dave’s time is taken up by walking his husky, buying new TVs at an embarrassing rate and obsessing over his beloved Arsenal.