RIG Nacon Revolution X Wired Controller for Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One Review (Black)
Summary: If you don’t mind playing your controller wired the RIG Nacon Revolution X is a fantastic controller overall at a reasonable $200 price point. Its variety of customisation options are great for most game types, while being at a cheaper price than most of its competitors like the Xbox elite wireless controller 2.
4.8
Gamer edge?
The RIG Nacon revolution X wired controller is marketed as a highly customisable competition grade wired controller. I really enjoyed my time with this controller on the Xbox Series X.
First impressions taking the controller out of the protective case are that it has a great ergonomic fit. The main rear triggers are slightly shorter than a standard Xbox controller but have a very comfortable curve shape, with great resistance. This works quite well across shooters and racing games too.
Unboxing Gallery
The thumb sticks feel very responsive and offer smooth movement with the perfect amount of tension, which is important given this is the major way to interact with the controller in most games. With no perceptible deadzone they give the perfect precision and tactile feel you’d want from a competition grade controller for shooters.
The included thumb sticks do suffer from low grip however, as the smooth plastic material they are made from often require to be wiped down to reduce thumb slipping. It is quick and easy to swap between the concave and convex thumb sticks by snapping them in/ out. I find them very comfortable once I add my tall Kontrol Freek to the right thumb stick (pictured below).
Using the thumb stick shaft angle adapters didn’t seem to improve the controller and feels like it takes away thumb stick range of motion in a negative way, rather than adding any precision or control in shooters like Call of Duty. So I have kept that at standard thumb stick shaft for my preference.
The highlight for me with the controller is the excellent d-pad and A/B/X/Y buttons. These buttons all provide satisfying and responsive feedback without being too clicky or too soft- perfect middle ground. This is one thing that I find lacking in the official standard Xbox controller and the more expensive Xbox Elite Series 2 controller also. Much improved in the Nacon Revolution X in this department and the buttons work perfectly on every single press.
The rear centre paddles in the centre are in a comfortable position but they could be improved if they were to stick out a little further or be larger. The side paddles are at times awkward to click or reach intentionally and are paradoxically easy to also accidentally click in if tensing the hands, based on their awkward position.
Remapping the rear paddles is quite easy using the rear profile button. The front x4 LEDs make it easy to know what button is mapped to which paddle, and the bright RGB light ring (green by default) looks great. My preference is to add the 16g grip weights to the controller, as it made the controller feel nice and sturdy with some extra weight (pictured below with 16g weights inserted).
Playing wired is the only way to use this controller but it must be said that it feels very responsive with no noticeable input delay across each of the games tested. The 3m cable was more than long enough and made with a great durable nylon braided design.
3D Audio on the Xbox Series X was much improved with the included Dolby Atmos. It is as easy as connecting a 3.5mm headphone jack in, which automatically installs the Dolby App from the Microsoft Store- no additional purchase is required to use it out of the box.
Box Contents:
- RIG Nacon Revolution X Controller
- 3m USB-C to USB-A cable
- Concave and convex thumb stick pairs
- 30- and 38-degree stick shaft angle adapters
- Grip weights (10/14/16g pairs)
- Microfibre cleaning cloth
- Soft shell protective carry case
- Activation card for Dolby Atmos
- Instruction manual and warranty information booklet
Impressions with Games Reviewed:
Call of Duty Warzone
The controller shines with fast-paced, competitive shooters like CoD and Halo Infinite. Aiming is great thanks to the highly responsive thumb sticks. Sliding and jumping around the map is easy with the comfortable centre rear paddles, whilst allowing you to keep both thumbs on the sticks at all times. I was also very pleasantly surprised by how much installing Dolby Atmos improved enemy footstep audio in Warzone. This made a big difference to being able to anticipate and catch enemies by surprise around corners for some easy kills. This was also where tensing my hands in endgame battle royale situations meant that I had to turn off the secondary inside paddles to avoid unintentionally swapping weapons or reloading.
Spelunky 2 and Cuphead
The d-pad and face buttons are fantastic in tough, precision platformers like Spelunky and Cuphead where a tiny mistake can cost you a whole run. The controller finds a great balance between responsiveness without any accidental button presses due to its ergonomic button placement.
Forza Horizon 5
The main rear triggers work very well when operating the accelerator and brakes. Again the thumb sticks stand out as being great for steering with excellent tension and control in fast racing situations.
Final thoughts
If you don’t mind playing your controller wired the RIG Nacon Revolution X is a fantastic controller overall at a reasonable $200 price point. Its variety of customisation options are great for most game types, while being at a cheaper price than most of its competitors like the Xbox elite wireless controller 2. It is very comfortable to hold for long gaming sessions and boasts d-pad/ face buttons that provide much better tactile feedback than most other Xbox controllers. Lastly, it could be improved for shooters by offering more grippy thumb sticks and longer stick/ paddle length options.
About the Author
Brent Thomas Brent loves the competitive aspect aspect of video games whether its first person shooters, esports games or improving runs in roguelikes and soulslikes. Outside of tech he can be found training for running events and watching Formula 1.
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