The Nacon Evol-X Pro is an officially licensed Xbox controller, compatible with the Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. This is a budget controller, retailing at £27.99, which is about 40% cheaper than the official Microsoft Series X/S controller. The question is, how does the Evol-X Pro shape-up against its pricier counterpart?
Functionality
The Nacon Evol-X Pro is a wired controller, with a 3 metre long USB-C cable included in the box. It’s a solid cable too, with Nacon branding, not just some cheap knock-off cable that’s going to break in a matter of weeks. It features your standard suite of buttons, triggers, and analog sticks, but also includes two programmable back buttons which is a nice addition. You’ve got a nice, sturdy 3.5mm jack at the bottom of the pad. The pad has rumble functionality, with two motors in the body proper, and two motors in the triggers.
For the most part, the Evol-X Pro functions competently. The rumble functionality is pretty average. Whilst the trigger motors are a nice addition, I can’t say I see much of a use case. Face buttons are responsive, and I appreciated that they’re a little larger than those on a standard Series X/S controller. The D-Pad is serviceable, but I did notice some issues with diagonal inputs not registering properly.
Where the Evol-X Pro suffers is in the performance of the analog sticks and triggers. The analog sticks are perfectly functional, and while I didn’t notice any issues with sticking or drift, they’re not as precise as the standard Series X/S controller. Movement can feel a little more slippery as a result of this, and aiming and camera movement is a little bit clunkier. The triggers were the biggest let down for me. They’re slow and squishy. I tried out the Evol-X Pro on Muse Dash, a popular rhythm game, and the triggers were effectively unusable on hold notes as they still register as held down for just a little bit too long after you’ve released them.
Construction
The Nacon Evol-X Pro is on the large side, especially when compared to the standard Xbox Series X/S controller. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, more a matter of personal preference. Personally, I’ve got small, relatively inflexible hands, so I found the size uncomfortable. The distance between analog sticks and buttons, whilst not drastic, is large enough to make navigating the controller difficult.
As I mentioned earlier, the face buttons are a little larger on the Evol-X Pro, which I like. This carries over to the bumper buttons and triggers too. The triggers are, frankly, massive. The central Xbox button, which opens up your quick menu on the Series X/S and the Xbox Game Bar on PC, is a significant improvement over the standard Series X/S pad. I despise flat face buttons, and appreciate Nacon eschewing this insidious design choice for the Evol-X Pro.
The USB-C port on the top of the controller has a shallow housing which protects the port from bending or becoming loose over time, which is an issue I’ve had with some third-party controllers in the past. The Evol-X Pro’s plastic body feels nice enough, though it’s a little lighter than I prefer. It certainly doesn’t feel as premium as the standard Series X/S pad or some of the higher end alternatives, but it doesn’t feel cheap either. There’s a serviceable finish on the controller, and it isn’t slippery at all.
The Evol-X Pro model I received for review was the Carbon model, which features a nice cosmetic finish, but it is only cosmetic there’s no additional texture. There are two more models available, a standard black model and a clear plastic model with internal LED lighting. The shape of the Evol-X Pro is closely modelled to the official Series X/S pad, which I like. Some third-party controllers try to reinvent the wheel with their construction, but it’s hard to beat the gold standard, and I think Nacon is right not to try anything too crazy. Keep the handles angled down, and the analog sticks asymmetric and it’s hard to go wrong.
Verdict
The Evol-X Pro is about what you’d expect for a budget controller. It has its downsides, with the clunky triggers being my biggest gripe. The construction isn’t brilliant, but it’s perfectly serviceable. If you’ve got cash to splash, maybe take a look at some more premium options. Players looking for a cheap replacement pad though, who don’t mind sacrificing some utility and tactility, will be fairly satisfied. It’s about 60% as good as an official Series X/S pad, which conveniently matches its price point. How auspicious.
THE NACON EVOL-X PRO IS RECOMMENDED
If you are interested in checking out more controller reviews, have a look at our review of Nacon’s Pro Compact Controller. We’ve also covered a variety of other hardware for all your gaming needs.
A man described by critics as “pretty normal” and “memorable in the abstract”. He has committed his life to the consumption of anime and games, against the advice and wishes of his family and friends. Now writing about his passions, hopefully for your enjoyment.
