There aren’t many options for PlayStation 5 controllers. There are even fewer when it comes to ones with customization and additional features. Is the Nacon Revolution 5 Pro the answer to this problem?
The Nacon Revolution 5 Pro is a customizable controller for the PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and PC. It’s packed full of features, but does make some trade-offs. This is particularly the case for its main use as a PlayStation 5 controller.
First Thoughts
My first impressions of the Nacon Revolution 5 Pro were great. It comes in a solid carrying case, with a durable braided cable, a dongle for wireless use, and an assortment of extras to customize the controller. The controller itself looks and feels solid and the buttons are clicky. It advertises magnetic Hall Effect technology for the analog sticks and triggers too, which reduces wear and tear to make these components last longer.
The controller has an Xbox layout. I tend to find the placement of the analog sticks preferable and they’re popular for a reason. I’ve played for nearly ten hours non-stop several times and found it comfortable, despite it being a little heavy. Whilst a small feature, I found it extremely easy to press the screenshot button too, which isn’t the case with the official controller.
This very much feels like a pro controller. Aside from the obvious high quality and extra components, there are plenty of additional buttons and switches. The little features like the texture on the triggers and rubber grips on the handles make a big difference too.
The first snag came when trying to turn the PlayStation 5 on.
Missing Features
The Nacon Revolution 5 Pro can’t turn the PS5 console on. Each time I had to use the button on the console itself. Apparently, this is something that Sony limits to their own technology, so it’s not a failure of the Nacon controller specifically, but of third-party controllers generally. Still, it’s inconvenient.
It’s missing certain other features too. Whilst vibration is available in some modes, haptic feedback isn’t available on PlayStation 5 mode. I don’t find this to be much of a downside, but it might be to some.
The Revolution 5 Pro lacks the ability to connect directly to the PlayStation 5. Instead, it requires a USB dongle for wireless mode. Having to use a switch to change between wired (which occasionally dropped the connection when I tested it) and wireless mode wasn’t ideal either.
There are no adaptive triggers either. This isn’t surprising for a third-party controller, but it’s a pity.
More Features
Fortunately, whilst some features are missing, the Nacon Revolution 5 Pro makes up for it.
Whilst there are no adaptive triggers, each trigger has a switch on the back to allow it to travel half of the depth or the full depth. This can reduce the amount of time used and is great for competitive play. It’s not as quick to press as modified controllers such as the HexGaming Ultimate Controller, but unlike them the Revolution 5 Pro gives the flexibility to switch. This is much better when you want to play both racing games and FPS which have very different requirements.
There are seven additional buttons on the back that can be mapped. These can be convenient, whether it’s a quick tap to shoot or switching a menu page. I didn’t find it comfortable to use all of them, but setting up a couple of the easier ones was generally enough.
Something I appreciated quite a bit was that it has a battery and charging indicator on the controller itself. It’s really useful to see the level of charge at a glance. I found that the controller lasted about 9 hours on average from full charge to empty, though there is a battery saving mode to turn off features and extend it further.
Customize It
As mentioned, the Nacon Revolution 5 Pro comes with some extras. It’s possible to change out the D-Pad from a circular one to a 4-directional type, and you can choose between an assortment of concave and convex analog sticks. Whilst the Revolution 5 Pro is already a little heavy, there is even the ability to insert weights for those who want it to be even heavier. Switching out parts was easy, and options are always great to have.
Profiles are a great feature too. You can switch between four preset profiles for popular genres of games, or customize them via the PC software for advanced customization.
The profiles allow you to change the dead zones on analog sticks and triggers, invert analog sticks, switch between 4 or 8 directions on the D-pad, or remap any of the buttons, including the regular ones. This is a huge amount of customization. It also allows you to change the lighting effects for the ring around the right analog between many colors and a few different options.
Verdict
The Nacon Revolution 5 Pro is high quality overall. It contains some great customization features and excels as a Pro controller in that way. It’s also one of the few third-party options for the PlayStation 5. It does however lack in some ways as a PlayStation 5 controller specifically and has the odd issue.
This controller is great for the most part, but be aware of the trade-offs. If you were hoping to use it as a PC controller, perhaps the Nacon Revolution X Pro Controller with most of the same features at a lower price might be a better option.
NACON REVOLUTION 5 PRO IS RECOMMENDED
Purchase: Nacon Website
Like the sound of this, but a bit too expensive? Why not check out the Nacon Pro Compact?
Many thanks go to Nacon for providing a loaner review unit for this title.
A gamer since the days of Amstrad and DOS and someone who has dabbled in a variety of professions. He enjoys a wide variety of genres, but has been focusing on visual novels and virtual reality in recent years. Head Editor of NookGaming. Follow him and the website on @NookSite.
