One of the best things about thePS5is theDualSense. The biggest leap forward for controllers sinceNintendointroduced analog sticks. A controller so good,Xboxhad no option but to tip its hat toPlayStationand admit its rival won this round. You’d think since your PS5 comes with a DualSense, there’d be no need to ever use anything else, but it isn’t always that simple.
Nacon’s Revolution 5 Pro controller is one of the many alternatives to the DualSense, and since it’s officially licensed by PlayStation, it’s clear evenSonyaccepts that variety is needed. The Rev 5 Pro isn’t trying to compete with the DualSense. It’s trying to be the go-to for a different style of play.
Customization Is Key
I got my hands on the Rev 5 Pro on the same day my copy ofMarvel’s Spider-Man 2arrived. The perfect game to take the new controller for a spin, or so I thought. Turns out I should have read the fine print before diving in as the controller doesn’t function the way you might expect when playing PS5 games. While it does have rumble, it only vibrates when playingPS4games. It also doesn’t have adaptive triggers like the DualSense, but that’s because the Rev 5 Pro’s triggers can do something even better.
Among its many customization options is what Nacon calls a Trigger Blocker feature. The ability to adjust how much pressure you need to apply to the triggers to activate them. I had heard of this feature before and wondered why anyone would need it. It wasn’t until switching betweenRocket LeagueandFortnite, which I do a lot, that it dawned on me. Leaving the triggers as they are for a game like Rocket League where you’re holding at least one of them down for long periods works perfectly. However, altering the sensitivity so the trigger only needs to be half-pressed to fire a gun in Fortnite changed the way I play the game. I’m the one reacting first in situations where you need to be quick on the trigger whereas before it was usually the other way around.
Before transforming my Fortnite game, I came across an issue with the Rev 5 Pro where trying to scroll down with the left analog stick registered as L3 being pressed. I appear to have been the only one to have run into that problem and Nacon provided a replacement controller that worked perfectly.
Tweaking the Trigger Blocker is one of so many ways you may customize the Rev 5 Pro, and that’s what sets this controller apart from its competitors. The sheer number of accessories that come with it also blew me away. Two sets of analog sticks, a different D-pad – one has four buttons while the other has eight – and my favorite customization option of all, the weights. The Rev 5 Pro comes with a selection of weights that can be easily slotted into the controller’s grips to make it heavier should it not feel quite right while playing a particular game.
Feels Right Straight Out The Box
Even though I messed around with the weights, I was more than happy with the feel of the controller from the moment I picked it up. As console creators have fiddled with their controller designs over the years, I can’t recall a time when one has ever felt more comfortable from the first moment I held it. Nacon claims that comfort was of paramount importance when designing the Rev 5 Pro, and you may feel that care and attention to detail the moment you pick it up.
The back buttons – which can be mapped using the Rev 5 Pro’s companion app – are also some of the best I’ve come across. I clumsily hit back buttons on other controllers all the time (I know it’s not just me) but can’t recall that happening even once here. They’re easy to find when needed, but you forget they’re even there when you don’t.
No Beating That Battery
NACON Revolution Pro 5
The next evolution of the NACON controller is the Revolution Pro 5. Compatible with the PS5, PS4, and PC, the Pro 5 has 60 customization options, boasts a 10-hour battery life, and is available in black or white.
What has made the Rev 5 Pro a go-to controller for me above all else is its battery life. It’s the one major qualm I have with the DualSense, and it’s a complete non-issue with the Rev 5 Pro. Boasting ten hours of battery life - even when using all of its features - there hasn’t been a single time I’ve been warned the battery is about to run out on me. The three-meter cable it comes with has helped too, turning it from a wireless controller into a flexible wired one with ease. It also comes with a carry case so you can take the controller, its cable, and all of the accessories anywhere you go.
The carry case is really the key to what kind of gamer the Rev 5 Pro will appeal to. If you play story-driven PS5 games solely from the comfort of your own home, stick with your DualSense. If you play racing games, shooters, and most importantly, games on the go, the Rev 5 Pro is for you. Whether you plan on taking it to a fighting game tournament, or you need it to tag along for games night at your friend’s house, it’s the perfect controller to travel with and is one that can be customized to your liking regardless of the game or occasion.
A Revolution 5 Pro controller was provided to TheGamer by Nacon.
