Nacon EVOL-X Review

Manufacturer: Nacon
Where to Buy: Nacon
RRP: £34.99

Third party controllers are something I’ve tried to stay away from after being burned by some shoddy PS2-era variants. The ease of use and support of official ones means I’ve preferred to stay within that realm.

I thought I’d take a swing though at the new Nacon EVOL-X considering our previous glowing reviews for their other wares. As I unboxed Nacon EVOL – X I was surprised at the look as it was larger than a “normal” Xbox Series X controller. As soon as I plugged it in I almost squealed with excitement as I watched the lights from the front panel light up. The version I reviewed is clear plastic with several LED’s (with changeable presets) and you can see all the innards which is a nice touch, though there are other variants if you prefer more solid colours.

I took on the challenge of playing a few games of Fortnite (I know I’m a grown man) and to my delight the controller felt really comfortable. I found the inputs (sticks, buttons, triggers) responsive and tactile, and the addition of a couple of mappable back buttons is – as ever – a great touch.

With Fornite done, I felt a tougher challenge was in order, so I booted up EA Sports FC 24 and wanted to see if this controller could really handle some intense multiplayer gaming. This was no challenge whatsoever for the Nacon controller. Its performance and handling was on par with my default Xbox Elite Version 2 – well, possibly until now.

Yes, the EVOL-X is wired (including a 3m USB cable in the box) however the ergonomics of how how this feels in my hand are brilliant. Unlike the controllers of old, Nacon’s effort here is on par for me with the official versions, and for the price it’d be hard to argue against getting this over the official pads.

Conclusion

Solid build quality, comfortable feel, and able to hold up even under the more strenuous multiplayer games I tried, the Nacon EVOL-X is a great third party, wired option for those in the market for a new or secondary pad.

Hardware provided by the manufacturer for review purposes.