Nacon Evol-X Controller review: Chunky but capable

Nacon has created a wired Xbox controller for the budget market, but it is best to make sure it fits – both literally and figuratively.

Back in the distant past of the 80s and 90s, third-party controllers did not have a good reputation. They were the thing you begrudgingly let your annoying younger sibling use when they demanded a go. Thankfully, times have changed, and high-quality third-party controllers like the Nacon Evol-X are readily available.

Nacon has released a number of controllers recently, such as the Revolution 5 Pro, but the Evol-X is aiming for a more budget market while integrating some of the technology from its previous upmarket models. This wired controller is officially licensed, and designed to work flawlessly with the modern Xbox. So, you won’t face any controller lockout issues here.

Key Specs

• Connectivity: Wired USB
• Weight: 238g
• Compatibility: Windows, Xbox
• Features: Impulse trigger vibration, mappable back buttons
• MSRP: €34.90

Included in the box: Gamepad, USB-C cable

Design

The Nacon Evol-X controller is positioned as a budget version of its predecessor, the Nacon Revolution Pro, but with much of the same technology. The first thing that becomes obvious upon picking up the controller is the size, which feels larger than a standard Xbox controller, especially on the very chunky handgrips. Putting it beside my Afterglow Xbox 360 controller, the difference is more obvious. This expanded size does come with a downside, as the larger size means that the shoulder buttons become harder to use when you have smaller hands like I do. In fact, in long play sessions of Monster Hunter Rise the LB and RB buttons would become downright painful to use.

The analog sticks are small but pleasing, with a nice convex top and texture to make them easier to grip. The D-Pad is also serviceable, and the four face buttons are free of wobble or sticking.

The Nacon Evol-X comes in a range of colors, and the version I tested was transparent with RGB lighting inside, with 20 different lighting effects that can be cycled through using the button on the back of the controller.

Features

The biggest features of the Nacon Evol-X are the mappable rear buttons, which can be programmed to trigger macros or certain actions. These buttons are on the rear of the controller, and frustratingly are easier to reach than the LB/RB buttons. However, this also comes with a downside as you might find yourself accidentally hitting them during play and setting off a macro when you didn’t need to.

The other major feature is the “Impulse Triggers”, which are the rear shoulder buttons, also known as RT/LT. These vibrate under certain conditions. This could be good for feedback in racing games, or using the trigger buttons to fire in FPS games, but largely it felt a bit gimmicky, though the technology is quite clever.

As is obvious from the design, the controller is designed mostly as a wired Xbox gamepad. That said, it works perfectly well with Windows PCs, and can be configured for the Raspberry Pi, though the Pi doesn’t support the mappable rear buttons.

Performance

As a wired controller, you don’t expect much, if any, lag, and the Evol-X does manage to live up to that. The rear programmable buttons are weirdly easy to trigger compared to the rest of the buttons. In contrast, the face buttons feel almost too stiff and clicky. The shoulder triggers are very nice to use, but the bumpers are awkward to reach, to the point of being painful for long gaming sessions. If you have larger hands, this might not be as much of an issue.

There was a persistent issue that was prevalent with 3rd-party Xbox pads of old – namely that hitting a direction on the d-pad caused the sensors on either side of it to also trigger. Thankfully, the Evol-X feels responsive and clicky and has largely overcome the issue of the wrong bits being triggered.

Playing games that only require the face buttons, such as Sonic & Knuckles feels good for the most part. It is a bit ironic that a controller designed for a modern console is most comfortable to use in retro games. It does respond sharply to the precise inputs needed for things like the ‘Blue Spheres’ Sonic special stage, or shots in Sniper Elite 5.

Sniper Elite 5 was an area where it performed at its best, despite the awkward button placement, showcasing what this controller seems to do best.

With most controllers, it’s possible to almost forget they are there, as they become a sort of extension of your body. The overall larger size of the Nacon Evol-X controller means this effect never happens, I was constantly aware of this bulky device in my hands. Since I am not an Xbox user, all testing was done on PC.

Should you buy it?

The Nacon Evol-X has superb build quality, and its buttons are mostly very snappy and responsive. It beats out many older Xbox third-party controllers and does sport some interesting features, such as the programmable buttons that could prove very useful.

This controller is designed for Xbox owners who like FPS titles and have large hands. If that is you, then the price and features of this controller are worth your time and money. Otherwise, there are better alternatives out there that will suit you better.

The verdict: 3/5

This controller is not designed for people with smaller hands. I was uncomfortable the entire time I was using it. Despite the excellent build quality and performance, I would be reluctant to recommend it simply due to the ergonomics of the design.

If you click on a product link on this page we may earn a small affiliate commission.