If you’re interested in diving into the world of high-end controllers for PS5, there are several great DualSense alternatives. One of the new kids on the block is the Nacon Revolution 5 Pro, a controller designed to offer a more premium experience. Normally $200, you can get it for $175 right now at Amazon and Best Buy.
Nacon Revolution 5 Pro PS5 and PC Controller
Nacon Revolution 5 Pro controllerAmazon — $175 ($200)Best Buy (Black model only) — $175 ($200)
There is some great technology under the hood of the Revolution 5 Pro. It has Hall Effect joysticks to help keep stick drift at bay, trigger-locks to decrease the travel distance on each pull, four customizable Omron micro-switch back paddles, interchangeable weights, and several swappable thumbsticks. Interestingly, the D-Pad on this controller was created in partnership with professional fighting game player Mister Crimson, so if you’re a Street Fighter 6 or Mortal Kombat 1 player, you might want to check this out. If the exotic design doesn’t appeal to you, you can swap it out for a more traditional D-pad.
For compatibility, the Revolution 5 Pro will work on PS5, PS4, and PC. It has up to 10 hours of battery life from a full charge, and if you’re running low on juice, you can switch to a wired mode using the included USB-C to USB-A cable. It comes in two colors, white and black.
Alternative high-end gaming controllers
The Revolution 5 Pro is in competition with several other pro-style PlayStation controllers. Most notably, there’s the DualSense Edge, PlayStation’s premium first-party controller which costs $199. Another alternative is the Razer Wolverine V2 Pro, which is on sale for $230 (was $250). The Razer Wolverine V2 Pro is a really nice controller with a chunky design, making it great for anyone with big hands. This PS5 and PC controller has inputs with a shorter actuation distance for quicker button presses and an 8-way microswitch D-pad.
While it’s not on sale, the $174+ PDP Victrix Pro BFG is a stellar customizable controller. This one has the conventional pro-style features–four back buttons, trigger locks, etc.–but it also has a modular design that lets you swap the position of the left analog stick to offer aligned or offset layouts. There’s also a six-button module that’s great for fighting games. With multiple D-pad styles and detachable thumbstick caps, the Victrix Pro BFG is a well-rounded PlayStation and PC controller–it’s also available for Xbox/PC–that’s well worth considering. In fact, it’s one of our top picks for DualSense and Elite Series 2 alternatives on our best PS5 controllers and best Xbox controllers lists.
If you are thinking of getting a high-end controller primarily for PC, we’d recommend the Xbox Elite Series 2 controller instead. This one has been popular with PC users since it was introduced a few years ago, and depending on your needs, you can save some cash by grabbing the Core model for $96 at Target (normally $140) or the regular version with a ton of accessories for $151 (normally $180).
Xbox Elite Series 2 Core controllerXbox Elite Series 2 Controller — $151 ($180)Xbox Elite Series 2 Core controller — $96 ($140)
Alternatively, two Asus controllers for PC and Xbox have been discounted. The standard Asus Raikiri is pretty great–and eye-catching–with a decent range of customizable hardware, while the Pro model takes things a step further and adds a mini-OLED display. With that little screen, you can create customizable animations, view status indicators, and see which profile you have selected for the controller.
Asus ROG Raikiri Pro controllerAsus ROG Raikiri controller — $60 ($100)Asus ROG Raikiri Pro Model controller — $130 ($150)
