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
- Amazon — $175 ($
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 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 controller — $60 ($
100) - Asus ROG Raikiri Pro Model controller — $130 ($
150)
