Gamers are familiar with French publisher Nacon from titles like Werewolf: The Apocalypse – Earthblood and the upcoming The Lord of the Rings: Gollum, but they’re well known for hardware, also. Nacon puts out every peripheral you can imagine, ranging from controllers to keyboards to gaming chairs, and they’ve all got a surprisingly high level of quality.
Nacon’s next step into gaming peripherals is the RIG Nacon Pro Compact Controller. The name may make it sound like a budget offering, but the device itself actually houses quite a few surprises. CBR received the RIG Nacon Pro Compact Controller earlier this week and got to spend some time with it, and we found a controller that belongs in the hands of anyone looking to replace their Xbox Series X Core Controller.
That’s not to say the Xbox’s updated Core Controller is terrible; they’re still typically regarded as one of the best controllers on the market, thanks to its basic design, ease of use and cross-compatibility with PC. But the Pro Compact is making a serious run for that title. Designed with the Xbox Series X in mind, it’s cross-compatible with the Series S, Xbox One and PC as well.
The controller itself looks like a relatively standard third-party offering. We received the white variant, but there’s also a black version so that you can get the controller to best match your Xbox console of choice. There’s a generous 3m long nylon-braided cable, which can be a little cumbersome if you’re trying to use the controller across a crowded room. Still, we found there to be plenty of length to the cable, with an attached velcro fastener for looping up any excess or wrapping the cable for storage. However, if you’re prone to throwing your controller or worried about someone tripping over it, the controller does feature a breakaway point at the plug end.
Design-wise, the Compact’s size can take some getting used to. Compact, in this instance, doesn’t necessarily mean small, though. The grips are a little shorter than an Xbox player may expect because of the Compact’s design, but the body itself is roughly the size of a PlayStation 4 controller. For gamers with smaller hands or children, the size is perfect, and the fit is excellent. We definitely found the controller to be a little uncomfortable initially but got accustomed to the size fairly quickly.
However, the biggest selling point for the Pro Compact isn’t anything to do with its size or use as a controller. The Pro Compact includes a lifetime Dolby Atmos subscription, which is keyed to the USB connectivity. Whenever you connect the controller to your PC or a compatible Xbox model, Dolby Atmos is enabled. Paired with the newest RIG headset offerings, this means players have access to affordable 3D audio that sounds incredible, and Atmos-compatible games will sound better than ever, too. We connected the Pro Compact to the RIG 700 Pro HX for a few rounds of Call of Duty: Warzone, and the sound was rich and full. Running around in Ori and the Will of the Wisps, the sounds of the mystical forest surrounded us as we ran into danger.
Fortunately, the controller is super responsive, so we could rack up kills in Warzone and survive the dangers of the forest in Ori. There are no additional buttons on the controller, but the free Pro Compact app allows you to customize the buttons and your sticks, including customizable dead zones for your sticks and triggers to match various game styles. The sticks themselves have a very nice textured grip to them for even the sweatiest gaming sessions and felt incredibly responsive. And while the controller itself is more Compact, the face buttons are slightly larger and flatter, making them perfect for fighting games.
Ultimately, the Pro Compact is in a bit of an odd place, but it has carved out a niche. Die-hard Xbox owners who already have an Elite won’t need it, but if you’re looking for an upgrade to the Core Controller, an extra controller that you don’t need to worry about batteries for or you find slightly smaller controllers more comfortable, the RIG Nacon Pro Compact Controller deserves a look.
Produced by Nacon, the RIG Nacon Pro Compact Controller is available now for $49.99 exclusively at GameStop.
CBR was provided with this product by the manufacturer for review purposes.
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