Nacon Pro Compact may be small but it offers big performance
French Publisher & gaming accessories seller Nacon, have been known for creating high-quality and affordable controllers and accessories for Xbox, PlayStation and PC.
The Nacon Pro Compact, as the name suggests, is a smaller version of their Revolution Pro X controller which came out Nov 2022 and as expected, it shares some of the same features.
It is compatible with Xbox Series X and S and One as well as PC making it very versatile if you like to game on both systems.
It is a wired controller meaning you won’t have to worry about batteries and latency time won’t be an issue at all, however, this limits your positioning being tethered to a machine, which won’t bother most old-school gamers and the cable is long, but it is less convenient.
Buttons were thankfully slightly oversized, making them easier to hit (Nacon) The Pro Compact is available in five colours red, white, blue, black, and turquoise as well as two patterns, Urban Camo and Forest Camo. I tried the urban camo version which looks fantastic and felt great for playing military shooters like COD.
While it is slightly smaller than a standard Xbox controller it’s by no means as smallest on the market or the smallest I’ve used, that honour goes to the 8bitdo SN30 Pro.
At 6.06 x 3.8 x 1.88 inches, it’s still sleek and weighs only 208g, so it’s incredibly light, so you won’t have your arms getting tired in any long gaming sessions. It’s also easy to carry with you but that lightness does make it feel cheap.
It’s made of plastic, but with a slightly better than average build quality than most around this price range but I wouldn’t exactly say it felt robust.
Putting pressure on it didn’t cause any creaks or give but I couldn’t recommend it for gamers who rage at their controllers. It's smooth on the top side but the back has this nice feeling, textured effect to help your grip the controller.
The thumb sticks felt great and smooth thanks to their metal, anti-friction rings but not too loose offering just enough resistance to give some precision to aiming while not feeling stiff.
If you don't mind cabled controllers the Pro compact offers a solid experience (Nacon)
Triggers felt snappy, with a pretty short amount of travel which I found easier for first-person shooters but less helpful for games like Flight simulator where I wanted to increase my throttle more incrementally.
The Buttons and layout follow a standard Xbox format except for the menu button and view button, which are further apart as well as higher up. There are also no additional buttons, rear triggers or switches, which makes sense as this is supposed to be compact.
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However, the face buttons are oddly a little bigger than the norm which I prefer as it makes them easier to catch, they also had a nice matte texture making them a little easier to press and hold.
The D-Pad felt a little squishy and not clicky, but this is just down to personal preference. My biggest issues were the handle grips felt a little short to me but would probably suit someone with smaller hands fine.
The controller features a built-in and therefore unremovable, braided cable and at 3 3 meters it’s nice and long, and it connects via USB Type-A. It also has a connecter making it easier to unplug or handy if you drop or slip with the controller, making it detach and not take your Xbox with it.
This means it works really well for those with smaller hands, kids or those who don’t mind a tight, close-together layout.
The Camo versions look great (Nacon) Vibration feedback from the controller felt a little weak although I was unsure if that was due to its very lightweight and not having much to shake, this did make firing in shooters feel less punchy and less fun but when playing anything else I didn’t notice much.
The Software does do a lot to elevate this controller, it can be downloaded from the Microsoft store and adds a nice layer of customization you don’t always see in this price range.
The Software allows you to remap the buttons, adjust your trigger distance, and the response curve of the D-Pad and also comes with pre-set for specific genres of games if you just want to get back into the game.
You can also change the D-Pad from a 4-way to an 8-way control, which is handy for retro games where you rely on the d-Pad more.
The controller features a 3.5mm jack on the bottom that allows you to connect your preferred headphones. More importantly, it also comes with Dolby Atmos, which provides you with better directional audio, thus enhancing your immersion.
You would normally have to pay to have access to this service, so its inclusion adds even more value for money.
Nacon Pro Compact: Verdict 3/5
The Nacon Pro Compact is a very decent controller for a very affordable price, offering excellent customization, it looks great and its buttons triggers and thumbstick are all smooth and responsive.
Considering its size, price and I think this controller is a fantastic option for gamers on a budget and perfect for younger gamers, however, seasoned veterans will be expecting a little more.
It's a versatile controller that makes a great alternative to the standard Xbox controller but it does have some limitations.
The Nacon Pro Compact punches above its weight in this price range and will feel very comfortable for those with slightly smaller hands.
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