Scuf Valor Pro review: A superb quality PC controller with one compromise

The Scuf Valor Professional is an Xbox controller and PC controller that’s filled with lots of additional options and consists of premium upgrades equivalent to utilizing Corridor Impact sticks and switchable quick-press triggers. Its large compromise, although, is that it’s wired-only. Nonetheless, that is mirrored in a worth that’s far decrease than a controller of this high quality could be with a wi-fi connection.

With most premium choices on our greatest PC controller information tending to make use of a wi-fi connection, and feeling all of the extra handy for it, Scuf‘s new controller is inherently going to have extra restricted enchantment. Nonetheless, if you’d like high-end construct and options however with out spending too loopy an amount of cash, it is a very tempting choice.

Specs

Options

The Scuf Valor Professional is totally filled with options. For a begin, you get your normal choice of Xbox controls, all of which really feel largely like an ordinary Xbox controller, moderately than the buttons being swapped for mouse-button-like micro switches with a pronounced click on. As such, the texture of the principle options right here is totally acquainted.

Not that there aren’t additional options lurking inside these normal controls. The thumbsticks have been upgraded to make use of Corridor Impact magnetic sensors, which implies they successfully don’t put on out and thus begin to introduce increasingly more stick drift. The sticks themselves can be eliminated and swapped for round-topped ones, one among which is longer to offer a wider vary of movement for better accuracy.

To take away the thumbsticks you even have to have interaction one other of this controller’s additional options, which is a detachable faceplate. That is held on with magnets and suits so neatly that you just’d by no means realize it wasn’t completely hooked up. As with different Scuf controllers, you’ll be able to swap it for a bunch of extra colourful choices, which is sweet because the default one is decidedly drab.

The following most evident extras are two little scroll wheels on the entrance fringe of the controller. The left one mutes and controls the quantity stage of any headsets linked to the three.5mm audio jack on the entrance edge. In the meantime, the best one controls the sport/chat combine and mutes your linked headset’s microphone.

Flip the controller over and you’ll see the place the majority of the remainder of this controller’s extras reside. Like most premium controllers, the principle addition over an ordinary Xbox controller are rear paddles These include two wide-set paddles tucked into the edges of the controller grips together with two inside paddles that sit extra flat towards the undersurface of the controller.

The outer paddles are completely in place and have a firmer really feel which implies they take a bit extra effort to press. This prevents you hitting them by accident however some avid gamers may favor a lighter contact. In the meantime, the inside buttons are of a a lot lighter micro switch-style, which implies they’re fairly straightforward to activate by accident, however if you happen to discover this an issue you’ll be able to take away these and simply clean off the area the place they have been with the 2 included plastic inserts.

Simply above these paddles are sliding switches for changing the principle analog triggers to instantaneous triggers with a brief journey distance. Not like some controllers that simply cut back the journey distance of the set off, the Valor Professional flips the triggers to utilizing micro switches, for a extremely exact, snappy really feel.

The ultimate essential additional function is a profile button that sits in the midst of the again of the controller. This allows you to cycle between three completely different controller configurations on the contact of a button. An LED on the highest of the controller will change colour to point the profile you’re utilizing.

In lieu of a wi-fi connection, Scuf features a fairly lengthy 3m USB-A to USB-C cable within the field. It’s a reasonably thick, braided cable so ought to show fairly powerful, although isn’t as supple as some. Like with most controllers, the cable isn’t held in place by any particular mechanism, so it’s comparatively straightforward to drag the plug out of the controller, for higher (prevents the cable pulling the controller out of your palms) or worse (ensures a caught cable will unplug you out of your session).

Design and luxury

Let’s face it, the Valor Professional is a bit boring wanting. Name it utilitarian, name it skilled, name it what you want, however a number of orange highlights on black and grey isn’t probably the most thrilling. Furthermore, it doesn’t have that cool sleekness of an all-black look both.

Fortunately, although, the flexibility to swap the faceplate of this controller means you’ll be able to utterly rework its look. Our favorites are the plain black – with out the orange highlights – and the white and cherry blossom proven beneath.

Good because the swappable faceplates are, what they will’t resolve is the shortage of lighting on this controller. Not one of the essential buttons are backlit and there’s not one of the enjoyable inside lighting of choices such because the Huge Huge Gained Rainbow Professional 2 or Turtle Seashore PDP Minecraft controller.

What the Valor Professional lacks in designer prospers, although, it greater than makes up for in construct high quality. Regardless of being a wired controller that doesn’t have the additional weight of a battery, this controller has a reassuring heft to it and weighs in at 261g. That’s a contact lighter than an official wi-fi Xbox controller however fairly a bit heavier than many cheaper choices.

That weight isn’t simply the addition of lead, both, because the plastics used all through really feel actually robust, with the controller having zero flex when attempting to twist it. The surfaces of the plastics are all completed in a high quality manner too. The faceplate has a beautiful matte, soft-touch coating that feels silky clean but barely grippy. These coatings can generally tend to degrade over time however the swappable faceplate means you’ll be able to simply substitute this half. The physique of the controller doesn’t have this coating so shouldn’t have any such points, but it nonetheless feels good within the hand.

Overlaying the decrease, underside of the grips is a fairly thick layer of rubber that basically lets you grip the controller securely with out straining your palms. This grippy part isn’t swappable, so if the rubber degrades it received’t be rectifiable, however the layer right here is far thicker than a typical delicate contact coating so ought to maintain up for for much longer.

Whereas the general form of the Valor Professional is all however similar to an ordinary Xbox controller, there are some refined variations. It has a barely extra compact design – helped by the shortage of a battery pack – and there are slight tweaks to the form of its bumpers.

Efficiency

In brief, the efficiency of the Scuf Valor Professional is great. On each stage, it simply feels exact, comfy, intuitive, and simple to make use of.

Beginning with its thumbsticks, Corridor Impact or not, they really feel clean and exact in a manner that clearly seems like a step up from extra funds controllers. That mentioned, there isn’t any stress adjustment right here, as you get on some premium controllers, so the default really feel is all you get, with out swapping for the completely different peak thumbsticks.

As you’d anticipate for a brand-new controller, stick drift isn’t a problem, however using Corridor Impact ought to guarantee this stays the case for a few years to return.

I ended up utilizing the non-compulsory taller, rounder-topped thumbsticks for many of my testing, as I a lot most well-liked the accuracy of the longer stick and the smoother motion allowed by the rounded tops, however the choice’s there for you regardless.

As for the principle ABXY buttons, they really feel stable if not clearly that a lot snappier than an ordinary controller. Nonetheless, most different buttons, together with the D-pad, have a extremely exact, responsive really feel with out that barely uninteresting mushiness that many controller buttons possess.

The triggers additionally really feel significantly properly balanced with a reasonably robust resistance however a smoothness of movement that makes it very easy to modulate how a lot you’re urgent on them. Then, flick the swap on the underside and the microswitch triggers present a extremely speedy response. They’re not fairly as gentle to press as a mouse button, however I discovered I favored this because it prevented any unintentional button presses.

Worth

The Scuf Valor Professional worth is $99, which makes it a premium controller however makes it notably cheaper than premium wi-fi choices that are inclined to demand $150 or extra. In the meantime, it sits straight in competitors with different premium wired choices.

Alternate options

Razer Wolverine V3 Match Version

At this worth, the clear essential various to the Scuf Valor Professional is Razer’s wired model of its Wolverine V3. With an similar worth, it truly has extra buttons, due to a pair of additional bumper buttons, and has microswitch-style essential buttons. Nonetheless, its construct high quality isn’t as good, it lacks the swappable faceplates, and has a much less acquainted form.

Learn our full Razer Wolverine V3 Professional overview (the wi-fi model of the identical controller).

Scuf Envision

The Scuf Envision provides many of the similar core options because the Valor Professional however provides six additional programmable buttons alongside its entrance edge. The Envision additionally isn’t an Xbox controller however PC solely and has a barely completely different structure and form. It’s an awesome selection for PC, as long as you want its structure and form.

Verdict

It’s exhausting to look previous the limitation of being pressured to make use of a wire with a $99 controller. Nonetheless, if you happen to actually wish to step as much as the improved really feel and sense of management you get with a premium controller, with out spending over $150, the Scuf Valor Professional has turn into one among our favourite choices.

The Scuf Envision could go well with some avid gamers extra, due to its additional buttons and PlayStation-style structure, whereas the Razer Wolverine additionally brings an identical set of options, however the former lacks Xbox assist and each supply a much less acquainted form general.

Maybe the least profitable addition as a PC controller is the quantity wheels, as they’re basically redundant for many PC avid gamers, so it may need been good to see these omitted and one other $10 knocked off the value. Nonetheless, they’re undeniably helpful for Xbox use and do work rather well.

When you’re searching for extra methods to regulate your PC video games, try our greatest gaming mouse and greatest gaming keyboard guides for our prime KBM choices.