Scuf’s Valor Pro is a promising start for its Hall effect Xbox controllers

Scuf conscionable announced its latest pro-style controller for Xbox and PC, the first to travel adjacent to the $100 value point. The $99.99 Scuf Valor Pro — available for acquisition starting today successful 15 different styles — isn’t precisely a fund controller successful its ain right, but discourse matters.

I’ve tested the delightfully translucent type of the controller for astir 2 weeks now to spot wherever precisely it fits among Scuf’s existent Xbox lineup, consisting of the $169.99 Instinct and the $219.99 Instinct Pro (our erstwhile prime for the champion pro-style Xbox controller), some wireless. The wired-only and Valor Pro someway sits successful the middle.

It has the Instinct’s soft thumb sticks pinch replaceable tops, now pinch Hall effect magnetism to trim the chance of processing instrumentality drift. It besides borrows the flagship Instinct’s 4 programmable rear buttons, its dedicated move for swapping betwixt its 3 mapping profiles, and the interchangeable faceplates.

At the aforesaid time, you get the Instinct Pro’s rubberized rear grips (adding comfortableness while retaining that premium feel) and trigger stops. And yet, neither has the Valor Pro’s dedicated dials to set crippled measurement and chat mix, nor the dedicated shut up buttons embedded beneath both.

As a long-time Xbox gamer, I felt astatine location utilizing the Valor Pro, which still mostly takes aft the charismatic Xbox Wireless Controller’s ergonomic design. Scuf’s refinements to that winning look expression minimal, but tin make a meaningful difference. For example, the bumpers are a spot wider and a fewer millimeters longer than you’ll find connected astir controllers, draping further down each side. This makes it easier to displacement my digit from the trigger to the bumper.

I don’t moreover person to region my fingers from the triggers to property the bumpers. The creation allows maine to usage the sides of my scale fingers to actuate them pinch a ray press. That meant I could lob grenades successful Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 while staying astatine the fresh for a gunfight aliases jump retired of fights arsenic Doctor Strange successful Marvel Rivals without lowering my shield. The recreation and consciousness are accordant crossed the full surface, truthful it doesn’t consciousness stabby aliases straining.

I instantly noticed the redesigned rear paddles, which felt disconnected to maine connected the Instinct Pro. They’re successful astir the aforesaid position arsenic the Instinct’s, designed for each 4 buttons to beryllium comfortably reachable wherever your mediate and ringing fingers drape erstwhile gripping the controller.

But the 2 wrong buttons person a spot much topside aboveground and usage a downward vertical unit for actuation alternatively of the horizontal mobility required connected the Instinct Pro. They’re easier to property while maintaining power complete the bigger broadside paddles. They besides don’t require arsenic overmuch unit arsenic they did connected the Instinct Pro, but the springiness isn’t truthful ray that misfires go problematic (and you tin disable them entirely, if so).

As overmuch arsenic I’ve tried, I’m simply not a back-button gamer. My proportionally stubby fingers mixed pinch formed robust skillets I telephone palms make it difficult for maine to usage them efficaciously successful astir games. The Scuf Valor Pro is the first controller pinch 4 rear buttons that consciousness earthy and don’t make maine consciousness cramped.

PC gamers will soon get support for a 1KHz polling complaint successful a post-launch update. That update wasn’t disposable arsenic of writing, but I’d wager you’d find the intended reduced input lag imperceptible if you aren’t the type to suffice for tournaments. I judge couldn’t show the quality connected different controllers I’ve tested pinch the feature.

Should you bargain a Valor Pro? That depends. Although you tin switch thumbstick sizes and region 2 of the rear paddles, it’s not rather arsenic customizable arsenic thing for illustration the Xbox Elite Series 2, but besides not astir arsenic expensive. There are besides considerably cheaper wired options pinch comparable features I’ve tested precocious for illustration the $69.99 PowerA Fusion Pro 4, which offers 4 rear buttons, Hall effect sticks pinch adjustable height, and Hall effect triggers pinch 3 extremity levels.

Most don’t stay arsenic religious to the patented Xbox shape, however, and that mightiness beryllium a deciding factor. Perhaps aft an eventual sale, the Valor Pro tin beryllium a awesome first extremity for personification caller to Scuf, truthful agelong arsenic you don’t mind playing pinch a cable.