Although the basic form of the video game controller hasn’t changed much since the Xbox 360, innovations in how players interact with games are still alive. It just comes in the form of elite-style controllers, and the company at the forefront of it is SCUF.
The peripheral maker is responsible for developing paddles on the back of gamepads, giving players another layer of control. It has introduced adjustable triggers and other refinements. The improvements between a stock controller and a SCUF product are akin to the difference between a Honda Civic and a Bentley. They both get drivers from Point A to B, but one does it with much better performance and at a higher cost.
That has always been a problem with the brand. The controllers are fantastic, but starting at $199, they’re also more than double the price of stock controllers. That changes with the SCUF Valor Pro Wired for the Xbox Series X and S and PC, which acts as a middle ground for consumers. The new elite-style controllers aren’t as luxuriously made as the SCUF Reflex nor does it have all the bells and whistles, but they maintain core features that fans have come to expect. Best of all, it all comes at a price of $99.99.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tq_9l6Eybc4DESIGN IS IN THE DETAILSIt puts the controller on par with other value-minded products such as the Razer Wolverine and PDP’s Victrix Gambit, but what separates the Valor Pro is SCUF’s attention to detail. The design flows in the hand with wider bumper buttons that are easier to access and triggers that sit more flush so that there’s less travel time between the two. The handlebars have a rubbery grip that makes it less likely to slip out of the hand.
Those are nice touches, but the more meaningful design choices lie in the elite parts of the controller. First off, the analog sticks use Hall Effect technology, which means they are more durable and less likely to drift over time because of their contactless design. It’s a step up from the technology of the past, which have pieces that wear out, forcing players to buy another controller.
PERFECT PADDLE PLACEMENTThe second meaningful element is the placement of the back paddles themselves. The Valor Pro comes with four of them, but SCUF designed them in a way that makes this part of the controller feel less cluttered compared to Xbox Elite Wireless Controllers. The P2 and P3 buttons touch the middle fingers and feel like clickable bumps, while the P1 and P4 tucked into grips are easily hittable with the ring fingers. It feels natural while holding the controller, and players never feel like they’re reaching for them.
That’s important because paddles are the reason the Valor Pro has an edge over stock controllers. With them, players never have to take their thumbs off the sticks to jump, duck or reload. The one second players use to hit the A button is time that they’re not aiming, and that could be the difference between a loss and victory in an online shooter.
Players can customize the paddle buttons to activate whatever face button they want, including the L3 or R3. Unfortunately, it can be cumbersome to make that move because the Valor Pro doesn’t come with any supportive software. Players can’t tweak the sensitivity curves or the like, but they can recalibrate through a cumbersome process. The controller has three profile settings or they can add their own profile by holding the Profile button and remapping the back buttons.
INSTANT TRIGGERS AND FIRMWARE UPGRADEThe last notable bit of tech is the instant triggers that transform the LT and RT buttons from an analog button that players have to pull to a clicky one that instantly works with a slight press. It’s a feature that’s helpful in first-person shooters because it cuts down on the travel time of a button press. Thankfully, players can turn it off with a flick of a switch so the Valor Pro works for racing games, That’s a genre where players need to feather the throttle on the triggers to speed out of a turn.
More recently, SCUF added an update to the controller firmware that enabled 1000hz polling rate, making it even more responsive, but it’s a function that only works on PC. It’s a feature that’s important for online shooters and fighting games, which require quick twitch movements and wins are measured in frames.
The Valor Pro also boast a few other extras. On the audio side, players can plug in a headset and they can use the two wheels on the bottom to control chat and in-game audio along with the mute. The rubble in the controller notable for its strength. It has an extra oomph. Meanwhile, users can also switch out the faceplate, so that they can customize the controller’s look. They snap in and out via magnets.
These features won’t be major reasons for buying the controller, but the audio controller is a great backup for those don’t have a dedicated headset, while the faceplate offers a way to personalize the controller.
At a time when players need to stretch their dollars, the SCUF Valor Pro offers the best value for its price range, giving gamers the features they need with quality and design that’s a step above.
SCUF Valor Pro
Four starsPLATFORM: Xbox Series X and Series S, PCPrice:$99.99