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PowerA Fusion Professional for Xbox: One-minute evaluate
It brings me no pleasure to search out that the PowerA Fusion Professional Wi-fi Controller for Xbox is essentially the most disappointing product I’ve examined within the model’s catalog up to now. PowerA is admittedly a model I’ve had blended emotions about up to now. Typically it gives actual winners, just like the PowerA Enhanced Wi-fi Controller, which I take into account a stable various to the official Nintendo Swap Professional Controller. Different occasions it doesn’t fairly hit the mark, like we’ve seen not too long ago with the PowerA Benefit Swap 2 Wired Controller and certainly the Fusion Professional for Xbox right here.
Before everything, the very best Xbox controllers ought to present a satisfying play expertise with minimal frustrations, however this PowerA pad is loaded with them. From its awkward d-pad and abrasive textured grips, to obnoxious Lumectra RGB lighting and set off locks that merely don’t work more often than not, it is a controller that tries and fails to punch above its weight class with an absurdly excessive price ticket to match.
It’s not all dangerous. You at the least get a carry case and charging dock included within the field. Battery life in all fairness robust, and a neat audio swap helps you to modify headset quantity or mute your mic immediately. I additionally love PowerA’s quick-twist thumbsticks right here, which give three adjustable top ranges. Plus, they’re Corridor impact, which means they’ll find a way to withstand stick drift for much longer than conventional analog sticks. Nonetheless, these excessive factors don’t do sufficient to outweigh the myriad frustrations I’ve with this controller.
PowerA Fusion Professional for Xbox: Worth and availability
- Checklist value: $169.99 / £149.99 / AU$199.95
- Comparable in value to the Nacon Revolution X Limitless and Razer Wolverine V3 Professional
- There are many cheaper and higher choices accessible for Xbox and PC
I’d really feel a bit extra snug recommending the Fusion Professional for Xbox if it weren’t for that eye-watering price ticket. At $169.99 / £149.99 / AU$199.95, it’s bordering on the premium territory of Xbox pads just like the Nacon Revolution X Limitless and Razer Wolverine V3 Professional.
If the Fusion Professional supplied a stellar controller expertise, the value could be a better capsule to swallow. The difficulty for PowerA is that there’s no scarcity of very good Xbox and PC-compatible controllers prefer it which can be accessible for lower than half of its value, together with the 8BitDo Final 2, GameSir Kaleid, and even the official Xbox Wi-fi Controller.
PowerA Fusion Professional for Xbox: Specs
|
Worth |
$169.99 / £149.99 / AU$199.95 |
|
Weight |
1.44lbs / 0.65kg |
|
Dimensions |
6.1 x 4.2 x 2.4in / 156 x 107 x 61mm |
|
Compatibility |
Xbox Sequence X, Xbox Sequence S, Xbox One, PC |
|
Connection kind |
Wi-fi (2.4GHz), Wired (USB-C) |
|
Battery life |
Round 30 hours |
PowerA Fusion Professional for Xbox: Design and options
The preliminary bundle out of the field is promising. The PowerA Fusion Professional for Xbox comes with a carry case and bespoke charging dock, each extremely helpful equipment that I welcome with any gamepad. Each are solidly made, too. Particularly the charging dock, which is well-built, unintrusive, and may sit in any gaming setup able to cost your pad up through USB-C. The carry case, in the meantime, is sturdy and has a compartment for the USB-C cable.
The pad itself bears a hanging resemblance to the official Xbox Wi-fi Controller, which actually isn’t anomalous within the wider Xbox controller market. It does really feel barely weightier than Microsoft’s pad, owing to inclusions like set off locks and a magnetic charging dock connector.
Carrying on with the great, the controller’s quick-twist thumbsticks are genuinely good. Turning them clockwise raises the thumbstick shaft, whereas decreasing it when turned counterclockwise. There are three top ranges right here, and I personally discovered the center setting to be essentially the most snug. They lock firmly in place after adjusting, too, so there’s no pointless fiddling.
Moreover a helpful headset audio adjustment swap, that’s about the place my reward ends for the PowerA Fusion Professional. To that finish, I merely couldn’t get on with the abundance of RGB lighting right here. By default, a vivid rainbow impact coats the controller, revealing a preset tribal-esque silhouette. It’s a pleasant sample, however I discovered it to be actually distracting throughout play.
You possibly can change the RGB sample profile (or swap it off solely) through a devoted button on the rear of the controller. I opted to maintain it switched off, as among the different pulse-like patterns weren’t significantly better.
The general really feel of the controller leaves a lot to be desired, too. The textured grips really feel just a bit too tough on my palms, making for fairly uncomfortable lengthy play classes. The d-pad can also be pretty listless, feeling advantageous on one finish whereas awkwardly spongy and onerous to press on the opposite. Admittedly, this might be a difficulty with my unit particularly, however one thing to bear in mind in the event you’re planning on shopping for.
PowerA Fusion Professional for Xbox: Efficiency
Regardless of my criticism, I can at the least say the PowerA Fusion Professional does get the job accomplished as a controller. Should you can ignore the awkward d-pad and abrasive textured grips, efficiency is completely affordable throughout the board.
A significant gripe right here, although, is that the 3-step set off locks simply don’t work. When set to the midpoint, it’s important to squeeze the triggers actually fairly onerous to register the press. And on essentially the most acute setting, the triggers cease working solely.
This was the case throughout a number of video games I examined with the controller, together with Halo Infinite, Fortnite, and Closing Fantasy 14 On-line. I like a shallow set off in video games like these, because it lets me hearth weapons (or entry hotbars within the latter’s case) a superb deal faster, however I used to be unable to do that on the Fusion Professional.
On a extra optimistic observe, the Fusion Professional’s battery life exceeded my expectations, coming in at round 25-30 hours when used wirelessly through a 2.4GHz connection. I examined the controller over the course of per week, throughout each Xbox Sequence X Digital Version and PC, and located I didn’t need to cost the controller till my very previous couple of classes with it. Spectacular stuff, and beats many different Xbox controllers – each cheaper and pricier than this one – on battery life general.
Ought to I purchase the PowerA Fusion Professional for Xbox?
Purchase it if…
Don’t purchase it if…
Additionally take into account…
I’m being trustworthy right here; the PowerA Fusion Professional for Xbox could be a tough promote at most value factors. Think about these two wonderful options in the event you’re presently purchasing for a brand new Xbox and/or PC gamepad.
| Row 0 – Cell 0 |
PowerA Fusion Professional |
Nacon Revolution X Limitless |
8BitDo Final 2 |
|
Worth |
$169.99 / £149.99 / AU$199.95 |
$199.99 / £179.99 (round AU$229) |
$59.99 / £49.99 (round AU$90) |
|
Weight |
1.44lbs / 0.65kg |
0.72lbs / 0.33kg |
0.54lbs / 0.25kg |
|
Dimensions |
6.1 x 4.2 x 2.4in / 156 x 107 x 61mm |
6.5 x 4.5 x 2.2in / 164 x 115 x 56mm |
5.7 x 4.1 x 2.4in / 147 x 103 x 61mm |
|
Compatibility |
Xbox Sequence X, Xbox Sequence S, Xbox One, PC |
Xbox Sequence X, Xbox Sequence S, Xbox One, PC |
Xbox Sequence X, Xbox Sequence S, Xbox One, PC |
|
Connection kind |
Wi-fi (2.4GHz), Wired (USB-C) |
Wi-fi (2.4Ghz, Bluetooth), Wired (USB-C) |
Wi-fi (2.4Ghz, Bluetooth), Wired (USB-C) |
|
Battery life |
Round 30 hours |
Round 10 hours |
10-15 hours |
How I examined the PowerA Fusion Professional for Xbox
- Examined for one week
- Performed a number of video games throughout Xbox and PC
- In comparison with opponents from Razer, Nacon, 8BitDo, and extra
I used the PowerA Fusion Professional for Xbox for per week with a view to write this evaluate. Throughout that point, I performed a variety of titles on Xbox Sequence X Digital Version and PC, together with Fortnite, Silent Hill f, Tekken 8, Hole Knight: Silksong, and way more in addition to.
Given this controller’s excessive value level, I in contrast it on to equally priced Xbox gamepad opponents just like the Razer Wolverine V3 Professional and Nacon Revolution X Limitless. These pads are barely pricier, however provide extra satisfying play with higher construct high quality and high-end options (to not point out set off locks that truly work).
Even then, I discovered much more to like with cheaper controllers, together with the GameSir Kaleid and 8BitDo Final 2. Each provide chic options like Corridor impact or TMR thumbsticks, clicky microswitch-powered buttons, and a tasteful quantity of RGB that isn’t overly distracting to the attention.
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First reviewed October 2025
