SCUF Valor Pro Wired Xbox Performance Controller – Review

SCUF has been making performance controllers for 11 years. They have refined their approach to paddle ergonomics with their newest Xbox controller, the SCUF Valor Pro. Built from the ground up, the Valor Pro controller improves the shape and size, placing rear paddles optimally and making paddle pressing easier. Priced at USD $109.99 / CAD $169.99, the Valor Pro doesn’t hurt your wallet, and it’s one of the most affordable wired pro controllers in the market without compromising quality.

Since I play first-person shooters competitively, from Apex Legends down to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, I’ve owned pro controllers like the Razer Raiju Tournament controller for the PS4 and the DualSense Edge for the PS5. This is actually my first SCUF pro controller, and I have to say, I love it more than the DualSense Edge.

Let’s start with what’s inside the box. The Valor Pro packaging includes a braided 10ft / 3.6m USB-A to USB-C cable, two additional thumbstick grips, two inner paddle blanking plates, a safety leaflet, and the Valor Pro Wired Performance Xbox controller.

The SCUF Valor Pro’s design resembles the traditional Xbox Series X|S controller, down from the button layout to the thumbstick and D-pad placements. Its aesthetics reminds me of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6‘s color scheme. From its simple dark gray body to its orange decals and impact rings, the Valor Pro looks simple but certainly incredible. Its easy-to-remove magnetic faceplates can save you the hassle of using tools if you ever plan to replace them with a new one from SCUF.

The only different thing from its layout is the placement of the View, Menu, and Share buttons. The three buttons are placed substantially better and farther away from each other compared to the standard Xbox Series controller layout. So if you’ve been playing on PC with an Xbox Series controller, this addresses the problem where you accidentally press a different button when you do the claw grip.

The Valor Pro’s ergonomics perfectly fit my medium-sized hands, allowing me to hold the controller comfortably, and because of its performance textured grip, I didn’t have to worry about dropping it after a long period of playing games on my Xbox Series X and PC. I’m impressed with the care and quality SCUF has added to its grip. It doesn’t feel like the textured rubber grips will come off after hours and hours of use when your hands start to get sweaty because that’s one of the biggest disappointments I had with the DualSense Edge controller. Just after two weeks of using the DualSense Edge, the rubber grips from both sides of the controller have started peeling off. I’ve been using the Valor Pro since it arrived on February 10, and at the time of writing this review, the performance grips still look brand new and don’t have any signs of wear and tear.

When it comes to how heavy the Valor Pro is, it’s slightly lighter compared to the standard XSX controller. While that’s a bit disappointing for most, I, however, love the weight balance. It’s not too light that it feels cheap and flimsy, it’s also not too heavy that it begins to put a lot of strain on my hands. The heaviness is perfect, it feels durable and of high quality.

The Valor Pro features SCUF’s customizable rear paddles and instant triggers. You can remap the rear paddles by simply pressing a button on the back of the controller, and you can also activate the instant triggers to give you an instant edge by being able to pull the trigger a few milliseconds faster. One of the issues SCUF addressed is the unremovable inside rear paddles from its Instinct Pro Xbox controller. With Valor Pro, you can now conveniently remove the inside rear paddles and replace them with blank plates if you feel it gets in the way when you’re playing competitively.

When it comes to games, don’t ever think the Valor Pro is only made for competitive gaming space. No. While it has features that give you an advantage over other players like the rear buttons and instant triggers, you can make the Valor Pro your go-to gaming controller when playing games such as Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth or Elden Ring! I’ve been playing a lot of Helldivers 2 on PC recently, and I can play longer hours with the Valor Pro controller without the worry of stick drifting all thanks to the Hall effect technology.

The Hall effect technology in controllers has been around and it’s not entirely that new. If we’re going to do a bit of a technical dive, the Hall effect uses sensors in its thumbsticks and has precise movement detection through magnetic fields. In short, there’s no physical contact in the thumbsticks, thus improving their longevity and essentially reducing their possibility of drifting. Sega took its controller to new heights in terms of longevity all thanks to the Hall effect and that’s what made the Dreamcast controllers so durable and reduced the likely possibility of drifting. SCUF’s competitors like Nacon have already started integrating the Hall effect technology more than a year ago, and it’s a good decision that SCUF went on to get that tech for its controllers.

The SCUF Valor Pro Wired Xbox Performance Controller is an incredible and reliable option for players. My time with the Valor Pro was nothing short of amazing. From the instant triggers to the anti-drift Hall effect thumbsticks, its impressive features make the $109.99 price justifiable for such a stunning pro controller. I highly recommend the Valor Pro to anyone looking for a reasonably priced and reliable wired controller for their competitive and casual gaming needs.

This review is based on the product sent by SCUF.