Limited Edition Nacon Colorlight Xbox Controller review — NacON a roll

Admittedly, before recently reviewing the RIG 600 Pro HS Headset, I never used any of Nacon’s gaming peripherals. However, after using the Limited Edition Nacon Colorlight Wired Xbox Controller, it has become clear to me that I will be using Nacon’s devices for years to come. Colorful and customizable, the Colorlight is a solid, flashy controller that is now solidified in my rotation for Xbox gaming – though it is not my number one choice in terms of comfort.

Inside the colorful box are two things: the controller (wire attached), and the user manual. This is fairly standard for controllers at this price range, but it would have been nice if a spare joystick replacement or extra D-pad was included in case of accidental damage. Nevertheless, the included items are practical. 

The Colorlight controller itself is a transparent gamepad with black joysticks, D-pad, buttons, and bumpers. An Xbox logo is also present on the front of the face side. Inside you can clearly see all of the circuitry that makes the magic happen. This is common for LED controllers, but it never fails to fascinate me to see the intricacies.

The main event of the Colorlight is the customizable LED glow that is available as soon as it is plugged into a powered Xbox. I used the controller on my Series S. After downloading the related application, I was able to customize my controller with one of 25 different colors. Each color was vibrant, strong, and easy to tell which color was being shown. Not once did any of the colors I experimented with look muddled. And to speak to the same satisfaction – the Colorlight shines very bright. I was able to light up the room with the controller alone. I went with green for the majority of my time, and the LEDs did not disappoint. Additionally, the companion application is easy to navigate and configure, making customization a breeze.

One thing that goes without saying is that wireless controllers are easily more popular than wired controllers nowadays. Not having to run a cable from your console to your couch or chair certainly is nice, but it comes with its own set of problems. Shotty connectivity, long pairing times, short battery life, and input delay are just a few of the issues that come with wireless controllers.

With that in mind, I genuinely appreciated the fact that the Colorlight is a wired controller. Not once in my few hours of play did I experience any kind of delay or connectivity issues. With every press of a button I received immediate feedback; vibrations and all. I tried out the device with a few hours of Skyrim and I was satisfied with performance the entire time. The best part about a wired Xbox controller is not having to switch out the batteries every six or so hours (which I cannot believe is still the state of the default Xbox wireless controller in 2023). The Colorlight is a responsive, robust gamepad, which seems to be a running theme with Nacon’s gear.

All that being said, I feel that the Colorlight is not as comfortable as other Xbox controllers I have used in the past. The two handles feel a bit awkward in the palms, as if they are slightly too large. I also felt like I had to reach for the bumpers in some instances. I am not sure of the exact measurements of the controller, but something about the size and length of the handles seemed off, like they were longer than your standard Xbox wireless controller. The hard translucent plastic does not help with comfort either, feeling a bit light and, at times, cheap. Of course, with time, you get used to the dimensions of the device. However, in terms of comfortability, I can’t say I would recommend the Colorlight over the standard Xbox controller.

Unless otherwise stated, the product in this article was provided for review purposes.