The thought of purchasing a tournament-grade controller to enhance my mediocre Warzone gameplay has always piqued my curiosity. With all kinds of modified controller companies adding all kinds of in-game enhancements and additional buttons, I wanted to see what all the fuss was about.
For several years, SCUF Gaming has been a household name in the custom controller market with numerous esports players and organisations using the controllers to give them an edge in high-stakes competitions across numerous first-person shooter and battle royale titles.
The latest release is the Reflex, SCUF's take on a standard DualSense controller. Armed with instant triggers and some extra rear paddles, I had to see whether all of the features justified a price tag that's almost as much as a base PlayStation 5 console.
Strong build quality
As soon as I unboxed the SCUF Reflex, I noticed the excellent build quality. the matte finish on the patterned shell alongside the slightly raised rear grip felt like I was holding a controller that genuinely had the ability to raise my K/D ratio above one for the first time since the days of Advanced Warfare.
The most noticeable features were the extremely tactile instant triggers that felt like a satisfying mouse click whenever I was throwing a grenade or firing a weapon. Instead of the trigger fully depressing and the haptic feedback engaging the mouse-click triggers perform the action instantly, providing the fastest reaction times possible which makes all the difference in a competitive FPS title.
Next, the paddles. Initially, I thought having four paddles on the back was overkill but after a few matches, I soon found myself swapping weapons and jumping around without using the standard X and Triangle buttons. Having the ability to keep my right thumb on the stick meant I was able to maintain accuracy even in the heat of battle and while performing other in-game actions.
Endless customisation
Alongside SCUF Gaming's endless list of innovations that have transformed the DualSense into the Reflex, there's a limitless number of customisations for you to gear a controller to suit your personal preferences. Want two paddles instead of four? No problem. Fancy a unique design endorsed by your favourite esports teams and players? Easy peasy.
It's not just the aesthetics you can change. The options allow you to choose the length of your thumbsticks and even if you want the rumble packs removed for a more lightweight feel.
Everything for a price
While all of the customisation options are impressive, they do come at a cost. A fully kitted SCUF Reflex complete with instant triggers, four paddles, and a pretty shell came in at £320 which is almost the same money as a PS5 console and a standard DualSense controller.
So, why would you want to spend hundreds on a controller you can only use on a handful of games?
Is the SCUF Reflex worth buying?
Although the price for a few milliseconds worth of advantage may sound steep, the SCUF Reflex is one of the best-customised controllers I have ever used. The paddles made a noticeable difference to my gameplay on most console shooters and battle royales while the triggers give you a legitimate advantage over opponents using a standard pad every single time.
If you're looking to take your gameplay to the next level, the SCUF Reflex is a must-buy.