There are many things about the Scuf Envision Pro that will appeal to those who want to tinker with every aspect of their controller, but I personally found the options overwhelming and rarely worth the time I spend fumbling through the menus on my desktop. Most of the time I wonder why someone who wants so much customization in a controller doesn’t just use a keyboard and mouse instead, and given its high starting price, the Scuf Envision Pro isn’t a gamepad I would recommend to 90% of gamers I know.
Still, it’s worth noting that the Scuf Envision Pro isn’t really for everyone. The full range of programmable inputs, built-in RGB lighting and the ability to truly create your own custom controller are pretty special. If you want complete control over your gaming experience, the Scuf Envision Pro is a very competitive offering that’s great to hold and use.
I’ve definitely seen some people enjoy setting up custom controller profiles, dialing in triggers, and setting custom hotkeys, but you have to put a lot into it before you really see its full potential.
Since I currently spend a lot of time reviewing gaming hardware, I hate the disparate software that is often required to access a product’s full feature set. Initial setup of the Scuf Envision Pro requires Corsair’s iCue software. It’s a cumbersome affair that could use some onboarding tutorials or just more information on getting started with the new controller.
Most frustrating is the instability of the iCue software connection to the controller itself. I had to periodically disconnect and reconnect the cable to get the controller to appear in the menus.
Then there is the switch on the back of the controller that needs to be switched between wired and wireless mode. This switch is something I’ve never seen on controllers like this before, and it just adds another layer of complexity to the already pretty tangled web that connects wired and wireless modes.
While I understand the added precision and control that a keyboard and mouse setup provides, I’ve always preferred using a controller for one important reason: simplicity. The Scuf Envision Pro is far from simple, although perhaps that’s the point.
Even after 10 hours of playing with the Scuf Envision Pro, I was rarely able to plug it in and play. I was also never 100% sure what profile I was playing with, whether my controller was using wireless or wired mode, and whether the RGB lighting was even displaying what I programmed it to do.
When the Scuf Envision Pro works, it works extremely well. After setting up my settings for a few different games and exploring the iCue software, I was pretty impressed with the functionality of the gamepad. I particularly like the form factor as I’ve always been interested in symmetrical sticks and less bulky controllers. The design is slim yet robust.
It’s technically heavier than a PS5 DualSense controller, but it definitely isn’t. The keys really stand out and are endlessly satisfying to press. Likewise, the D-pad has a nice click and the triggers are smooth and quick no matter how you program them.
The price is a big problem, especially for someone like me who just doesn’t realistically want to use most of the Scuf Envision Pro’s features. This could perhaps be a brilliant upgrade for PC gamers who want to play games like racing simulators, but I think for the more general gamer there are very few use cases for the iCue software or the majority of the extra buttons on the controller itself.
