PowerA Fusion Pro Wireless Controller for Xbox review: you can get better gamepads for much less

It brings me no pleasure to find that the PowerA Fusion Pro Wireless Controller for Xbox is the most disappointing product I’ve tested in the brand’s catalog to date. PowerA is admittedly a brand I’ve had mixed feelings about in the past. Sometimes it provides real winners, like the PowerA Enhanced Wireless Controller, which I consider a solid alternative to the official Nintendo Switch Pro Controller. Other times it doesn’t quite hit the mark, like we’ve seen recently with the PowerA Advantage Switch 2 Wired Controller and indeed the Fusion Pro for Xbox here.

First and foremost, the best Xbox controllers should provide a satisfying play experience with minimal frustrations, but this PowerA pad is loaded with them. From its awkward d-pad and abrasive textured grips, to obnoxious Lumectra RGB lighting and trigger locks that simply don’t work most of the time, this is a controller that tries and fails to punch above its weight class with an absurdly high price tag to match.

It’s not all bad. You at least get a carry case and charging dock included in the box. Battery life is reasonably strong, and a neat audio switch lets you adjust headset volume or mute your mic in an instant. I also love PowerA’s quick-twist thumbsticks here, which provide three adjustable height levels. Plus, they’re Hall effect, meaning they’ll be able to resist stick drift much longer than traditional analog sticks. Still, these high points don’t do enough to outweigh the myriad frustrations I have with this controller.