Evil Shift Xbox One Review

February 25, 2019
By Jason Stettner

With the Evil Shift Xbox One controller I've been putting in a lot of time using the device and absolutely love it. It's now my primary controller for use with my Xbox One X and a good replacement for the now crumbling Xbox Elite. I consider this to actually mostly be an improvement over that device and I'm very happy with it.

Going forward I'll be diving into technical aspects and general thoughts on this controller. I was sent this to check out from Evil Controllers and it came in a nice box. It had that touch that feels personal, something you don't often get when you buy electronics. It came with a lovely note about the Evil Shift and a quick use sheet guide along with some options for changing the analog sticks.

This was a simple, yet nice addition to make the controller come across as special. With the options for analog sticks you get a couple convex styled sticks. I personally prefer concave and it might have been nice to see an option with those.

That being said, you get incredible sensitivity here with the options and while there are differing sizes, I immediately popped in some of the same height as I'm used to that style. It's easy to swap out the analog sticks and I imagine there might be additional choices to order. Everything else is locked in place so only the analog sticks can be physically swapped here.

Hardware Continued
With this being a personal controller there color options present, mine is as pictured and looks slick. I've become used to plain controllers so having something with a bit of color is charming. The back of mine also has a special tactical grip, it's quite great while not being too noticeable. The entire thing is damn light missing some of the rumble, this is hit or miss with me as you can't feel as much.

You still get some feedback, but not everything you might be used to. Still, this gives us a better response and a lighter product so you can debate the tweak there. As far as I'm aware the bumpers still have the regular piece in the middle and it would have been nice to see that swapped out. Going onto improvements the buttons are now hyper sensitive and very responsive.

You see this as a theme throughout the design with hairpin triggers that reduce the tension by 50% (incredible response) and large surface area thumbsticks. The movement you feel with the analog sticks is amazing; huge difference though I do sometimes have issues with pressing as I'm used to convex, probably a personal problem. Time for what's probably the key highlight of the Evil Shift, the paddles.

These are button based being tied directly into the sides of the inner controller ends and they are comfy to use. Being a button you get a more dynamic range on them as opposed to sticks that prop out and fall off. They're harder to hold down for shooters, but for the most part are fantastic to use. Another amazing aspect is the option to remap them on the fly. No need to switch inputs or use an app, hold view followed by the trigger and select the new option. Simple, fast and saves you time.

The Conclusion

The Evil Shift Xbox One controller is excellent, the work involved here to take something familiar and just improve almost everything is quality. The remapping at any time is a huge improvement over the Xbox Elite and the style options here easily beat that. It's light, efficient and has better response in all areas of the controller.

It feels nice to use and I haven't had any issues with it. The quality seems great and the way the grip is integrated most likely means there will be no awful peeling or other issues. I did have comments on various aspects, but any issues are minor and more of a personal thought than anything. The Evil Shift is a great option for a more professional and advanced Xbox One controller.

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Evil Shift Review product provided by Evil Controllers tested with Gears of War 4, Halo 5: Guardians, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Minecraft, Forza Horizon 3, Star Wars: Battlefront II, Call of Duty: WWII, Dead by Daylight, Fortnite, PUBG, Overwatch, Metal Gear: Survive, Deep Rock Galactic

Rating Overall: 8.5