Power A FUSION Pro 2 has everything I want in an Xbox controller

I have a new favorite controller: the Power A FUSION Pro 2. I was already a fan of the everyday Xbox controller. I use them not only for my Xbox but also all my PC gaming. There’s just something about the design that works for me; simple yet complex. I didn’t think this design could be improved upon, I was wrong. The FUSION Pro 2 doesn’t change much, in fact very little. By making the FUSION Pro 2 slightly wider and bigger gives it the perfect shape.

The other noticeable difference is in the weight. Picking up the FUSION Pro 2 the sheer heft of the controller threw me off at first. It’s a solid, beefy unit. It doesn’t feel cheap, in fact the opposite. This controller can double as a bludgeoning weapon if need be.

The biggest difference between this and a “normal” controller also happens to be the biggest selling point, the four mappable triggers on the back. This is my first “pro” or “elite” style controller, and I now have a problem. I can never go back to not having them. I experimented with what buttons to map to them, trying the triggers, then the X, Y, A, B buttons. Really it depends on the game. Luckily remapping the buttons takes no time at all, so you can experiment at will.

If for some reason the triggers do nothing for you then you can easily replace the block with one that doesn’t have the triggers. Again, if you didn’t want them to begin with then this is not the controller for you.

I also love the volume controls with the FUSION Pro 2. You can raise and lower the volume on the controller, never having to search for it in the heat of fighting on your headset. On top of that you can mute right there as well. I found it very useful when playing with my young nephew online. Being able to mute and have a conversation with my wife without having to take my hand off the controller is excellent. You can easily tell when you are muted because the dial turns red.

The FUSION Pro 2 comes with a handful of customization options. You can change the faceplate out from the black to a white one. You can replace either thumbstick with a convex taller one. While these options did not do much for me, I like the look of the controller that comes in the box, I can appreciate what they were trying to provide, alternatives.

You can also decide how sensitive you want your triggers to be. The controller comes with three adjustable settings here. Moving them to become as sensitive as possible has made a difference for me in shooter games, not that I’m any better, I just fire a little faster. I like the feature, but don’t find it to make much of a difference in gameplay, others might though.

The FUSION Pro 2 also comes with a case to carry all of these items in. Your spare faceplate, swappable thumb sticks, USB-C cable, and controller. Having a place to keep all the currently unused peripherals that I know the location of instead of in some random box is welcomed.

All of this is not without some downsides. With all of the positives I don’t see enough negatives that would dissuade me from purchasing, minor annoyances at worst.

For one, the lack of Bluetooth can feel a little upsetting. After all, it’s 2022, and most of us are over wires with our controllers. If you are going to make a controller with a wire at least give it a break away cord, which the FUSION Pro 2 has.

I don’t have any kids, but I do have a high energy dog. So I decided to give the break away cord a test. Not with my controller plugged into my Xbox, I’m no monster. My wife walked by, and the cord broke away without a problem.

Normally a controller with rumble support is great. The FUSION Pro 2 has this feature, but it is incredibly aggressive. When I say aggressive, I mean I had the controller sitting on the table in my bedroom and my wife heard it rumbling off the table while she was in our living room.

Lastly are the four back peddles. I love the addition of the back peddles, being able to program them with any other keys is something I never knew I needed in my life. I feel like they could come off without trying.

To say I have a new favorite go to controller is an understatement. I will unplug this controller from my Xbox in the living room and take it with me to my computer desk just to use it there. I now have a new go-to controller, Power A’s FUSION Pro 2 gets the job done for a fraction of the price that Microsoft’s Elite controller costs. The bells and whistles may not be as numerous, but for the price point couldn’t be sweeter when compared to the other controllers in the same market. The controller might not be for everyone, but if you want a little more than your average controller offers, this is what you want.