Scuf Reflex Pro review - Highly customizable but costly

The Scuf Reflex Pro is a PS5 controller aimed at gamers wanting additional functionality over the stock gamepad that comes with the console. Armed with remappable paddles, a high-performance grip, and a color scheme of your choice, there’s a lot to like about this third-party gamepad. 

As a replacement for Sony’s DualSense, the Scuf Reflex Pro is an expensive option, especially compared to upcoming PS5 controllers. Though, none of the competition look as good. 

Price and Availability

The Scuf Reflex Pro is available directly from Scuf starting from $219.99 / £219.99 (roughly AU$315). Alternatively, you can save yourself $19.99 / £19.99 / AU$28 and forgo the Pro variant’s controller grip for the standard smooth backing of a traditional DualSense controller. 

If you’re solely interested in playing first-person shooters on your PS5 then you may want to consider the Scuf Reflex FPS. it’s the most expensive gamepad in the line-up, coming in at $249.99 / £249.99 (roughly AU$358), which adds instant triggers but strips out the vibration modules and adaptive triggers. The Scuf Reflex FPS’s main competitor is the Razer Wolverine V2 Pro in terms of being a lightweight and deliberately straightforward model aimed at eSports fans. 

Design and Features

The Scuf Reflex Pro is essentially a custom-shop DualSense controller that you can tailor to your liking. My particular review unit is tricked out in a sleek black and red color scheme, complete with red D-pad buttons, twin sticks, bumpers, and triggers with black muted face buttons. I love how it looks because I’ve tailored it that way, and yours could look completely different. 

You have a huge amount of control over your Scuf Reflex Pro controller’s final look, as you can tweak every aspect from the colors and design themes on offer. At the time of writing, you can buy six ready-made designs, or you can create your own by picking different colors for each element of the controller. There are 15 colors to pick from, so you have lots of options for the triggers, faceplate, touchpad, buttons, etc. There are also 25 specially designed themes that are wraparound color schemes for the whole pad. Depending on the designs you go for, the rates can vary from $14.99 / £14.99 (AU$21) to $29.99 / £29.99 / AU$43) on top. 

When you turn the Scuf Reflex Pro over, you note the substantial difference, the remappable four paddles on the rear with a dedicated profile selection toggle. You may think that this added module could increase the weight significantly, but you’re only looking at 20g of difference in the hand in contrast to the stock PS5 controller. 

Performance

The Scuf Reflex Pro is an enjoyable controller to use for long periods. Because it’s a suited-up DualSense, I am immediately used to how it fits my hands. The performance grip means I have slightly more control in intensive sessions of UFC 4 or for longer periods when playing action-heavy titles such as Hotline Miami 2: Wrong Number and My Friend Pedro. While far from an essential inclusion by any means, I think the $20 / £20 difference between the stock model and the Pro variant is worth it for this grip alone, as it prevents the slick feeling you’ll get with the DualSense when your hands sweat up. 

Besides the customization options, the remappable paddles are the big selling point of the Scuf Reflex Pro, and they are a genuine game changer for me. By mapping the face buttons to the rear paddles in UFC 4, I significantly improve my stand-up game whether playing career mode or going online. It means I can keep my index and middle fingers on both hands over the blocking and strike modifier bumpers and triggers. I can play riskier in bouts where throwing a combo or going to the ground was more immediate. 

Mapping the face buttons to the paddles is useful in other games, too,  such as mapping weapon changes and reloads in Deathloop or Metro Exodus. There are many potential gains in freeing up your hands in games like Elden Ring which prioritize the triggers and bumpers.  The Scuf Reflex Pro provides a lot of options for altering a game’s control scheme to fit your play style.

Ultimately, though, what we have with the Scuf Reflex Pro is a modified version of the DualSense. That’s immediately noticeable in the battery life, which is no better than on Sony’s official gamepad, and it’s easily the pad’s biggest flaw. Given the added premium here, it would have been nice to have had an extra battery to work with without having to reach for the included USB-C cable. 

While I do enjoy using the Scuf Reflex Pro, it becomes hard to recommend as the catch-all PS5 pro controller, especially given the upcoming release of Sony’s own DualSense Edge. That pro pad also features remappable paddles on the back, and it also benefits from swappable stick caps, replaceable stick modules, and adjustable trigger stops. You won’t find this functionality on the Scuf Reflex line, and that absence is even more palpable when you see the Edge is the same price as the base Reflex. 

What you’re paying for is a custom controller that looks precisely as you want. The competitive functionality, such as the grips and the paddles, seems almost secondary. 

Should I buy the Scuf Reflex Pro?

Buy if... 

You want a custom-designed PS5 controller

If you’ve dreamed of a particular color combination with your controller, then you’re getting excellent build quality and a vast array of options here

Remappable paddles are essential for you 

If you want to free up those face buttons then the paddles provide an excellent way to keep your hands where it matters in competitive gaming 

Don't buy if... 

Battery life is vital 

There’s just no getting around the fact that the Scuf Reflex Pro’s battery life isn’t great. You’re looking at between four and eight hours, depending on usage, which is identical to the DualSense. 

You want good value for money 

The Scuf Reflex Pro is an expensive and niche product with minor improvements over the traditional stock experience. 

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