Gamers have evolved to become highly competitive, battling for victory royales, chicken dinners, and all other types of first place finishes. eSports has grown to become more popular than ever, with the best of the best competing in many different games across many different genres. Though natural talent and experience is definitely a factor when it comes to being the greatest, there are also some pro-tier accessories that can help to enhance those abilities. One these tools is the SCUF Infinity1, a customizable Xbox and PC gamepad that boasts a number of unique features which can give players the edge. Depending on the customization options chosen, the Infinity1 can become almost unrecognizable when sat beside the standard Xbox One pad. After receiving an exceptionally red version for review, and giving it a month of use in Fortnite, Halo 5, and Black Ops 4, it’s finally time to put fingers to keyboard and tell you my thoughts.
SCUF Infinity1 Review: Mad for Paddles
If I were to tell you every little feature that made the SCUF Infinity1 stand out when compared to the standard pad, we’d be here all day. As the company itself boasts, the Infinity1 has 22 patented features, and another 59 that are pending patents. The most notable of these enhancements are the Paddle Control System, which adds up to four paddles to the rear of the controller; the FPS Trigger Stops and Adjustable Hair Trigger Mechanism, which combine to make inputs quicker and the player fire faster; and the Electro Magnetic Remapping (EMR) support, which allows players to quickly remap the paddles’ functions.
If you’re a console player who wants to get an advantage that you can see and feel working, you need to get a gamepad that has paddles. While cheaper alternatives are available — I’ve bought and broken a few myself — SCUF’s buttons are clicky and give a satisfying, premium-feeling tactile feedback. What’s more, there are four of them, mapped by default to the A, B, X, and Y buttons. Being able to simultaneously hit a face button while maneuvering with the right analog stick, means jumping to evade while still aiming and shooting is now possible and comfortable to pull off. (Claw users, take note!) The SCUF Infinity1’s paddle placement is spot on, climbing to the top of my personal “Best Paddle System” list. Other third-party controllers have come close, but I’ve often found them too sensitive and easy to press, resulting in accidental inputs that caused me to lose engagements. That simply won’t happen with the Infinity1, as the paddles demand just enough force from the user, hitting the sweet spot.
SCUF Infinity1 Review: Noteworthy Extras
Another tangible advantage that the Infinity1 provides is felt when firing semi-automatic weapons. Tap firing becomes much easier thanks to the Trigger Stop and Hair Trigger combo, which speed up the actuation time of the RT and LT shoulder buttons, and also quicken the reset time, meaning follow-up shots can be fired off in rapid succession. The included hex key allows for fine-tuning, which came in especially useful when switching between Halo 5 and Black Ops 4, the latter of which demanded that I tune the LT so that I wasn’t constantly zoomed in. Adjustments are quick and easy, and the benefits are worth it.
EMR is a cool optional extra, too, adding additional customization to the paddles, with players able to change the factory standard layout to any assortment of A, B, X, Y, Left D-Pad, Right D-Pad, LS Down, and RS Down. This can be omitted if you never plan to change the arrangement, but having the option is nice for future-proofing in case the next hot game doesn’t use “A” to jump, or “B” to melee.
SCUF Infinity1 Review: Built to Last
The biggest highlight for me when it comes to the Infinity1 — aside from the existence of the paddles which I seriously cannot game without — is the modularity. The ability to switch out different elements of the pad, to change up the feel or to make repairs, is fantastic. Though the Infinity1 already feels very solid and I’m sure it will last a long time, the added benefit of being able to buy new paddles and thumbsticks really adds peace of mind, and makes me much happier about recommending this custom controller to any console enthusiasts.
Older SCUF controllers were less easily repairable, and with only three months of limited warranty, were tough to endorse. With the now extended six months of warranty, combined with the modularity, I feel much better about saying that this $120+ controller is worth the investment.
SCUF Infinity1 Review: The Elite-phant in the Room
It would be remiss of me to not mention the other popular premium custom pad out there, as the Xbox One Elite Controller is most certainly a thing, and boasts some of its own unique quirks that make it a real contender at $150. If you’re going in hard with SCUF’s optional extras, it’s easy to push the Infinity1 to above $150 and beyond, and that’s when you need to start weighing up whether or not you need SCUF’s extensive color customization, better paddles, overall lighter weight, and more comfortable grip. Fortunately, there is also a third option for those of you who want a combination of the Infinity1 and the Xbox One Elite Controller, and that is the SCUF Elite, which might be worth looking into.
For maximum customization in both aesthetics and functionality, the SCUF Infinity1 is the way to go. Whether it’s to stand out in a competitive environment, to show support for your favorite eSports team with official SCUF pro variants, or to enjoy a little selfish splurge that will help you get the drop on less well-equipped players, the Infinity1 has seemingly infinite options, gets the job done, and looks great while doing so.
SCUF Infinity1 review unit was provided by Scuf Gaming.
