Today in our Thrustmaster eSwap X Pro Controller review, we’ll take a look at their latest gamepad for the Xbox.
Thrustmaster started as a 3rd-party joystick developer in America. They specialise in better gears, adding missing features and enhancements for video game console controllers.
The Thrustmaster eSwap X Pro Controller comes with an excellent design that easily replaces the Xbox Elite series controllers due to its modular configuration. You should note, though, that the controller isn’t wireless, but it offers a lot that no other controllers give.
The name says it all, as the Thrustmaster eSwap X Pro Controller can interchange its joysticks, directional pad, triggers, and side grips at any time. With those options, it should help you decide what’s best according to your preference.
Swapping modules takes only a few seconds, and there’s a tool that can help you detach anything from the controller. You can also purchase individual modules if ever one of your modules fails.
With all the features mentioned above, it surely gives a huge competitive edge, especially for those with bigger hands. While it’s certified to work on Xbox One, Xbox One S/X, and Xbox Series S/X consoles, it will also work on PC.
As the controller gives premium features, it isn’t cheap. For the price of $159.99, is it worth a shot? We’ll find out if this controller suits you, but let’s first head to the packaging section of our Thrustmaster eSwap X Pro Controller review.
Thrustmaster eSwap X Pro Controller Packaging
Packaging Design
At first glance, the box looks standard but fairly decent. You’ll first notice that there’s a ribbon-type box hanger on top, which is also an excellent addition since this is a premium product.
Moving over to the front side, you’ll see the Thrustmaster logo on the top-left, the actual controller along with the model in the middle, T-Mod modularity advertising, and the Xbox license.
As indicated, this controller is mainly for the Xbox consoles, but as mentioned above, it works with PCs too. The details and controller image also has decent quality, providing the sharpest and cleanest look.
The box’s left side doesn’t have any important notes, as it only shows some certifications in different languages.
But on the right side, you’ll find instructions on how to utilise the controller through the software on both the Xbox and Windows 10. This site also acts as a magnetic lid, and there’s a green ribbon for opening the package at ease.
Overall, the box feels very solid and sturdy enough to withstand any form of physical damage or accidental drops. Let’s unbox it and see how well it’s packaged inside.
What You’ll Get
Upon opening the box, the magnetic lid comes off easily. If you look closely on the left side, Thrustmaster provides you with their social media accounts, controller model, and small foams that prevent the controller from randomly shaking inside.
As we dig into the box’s contents, you’ll first get some papers wrapped in plastic and then the controller. Most people ignore manuals, but it’s wonderful to see that Thrustmaster provides crucial details, especially for beginners.
As you read through the manuals provided, it provides you instructions on how to take the controller apart, how modules function, and how to utilise the ThrustmapperX software.
Below the controller, you’ll find additional rubber grips for your analog sticks and a small box that contains your USB cable. The extra analog rubber grips are rounded, while the default is similar to a regular Xbox One controller.
Lastly, you’ll get a cloth bag and a screwdriver. The other side of the screwdriver is bar-shaped, and it’s intended to take the d-pad module out, while the other head is Phillips, which is for removing the triggers.
All of the necessary stuff is well-provided, and the unboxing experience is very impressive. Let’s fiddle with the controller and discuss its design & functionality first here on our Thrustmaster eSwap X Pro Controller review.
Thrustmaster eSwap X Pro Controller Review – Design and Functionality
Out of the box, the Thrustmaster eSwap X Pro Controller offers an authentic premium feel. The build quality is sturdy overall, and the size of the controller is huge. Even for small hands, the controller still feels excellent.
It’s quite heavy too but isn’t uncomfortable to hold. If we compare its weight and size to an original Xbox controller, the Thrustmaster eSwap X Pro Controller is considerably larger and heavier.
It might take some time to get used to, but the design is very promising. While it’s also a bit taller than regular Xbox One controllers, the triggers aren’t hard to reach. The d-pad is the most noticeable here, and it’s surprisingly a lot better than any Xbox One controller.
As for the aesthetics and colour scheme, Thrustmaster is creative enough to make their eSwap X Pro Controller distinguishable from other gamepad brands. By default, you’ll get bronze as a secondary colour scheme, but you can change it by purchasing different modules & triggers separately.
If you compare it to an Xbox Elite Series 2 controller side-by-side, they look similar. But as far as comfort goes, the shape of the Thrustmaster eSWAP X Pro feels better. The shape fits any hand size, which doesn’t hinder people from having big or small hands.
For the buttons, they’re surely not made of rubbers. Every button feels like a mouse click, ensuring better longevity since regular controllers’ most common problem is worn rubber buttons.
If you look at the controller’s back, you’ll find additional buttons that are like paddles. You can change and put any hotkey in it, depending on your preference, but you’ll need the software to customise it.
There’s also a mute, volume down, volume up, map, profile 1 and profile 2 buttons located at the bottom-middle. The controller is packed with many features, and some are new & interesting to see.
Thrustmaster also opted for a better layout of the view, share, and menu buttons. If you look closely, there’s a lot of spacing between each of them, but they’re still easily accessible while gaming.
In terms of modularity, the Thrustmaster eSwap X Pro Controller is extremely easy to disassemble. It’s pretty satisfying to do repeatedly, as it provides a large amount of convenience, especially if you play many games with different control schemes.
It looks like Thrustmaster tackled what original controllers are bad for, ran their ideas, and started innovating things that would make them known.
Overall, it beats even the Xbox Elite controllers due to its better d-pad, clunkiness, button feel, analog sticks, and modular features. Players who are into fighting games may also benefit from this controller, and we’ve seen some people use this controller on games like TEKKEN.
Let’s now move to the key features section of our Thrustmaster eSwap X Pro Controller review.
Key Features of the Thrustmaster eSwap X Pro Controller
Remappable Buttons
The Thrustmaster eSwap X Pro Controller comes with remappable buttons located at the back of the controller. You can also remap each key and assign it to your own accord.
Software-Configurable
You can grab the ThrustmapperX software to fully utilise and customise your Thrustmaster eSwap X Pro Controller on the software side. The ThrustmapperX is very easy to use, giving you the best controller adjustability experience.
Wide Modularity Options
As mentioned above, the Thrustmaster eSwap X Pro Controller is modular & interchangeable. The default side grips are matte-finish, but there are other options that you can purchase separately. The analog sticks can also be oriented depending on where you want them.
If you’re either an Xbox or PlayStation player, these modular analog sticks & a d-pad will benefit you. There is a switch toggle for the triggers at the back to limit the range of motion required for the trigger pull.
Lastly are the modular stick caps, which are concave by default. But if you’re much comfortable with domed caps, you can easily screw it down with the included spares in the box.
Long USB Cable
As a non-wireless controller, it comes at least a sizable length of cable, enough for you to relax on your couch despite having the console sit far from you.
Excellent Directional Pad
The directional pad of the Thrustmaster eSwap X Pro Controller comes with long-lasting buttons that also feel clicky. Perform dashes better on fighting games and beat your enemies with accurate movement.
Easy-To-Carry Controller Pouch
While it isn’t that necessary to have a pouch for your controller, it’s a nice touch. After all, it prevents your precious controller from getting random dust, dirt, scratches, etc.
While we’re done with the key features, we also have the specifications for those who are technical. Let’s now move to the specifications section of our Thrustmaster eSwap X Pro Controller review.
Specifications
The Thrustmaster eSwap X Pro Controller comes with a wired micro USB for connectivity. It also has impulse triggers & rumble motors for its haptic feedback and a 3.5mm jack for audio connectivity. It weighs 320g.
In addition to the audio connectivity, there’s also a mute and volume control. Thrustmaster opted for a wired-only connection to achieve zero latency, and it’s excellent that it’s removable.
They could’ve opted for the wireless option, but on the plus side, the removable wire shouldn’t randomly fall off on its own while you’re gaming.
There isn’t much information needed for the specifications, but we can put the controller to the test in the next section of our Thrustmaster eSwap X Pro Controller review.
Hands-on with the Thrustmaster eSwap X Pro Controller
We’re now at the hands-on section of our Thrustmaster eSwap X Pro Controller review, and this is where things get serious. Before we judge and summarise our opinions, let’s first go through getting our hands on the product.
The buttons feel clicky & premium. They’re all very responsive upon testing, which means that latency won’t be a problem.
While the buttons are remappable and you can assign hotkeys, there shouldn’t be any problem pressing on the action buttons simultaneously.
The thumbsticks are also extremely smooth compared to first-party controllers, but the default analog dead zone levels can be annoying on fps games. Luckily, you can easily adjust it through the ThrustmapperX software.
Overall, the thumbsticks feel excellent, and the default configuration is adequate for any game.
While the layout is easily one of the most satisfying features of the Thrustmaster eSwap X Pro Controller, the plastic’s texture and build quality feel premium. Even with its weight, durability shouldn’t be a problem when you accidentally drop it.
You’ll also find trigger locks at the back of the ESWAP that look pretty common, but it does its intended job. Lastly, you’ll find audio controls below the middle part of the controller.
It’s pretty neat, especially if your headset doesn’t come with a dedicated audio controller.
There are also light indicators when you toggle the mute button. Thrustmaster surely made everything more convenient, as they added features that are small but very helpful.
The Thrustmaster eSwap X Pro Controller easily beats both the Xbox Elite & Elite Series 2 controllers when it comes to the gaming experience. You’ll notice it as you play Call of Duty, Fortnite, and other competitive titles.
Software-wise, the ThrustmapperX software is a pretty streamlined experience that most would become comfortable with easily.
You can easily adjust the haptic feedback, the triggers’ and thumbsticks’ dead zones, and the thumbsticks’ sensitivity. You can also remap controller buttons.
If you’re having serious trouble combining keys (especially for fighting games), then remapping the buttons underneath the controller should give you a slight competitive edge.
The ThrustmapperX software also works on PC and Xbox One/Series X consoles, and they’ll function similarly.
While the whole d-pad module is removable, you can also remove the d-pad’s plastic piece and swap it out with a different colour.
If you’d like to customise the triggers, unscrewing the triggers may only take a few seconds, and placing new triggers is fairly easy.
The side grips can be replaced easily, as they’re magnetically attaching. Depending on your aesthetic choices, you can choose which colour to opt for, as long as you have an extra budget.
If you’re that kind of person who always wants to see design changes, consider purchasing different colours of side grips, triggers, & d-pads.
Thrustmaster eSwap X Pro Controller Review Summary
We’ve tackled almost everything about the Thrustmaster eSwap X Pro Controller, but it’s time for the summary of our Thrustmaster eSwap X Pro Controller review.
Overall, Thrustmaster did an excellent job of providing a better 3rd-party controller for the Xbox. They’ve looked at what the Elite Series 2 controller couldn’t achieve and made an enhanced controller by adding many different features.
It’s also got better build quality, aesthetics, and ergonomics. Competitive gamers should look forward to buying one of these if they have the budget.
At $159.99, it’s a bit on the expensive side while not having the wireless functionality. But if you think about the features it offers, the wireless feature is an easy sacrifice.
The compensation of the features added are pretty good, but we’d also like to see a wireless version in the future.
Sure, there’s the Xbox Elite Series 2 controller if you want to go wireless, but the Thrustmaster eSwap X Pro Controller has many advantages. First-party controllers are also often cheaped out, which Thrustmaster often improves.
It’s exciting to anticipate what other T-Mods Thrustmaster is going to release. Right now, the Thrustmaster ESWAP X Pro Controller is one of the best modular controllers ever made because of its excellent design, and we highly recommend it.
If you’re interested, you can grab one here.