SCUF Reflex review: expensive but at the top, even in customization

The world of professional controllers for consoles and PCs is increasingly full of varied proposals – even Sony has recently entered it with its DualSense Edge – to the point that those looking for a pad capable of going beyond the possibilities of the more classic ones, has a wide choice ahead of him.

One of these is represented by SCUF’s family of controllers from the Reflex series, explicitly designed for PlayStation 5 and PC, which is divided into three proposals: SCUF Reflex, Reflex Pro and Reflex FPS. Basically it is always the same controller, but to which small differences are applied such as the rubberized back (Pro version) or the instant triggers and the absence of vibration (FPS version), all aspects that can be chosen and configured already in the phase of purchase.

We have been testing a fully customized version of the SCUF Reflex for several weeks, featuring a rubberized grip and various cosmetic changes that go well with the spirit of the controller. Now we are ready to tell you about it and tell you our impressions.

That SCUF Reflex is a controller designed for PS5 can be understood immediatelysince, at first glance of the basic version, it could almost be mistaken for a real DualSense, net of some small aesthetic differences. For example, we do not find the classic PlayStation keys printed on the front, no symbol on the directional cross and the home button does not have the PS logo, but with the exception of this we are faced with a faithful reproduction of the DualSense, including the layout of the touchpad and the position LEDs that indicate the status of the controller and what happens in games, to the point that the console recognizes it as such and even manages updates like an official controller.

The extreme similarity with the DualSense could be a positive or negative factor according to your preferences. On the one hand, you have the feeling of having an official pad in your hands – without colliding with that feeling of tarot accompanying many alternative proposals – but on the other hand it is also true that those looking for a solution that offers asymmetrical analog sticks will have to look elsewhere. All fans of the more traditional PlayStation experience, on the other hand, will find an extremely familiar and comfortable peripheral in their hands, which offers the same ergonomics as the DualSense and improves it if you choose to equip itself with the rubberized back.

Every element of the SCUF Reflex is precision crafted and offers a premium feel in line with the cost of the pad – let’s talk about it at the end – so let’s talk about high-end plastics and precise, smudge-free finishes. Add to this excellent response of the front buttons and back triggerswhich also maintain all the adaptive features typical of DualSense (we are talking about L2 / R2), thus going not to require compromises of any kind on the gaming experience front.

We feel the first real difference by taking the Reflex in hand, since with its 306 grams it weighs 26 grams more than the 280 of the official Sony pad. From a technical point of view we do not find particular differences and also the battery is the same from 1,500 mAh, which guarantees extremely variable autonomy based on what use is made of the adaptive backbones. Overall, however, we are talking about a duration identical to that of the DualSense.

The SCUF Reflex can be used both wirelessly and wired, so you can enjoy the best of both worlds. When minimum latency is not required and you want to face a more relaxed game, you can connect the controller to the console via Bluetooth technology, while in all other cases you can reduce response times by connecting the pad via its Type-C port to the console or al PC. The latter recognizes the controller even in Bluetooth mode and there are no limitations whatsoever.

When used in games, the Reflex proves itself a reliable and accurate controller, with the added advantage of being able to better customize your gaming experience, also choosing analog sticks of different shapes and lengths. Overall, the quality level is higher than that offered by the DualSense, also as regards the feedback of the buttons and analog sticks of the SCUF proposal.

If the aesthetic element of the SCUF Reflex is in perfect continuity with what is proposed by the DualSense, the real breaking point is the inclusion of four configurable vanes located right on the back of the controller. These are meant to make some controls more accessible, so you can continue to keep your thumbs on the analog sticks while playing. This is a possibility that requires a little practice and adaptation, as initially you will find it unnatural to interact with the palettes, but it doesn’t take much to understand their real added value.

Obviously the controllers of the SCUF Reflex family are certainly not the first to offer controls on the back of the pad, however the way they do it is really spot on, starting with the possibility of carry out the configuration without having to rely on any external app. This makes the process much more immediate and simple, especially in the early stages where we are still looking for the right layout for our needs.

Basically the controller comes with 3 profiles already configuredrecognizable by the color of the RGB LED placed in the button Profile. The colors are blue for the layout dedicated to FPS / Battle Royale, red for the one dedicated to sports e green for racing games. The game types are purely indicative of the layout chosen by SCUF at the factory, but each configuration can be modified at will.

The input registration process is simple and straightforward: after choosing the color of the profile, just keep the Profile key pressed until it flashes. At this point it is sufficient to press the desired palette and the key to be assigned, and then press the Profile key again to confirm the choice. This procedure allows you to assign any key on the controlleralso the pressure of the analog L3 / R3 and the directional cross, so there is the maximum freedom of customization also on this front.

And if you believe that the four palettes are too many – perhaps because the title you are playing at that moment does not require that kind of so precise and immediate control -, we point out that you can physically remove them from the controller, so you can avoid pressing them when not needed. To do this, just pull them firmly outwards, starting from the two innermost ones, so this process also does not require additional specific accessories for removal and guarantees further flexibility and customization.

It goes without saying that it makes no sense to buy such a controller to not use the rear vanes, but if necessary it is still possible to do so. Finally, we point out that the other keys are not remappable, but this can be done directly from the PS5 system settings.

SCUF Reflex is certainly not a cheap controller even in its basic version, but this price can go up even more if you let yourself be tempted by the rich configurator available on the official website. At the moment the standard version is proposed at discounted price of 199.99 euros – while that of price list is 219.99 – and this figure must be considered just as the starting point from which to configure your proposal.

The customization possibilities are really many and range from the choice of colors and skins of almost every element of the controller – from the surface, to the handle, passing through keys, levers and so on -, with also some options designed to improve the competitiveness of the pad, as in the case of instant back triggers (cost € 44.99) or the possibility of remove the vibration (costs 9.99 euros) to make the controller lighter and suitable for professional use.

As you can see from our little test with the configurator, the price of SCUF Reflex can easily exceed 400 euros and in this version we have not added the instant triggers and the vibration removal, which would require another 55 euros, for a total greater than 460 euros.

We have instead included the player package, as the accessories present are certainly useful for those who choose such a product; the hard case is almost a must to protect such an expensive product and the alternative analog sticks are important to adapt the pad to the best according to the chosen title. In this case we are talking about an addition of 34.99 euros (it is discounted, otherwise 44.99 euros) which is already counted in our simulation.

Obviously you can choose to buy SCUF Reflex also in its basic versiongoing to apply just those few free changes (mainly those that make you choose between the colors black and white) that still allow a slight degree of customization also in this case.

It goes without saying that it is still a product that is positioned in a very distant category compared to any other proposal on the market, thanks to a truly unique combination of factors: the perfect reproduction of the forms and functions of the DualSense, the extreme customization, the perfect positioning of the additional rear levers and an overall quality of the highest level.

SCUF Reflex is to be considered as an almost molded product artisanal, built around the needs of the individual player. And it is precisely to this category of players that he wants to turn, or those who are able to derive a real benefit from all these small attentions that for most players may be superfluous. Therefore, those looking for a proposal of this magnitude will find themselves at home with SCUF Reflex or one of the more performing versions, for all the others the simple DualSense is already a centered solution.