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Corsair Novoblade Pro: A One-Minute Review
I’ve spent the last week testing the Corsair Novoblade Pro, and I’m very impressed with this no-nonsense fighting game controller. Like the more budget-friendly 8-bit arcade controller and other contenders for the best fight stick, there’s no traditional joystick. Opting instead for a pure button layout that handles everything from animation to animation to animation.
What immediately strikes you about the Nublade Pro is its luxurious build quality. Made of high-quality plastic and metal materials, it also avoids the pitfalls of being too many uncontrollable controllers. In comparison, the Novablade Pro is significantly thinner, making it easier to play at home or take with you out to in-person tournaments.
Neoblad Pro is incredibly easy to customize to your liking. The magnetic aluminum face plate is easily removable, allowing you to replace buttons, keychains, or the face plate. It’s also easy to remap buttons and create your own layout profiles, with onboard function controls dedicated to such actions.
And that’s something I recommend, as the default black faceplate is unfortunately effective at picking up prints and smudges from your gaming sessions. And trust me, when you are deep in stress Tech 8 Classified session, it will be inevitable.
Finally, I’m personally not the biggest fan of the pressure-sensitive clevises that Corsair has chosen here. Don’t get me wrong; They work great and let you fully customize button travel time, but I personally prefer the more tactile and immediate click switches found in manufacturers like the 8-bit Dodo arcade controller and Sanva. But I should emphasize that this is purely a matter of preference, and not necessarily a knock on the Novablad Pro itself.
Corsair NovoBlad Pro: Price and Availability
- 9 249.99 / £ 229.99 / au $ 349
- Compatible with PS5, PS4, and PC only
- Matches the Vextrix Pro on price
The Corsair Novoblade Pro is available to buy for $249.99 / £229.99 / au$349 (the latter according to a listing at JB HiFi in Australia) and comes in one configuration, compatible with PS5, PS4, and PC. The product is available for purchase from Corsair’s own website or participating retailers in your region.
That’s pretty much the middle range for a premium price tag for a luscious controller, that of an 8-bit arcade controller. 89.99 / £75.99 (around AU$136) comes in at a much pricier price, but the Vertex Pro comes in at $249.99 / £229.99 / AU$399.95. With respect to the latter, it positions Novablad Pro as a competitively priced product, and one you may want to consider if you’re also looking at Vectrax’s output.
Corsair Novoblade Pro: Specs
Price | 9 249.99 / £ 229.99 / au $ 349) |
The weight | 3.9lbs / 1.8kg |
Dimensions | 12.6 x 9.1 x 1.2in / 320 x 231 x 30mm |
compatibility | PS5, PS4, PC |
Connection type | Wireless (2.4GHz, Bluetooth), Wired (USB-C) |
Battery life | About 40 40 hours |
Software | n/a |
Corsair Novoblade Pro: Design and Features
Almost everything about the Corsair Novoblade Pro is customized and carefully considered for a premium, high-end gaming experience. You’re looking at a very high-quality build here, with an aluminum finish for the faceplate and rock-solid plastic for the unit itself and its buttons. The underside is fully covered in textured, non-slip rubber, which provides extreme stability on flat surfaces.
As is fairly standard for leverless controllers, there are 15 buttons and keyswitches on the Novablade Pro. At the top, there are six dedicated function buttons covering pausing, profile switching, activating tournament-ready modes (which prevent pausing or resetting), and, of course, a power button. On the top right, you’ve got the L3 and R3 buttons, as well as a dual-sense-like touchpad.
To the right of the touchpad are five additional function buttons that are aligned vertically, and these can be used to map different button macros, which I’ve found useful in various fighting game training modes for recording input, reset positions, and the like.
There’s a really handy USB-C cable lock on the rear of the controller, as well as a slider to unlock and lock it in place. If you opt for a wired connection via USB-C, it keeps your cable nice and secure with minimal risk of disconnection.
I also have to mention the Nublade Pro’s excellent RGB lighting, which I initially thought would be annoying during games. This couldn’t be further from the truth. The lights aren’t overly bright, and custom color coding helps you visually identify which buttons are which at a glance. All of this can be customized on a per-profile basis, of course, on the controller.
The face plate can be removed by placing a finger under the notch from the top and simply pulling it free. Below that, you’ll find a 2.4GHz dongle for wireless connectivity, as well as switches to swap between platforms (PS5, PS4, and PC) and connectivity options (Bluetooth, 2.4GHz, or wired).
The plate itself is quite a fingerprint magnet, so I’d recommend routinely removing it after gaming sessions, or swapping it out for other compatible face plates – especially if you want to change the look of your controller (and support commissioning artists while you’re at it!).
Corsair Novoblade Pro: Performance
As mentioned, Corsair definitely has the intermediate with the Novablade Pro in mind for professional-level fighting game players. This is evident with the selection of stress-sensitive canine catches. This is a standout feature of the controller, and you can completely change the travel time of your buttons from 0.1mm to 4mm. So, you have the choice of a quick quick press or a longer one, depending on the situation. I found that this could prevent errors with some buttons anyway.
Personally, I prefer the clickier, more tactile results of microtouches. I find them more satisfying to press, as was the case with the 8-bit arcade controller I reviewed earlier. In no way does this make NovaBlad Pro an unsatisfactory or inaccurate gaming experience. The buttons here still feel great, bouncy and responsive. It’s just a matter of personal preference on my end, but something you might want to consider based on your experience with any type of controllers.
Otherwise, the Nublad Pro is exceptionally responsive, regardless of what kind of connection you go with, though I’d recommend avoiding Bluetooth connectivity altogether. It’s not bad here, but in general, it offers a bit more input latency than 2.4GHz and especially wired. On PC, both wired and 2.4GHz connections offer a 1,000Hz polling rate, which is on par with the best PS5 controllers and the best PC controllers. Due to the design of the PS5 and PS4, though, you’ll only get a 1,000Hz polling rate with a hard-wired USB-C connection. Again, something to keep in mind if you’re playing on console.
Should I buy Corsair Novoblade Pro?
Buy it if…
If you don’t buy it…
Also consider…
If the Corsair Novoblade Pro isn’t quite what you’re looking for, consider the following two alternatives.
| Row 0 – Cell 0 | Corsair Novoblade Pro | To Vextrix Pro | 8 bitdo arcade controller |
Price | 9 249.99 / £229.99 (around AU$399) | 9 249.99 / £ 229.99 / au $ 399.95 | . 89.99 / £75.99 (around AU$136) |
The weight | 3.9lbs / 1.8kg | 2.7lbs / 1.225kg | 2.42lbs / 1.1kg |
Dimensions | 12.6 x 9.1 x 1.2in / 320 x 231 x 30mm | 13.35 x 9.23 x 0.8in / 235 x 334 x 22mm | 11.9 x 7.9 x 0.9in / 301 x 201 x 22mm |
compatibility | PS5, PS4, PC | PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC (PlayStation and Xbox models sold separately) | Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC (Switch and Xbox models sold separately) |
Connection type | Wireless (2.4GHz, Bluetooth), Wired (USB-C) | Wired (USB-C) | Wireless (2.4GHz, Bluetooth), Wired (USB-C) |
Battery life | About 40 40 hours | n/a | About 20 hours |
Software | n/a | n/a | Ultimate Software V2 |
How I Tested the Corsair NovoBlade Pro
- Tested for a week
- Played a variety of fighting games on PS5 and PC
- 8 compared to the Bitdo Arcade Controller and the Vertex Pro Co
I tested the Corsair Novablade Pro over the course of a week, and now having a proper feel for Luris controllers after an 8-bit arcade controller, I felt incredibly comfortable with the layout and high build quality of the Novablade Pro.
I played a variety of great fighting games with it on PS5 and PC, including Street Fighter 6Tekken 8, Granblue Fantasy vs: The Risingfor , for , for , . And Struggle criminal gear.
In my time with the Novablade Pro, I was able to directly compare it to a cheaper model I also tested – the 8-bit Dodo Arcade Controller – and one of comparable price and features in the Vectrax Pro. Both are excellent all around fighting sticks. If you’re after a premium leverless controller, you won’t be disappointed here. Especially given its excellent quality and high level of customization.
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First reviewed October 2025
