Razer's controllers have always wowed me on paper, but they've never really fulfilled their potential when I've gone hands-on with them. Something about them hasn't felt as refined as offerings from other brands who really dedicate themselves to the controller market. Razer gamepads are full of great features, but they've never been my favorites.
That's about to change though, because I'm in the middle of testing the new Wolverine V3 Pro that launches today, and it feels like a massive step forward. The V3 Pro is a refined version of previous Wolverine controllers, and it's compatible with Xbox Series X and as a PC controller. I actually think it's going to make PS5 players very jealous because it's solved almost every problem I had with the Wolverine V2 Pro for PS5.
In a press briefing for this new Xbox Series X controller, a representative said that the designers behind it really wanted to innovate and give players the speed and precision that keyboard and mouse players are used to. To that end, the brand's design philosophy for its gaming mice was mixed in.
The V3 Pro features four back buttons which all use microswitches pulled straight from Razer's mice. There's a refined shape to this controller that feels more authentic to Xbox, and the back buttons have thankfully been repositioned in conjunction with that. They now lie where your fingers actually grip the thing, as opposed to previous versions that sat them more centrally on the gamepad's spine.
There's hall sensor technology to counter stick drift, there are two top bumpers that Razer included again to offer players who use a "claw grip" more options. It comes with swappable thumbstick tops, and a carrying case - which the Wolverine V2 pro felt like it was missing. If you're a fan of some gentle RGB lighting on your gaming hardware, you'll be glad to know the V3 uses the brand's RGB Chroma to give it a highlighted look.
As if that wasn't all enough, this is Razer's first wireless controller for Xbox platforms. After years of officially licensed gamepads on Xbox being required to remain wired-only, Razer seems to have broken through the same gap that Turtle Beach, PDP, PowerA, and now Nacon are all slipping through.
This is also one of the first Razer products to fully adopt its Haptic Feedback technology, which could point toward an official controller from Xbox including this technology as part of the rumored Xbox Series X refresh. Regardless, this is another innovation from Razer that goes hand in hand with a superfast polling rate on a PC of 1,000Hz.
If you've bought anything from Razer before, you might be starting to worry about how much this all might set you back, and while the price of the V2 Pro on PS5 was one of my biggest issues with it, I have good news for anyone who's interested in this.
There are two versions of the Wolverine V3, which allows gamers on a budget the chance to jump in at a more suitable price point. The V3 Tournament Edition costs only $99.99 / £99.999 and is available for pre-order now. It's limited to a wired connection and doesn't come with a carrying case, RGB chroma lighting, or swappable thumbstick tops. In the US it's exclusive to Best Buy, so keep that in mind if you want to pre-order.
The Wolverine V3 Pro is the full-fat version that comes with all the bells and whistles, and the Hyperspeed Wireless USB dongle. It costs $199.99 / £199.99, which brings it above the Victrix Pro BFG for Xbox, but remains just under that $200 mark which has kept the V2 Pro far too far above the rest of the PS5 controller pack.
Should you buy the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro?
As I said, I'm currently testing the Wolverine V3 Pro, and while I'm not quite ready to share my final thoughts in a review, I'm happy to report that I've never enjoyed using a Razer controller as much as this. It's making me wish the V2 Pro was never released on PS5, and this is what was released instead. It feels like a generational step up for Razer, and that's a great thing for the controller market.
In fairness, I'm pretty fond of the Razer Wolverine V2 Pro. It isn't a bad controller by any means, but ultimately it's too pricey to recommend as enthusiastically as I'd like to. Moreover, its back buttons are too quirky to be properly viable versus the likes of the Victrix Pro BFG. For a next-gen pro controller, I also felt like it didn't offer enough customization, which was apparent when every other option supplied players with a carry case and swappable gubbins.
The back buttons on the V3 Pro are some of the most innovative I've used. They have a very unique feel because of their microswitches, and I love that you can get a lot out of this controller no matter how you grip it.
I don't want to step on the toes of my upcoming review here, but what I will say is that in first-person shooters there's a really competitive tool to be had here. The one caveat I'd warn you about so far is that it does feel notably smaller in the hands than the chunkier Wolverine pads that have come previously. It's more in keeping with that standard Xbox controller in its shape, but it isn't the most welcoming pad if you have bigger hands.
I have loads more to say about this fancy new controller, and it might just be one of my favorites of the year so far. Keep an eye out for a review coming in the next few weeks, but for now, I'll leave you by saying I really hope a PlayStation version of this gamepad is coming soon. At the same price as a DualSense Edge and packing the punch of six extra buttons, it would be a force to be reckoned with.
For more Xbox gear, check out the best Xbox Series X accessories, the best Xbox Series X hard drive, and the best Xbox steering wheel.
