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Razer is tripling down on the success of its Wolverine V3 Pro controller, and I think even that might be underselling it. The brand is coming out with an updated version of what is already one of the best PC controllers on the shelves, this time, with TMR thumbsticks and a ludicrous 8K polling rate.
The original Razer Wolverine V3 Pro launched late in 2024 as an officially licensed Xbox controller. Later, the brand put out a more affordable Tournament Edition, which took out the wireless connectivity and a few extra frills. We've now seen a mobile version of the same controller, the Kishi V3 Pro, and now, the Razer Wolverine V3 8K is arriving on the shelves. Costing $199 at Amazon in the US, and £179.99 at Amazon in the UK, it removes the Xbox licensing and takes aim directly at PC players.
The 8K version will be able to reach an 8,000Hz polling rate when in wired or wireless mode, which trounces the original V3 Pro's 1,000Hz maximum. When I first saw the news, it was hard not to think this was slight overkill. The fastest controllers in this day and age have polling rates of up to 1,000Hz, and even though mice and keyboards get infinitely higher speeds, I personally haven't exactly noticed a difference in latency when using them in most games. Hell, the Xbox Series X can only make use of a 400Hz polling rate for its controllers, and while I have no problem with bringing speeds up to modern standards, plenty of people on that platform get by just fine without feeling like their latency is killing their gameplay.
Article continues belowBut the more I thought about it, the more I realised why an 8K polling rate is going to be a massive win. I've actually been waiting for a PC controller that would unlock this sort of polling rate, and it has nothing to do with latency. Yes, it finally brings controllers in line with a lot of mice and keyboards, but the real benefit is that it fully unlocks the capability of TMR thumbstick technology.
If you haven't been keeping up, TMR thumbsticks are an advancement of Hall sensors. They're immune to stick drift, yes, but the real win here is that they can register a much, much higher resolution when it comes to stick positioning. All the while, they can relay those inputs at a vastly higher polling rate that so far, just hasn't been catered to by controllers which max out at 1,000Hz. So, Razer's new Wolverine V3 Pro 8K has the potential to really let its thumbsticks rip like no other.
When I've had my hands on any controller with TMR sticks, it's been absolute bliss in first-person shooters. Hall sensors are great on their own, but with TMR sticks, I feel like every small aiming adjustment is exactly what I wanted to input, and going back to potentiometers or even Hall sticks is when you really start to notice the difference.
As you may have guessed, Razer is following up with a more affordable Tournament Edition for this controller as well. It'll set you back $119.99 at Amazon in the US, and £99.99 in the UK. Like the original Wolverine V3 TE before it, it removes the wireless support and swappable thumbstick tops, but still gives you access to the main features and design flourishes of the full-fat model.
Those include six extra mappable buttons, Esports mouse microswitches, swappable thumbsticks, a case, and a 2m braided cable. Those who opt for the TE won't get the case either.
I'm very excited to get my hands on this controller to test out the differences between the Xbox V3 Pro. When I reviewed that pad, I awarded it with four stars, and it appears on both our Xbox and PC controller buying guides as the "best for speed" - I guess Razer took that in stride.
You might also want to read about the best PS5 controllers, the best Xbox Series X controllers, and the best Nintendo Switch controllers.
