I think we can all agree that most technology is getting way too expensive, but if there's one absurd thing to me, it's the price tags of some of the best PS5 controllers. Sure, I love a controller with extra buttons, enhanced designs, and the ability to customize with swappable parts, but $200 is needlessly, inexplicably pricey when PC controllers that don't have to go through licensing for Sony's console cost way less.
Clearly, someone at Woot agrees with me, because one of the most expensive, newest, and feature-rich controllers on the shelves has just taken a gargantuan discount from its $219 price. In fact, in all my years of reviewing PS5 controllers and keeping an eye on their prices, I don't remember any of them getting quite so aggressive a discount.
The Razer Raiju V3 Pro only launched last year, and it's on the premium end of the PS5 controller spectrum. It's made by Razer, for one, so it's more likely to be pricey. It's also got six extra buttons for you to map to whatever functions you want and TMR thumbsticks (the latest standard of thumbstick technology that's even more futureproofed than stick-drift-immune Hall effect ones).
It's also designed around the same core principles as the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro, in that it's covered from head to toe in the clickiest of microswitch buttons. In fact, Razer wanted to eliminate the speed differentials of PC and console players to such a degree that they just put the same clicky switches in these controllers as they do their Esports mice.
Of all of the third-party PS5 controllers I've tested, the Raiju feels the most authentic to PlayStation, not least because of its symmetrical thumbsticks and lengthy grips that accommodate your pinky fingers even better than the DualSense does.
There are only two real downsides that pop up when I think about the latest Raiju, the first being the fact that without any rumble motors inside it, it feels a little light and a little cheaper than its full price would suggest. That's not really on Razer, but something that every PS5 controller has to adhere to if it wants to properly earn its Sony logo and be compatible with PS5. Still, it's not ideal.
The other thing stopping me from recommending the Raiju V3 Pro is its price, and in this deal, that's not a thing you're going to need to worry about.
Is the Raiju V3 Pro my favorite controller for any platform? No, probably not, but in the fairly limited pool of PS5 pads, it's certainly up there with the ones I'd recommend first if you can afford it. But if anything, its price and its pedigree and its PlayStation licensing make this deal even better because usually those things would prohibit it from seeing a discount for a few years after its release.
This is one of the better controller deals I can remember seeing in the last year, so if you've been saving or shopping around for one, take this Woot offer seriously while it's less than half price. The retail page says you've got eight days left to make the most of it, "or until sold out", which might be possible with a price this good.
Expanding your search to other platforms? You can also find the best PC controllers, the best Xbox Series X controllers, and the best Switch 2 controllers.
