Razer Wolverine V3 Pro Review – The New Gold Standard

Razer Wolverine V3 Pro Review

All controllers are made with gamers in mind. To make such a claim about any given controller is utterly superfluous. And yet! The Razer Wolverine V3 Pro is absolutely made for gamers. Maybe more so than any controller I’ve reviewed so far. Everything from the shape, to the button design, to the battery life is well-crafted and super slick. They’re even winning me over with the extra buttons, which I previously assumed was impossible.

The Power of Claw Mode

I’ve spent years being utterly baffled by the inclusion of back paddles and extra buttons. The standard array of inputs were all I could ask for. Anything else felt like a waste. To be clear, my needs are still met by the usual selection of inputs. However, my eyes have been opened to the possibilities. Specifically, claw grip. Apparently there are more ways to grip a controller as you play, ways that curl your fingers into claws. Suddenly the back paddles make so much sense. If you’re trying to speed up your inputs, of course you’d want to eliminate the face buttons altogether. Plus, the buttons themselves feel great.

The buttons on the V3 Pro click like mice. Other controllers emit an empty thud, while this model actually clicks. This covers every button on the controller, to be clear. The face buttons, the triggers, and the back paddles all use this extra clicky design. It feels very satisfying in action. Even the d-pad uses this system, which I wasn’t expecting. Pressing in the thumbsticks and the LT/RT triggers feels a bit more familiar, but they’re still solid, reliable inputs.

Lightning Fast

Razer has put a ton of R&D into making this the fastest controller on the market. That means the button response times are fast, the Bluetooth connection is reliable, and there’s basically no input lag. I can confirm that the Bluetooth works immediately and with no futzing about required. It’s honestly pretty refreshing. I can’t speak to the input speed, however. That feels like one of those things you’d need to be an esports athlete to even notice. All of my game testing was totally problem-free, but I’m not a professional by any means.

The thumbstick movement is smooth and solid. The d-pad is downright zippy compared to the standard Xbox model, though it still uses that concave radar dish design. You can switch the triggers from analog to mouse-click style for faster or more realistic responses, which rules. The extra buttons are re-mapped with a separate app. I normally find apps an annoying extra step, but it’s nice to be able to do your tweaking with some real precision.

It Gets Even Faster

Other tweakable features include the swappable thumbsticks and a PC setting called Tournament Mode. Basically, if you plug the V3 Pro in rather than connecting with Bluetooth, you can get a whole lot faster. Again, I’m not into esports enough to really put that feature through its paces, but I appreciate having the option. Alternately, the battery life on this rig is downright impressive. At a full charge, I didn’t need to plug it in again for the whole review period.

I’m a big fan of the standard Series X controller. It’s got a pleasing heft and an ergonomic shape that does all you need it to. But the V3 Pro blows that thing out of the water, hands down. The inputs are responsive, the buttons feel amazing, and the weight is basically perfect. Plus, it’s got a proper rechargeable battery and a host of pro-friendly features. And after so many years of trying, this might be the model that gets me experimenting with the back paddles. If you’re looking for your next top-tier gaming controller, Razer’s Wolverine V3 Pro should be first on your list.

***A retail version of the product was provided by the manufacturer***