Razer has announced its latest Xbox-licensed and PC-ready game controller, the Wolverine V3 Pro. Featuring dual-mode triggers that offer analog smoothness or mouse click response, the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro is packed with high-end hardware but comes with a hefty price to match.
The Razer Wolverine has long been among the best PC controller options on the market, with its premium build and features, though they’ve often been on the expensive side. Sadly, the Wolverine V3 Pro doesn’t break that trend, but if you’re after a top-class controller, it might be the one for you.
The Wolverine lineup has been a bit of a muddle in the past, as the non-Pro edition of the V2 was Xbox-licensed, while the Pro version was PlayStation-licensed. Meanwhile, the even older Wolverine Ultimate was again Xbox-licensed. For this latest addition, there are two V3 variants, both of which are aimed at PC and Xbox users.
The two models are the V3 Pro, which is wireless, and the V3 Pro Tournament Edition, which is wired-only, but costs half the price of the Pro version.
The headline feature of both V3 controllers is the addition of mouse-click dual-mode triggers. With the flick of a switch, you can swap these HyperTriggers between a long-throw, smooth analog mode and a short-throw, digital mode. This isn’t a new feature per se, but the ability to use separate mouse-button switches for the digital mode is more precise than just putting a blocker in the trigger to shorten its throw.
Along with these new triggers, the Wolverine V3 Pro also gets four mouse-click back paddles, further adding precise, instant-response buttons within easy reach. Two more buttons of this style are fitted to the top edge, so gamers who use a claw grip also get an extra set of buttons with which to play.
Another key upgrade is the use of Hall Effect thumbsticks. These should ensure stick drift is no longer an issue, and they can be calibrated to your preferred sensitivity too. The choice of short or long sticks also means you can switch between a fast or more precise feel.
The eight-way D-Pad is also enhanced with mechanical-style switches, which Razer calls Mecha-Tactile. They apparently offer “the rapid actuation of mechanical switches with the cushioned feel of a rubber membrane keypad.”
The Wolverine V3 Pro, which Razer claims has “about 20 hours” battery life, comes with a carry case that also has room for two replaceable thumbstick caps, the wireless dongle, and a 10ft cable. Buyers of the non-Pro edition miss out on this extra, going some way to explain some of the seriously big price difference between the two options.
As for those prices, the Wolverine V3 Pro price is $199.99, which is actually $50 cheaper than the PlayStation-centric V2 Pro, while the Wolverine V3 price is $99.99. That makes the latter a much more tempting option for PC gamers who intend to hone their controller gaming chops in front of their PC, rather than sat back on a sofa.
For more of our thoughts regarding the best premium Xbox and PC controllers, check out our Microsoft Xbox Elite Series 2 review and Xbox Wireless Controller review to see how the two standard options compare.
