Razer has been on a bit of a hot streak over the last year or so, starting with the rollout of its Wolverine V3 Pro controller. Hailed by some as the best controller ever made, the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro offers great ergonomics, superb customization, a tight form factor, snappy buttons and triggers, and excellent battery life. The main downside for some was that the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro features the Xbox-style layout, leaving PlayStation fans either having to adapt or wait. Now, that waiting has been rewarded with the release of the Razer Raiju V3 Pro.
The Razer Raiju V3 Pro controller retains the popular form factor of the Wolverine, which is a smart move. I’ve sung the praises of the Wolverine V3 Pro and the 8K for PC iteration, which feel great in the hands and are stellar controllers right out of the box. If you prefer the Xbox experience and don’t plan on using the controller for any PC gaming, then the Wolverine V3 Pro is the way to go. However, if you plan to use the Wolverine as a PC gaming controller, then the 8K for PC offers a faster polling rate (even wirelessly). It does take out the haptics in favor of a lighter controller, so that’s also something to keep in mind. They are both great controllers, but for a lot of people, the Raiju V3 Pro is about to swoop in and command their attention.
Razer Raiju V3 Pro Comes With An Incredible PlayStation-Style Layout
Obviously, the big selling point for the Razer Raiju V3 Pro controller is the PlayStation-style layout. After controversially including an asymmetrical joystick layout with prior iterations of the Raiju, Razer is giving the Raiju V3 Pro symmetrical joysticks. Everyone has their own personal preference, but for me, the symmetrical sticks are what I prefer. I find them more precise and more comfortable.
I understand that asymmetrical joysticks tend to be more popular and are the norm for third-party controllers, but when a symmetrical option comes around, I take notice. It only sweetens the pot that I was already a big fan of everything else Razer’s V3 Pro line offers.
The main areas where the Raiju V3 Pro differs from the Wolverine are in its expected PlayStation-based considerations. In addition to the symmetrical joysticks, which have been upgraded to TMR like the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro 8K for PC for added stick drift protection, the Raiju V3 Pro controller features PBT tactile face buttons (triangle, circle, square, and cross, as you’d expect), a touch pad, adjustable hyper triggers, four back paddles, and two claw grip buttons. I’m a big fan of back paddles for easily performing actions like jumps, dodges, and reloads without taking my hands off the joysticks, and the Razer Raiju V3 Pro’s are some of the best. I particularly appreciate the ability to customize the back paddles and claw grip buttons on the fly, without jumping into any software. Being able to quickly realize what would be useful for a specific game, map the paddles to those actions, and get right back to gaming is a huge boon.
Even if you don’t use claw grip, the buttons on the top of the Raiju V3 Pro controller are still easy to reach and give you the bonus of two more customizable buttons.
You can set up profiles using Razer’s Synapse software and switch between them with a quick button press as well. Razer's software is easy to use, allowing users to set joystick deadzones and the like, but I appreciate being able to make those game-to-game adjustments on the fly. Switching from a fast-paced game like Hades 2 where I want dodge as my most easily accessible back button to a platformer where I want jump to be that button is a cinch on the Razer Raiju V3 Pro.
Razer Raiju V3 Pro Key Features
- Symmetrical TMR joysticks
- Mecha-tactile PBT face buttons
- 8-way floating D-Pad
- 4 Removable Back Paddles
- 2 Claw Grip Buttons
- Razer Pro Hypertriggers
- Razer HyperSpeed Wireless via USB-A dongle
For those who might not like the feel of back buttons or who are worried about accidentally pressing them, the Razer Raiju V3 Pro one-ups the other iterations by offering the ability to remove its four back paddles. You can lift a little screw hole covered by rubber and, with an included tool, remove the buttons and replace them with solid covers. It’s a nice consideration for those who don’t see the utility of back buttons and would rather they be removed.
Lack of haptics in the Razer Raiju V3 Pro can be a disappointment for some users.
The main drawback of the Razer Raiju V3 Pro is that it doesn’t feature haptics. Given how incredible the haptics on PlayStation 5 games can be, it’s disappointing to have to sacrifice the feature, but not everyone will mind. The other drawback is that PS5 controller support can be hit or miss on PC – some games simply don’t support the control scheme or need third-party software to do so. If you only plan to use the controller on PlayStation 5 or PlayStation 5 Pro, then that's less of an issue. In that case, though, I would give the advantage to the DualSense Edge controller.
Outside of those nitpicks, the Razer Raiju V3 Pro is one of my favorite controllers and a new top of the class when it comes to my PC gaming. If you’re a symmetrical joystick fan, the controller is already instantly appealing, and I love the quick customization, the feel of the grips and tactile, clicky face buttons, and its size. Razer has finally completed the V3 Pro family, and for a lot of people, the Raiju V3 Pro is going to be their new favorite controller.
The Razer Raiju V3 Pro does not currently have a US release date. Razer is awaiting regulatory clearance for its release
The Razer Raiju V3 Pro will retail for $219.99 when it is available. The Best War Games was provided a unit for this review.