Razer Wolverine V3 Pro Review - Razer's First Wireless Xbox Controller Is Fantastic

Razer’s console controller line has expanded with its first wireless model for Xbox, and it’s easily the best Wolverine controller yet. The V3 Pro retains the core features found in previous Wolverine controllers–clicky mecha-tactile buttons, four back triggers, and two extra bumpers–while making a few impactful changes that resolve the less-than-stellar aspects of PS5’s V2 Pro and the V2 Chroma for Xbox. The Razer Wolverine V3 Pro is available now at Amazon for $200–$50 less than the V2 Pro, and only $50 more than 2021’s wired V2 Chroma. If you’re in the market for a wireless Xbox or PC controller and are willing to spend this much, the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro is truly exceptional. Razer has also launched a wired-only V3 Tournament Edition for $100.

Wolverine V3 Pro is the latest Xbox Elite Series 2 challenger

The Wolverine V3 Pro is the latest controller to take advantage of Xbox’s recent decision to open its wireless protocol to third-party manufacturers. At the end of the day, every pro-style controller for Xbox ultimately competes with Xbox’s Elite Series 2 controller, which has been the gold standard in the premium controller market for years. Each of its main competitors so far have excelled in their own ways, with the Victrix Pro BFG offering a unique modular design and the Turtle Beach Stealth Ultra sporting the most robust internal customization features. The Wolverine V3 Pro is an all-around success that surpasses its third-party competitors and stands toe-to-toe with the Elite Series 2.

Wolverine V3 Pro’s most impactful changes

Razer Wolverine V3 Pro wireless controller for Xbox and PC

Naturally, the biggest surface-level change with the V3 Pro is its wireless connection. Razer has released several Wolverine controllers for Xbox over the years, all of which were restricted to a wired connection. The manufacturer often mentioned latency as a reason why wired was better for a pro-style style controller, but it also wasn’t able to make one due to Microsoft’s in-house wireless protocols. Wireless connections have come a long way in recent years, and while wired controllers still technically offer the fastest response times, technologies such as Razer’s HyperSpeed wireless make latency with a good wireless controller, synced with a good protocol, virtually impossible to notice.

Razer utilized its HyperSpeed wireless connection with the V2 Pro, a PS5 and PC controller, and the V3 Pro communicates the same way with the 2.4GHz USB dongle. I tested the controller for over 30 hours the last few weeks and didn’t notice any input latency. But for discerning players who take competition seriously, you can still use a wired connection with the braided 10-foot USB-C cable. On PC, there’s a dedicated feature for wired play called Tournament Mode. Once enabled, the V3 Pro has a 1000Hz polling rate. I didn’t notice a performance difference, but maybe you will. Regardless, if you’re used to wireless controllers on Xbox, you won’t be disappointed with the wireless connection here. I maxed out at around 20 hours of battery life on a full charge.

The lack of a wireless connection has always been the biggest downside with Razer’s Xbox controllers, but the V3 Pro also addresses a few other important issues. Though Hall Effect analog sticks are quickly becoming a routine feature in pro-style and even budget controllers, this is the first Wolverine controller to make use of the technology that prevents analog stick drift. Sticks that activate via Hall Effect sensors aren’t the same quality from controller to controller; the V3 Pro’s lightweight sticks have the smoothest range of motion I’ve tried. They have just the right amount of resistance for precise movements. It’s not really a fair comparison since the technology is different, but the difference between these sticks and those of the Wolverine V2 Pro is quite noticeable.

It’s not a new feature, but you can swap out the default sticks with two other styles: one taller stick that’s typically used for first-person shooters and a dome stick. It would’ve been nice to get two dome sticks, but it only comes with one of each.

My longstanding complaint with the Wolverine line has been the back triggers. Simply put, they never made sense. Up until now, Razer arranged the four triggers in two columns close to the center of the controller, forcing many players like myself to tweak their grip to rest our fingers on the triggers. Razer has finally ditched that design, completely retooling the shape and location of the four back triggers to follow standard conventions. The four built-in triggers are shaped like paddles and curve across the handles. This design combined with an excellent form factor and textured handles–it’s very similar to the V2 Chroma in shape and chassis feel–makes holding the V3 Pro for hours a consistently comfortable experience.

The V3 Pro revamps the Wolverine's back button design. — The V3 Pro revamps the Wolverine’s back button design.

When Razer released the V2 Pro for PS5, I was quite surprised it didn’t come with a hardshell carrying case, especially since it was the priciest officially licensed PS5 controller at $250. Thankfully, the Wolverine V3 Pro does come with a hardshell carrying case with a formfitting recess for the controller, snug compartments for the extra sticks and dongle, and a mesh pocket for the USB-C cable.

The return of the microswitch king

Microswitch inputs might soon become a trend. Turtle Beach featured them in its Stealth Ultra, and PowerA used them in its upcoming OPS V3 Pro–the prolific manufacturer’s best and most premium PC controller. But if microswitches over membranes becomes a trend, Razer would be the pioneer of that shift.

The Wolverine V3 Pro retains Razer’s “mecha-tactile” face buttons, D-pad, and bumpers–RB and LB as well as the small M1 and M2 bonus bumpers next to them. They feel great and offer a speediness you won’t find in controllers with traditional buttons. I know some people who can’t stand the mouse-click sound of these buttons, but if you enjoy them, it could be hard to return to membrane inputs. Razer’s microswitches are still the best I’ve used in a controller. A long history creating some of the best gaming mice certainly gives Razer an edge with this technology.

Though I really enjoy the eight-way D-pad, which has a “loose” feel to it–Razer calls it a “floating D-pad”–it does take some time getting used to. And unlike many other pro-style controllers, you can’t swap the D-pad for a different style. This is one of the areas where the Elite Series 2 still wins. The two extra analog sticks are the only swappable components, so physical customization is very limited with the Wolverine V3 Pro. It does have built-in trigger locks, though with only two pull settings, full or instant (essentially turns RT and LT into bumpers).

The Wolverine V3 Pro comes with a nice hardshell carrying case.

Most of the customization is done inside the Razer Controller App for Windows and Xbox. The software suite has an easy-to-navigate interface and lets you make tweaks to a variety of settings, including stick sensitivity, haptics strength, and RGB lighting effects for the Razer logo. This is also where you remap the six extra buttons and create custom profiles that can be cycled through on the fly with the controller’s multi-function settings button.

The bottom line

The Razer Wolverine V3 Pro is a competitive controller that’s difficult to knock in any area. The Elite Series 2 has more physical customization options, Bluetooth support, better battery life, and remains unrivaled when it comes to general feel–there’s just something about the weightiness of the Elite Series 2 that makes it hard to beat. That said, the V3 Pro has superior analog sticks, buttons, remappable rear triggers, and comparable software customization features.

Compared to previous Wolverine Xbox controllers, it’s really no contest. The V3 Pro is vastly superior to the V2 Chroma and V2 Pro. Even if you want a wired controller, you should probably opt for the Razer Wolverine V3 Tournament Edition. We didn’t test this other new model, but it has the same general design with a wired-only connection for $100. The V3 Tournament Edition is compatible with Xbox and PC, too.