HomeHardwareFeatures
Razer’s Wolverine V3 Pro wants to make gamepads more mouse-likeA clicky controller that shares DNA – and actual parts – with the Razer Viper
A clicky controller that shares DNA – and actual parts – with the Razer Viper
Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun
Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun
We’ve known for years that consoles have simply become preboxed PCs, and now look: we’re getting into their controllers as well. The Razer Wolverine V3 Pro (and its wired cousin, the Wolverine V3 Tournament Edition) has looked to desktop peripherals in search of superior button-bashing, cannibalising the rather goodRazer Vipergaming mouse series for its switches. The result is a high-performing, satisfyingly clicky pad that, yes, works wonderfully on PC – albeit one that rinses you for four times(!) as much as a standardXbox controller.
£200/$200, to be exact, which makes it look like Razer included the cost of the Viper they ripped open to nick its clickers. But then, the Wolverine V3 Pro does have more in common with high-end upgrades like theXbox Elite Series 2, plus more besides: four rear paddle switches, two added bumpers for claw grips, drift-resistantHall effectjoysticks, sensitivity and deadzone adjustment, and Razer’s low-latency HyperSpeed connection tech are among its feature list.
As far as PC usage goes, then, it clearly aims to be your daily driver, as opposed to a cupboard-dwelling controller that only occasionally gets dusted off because your keyboard sucks for driving games. And, if I’m honest, it does seem up to the task. The thumbsticks are fabulous, feeling slick yet firm, and grippy without being sticky. And while I’m not a big paddles guy – just ask the neglected back panel buttons on mySteam Deck– they do have a decisive and pleasantly tactile clickiness to them.
Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun
It’s not just mice that the Wolverine V3 Pro shares qualities with, either. The tangible bottoming-out of buttons, and their crisp audial feedback, have more than a hint of mechanical keyboard to them. This won’t impress any poor soul who has to share a room with you as you play, at least judging from my wife’s recent side-eyeing, but having this sensory back-and-forth does remove any ambiguity about whether you successfully punched in the intended command. That comes with obvious benefits to, say, fighting games, but I’ve appreciated it in simple platformers and beyond. Weirdly, I’ve found it most helpful inElden Ring; on my old official Xbox controller, I was prone to failing jumping puzzles, my last thoughts before pasting into a dark crypt floor being of whether I tapped the A button hard enough. Now, I only die when it’sentirelymy fault.
Image credit:Rock Paper Shotgun
I’m still not convinced to burn £200 on one, mind. Even next to Microsoft’s XboxEliteSeries 2, that’s hyper-enthusiast money, and not everything is best in class. Typical battery life, for instance, is a so-so 20 hours, and outside of two bundled stick grip replacements, the Wolverine V3 Pro lacks the modularity that you might expect from a premium gamepad.
