Razer is launching the Raiju V3 Pro, a $219.99 wireless controller made for the PlayStation 5 and PC. It’s an alternative to Sony’s $199.99 DualSense Edge, which it shares many traits in common with, like adjustable trigger pull distances, swappable rear paddles, extra stick nubs, and a hard carrying case. Plus, it comes with a 2-meter-long USB-C cable that lodges snugly into its charging port to make it better suited for unpredictable tournament play.
The Raiju V3 Pro seems about as good as a third-party PS5 wireless controller can be, despite a few omissions. It lacks adaptive triggers and rumble. Also, Sony doesn’t allow Razer access to the DualSense Edge’s suite of software customization features on PS5, and it connects via a 2.4GHz USB-A dongle instead of pairing directly to the console.
However, the Raiju V3 Pro is the superior controller by one very important criterion (and a few others below, depending on taste): TMR joysticks. They are resistant to developing stick drift, and they draw less power from the battery when in use. By comparison, Sony’s high-end controller uses ALPS stick modules that are $20 each to replace when they inevitably suffer from drift after extended use. Add in the cost of two stick replacements, and the DualSense Edge costs more than Razer’s new controller.
The Raiju V3 Pro’s other design elements don’t necessarily make it a better choice over Sony’s, but they might tip the scale in Razer’s favor for you. Its bulky grips fill my hands better than the DualSense. I also like its eight-way directional pad that makes executing combos easier than with the four-way one on Sony’s gamepad. Its mecha-tactile face buttons are made from PBT, a material used in high-end keyboard keycaps, and I like the bouncy, clicky feel of the button switches. Razer’s tinker-friendly approach to its rear paddles is novel; if you don’t want to use the four rear customizable buttons, they can be swapped with a cap that almost seamlessly fills the gap.
There aren’t nearly as many high-end wireless controllers for the PS5 as there are for the Xbox, so Razer’s Raiju V3 Pro is a welcome competitor. You’ll be able to buy it… sometime. Razer spokesperson Janine Warner told The Verge a day before this story went live that the release is on hold, and that it isn’t available to purchase in the US, pending regulatory clearance. Razer didn’t respond to a question about what clearance it was awaiting.
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