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Microsoft in a sense pioneered the “premium” controller market with its Elite controller years past.
The battery life is a true monster, and its versatility is unmatched.
The Razer Wolverine V3 Pro and the Xbox Elite Controller (Series 2) are the main considerations for best premium Xbox controller.
It does, however, suffer from known quality control issues.
It’s the battle of the beasts.
It’s the shiny newRazer Wolverine V3 Provs.
Microsoft’s flagshipXbox Elite Controller (Series 2).
Could the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro be thebest Xbox controllerof all time?!
Read on to find out.
The Razer Wolverine V3 Pro and the Xbox Elite Controller (Series 2) are the main considerations for best premium Xbox controller.
Overall, it’s pretty tough to call which one is definitively “better” right now.
We won’t know for sure until further testing.
At least in Europe, that is.
The Razer Wolverine V3 Pro is undoubtedly the best third-party Xbox controller ever made, but is it better than the real deal?
There are some nuances to each controller, and we’ll go over them below in more detail.
The elephant in the room for the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro is the battery life.
Razer’s HyperSense polling offers very responsive inputs, but the trade-off is battery life, seemingly.
The Xbox Elite Controller (Series 2) kick started a rush to make high-end controllers for those who want the best.
The Elite also comes with Bluetooth, whereas the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro does not.
Still, having the versatility is useful, especially if you use Xbox Cloud Gaming.
Analog controllers are susceptible to wear and tear, and thus, stick drift over time.
The Razer Wolverine V3 Pro has some of the best controller ergonomics I’ve personally ever experienced.
Additionally, both controllers have trigger locks that reduce the activation time and removes gradation.
The Xbox trigger locks have three stages, whereas the Razer locks have one stage.
I’ve used them to add sensitivity clutches, which lets you adjust movement speed on the fly.
The Razer Wolverine V3 Pro gives the Xbox Elite Controller (Series 2) a run for its money.
You get detachable paddles, as well as a key for adjusting the tension of the sticks.
Buton papervalue is only half the battle.
What will give you a better experience over time?
The Razer Wolverine V3 Pro has extra function buttons and mouse-click style activations. The Xbox Elite controllers have notorious issues with their bumpers, by comparison.
Which will last longer?
Now more and more of them are going fully wireless, Xbox seriously has its work cut out.
The Razer Wolverine V3 Pro just feels sublime to hold.
The Xbox Elite Controller (Series 2) has an incredible battery life, complete with what I would consider the best Xbox controller charging dock accessory on the market.
However, I think there’s some subjectivity here.
The Xbox Elite Controller (Series 2) has rubberized grips, which some people prefer.
Like I said, subjective, potentially.
They weigh roughly the same, offer similar experiences, and will satisfy any user.
I think I prefer the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro overall here, as it fits better for me.
But honestly, there’s not much in it.
Both controllers get top marks here.
I guess that’s some home field advantages there.
I would like to see Razer update its app here.
Microsoft’s Series 2 Elite is crying out for a refresh to add those kinds of features.
It does, however, sport Microsoft’s trigger rumble feature, unlike Razer’s.
Overall, both controllers offer a good feature array.
Razer only has the 3.5mm jack for headphones by comparison.
The sticks are also prone to drift, given their analog configuration.
It’s also not impossible to repair them yourself, although it’s fiddly and not exactly easy.
But it’s also an unfair comparison right now.
My Razer Wolverine V3 Pro is brand new, so I would expect it to not have any faults.
The Razer’s locks are pure plastic, and have two stages.
There’s every chance the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro could degrade in similar ways over the next year.
Where I would argue Razer doesn’t generally perform here for the price is battery life.
Depending on your set up, that might be annoying/problematic.
Razer’s signal for its wireless dongle may contribute to the performance of the battery.
Razer Wolverine V3 Pro vs. Xbox Elite Controller (Series 2): Which should you buy?
It ultimately boils down to whether or not you want the battery charge dock experience I feel.
It’s high time we got an Xbox Elite Controller (Series 3), I’d wager.
The downside is the battery life and charging experience.
There’s no Bluetooth capability to speak of here either, sadly.
However, it has notorious construction issues, namely with the right bumper.
The Elite does have Bluetooth capabilities too, though, which makes it more versatile overall.
