14 DAY TRIAL // Razer is always striving to offer consumers the best gaming accessories for the best price. Sometimes it does that perfectly, but other times fails miserably. The Raiju and Wolverine Tournament Edition controllers have been built for the elite gamers, those who need lag-free, 100% accurate gaming action.
If you're a competitive player who loves to play fighting or shooter games, these Razer controllers are supposed to rock your world. Both feature premium build quality, which is reflected in the high price tag. The Razer Raiju Tournament Edition sells for $160 / €150 / £150, while the Wolverine Tournament Edition is slightly cheaper at $150 / €140 / £140.
We've tested both controllers and we've been disappointed by what's we've found, especially concerning the Razer Raiju Tournament Edition. Without further ado, here is what we think about Razer's PlayStation 4 controller, the Raiju Tournament Edition, after a few weeks of gaming.
First off, the juicy stuff. The controller looks and feels like a premium device thanks to the textured grips and tactile buttons. Although it's much heavier than the DualShock 4, yet it feels great in hand. Even though it's a PS4 controller, Razer draws inspiration from Microsoft's Xbox controller, hence the similar layout of buttons and analog sticks, which are now asymmetrically positioned.
Also, Razer replaced the D-pad on the DualShock 4 with individual directional buttons, but I believe this is a questionable decision. The Raiju Tournament Edition controller has four additional buttons, which can be programmed to execute different tasks. Two buttons are positioned at the back of the device and replace the X and O by default, while the other two are placed near the L2 and R2 trigger and can be used instead of ∆ and ⃞. These four extra buttons let players keep their index fingers on the triggers and thumbs on the sticks at all times.
A companion mobile app that syncs to the controller via Bluetooth allows you to re-program different buttons to fit your playstyle. You can even set multiple profiles and switch between them on the fly.
Performance-wise, when it's working as intended, Razer's PS4 controller is as good as it gets. With Hair trigger mode enabled, you'll be able to rapid-fire or execute a fighting game combo much faster since you'll only have to press the buttons half-way.
Unfortunately, we've found the Raiju Tournament Edition to be unreliable quite often. Not just while playing shooters or fighting games, but also when trying out action-adventure or platformer titles.
The worst thing about Razer's controller is that sometimes it lags and doesn't register any input for 1-2 seconds. The analog sticks are too sensitive, so when you need your character to slowly turn left or right, it will start spinning uncontrollably. Also, you can't plug in a headset if you're using the controller in Bluetooth mode, you can only do that if it's wired.
The problems above alone make the Razer Raiju Tournament Edition a “do not buy” product, but we've found even more issues with the design. First off, the controller is too big and for a person with average hands size, the L1, L2, R1, and R2 triggers are hard to reach.
The two underside buttons, which are positioned where most people rest their middle fingers shouldn't have been added at all. They are a gimmick and they're mostly annoying because you can press them by accident more often than not. The first thing you need to do if you've bought the Raiju Tournament Edition controller is to turn these off from the companion app. The other two extra bumpers that are placed near the L2 and R2 triggers are very hard to reach, so they're useless for esports athletes who need accessibility above all else.
Last but not least, the D-pad made of individual buttons might feel great to the touch and very responsive, but it's awkward when you want to execute combos that require you to quickly press left and up. The DualShock 4 allows you to that much faster since you don't need an additional press, you just swipe the directional keys.
Razer Wolverine Tournament Edition features the same layout as the Raiju model minus big touchpad. In fact, Wolverine strongly resembles Microsoft's Xbox One controller, but it packs some serious enhancements under the hood. The ABXY buttons offer the same “click” feel as you get when you tap your mouse or keyboard buttons. It takes a bit to get used to, but it's a nice change.
Unlike the Raiju Tournament Edition, I did not have any technical issues playing on Xbox One and PC, and I used the controller wired and wireless via Bluetooth. Especially on the PC, the experience was extremely satisfying when tapping the ABXY buttons and getting the tactile feedback.
However, just like the Raiju, the Wolverine is too big and the four extra buttons are just a gimmick that many will find annoying. If I were to choose between the two, I would definitely go for the Wolverine and stay away from the Raiju.
Conclusion
I'm also questioning some of Razer's design choices, which might be awesome at first glance, but they're quite impractical for a hardcore gamer. Positioning extra buttons in places where they can either be accidentally pressed or very hard to reach is a bit dumb.
While I can't recommend anyone to buy the Raiju Tournament Edition controller due to the many technical issues I've experienced, the Wolverine Tournament Edition gets my thumb up if you're considering one, just don't expect it to come cheap.
