Razer Raiju V3 Pro review - peak PS5 and PC controller performance

Official third-party PlayStation controllers are something of a rarity, with only a handful of options compared to the many Xbox and generic controller alternatives. That's why the new Razer Raiju V3 Pro is a significant entry for those who want a top-tier controller for their PS5 and PC, or just those who prefer the PlayStation layout with its symmetrical thumbsticks.

Packed with extra buttons, and with almost every button using a hair-trigger/mouse-click-like microswitch, this new Razer controller feels every bit like a taut, lithe gaming machine aimed at bringing lightning-fast responses and precision to your inputs. If masses of RGB lighting or customization are your priorities for a premium controller, this isn't the best PC controller for you (though it does have some swappable features). However, for serious competitive controller gamers, it's going to be a tempting, if expensive, upgrade. Read on to find out where it does and doesn't excel.

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Specs

Features

The Razer Raiju V3 Pro is, on the one hand, packed with features, but there are a few fairly notable omissions, which I'll address later. Starting off with what it does have, though, this is an official PlayStation controller, so it includes all the usual PS5 controls, including the touchpad.

Joining this standard set of two thumbsticks, two triggers, primary shoulder buttons, and triangle, circle, cross, and square face buttons are several extras. On the front edge is a headset jack, with a microphone mute button just above it. Then, on the top edge, there are two extra shoulder buttons (labelled M1 and M2), designed for use when using a claw grip, while on the back are four extra back buttons (labelled M3-M6). These extra back buttons are removable, with extra blanking pieces provided to fill the holes left by any buttons you don't use.

Also, around the back are two pairs of sliding switches. Two of them switch the triggers between their standard long-throw analog mode and a hair-trigger mode. Unlike some controllers, the hair trigger mode does actually use extra microswitches for a clicky, responsive feel, rather than just shortening how far the trigger moves.

Talking of a clicky feel, all the main buttons - face buttons, D-pad, bumpers, and back switches - use mouse-style microswitches rather than a more traditional face button switch. This gives them a very taut, snappy feel, which I'll discuss a bit more in the design section.

The other two switches on the back are for changing between wireless and wired modes, as well as between PC and PS5 modes. A USB-C port on the front edge provides the wired connection, while a USB-A dongle gets you a wireless connection to your PC. Notable by its absence is Bluetooth support, so you can't use this controller on mobile devices, which severely dents its appeal as a single controller for all uses.

Looking more closely at the thumbsticks, they look like they have a standard design, but underneath, they pack in the latest tension magnetic resistance (TMR) sensing tech. This works similarly to Hall Effect thumbsticks, using magnetics to track movement, but uses less power and is more accurate, all while having the same wear-resistant, stick drift-immune benefits of Hall Effect sticks.

What's more, the sticks are swappable, though bizarrely, you only get one of each of the alternative stick types in the box. There's a tall version of the standard sticks and a standard-height domed stick.

A USB-A to USB-C cable is also included in the box, along with a screwdriver for removing the swappable switches, and a carry case that will hold the spare thumbsticks, the USB dongle, and the screwdriver, plus it has a pouch that will hold the USB cable.

Back to the controller, and its final main feature is that its D-pad has an 8-way design with microswitches for all eight directions. It can't be swapped for a conventional cross design, though, which damages its appeal if you prefer that style.

As for one final missing feature, this control doesn't include any haptic feedback, nor does it have adaptive triggers. Razer's logic is that competitive controller players just turn off these features anyway, which is true, but there's no doubting it dents this controller's sense of value.

Design and comfort

We hope you like black or white… Yes, these are your only options with the Raiju V3 Pro. Monochromatic musings aside, this is a smart-looking controller, although there are a couple of touches here and there that don't quite give off the premium feel you might expect for a $220 controller.

In particular, the main plastic of the body of the controller has a slightly shiny textured finish that doesn't feel as nice as soft-touch finishes. It also isn't as finely textured as some plastics that end up with an almost matte look from their finer-textured finish, as is the case on the official DualSense controller.

To me, the fact that the PlayStation button is just a plain circle that sits nearly flush with the body of the controller looks a little cheap, too. It's neither the same PlayStation logo-matching design as official controllers, nor is it backlit. Razer hasn't even added a little chamfer or similar design flourish to distract your eye from any slight unevenness in the gap around the button.

Meanwhile, if you don't like the design of this controller, you don't have any options in terms of modifying it. There's no swappable faceplate or any other swappable parts, other than those back buttons and thumbstick caps. What's more, there's almost no RGB lighting here. There's just a single small light above the PlayStation button that indicates connection and battery status by shining different colors.

Otherwise, this is a very comfortable and lightweight controller to hold. At 258g, it's slightly lighter than the 278g of an official DualSense controller (despite being quite a bit bulkier), and is even lighter than the wired-only Scuf Valor Pro, which of course doesn't have a battery.

Helping the comfort of this controller are its grips, which have a highly textured, over-molded, rubberized finish. This provides a really grippy feel, whether your hands are hot and sweaty or cold and dry.

However, despite the addition of the extra M1 and M2 bumpers, I personally didn't find this controller particularly comfortable to use for claw grip. That's because the face buttons are positioned a little further away from the right stick than other controllers. On the DualSense, there's a gap of 12mm from the edge of the right stick to the cross button and 25mm to the triangle button. However, on the Raiju V3 Pro, these gaps are 18mm and 28mm, respectively.

It may sound like a small difference, but combined with the Rajiu V3 Pro being slightly taller than the DualSense - and thus requiring more of a reach to the bumpers and triggers - it left my hand feeling both a bit stretched and cramped at the same time, when trying to use a claw grip. However, your experience will very much depend on your hand size and shape, as well as your grip style.

When it comes to the reachability of buttons, though, I also found the back buttons to be far too sensitive. To actually try and grip the controller in a way that brought these buttons into play just meant I was constantly accidentally pressing them. That is, if you grip in a way that puts your little and ring fingers over the buttons, it's almost impossible to hover over them without pressing them.

Meanwhile, if you grip the base of the grips with your little fingers and only press the back buttons with your ring fingers (or your middle and ring fingers), the space for your little fingers feels a bit cramped, and it's a long reach to the bumpers/triggers.

While some of the ergonomics of this controller didn't quite suit my preferences, there's no denying the precise feel of the controls. The thumbsticks in particular feel incredible. They're just so effortlessly precise and smooth, thanks in part to the initial snap away from the middle position requiring less force than many controllers.

I would still prefer a long, domed cap for the sticks, but I was impressed by the ease with which I was able to settle into using this controller over my preferred long-stick setup on the Scuf Valor Pro.

I was less immediately taken with the D-pad, as it has some of the same overly sensitive feel as the back buttons. However, with time, I got used to it and particularly liked the way the large, dished shape and snappy microswitch buttons let you rock very quickly back and forth between directions - you can almost pivot it like a digital version of a thumbstick.

As for the face buttons, these have an intriguing feel. They don't feel just like normal mouse microswitches, like the back buttons. Instead, they have a little more travel before being triggered, and a lot more force overall is required to press them. As such, they feel a bit more like a normal face button but with the snap and click of a microswitch.

Regardless, they do feel good, although they're almost too stiff for my liking. They require about 200g of force to trigger, according to my tests, compared to around 100g for the Scuf Valor Pro and 120g for the DualSense. That also compares to just 60g for the back buttons.

As for the triggers, they're not my favorite in terms of feel, but they definitely offer a precise response. I actually slightly prefer the non-linear feel of the DualSense triggers, which firm up slightly as you bottom them out. This, I find, makes it easier to fine-tune your analog inputs, whereas the slightly lighter, more linear feel of the Raiju V3 Pro isn't quite as easy to control. The hair trigger mode for the triggers feels great, though, providing a really tight, snappy feel.

Battery life

Razer hasn't, at the time of writing, provided a claimed figure for the Rajiu V3 Pro battery life, and I'm still testing it a little more to get a full sense of its abilities. However, its battery is rated at 2,350mAh, which is quite large for a controller.

Price

The Razer Raiju V3 Pro price is $219.99 / £199.99, making it a very expensive controller, though it does put it in line with the Sony DualSense Edge, which also comes with a similar case and spare parts. However, that controller also includes more swappable parts and haptics. Instead, what you're paying for here is all those snappy-feeling mouse-style switches and those TMR thumbsticks.

Alternatives

Sony PlayStation DualSense

It might be stating the obvious, but if you're not pursuing elite levels of performance from your controller, a $220 controller is probably overkill, and the standard DualSense is still a great controller for $70. Its standard sticks will eventually develop stick drift, and its buttons feel mushy in comparison to the Raiju V3 Pro, but it still offers great value when you consider the inclusion of clever haptic triggers, as well as the touchpad and rechargeable battery.

Read our full Sony PlayStation DualSense review for more detail.

Razer Wolverine V3 Pro

If you want the premium features of the Raiju V3 Pro, but aren't wed to having a PS5 shape, the Wolverine V3 Pro is the one to go for. It's basically an Xbox equivalent to the Raiju V3 Pro, and it's $20 cheaper than the Raiju V3 Pro 3 at MSRP, while also being widely available for a lower price at retail.

Read our full Razer Wolverine V3 Pro review for more information.

Verdict

There's no doubting the tournament-grade credentials of the Razer Raiju V3 Pro. Its TMR thumbsticks feel amazing, and its mass of clicky mouse-like microswitches makes for a far more precise and responsive feel than standard controllers.

The addition of customizable back buttons, extra bumpers, and a really comfortable grip design also adds to the premium feel, as does the inclusion of a really nice carry case with space for all the controller's accessories. However, the lack of haptics or adaptive triggers dents its value, as does its lack of a swappable faceplate.

What's more, you'll either love or hate some of the ergonomics. The ultra-sensitive back buttons weren't to my liking, while the strong force required to press the face buttons seemed almost too much of a pivot in the other direction. The extra space from the face buttons to the right thumbstick and the overall height of the controller also caused me a few issues with getting a comfortable grip. It's definitely a controller I'd recommend you try before you buy.

Then, of course, there's just the really high price. The extras and high-end internals all justify the cost to a strong degree, but the lack of a more premium external feel to the controller - like you get on the Xbox Elite 2, for instance - means it doesn't quite feel like the luxury purchase you expect when paying this price. Still, if you really do just need tournament-grade controls for PS5 and PC, it's definitely the best out there.

If you're looking for more ways to control your PC games, check out our best gaming mouse and best gaming keyboard guides for our top KBM options.