The Wolverine V3 Pro is the third iteration of manufacturer Razer’s fairly well-received Wolverine Pro controller. This latest version aims to improve and refine some of the noted critiques of the previous iteration while offering new and improved features to the Wolverine lineup. Having taken reviewer feedback from the V2 Pro seriously, Razer has done a fairly solid job at revising and refining the Wolverine Pro controller for its version 3 debate.
One design feature that has carried over from the previous generation is the rugged and premium build quality. The Wolverine V3 Pro feels sturdy to use and has a substantial overall build quality. The matte finish works well and up to this point has faired quite well at repelling pesky fingerprints. Trimming back on the Chroma effects of the V2 Pro, this latest version opts for a simple, bright RGB-enabled Razer logo located at the center of the controller.
Rubberized palm grips offer a padded, comfortable gaming experience for gamers. The redesigned programmable backpaddles are positioned perfectly for natural finger placement, a step up from the previous generation, which struggled with poor placement. The two programmable claw grips are back as well, offering gamers a unique and competitive edge. While the previous generations’ design was inspired by the Xbox One controller, the Wolverine V3 Pro takes its cue from the Xbox Series X controller’s more sleek look.
The Wolverine V3 Pro offers Hall Effect thumbsticks to help reduce drift. These magnetic switches help reduce friction and, in turn, wear and tear of the sticks. They offer a fully customizable experience thanks to increased precision and customizable dead zones and sensitive settings via the Razer Controller app. In testing, the thumbsticks feel great to use, and the adjustable sensitivity on a thumbstick level allows the user to cater the sticks to the exact feel and response they want. It’s an extra level of customization that leans into the Pro design Razer is trying to achieve with this iteration of the controller.
“While the previous generations’ design was inspired by the Xbox One controller, the Wolverine V3 Pro takes its cue from the Xbox Series X controller’s more sleek look.”
The Wolverine V3 Pro also features Mecha-tactile action (face) buttons for impressive actuation and response. With a 0.65mm actuation distance, button input and response are incredibly quick. Thanks to the rubber membrane installed under each button, the whole experience feels tactile, responsive and cushioned, offering a premium user experience.
The 8-way floating D-Pad also offers exceptional control of direction and feels great to use. When testing Dead Cells and leveraging the D-Pad directional control, I was quite impressed with the level of precision the Pad gave me. While I typically default the D-Pad to consumables or tasks that require less demanding response times, the D-Pad on the Wolverine V3 had no issue keeping up with my frantic directional mashing as I panic dashed through the platformer.
The triggers have seen a much-needed upgrade from the previous generation as well. Featuring Razer Pro HyperTiggers, the Wolverine V3 Pro has upped the overall performance of these inputs. With two modes to work with, Full trigger Pull and Hypertriggers mode, users can expect two very distinct responses from the controller. When in full trigger pull mode, the Wolverine offers a satisfying tactile response that is akin to traditional Xbox Series X controllers. It’s responsive but does require a longer pull to engage the actuation point.
For those looking for a competitive edge, the Hypertrigger mode offers a completely different experience. By activating a lock switch adjacent to each trigger, the triggers shift from a traditional full-pull experience to a mouse click-like response. This shift essentially lowers not only the actuation point of the trigger but also physically shortens the travel distance the trigger can go, which in turn reduces the reset time. The result is faster firing rates overall as the time to fire and reset has been greatly reduced. Once again, this much-needed update helps the Wolverine earn its Pro status.
“In regards to button placement, Razer has perfected its design with the Wolverine V3 Pro.
Shifting now to the backpaddle and claw grip bumpers, once again, Razer offers some much-needed improvement over the previous generation. For starters, the positioning of the backpaddles sees a welcome relocation and is now positioned perfectly for natural finger replacement. In testing, the paddles were quite responsive. This is due to the inclusion of mouse switches for the back paddles, which give them the same level of response as a mouse click.
It’s one of the few programmable buttons I’ve found myself defaulting to, which is impressive in its own right. Thanks to the combination of position and responsiveness, the backpaddles are extremely useful during gameplay. As for the claw grip bumpers, while I can’t say that I have a lot of experience with this style of play, in testing, the bumpers did respond well and never missed an input.
As for positioning, again, with little experience using this method of control, I can say that when placing my hand in a claw grip (which I had to google how to do), the bumpers, like the back paddles, felt perfectly positioned to be in line with the natural resting place of my fingers. In regards to button placement, Razer has perfected its design with the Wolverine V3 Pro.
A critique that came with the release of the V2 Pro was the lack of haptic feedback. Thankfully, once again, Razer has addressed and remedied this issue. The Wolverine V3 Pro offers five levels of haptic feedback intensity with a default setting of four. In testing, each level of haptic feedback intensity was distinct from the others. As for response time, the haptic feedback was precise and in line with what was happening in the game. Again, this is a nice response and update to the Wolverine Pro lineup.
“Using the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro controller feels exceptional.”
Using the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro controller feels exceptional. Everything from the Hall Effect Thumbsticks to the new HyperTriggers feels quick and responsive. Buttons offer great tactile responses and feel great to engage. Even battery life is exceptional, easily pushing over the ten-hour mark with RGB active during testing. This feels like a premium controller, which has not historically always been the case.
As for connectivity, like the previous generation, the Pro line offers both wired and wireless modes. Wireless is achieved thanks to an included Hyperspeed dongle that helps streamline and prioritize the controller’s communication reducing the time it takes for the controller to communicate with the console and PC. It works well and is an extension of Razer’s Hyperspeed technology built into many of their current-generation gaming mice.
For PC gamers there is also an option to increase the polling rate up to 1000Hz. This can only be achieved in wired mode but does offer an impressive latency reduction for competitive settings. Swapping between regular and what Razer calls Tournament mode is a simple toggle handled by the companion app or a built-in shortcut on the controller.
Connecting to devices, both wirelessly and wired, is simple and as easy as plugging things in, be it the included USB type-A to type-C 10’ cable or the USB Type-A 2.4GHz wireless dongle. On both PC and Xbox, the controller is immediately recognized without needing to swap modes or toggle any additional settings (unless switching to Tournament mode). It’s simple, streamlined and works well.
“Another improvement to the usability of the Wolverine V3 Pro is the inclusion of both a PC and Xbox app found on the Microsoft store.”
One critique that came from the V2 Pro was that it wasn’t capable of waking a console like a traditional, branded controller could. This has been rectified in this latest iteration with full wake and sleep support via the Xbox button located at the top center of the controller. It works without issue. When testing on PC, I was able to open Steam in big-picture mode by leveraging the same button press required to wake up the Xbox—a nice bonus for PC players.
Another improvement to the usability of the Wolverine V3 Pro is the inclusion of both a PC and Xbox app found on the Microsoft store. Dubbed the Razer Controller App, this software gives you full control over every setting on the Wolverine Pro. Featuring multiple profile support, button programming, Stick sensitive and dead zone settings and RGB control, the Razer Controller App is quite useful and doesn’t require linking a phone app up to the controller, an issue with the previous generation.
As the Wolverine V3 Pro is designed with professional gamers in mind, it also comes with a nice carrying case and an additional set of rounded thumbstick covers. These can easily be swapped out for the standard concave thumb grips and offer a different tactile experience for the user. As for the aforementioned 10’ cable, it is comprised of a heavy braided material that feels durable. When all put together, the Wolverine V3 Pro offers a complete package for both competitive gamers and enthusiasts alike.
The Wolverine V3 Pro offers some much-needed improvements over the previous iteration of the controller. Improved backpaddles and placement, impressive haptic feedback support and a 1000 Hz polling rating make the Wolverine V3 feel like it earned its Pro status. The fact that it is releasing at an MSRP of $199.99, a notable $50 less than the previous generation, makes it feel like Razer has taken player and reviewer feedback seriously and worked hard to offer solutions to some of the critiques of the previous generation. If you’re looking for a pro controller experience, the Wolverine V3 Pro is a contender worth considering.
