Gaming peripherals continue to launch at a speed unheard of by video game standards. Razer is somehow on their Wolverine V3, and it feels like just yesterday I opened their Wolverine V2 Pro for the PS5. They continue to raise the bar by making some of the best equipment that just feels right when held by the player.
This is where the Razer Wolverine V3 Tournament Edition comes into play, a cheaper sibling to the existing V3 Pro controller that launched earlier in the year. The Razer Wolverine V3 Tournament Edition has a noticeable weight cut and reliance on a maintained wired connection but chops the premium price in half while maintaining the excellence the brand is known for.
First things first, the Razer Wolverine V3 Tournament Edition polls at a rate unreachable by normal gamers, 1000Hz. I used to use the ‘claw grip’ playstyle while playing Team Skirmish in my Halo 3 (and I use this word loosely) competitive days, and even then, I wouldn’t have scraped the surface of 1000Hz. For the true professionals out there, this is basically the difference between the speed of light and sound. It runs fast, and the controls are remarkably responsive.
The Wolverine V3 Tournament Edition looks fantastic. Gone are the lit-up center glowing logo from the Wolverine V3 Pro, removable analog sticks, and wireless capability. What’s put there instead is an embossed glossy Razer logo, fastened and non-adjustable analog sticks with default height, and a 10ft cable that is likely four to eight times a gamer’s arm length. Although the extra luxury details (like the glowing logo, the carrying case and wireless capabilities) are missed, what isn’t missed is the extra $100 a gamer would have to shell out for these capabilities. The tournament edition offers a quality experience with none of what some would consider ‘luxury additions.’
“Each button pressed on the Wolverine V3 Tournament Edition feels buttery smooth, and the satisfying mouse click switches don’t get old to hear.”
For the mentioned claw grip players out there, it amazes me that Razer continues to shatter their already-made advancements. Razer introduced the extra set of shoulder buttons with the Razer Onza TE for Xbox 360 in 2011, and through the past decade, they’ve only become easier to use and a lot better to wield during late-night KOTH in Halo. This time around, players deploying the claw grip have two extra buttons to abuse when calling out an enemy during a tense firefight, as middle finger placement can alternate between the front RB, and the M1-M2 buttons without leaving the controller’s chassis.
Each button pressed on the Wolverine V3 Tournament Edition feels buttery smooth, and the satisfying mouse click switches don’t get old to hear. Like other Razer peripherals, the Wolverine V3 Tournament Edition made it feel awkward during button hold segments, but after the initial 30 minutes, it feels right. Growing pains can happen on any device, especially when using premium products.
Setup on other Razer devices requires a PC to adjust, but the Wolverine V3 Tournament Edition has a handy app (the Razer Controller Setup for Xbox) you can download straight to the Xbox console you’re playing on. This app makes it feel like the Wolverine V3 is a first-party controller, and mapping buttons is as easy as using the first-party Xbox Elite Series 2.
I was able to create as many profiles as possible so that any user could feel comfortable with their loadout. This can even make less dexterous players enable back paddles so they can always maintain control of the right stick while pressing action buttons, a must for gamers that have crampy or arthritic hands.
The Razer Wolverine V3 Tournament Edition does have some shortcomings. There are currently no ways for the controller to use macro settings like their keyboards. While being able to map buttons can help give you a leg up against other controller-based players, those who have access to macro-keyboard functions still have an edge in the customization department when it comes to gameplay.
This lack of functionality includes being able to press two buttons at once. During Chivalry 2 matches, I would have loved to be able to press one button to throw my weapon (it normally requires pressing the RB + LB together), considering many times it doesn’t register when you press both at the same time in game. This issue was circumvented by pressing two back paddles at once. The responsiveness of the controller’s mecha-tactile button switches while pressing two buttons together made this function the smoothest I have ever experienced.
“The Wolverine V3 Tournament Edition is an excellent addition to the Razer lineup of controllers…”
Lastly, button mapping doesn’t include screenshots. This may be a me issue, but I was unable to relocate the share button to a back paddle to take screenshots easier while embroiled in high-octane action. The Elite Series 2 allows this to work, but the Razer Controller Setup for Xbox app doesn’t include this functionality as mappable.
The Razer Wolverine V3 Tournament Edition Controller is my favorite controller I have ever used. The Wolverine V3 Tournament Edition cuts into competition with ease while congratulating the player on a button well pressed with tactile switch confirmation, all while looking good while doing it.
The controller’s responsiveness is second to none, and while some may complain the controller feels ‘less premium’ due to the lack of heft when compared to the Wolverine V3 Pro, that’s only due to the lack of onboard battery, and I became accustomed to the weight difference (and even preferred it) after a short time playing Warhammer 40K: Space Marine 2 online.
While there are some shortcomings and nitpicks users can make, none of them feel significant enough to call the Wolverine V3 Tournament Edition anything less than an excellent controller that can get the player through the hardest firefights or even the most difficult raids. The Wolverine V3 Tournament Edition is an excellent addition to the Razer lineup of controllers, and those who were holding out due to the premium price of the V3 Pro can now jump in without paying the ransom.
