Razer Wolverine V2 Pro review: Costly but capable

Razer is no stranger to making excellent gaming controllers, and the Wolverine V2 Pro for PS5 is no different. Offering heaps of “Pro” features, the gamepad is a joy to use – but it comes at too dear a price.

The hunt for the best PS5 controller continues, as we take a look at Razer’s official entry into the world of feature-packed PS5 controllers rages on. We’ve already laid down the verdict on the Victrix Pro BFG and Sony’s own DualSense Edge. But, how does Razer’s Wolverine V2 Pro stack up against the competition?

We’ve been using the controller extensively for around a week to tell you whether or not it’s worth the eye-watering price point, as the most expensive PS5 controller currently on the market.

Key specs

• Connectivity: USB-C, Wireless (2.4GHz via dongle)
• Compatibility: PS5, PC
• Battery life: 10 – 30 hours
• Price: $249.99
• Features: Six remappable buttons, Magnetic stick cap replacement, HyperSpeed Wireless, Mecha-Tactile Buttons, two-point trigger stop

Included in the box: Razer Wolverine V2 Pro, 1x long concave stick cap, 1x, short convex stick cap, braided USB-C to USB-A cable.

Design

Anyone familiar with the Razer Raiju series of controllers should feel right at home with the Wolverine V2 Pro. As you unbox the controller, you are greeted with the pad itself, in addition to a short, convex stick cap and a longer concave stick. You also get an obligatory USB wireless dongle. There are no extra frills in the box, and when you consider that both the Victrix Pro BFG and DualSense Edge come with a carrying case, feels pretty disappointing.

On the opposite end, as soon as you hold the Razer Wolverine V2 Pro, you feel the quality exuding from its parts. The controller itself feels much wider than the standard DualSense, or even an Xbox controller. Yet, despite this, it feels incredibly comfortable to hold. Each handle is encased in a rubber material, which feels appropriately grippy, while the white plastic of the exterior is also of an incredibly high-quality finish.

But, there’s more going on with the controller that’s worth talking about. Around the back, you have four buttons, which are centered in the middle, with two having sweeping lower paddles. When in your hands, they feel almost completely inaccessible due to the size of the controller, so those with smaller hands may struggle to use them entirely. We personally prefer the design of Sony’s DualSense Edge back buttons, as they are much easier to reach, the same applies to the Victrix Pro BFG. On the back, there are also a number of dipswitches for configuring the platform and wireless or wired operation.

Here lies the trigger stop functionality, too. But, there are only two options to choose from here. A “normal” unlocked mode, and a short-throw trigger with the most satisfying tactile click we’ve ever seen from an adjustable trigger. In addition to the bumpers and triggers along the top are additional two function buttons nestled between the trigger and bumpers. These are easy to access, and actuate. You also have a Type-C port up at the top and a 3.5mm combo jack at the bottom.

Glorious buttons

The first thing you’ll notice about the Razer Wolverine V2 Pro is just how excellent it feels to press literally any button on the device. The mecha-tactile nature of the face buttons is a little tougher to actuate than their dome-based brethren but feels much more satisfying to click. The same goes for the microswitch-based D-pad, which takes notes from arcade stick design in order to make it feel like one of the best D-pads we’ve ever used on a controller.

Drift city

Sadly, Razer has used a potentiometer-based stick for this “pro” controller. No matter what software or firmware might smooth out any errant inputs, you can’t stop the passage of time. According to iFixit, they have a life expectancy of around 417 hours before they will begin to degrade. With no way to replace the sticks, as seen in other controllers such as both the DualSense Edge and Victrix Pro BFG, this is immensely disappointing.

Coupled with the fact that no big-name manufacturer has used hall-sensing analogs aside from 8BitDo, we’re struggling to see the “Pro” moniker really come through on Razer’s ludicrously expensive gamepad.

Features

The Razer Wolverine V2 Pro houses a number of features under the hood, the first one of which is wholly aesthetic, and kills the battery life of the controller significantly. We managed to get around ten hours of battery life with the pad with the RGB turned on.

We quickly sought out the Razer Controller app in an effort to see if we could turn the RGB off, and after a few simple clicks, it was off. We managed to get much more battery life out of the controller with the RGB effects disabled. While the effects look nice, the battery impact that it has certainly is not.

Here, you can also remap the “M” buttons for another one of your choice. Though this is limited to face buttons, and you cannot assign macros to the controller.

You’re also able to switch the “Sensitivity Clutch” of the controller. For everyone confused, that’s just Razer’s fancy naming for a deadzone. It would have been nice to see further customization options, but it remains to be relatively limited, especially as you cannot save more than four profiles to the device.

Should you buy it?

We had several connectivity issues with the 2.4Ghz dongle on the Razer Wolverine V2 Pro. These were mainly errant inputs that lingered on for too long. Though, the D-Pad and buttons were excellent for use in titles like Street Fighter V and Guilty Gear Strive. In first-person shooters like Fortnite, you do need to tighten up the deadzones using the app, but once we had that sorted, it was great.

But, for the asking price of $250, there are just too many faults in the Razer Wolverine V2 Pro to recommend over controllers like the Victrix Pro BFG, which has more features and a premium carrying case, for much less money. For those wondering about the DualSense Edge, we think that Razer’s option is a much better-feeling gamepad. But, for the price, overall design, and user experience, we just can’t recommend it.

The verdict – 3/5

Razer’s Wolverine V2 Pro doesn’t have enough features, nor does it manage to pack enough of a premium punch to warrant its extortionate price tag. But, that doesn’t make it a bad controller. When it sings, it feels like one of the best controllers we’ve ever used, but it just has too many shortcomings to give a full recommendation.

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