If you're a fan of colorful lighting or own other Razer gaming hardware, you'll be glad to know that the Wolverine V2 Pro has some familiar light strips that frame its face. I say familiar because these are taken straight from the Chroma edition, and are controllable through the Razer Chroma RGB software. These are really nice design touches in my eyes, and make the controller as a whole feel so distinct from its rivals. Once inside the profile of your choice, you can map the six multi-function buttons to your choosing, as well as the standard View and Menu buttons. For the Chroma RGB lighting options, you can choose between a static color, a breathing effect, spectrum cycling, or no color at all. Similar to other Razer products that feature Chroma RGB, you can choose between 16.8 million different colors. Another thing you won’t find on most other Razer controllers is the Razer Chroma RGB lighting that adorns the faceplate of the Razer Wolverine V2 Pro, a feature only seen on the previous Razer Wolverine V2 Chroma. It looks nice but is a largely superficial inclusion rather than a standout accessory. One aspect to note about this controller is that it’s quite a bit heftier than both the Wolverine V2 Chroma and standard DualSense controller. The Wolverine V2 Pro measures 167.5mm wide, compared to the DualSense at 160mm and V2 Chroma at 161.5mm. As far as weight goes, it’s 10g heavier than its predecessor at 280g, which matches the DualSense in weight, despite not having any internal haptics. Overall, the shape is much more similar to the Xbox controller than a standard PlayStation controller with a taller face and stubbier grips. Speaking of face buttons, or as Razer refers to them – “Mecha-Tactile Action Buttons” – these are easily the most unique buttons I’ve used on a controller. Similar to those found on the previous Razer Wolverine Ultimate controller, these buttons are designed to be faster and require less actuation – or travel distance – than standard controllers. In fact, Razer claims they feature up to 40% faster actuation than other controllers.

Okay, so before we talk about the other features, I feel it’s appropriate to first gush about how good the buttons feel. Personally, I’m a big fan of the mechanical-style used in most of the buttons on the Wolverine V2 and it makes a noticeable difference in both gameplay and aesthetic feel. With Chroma lighting on, battery life is a quoted 10 hours, and without, a full charge is said to last you up to 28 hours. I certainly found 28 hours to be the case, and even with lighting on it seemed to last longer than 10. Regardless, this has one of the best battery lives of all the modern pro controllers I've tested, and that shouldn't be forgotten. One of the big caveats to this controller is the fact that it can only be used wired, despite having a removable USB-C cable. While the cable itself features a generous 10-foot length, this definitely requires you to sit closer to your console, which may not always be possible depending on how far your entertainment center is from your couch or chair. Having virtually no latency is crucial for competitive play, and wired really is the best option for that, but not having an optional wireless or Bluetooth mode feels like a miss. While not a bad controller, you’re missing out on so many features for the sake of ‘competitive gaming’ when other gamepads have had similar functionality at a fraction of the cost, such as the Nacon Revolution Unlimited from a couple of years ago. You may be better off waiting for the official DualSense Edge if you want eSports-level play without sacrifice, or going third-party with the Scuf Gaming Reflex Pro. Both are cheaper than Razer’s, with the Reflex Pro allowing you to customize every component of the pad. Should I buy the Razer Wolverine V2 Pro? Buy if… I spent a good amount of time bouncing between various game genres to really get a feel for what the Wolverine V2 Chroma had to offer and how it performed in different scenarios. I was largely impressed with the controller’s performance, despite some inconsistencies with the D-pad.The Wolverine V2 Chroma does also feature Chroma support, something that most consumers will not overlook as Razer makes sure to brand their peripherals appropriately. Slight jab aside, I’ll always welcome more Chroma products into my household, even if they can’t be connected into some quirky lightshow fit only for boasting about to other gamers on reddit. No product is perfect, and the Razer Wolverine V2 Chroma is no exception. The most notable and obvious omission is wirelessness. As I mentioned earlier, Corsair owns the patent for wireless gamepads, which puts limitations on the tech's use. The Wolverine V2 Chroma comes with a detachable USB-C cable this time, although I'm not sure exactly why you'd ever want to detach it. Given that USB-C doesn't anchor itself into ports as well as Micro-USB does, I'm not sure this was the best choice. Up top, there are some comfortable triggers, your usual shoulders, and two additional bumpers buttons. As is common for a lot of controllers these days, there are trigger stops, although only with one level. The LT and RT trigger buttons come with a nifty toggle stop that reduces the distance needed to completely activate the triggers. This can be useful for games which don’t really need you to partially push down the trigger button. When playing in the 2.4GHz wireless mode, you can expect a very generous 28 hours of battery life – significantly more than the DualSense and DualSense Edge controllers. However, when using the Chroma RGB, this is reduced to around 10 hours. Either way, this is still a respectable battery life for a rechargeable wireless controller.

It's surprising to see Razer use the Wolverine name on a PlayStation gamepad, as previously it reserved that for its line of Xbox-only controllers. In look, the Wolverine V2 Pro resembles a Razer Raiju, the manufacturer's PS4 controller line, but that name hasn't been used in this instance. On the whole, the latest Wolverine weighs in at 279g - approximately one less gram than the original DualSense, and lighter than the DualSense Edge. It's the V2 Pro's wide frame and girth that makes it feel hefty then, since it feels a lot chunkier than 279g would let on. EU Declaration of Conformity for Abyssus Lite & Goliathus Mobile Construct Ed. Bundle (RZ83-0273).pdf This brings me to my other issue with these buttons. They look fairly plush thanks to the texture scores through them, but they feel extremely firm to the press, which makes them yet harder to use. It's such a shame because had they been set along the grips, or even been a little less central to the controller's spine, it would have made a big difference. The additional bumpers, on the other hand, are fantastic and gave me extra functionality in HUNT: Showdown beyond other pro controllers. The Wolverine V2 Chroma features six additional multi-function buttons that can be customized to suit your playstyle. Two mini bumper-style buttons sit atop the controller, offset a bit from the standard left and right bumpers. I really enjoyed the placement of these buttons as they were both easy to reach and didn’t require me to retrain my brain to use them. I could honestly see a future in which these buttons become standardized on controllers as they feel so natural and at home next to the bumpers and triggers.The Razer Controller Setup companion software for the Wolverine controllers, readily available for Xbox consoles as well as PC, will be the go-to destination for all your customization needs. You can easily remap the buttons, cycle through various profiles and even configure the Chroma lighting albeit you won’t be able to sync it to other connected peripherals from what we can see. Still, the V2 Chroma comes in cheaper than Microsoft's Xbox Elite Series 2 controller (although Microsoft's offering is wireless) and is a viable option for the competitive player looking for a highly customizable controller without having to worry about input lag. I decided to test the Razer Wolverine V2 Pro in a series of different games available on my PS5 console, and that’s where I started to miss features from my DualSense. Getting deep into a chaotic battle in God of War Ragnarok didn’t have the same weight to it, with no rumble or resistance in the triggers. The same was true of The Callisto Protocol and other story-driven titles I tried out. Now, it’s far from the main focus of a pad like this, so if you’re considering getting this as a catch-all DualSense replacement, you may need to look elsewhere. On the other hand, there's a lot to be praised in Razer's latest Wolverine. It's a fitting competitor to the DualSense Edge, and shows how truly beneficial extra buttons are. Moreover, it has some of the best battery life you'll find. Particularly if you like a chunky controller, this is a true heavyweight. If you enjoy the features of the DualSense controller, then you’re not going to enjoy the fact that the Wolverine V2 Pro strips them out. It’s a basic and no-frills experience with a price that suggests otherwise.