The Razer Wolverine V2 controller is a big step up from the standard Xbox design

Razer is a company that continues to impress me. It has so many gaming-related products these days that combine quality with good design. I remember when it was a bit of a joke to consider buying anything besides the OEM brand for controllers. I won’t name any names, but you definitely wanted the Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft-made products. Companies like Razer have turned my opinion in recent years though, thanks to products like the Wolverine V2.

To be clear, I haven’t done a hands-on with this particular model (yet). I have been able to experience the Wolverine Ultimate Tournament Edition though for Fortnite. It makes my standard Xbox controller seem like a joke in terms of performance. While the Wolverine V2 lacks the paddles that the Ultimate features, it looks to make up for that with better comfort and affordability. It still isn’t cheap, coming in at $99.99 USD, but it does place itself neatly in between the cost of an Xbox standard controller and the Elite.

Your hands will thank you

What immediately stands out to me is the refined appearance of the Razer Wolverine V2. It features rubberized grips like you get on the Elite in addition to some green stripes that accentuate the design. The shape looks great, too. According to Razer, the V2 features a redesigned ergonomic shape to allow better access to bumpers and triggers. While it will take some experience to say whether or not that is true, I am always open to the possibility of improved comfort. Things have come a long way since the days of holding the original Duke Xbox controller.

You still get some extra functionality with the Wolverine V2 though, despite the lack of paddles. There are two extra mappable buttons featured next to the bumpers, which are sure to be useful for any game that features an array of input options. Again, I cite Fortnite simply because these helped me speed up my builds and edits tremendously by allowing my thumb to stay on the look stick at all times.

You’re sure to benefit in similarly fast-paced games too, where you can remove button cycling mistakes from the equation. Speaking of remapping, you can download Razer’s Controller Setup software from the Windows Store to fine-tune your preferences. This is another thing I can’t emphasize the importance of enough. Developers are getting better about including in-game options for controller tuning, but with this software, you can ensure your settings are global.

Razer also advertises that the controller features better button and trigger responses over standard “membrane” controllers. You’ve got me on what that means, but I did like the responsiveness of the Wolverine Ultimate.

The one thing I didn’t like was the placement of the remappable buttons. Those with shorter fingers like me will struggle to reach them. For this reason, I found the paddles on the Ultimate a lot more practical.

It comes with compromises

When considering the Wolverine V2, just bear in mind that it’s a wired controller. It features a 3.5 mm audio jack output, but that won’t be any good if you plan to use a microphone. It doesn’t feature Bluetooth support, either. Last but not least, I feel it is necessary to mention there’s no RGB. This is Razer we’re talking about, after all. You can get some RGB Chroma on the Ultimate if you feel so inclined though.

I could go on, but I’ll leave you with this. The Razer Wolverine V2 is a clear step up from the standard Xbox design and it definitely looks worth the price for some of the Elite features without the Elite pricing. I’m still not sure if I would select this over the Ultimate, but it does look good for general gaming.