Anybody wants a slice of the rising popularity of eSports. Even Microsoft itself is vying for the attending of competitive gamers with the release of the Xbox 1 Elite controller.

Ane company who was doing eSports earlier the term even existed is Razer. Information technology's been in the premium gaming peripheral marketplace since 2005, and while pricey, information technology has certainly released plenty of quality devices ranging from mice to gaming tablets.

When Razer kickoff put its Wildcat controller out there, I was quite excited. Coming in with the exact aforementioned $150 RRP as the Xbox I Elite (though discounted to $130 at the fourth dimension of review), information technology seems similar a viable competitor.

Setting Upwards The Controller

This seems like an odd section to lead with in a controller review. How much setup can there possibly exist? In the case of the Wildcat, there's a bit (though much of information technology is optional), and it'southward i of the things I virtually dislike about it.

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In all the promotional pictures you'll notice for the Razer Wildcat, you'll come across it with some slick looking green grips on the handles of the controller. Every bit it turns out, those grips don't come fastened to the controller out of the box. Instead, they're two big stickers that you need to put on the thing yourself. I assume Razer wanted to make information technology so the grips were optional for players who preferred non to have them, simply unfortunately, putting them on is a pain in the butt, and once they're on, they're on for good (you lot can remove them, but you lot won't exist able to put them back, equally the agglutinative volition lose it's grip).

I think I did a decent task of attaching them, and even all the same, in that location are a few lumps and areas on the border where it's not attached. Try as I might, I'yard not a machine in an assembly line and I'll never exist able to install them as well every bit 1. For a controller that costs $150, nothing about attaching stickers to it feels premium. Compared the Xbox One Aristocracy, with its comfortable rubber grips built in, it'due south dark and day.

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Continuing with the setup, there's also safety grips that go over the joysticks. Once more, these are optional, but dissimilar the stickers, they tin can be removed and replaced as needed. They're non hard to slide on, and while information technology doesn't alter the feel quite equally much as the Xbox One Aristocracy's swapable joysticks, they're grippy and they feel good.

Really getting the controller running on Xbox One or PC is easy. You plug it in via the included USB cablevision (you have to use the one in the box, as the port on the tiptop of the controller is shaped in such a fashion that other cables won't fit), and become.

The Extra Buttons and Features

These controllers are all about adding features that are designed to improve your operation in competitive games without whatever kind of cheating. In the example of the Wildcat, this comes in the form of two actress buttons on the top of the controller and two on the dorsum of the controller. These buttons tin can be remapped to any other button on the controller, and in nigh cases, you'll remap the confront buttons to them to foreclose yourself from needing to move your thumb off the right stick to hitting them.

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Personally, I never use the rear buttons on controller like this. I discover that I hit them by mistake too often. Once I finished reviewing the Xbox One Elite, I removed the rear triggers and went back to normal. I only found that I hit them by mistake too often and it just didn't feel comfortable to me.

On the Wildcat, however, I actually do really like the choice of putting extra buttons on the top of the controller. They're not in the way similar ones on the back, and then you can freely employ or ignore them every bit information technology suits your style. They're positioned in such a fashion that you just demand to move your fingers forrad from the triggers to striking them. Different the rear buttons, I actually use these quite frequently while playing games, specifically in shooters.

There are rear buttons on the Wildcat, and they're peachy at all. Instead of the quick release magnets on the Aristocracy, it uses a more clicky, traditional button. To remove it, y'all need to utilize the included hex screwdriver to accept off 1 piece. From there, you push the other piece downwardly into the controller. I understand why Razer made this choice, as it gives the buttons a unlike feel, but it besides makes it then you lot're a flake more than committed to buttons on or off.

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There are locks for the triggers as well, which is a pretty standard feature of premium controllers. If you're playing a shooter with semi-automatic guns, this allows you to pop off shots a bit faster, which might give you a bit of a competitive advantage (of course, if everyone has a controller similar this, that reward goes abroad).

One identify where Razer'southward controller actually shines is with it'southward on-the-fly contour creation and button editing. With the Xbox One Elite, you have the use the Xbox Accessories app to fix what the triggers will do. With the Razer, yous but have to concur a couple buttons downwardly on the controller itself. Razer includes instructions to practice information technology, and it's definitely easy plenty once you get the hang of it. It feels opposite of the physical form of the rear triggers, which prevents quick adjustments, but it's nonetheless nice, particularly if you're the type of player who switches games frequently.

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But - at that place's no wireless back up. Razer says information technology's because eSports players need the performance of a wired controller, and that's truthful enough in a tournament settings, only at $150, this controller is one that's meant to be used everyday, and not having wireless makes that an annoyance. With the Aristocracy, you can apply the controller wired if yous want, only you tin besides unplug the USB cable and get wireless. It's 2016; having a controller that needs to exist wired just feels ridiculous. Even more so when you're talking virtually i that costs double what a standard wireless one sells for.

The Experience

At this price, feel is everything. This controller is marketed at people who will be using information technology for many hours at a fourth dimension. Presumably, a proficient percentage of players buying a controller similar this will exist professional gamers who will be using this to make a living.

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Thankfully, the Mutiny is quite comfortable to use. The biggest difference between this and Elite is the weight. While Microsoft opted to requite the Aristocracy a real sense of heft, Razer went the other way and made this ane lighter than boilerplate. Neither ane is wrong, as information technology all comes down to a thing of personal preference. I similar a heavy controller, just I still didn't dislike the weight of the Razer.

The same grips do experience good, though I was able to experience the bumps around the edges where the imperfections of my attachment job shown through. After using information technology for a while, I flattened them out and eventually forgot they were there, but your milage may vary depending on how well (or poorly), yous stick them on.

The face buttons are great. They're very clicky and they experience super responsive -- mayhap more so than the default Xbox One or Aristocracy controller, though information technology's hard to say for certain. What I can say for sure is that the face buttons are ane of the best parts of the controller, and they feel fantastic for fighting games (though just about all high-level fighting game players will probably opt for a dedicated fight stick over a controller).

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The joysticks are okay. The head of the stick is a bit wider than the ones offered on other controllers, and they felt a bit weird to me. They're also a bit flatter. With the included grip, your fingers won't slide off at all, but something about the joysticks still felt a bit off to me. And they're non removable, so if you find that yous experience the aforementioned every bit me, you're stuck with them.

The triggers and bumpers are comfortable. The addition of the extra buttons near the triggers won't impact performance in a bad mode, and everything is accessible and easy to get to.

The d-pad features four separate buttons -- one for each direction. It reminds me a bit of the PlayStation controller's directional buttons, and I have no complaints about it. It's precise, and information technology does the task well.

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Putting it all together, the Razer Mutiny has an above average feel. However, nigh every flaw that it has isn't present on the Xbox Ane Elite controller. Perchance is the Razer was cheaper than the Elite, it wouldn't exist an issue, but at roughly the same price, I have a difficult fourth dimension seeing whatever reason to purchase this one over Microsoft's offering.

The Skillful and The Bad

For those of who desire a quick look at the controller and whether or non information technology'due south worth a buying, here's quick breakdown that'll steer you lot in the right direction.

The Skillful Stuff

  • Comfy feel
  • Lightweight
  • On-the-fly profile cosmos
  • Solid build quality
  • Clicky, responsive face buttons
  • Fantastic location for second fix of triggers
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The Bad Stuff

  • Hand grips difficult to apply
  • No wireless option
  • No support for original Xbox One headsets
  • Hex screwdriver required to change rear buttons
  • Triggers don't experience as skilful equally Xbox I Elite
  • No customization of d-pad or joysticks

[recommend]While the Razer Wildcat is a solid premium controller in a vacuum, the fact is, the Xbox Ane Elite controller costs roughly the same amount and reamins the best controller I've e'er used. Just buy the Elite and you'll be much happier.[/recommend]

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Virtually The Author

Dave LeClair (1463 Manufactures Published)

Dave LeClair is a author for MUO.

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