The Razer Wolverine V3 Pro 8K PC controller was not built for me, but admittedly, this has more to do with me as a gamer than the controller itself. I grew up playing the PlayStation 3 and PS4 consoles, cutting my teeth on slim, compact DualSense controllers. Over the past five years, I've gamed exclusively on my PC and have grown accustomed to the increased precision of a mouse and keyboard.
The Razer Wolverine V3 Pro 8K PC controller is the antithesis of a DualSense controller. It's a chunky piece of hardware that might feel natural if you were raised on an Xbox and its bulky controllers, but it took me multiple gaming sessions to get acclimated to the sheer size of the Wolverine V3 and how it fit into my hands, especially since I don't use a claw grip.
Size aside, this is a PC controller with every bell and whistle you can think of -- and its price of $200 reflects that. The 8,000Hz polling rate ensures buttery smooth inputs with no lag, and tunnel magnetoresistance joysticks make every in-game movement feel fluid and calculated. Six extra remappable buttons help you up your game -- they're super handy for hero shooters like Marvel Rivals and hectic games like Battlefield 6. This is a premium product for gamers who are hoarding some serious hardware.
Its price is in line with other premium controllers. One of CNET's best Xbox controllers is the Wolverine V3 Pro for Xbox, which also costs $200. Similar controllers like the Scuf Instinct Pro and Vitrix Pro BFG are in the same ballpark, pricewise, but the Wolverine V3 Pro 8K PC has a winning combination of competitive variables that make it feel exceptionally easy to use.
This controller is chock full of top-of-the-line technology and feels satisfying to use, but it needs to clear a high bar to feel truly worthwhile as a dedicated PC controller.
The Wolverine V3 Pro's back paddles and trigger locks are standout features that make it a more competitive controller than its competitors. Tyler Graham/CNET
Chunky controller, satisfying feedback
When CNET's Josh Goldman reviewed the Wolverine V3 Pro Xbox wireless controller, he called it "just about perfect." If it isn't broken, don't fix it: Razer replicated many of its successes with the Wolverine V3 Pro PC controller.
The Wolverine V3 Pro 8K PC is the same size as the Wolverine V3 Pro Xbox controller, which is to say it's a bit chunkier than a standard Xbox wireless controller, but it's surprisingly much lighter than its Xbox cousin. It weighs just 220 grams, which is appreciably lighter than the Xbox version that weighs 304 grams. And while the Wolverine V3 Pro 8K PC is nowhere near as slim as a DualSense controller, it's still much lighter than its Sony competitor -- a stock DualSense controller weighs 280 grams.
Every button on this controller has a crisp, clean clickiness that scratches the same mental itch that a good mechanical keyboard might. Whether you're gripping the trigger, pressing a button or squeezing one of the four remappable back paddles, you'll hear incredibly satisfying auditory feedback that leaves no doubt that the controller is receiving your inputs. At one point, while I sat through a particularly long matchmaking queue, I found myself squeezing the triggers to entertain myself -- the snappy pops were enough to keep me off TikTok.
... continue reading