Latest news with #KishiV3ProXL
The Verge
3 days ago
- The Verge
Razer's new mobile controller can stretch wide enough to fit an iPad Pro
The iPad Mini is no longer the biggest tablet you can fit into a mobile gaming controller (without breaking it a little). Razer's new $199.99 Kishi V3 Pro XL can accommodate a 13-inch iPad or Android tablet that uses a USB-C connector. It's like Razer's 2013 Edge, in spirit at least. My 10.9-inch iPad Air is a cinch to fit inside of the Kishi V3 Pro XL, and having even this large of a screen to play on is a treat. How could it not be? Not only that, its speakers sound fantastic for playing games. The ability to fit a huge tablet is the key feature of the Kishi V3 Pro XL specifically, but it shares other gen-to-gen improvements with the smaller, cheaper Kishi V3 options in the lineup: the $99.99 V3 and $149.99 V3 Pro. Razer says that the Kishi V3's design was inspired by its own Wolverine V3 Pro Xbox controller (our pick for the best alternative to the Xbox Elite Series 2), which was clear to me as I got some gaming time in with the XL. All the controllers in the Kishi V3 lineup include full-size TMR joysticks (with swappable caps), which use magnets instead of physical contacts for registering inputs, and thus aren't prone to stick drift. The controller grips are more pronounced and are covered in an etched texture to keep them snug in your hands. The pair of configurable macro buttons near the triggers from prior Kishi models are present in the Kishi V3 Pro XL, along with a new second pair around the rear of the grips. The V3 Pro and V3 Pro XL support haptics, but only on Android, or when connected to a computer via USB-C cable (not included). I had a great time testing GeForce Now on the Steam Deck, so I wanted to take advantage of the Kishi V3 Pro XL to try it on an iPad's larger screen. Not that it's Razer's fault, but it's more difficult to get GeForce Now running on an iPad, since Apple's App Store policies require streaming experiences to run through a browser, not through their own dedicated apps. Once I got it running, the game window fit the iPad's aspect ratio almost perfectly, save for small black bars on the left and right sides of the screen in landscape mode. This won't be an issue if your tablet has a 16:9 aspect ratio. Despite my fast internet speeds, visual quality looked worse on the iPad Air than it does on the Steam Deck OLED. That could be because the iPad has a much larger screen and a significantly higher resolution that make it a lot easier to see visual artifacts in a cloud streaming session. Still, latency felt good enough that I could complete parries in Expedition 33: Clair Obscur. The moment the Kishi V3 Pro XL clicked with me was when I launched Razer's somewhat-new PC Remote Play experience. It performs really well, if you're okay with installing Razer apps on your PC. You'll need Razer Cortex, which lets you run games on your PC and stream them to your handheld. Cortex makes the feed look fantastic, taking full advantage of the iPad's screen resolution. Steam's Link app works just fine, too, and it's a convenient option if you're accustomed to using a Steam Deck since it has a similar interface. With my iPad Air installed, the Kishi V3 Pro XL setup weighs about 1.7 pounds, which is over a fourth of a pound heavier than the Steam Deck OLED, and just a touch heavier than the new Xbox ROG Ally handheld. It's a little too cumbersome to hold comfortably with one hand, even if just for a moment to itch my shoulder. I assumed this would be the case, though it's worth keeping in mind if you have an even bigger tablet than me. Still, it's a comfortable two-handed experience if you're hunkered down on the couch. The Kishi V3Pro XL has less direct competition than the rest of the Kishi V3 lineup. Backbone's $169.99 Pro controller doesn't attempt to fit devices larger than a phone. But unlike the Kishi V3 series, it can be used as a standalone Bluetooth controller for your other devices — including tablets — when a phone isn't wedged into it. The GameSir G8 Plus is a cheaper option at $79.99, and can stretch to fit an iPad Mini or the original Nintendo Switch, but it can't fit a full-sized iPad like the Kishi V3 Pro XL can. While I'm not thrilled with the $199.99 price, there's an audience that's been asking for something like the Kishi V3 Pro XL to exist and will probably pay for it. It's a great way to use your tablet as a console-like gaming device, putting its screen and speakers front and center. As for me, I'm thrilled to have more fun things to do with my iPad Air instead of using it exclusively as a Ms. Rachel device for our one year old (no shade to Ms. Rachel).
Android Authority
3 days ago
- Android Authority
Razer Kishi V3 family gives you three choices for your next mobile controller
TL;DR Razer launched three telescopic mobile controllers today: the Kishi V3, Kishi V3 Pro, and Kishi V3 Pro XL. The Kishi V3 Pro is the follow-up to 2024's Kishi Ultra, while the Kishi V3 removes some premium features to bring the price down. The Kishi V3 will cost $99, the Kishi V3 Pro will cost $149, and the Kishi V3 Pro XL will cost $199. In April 2024, Razer launched the Kishi Ultra ($149.99 at Amazon), its top-of-the-line telescopic mobile controller. It had almost all the bells and whistles you could think of — and a premium price tag to match. While it was feature-rich and sleek, a $150 mobile controller was a tough pill to swallow, especially when competitors offer controllers with similar designs and even more features for much less. Now, Razer is launching not one but three telescopic mobile controllers in the Razer Kishi V3 family. Compared to the Kishi Ultra, they offer a less premium, lower-cost option alongside a direct follow-up and a model that even takes the Ultra one step further. Let's start with the direct follow-up, the Razer Kishi V3 Pro. Razer Kishi V3 Pro C. Scott Brown / Android Authority The Kishi V3 Pro looks a lot like the Kishi Ultra. It has a USB-C connector for attaching to your phone or small tablet (up to eight inches), no Bluetooth, offset sticks, an eight-way D-Pad, mecha-tactile face buttons in the Western ABXY style, a 3.5mm headphone jack, a USB-C passthrough port, and full-sized ergonomic grips. The first difference you'll notice, though, is that the RGB lighting is gone. This is unfortunate considering how much Razer prides itself on its Chroma RGB features, but oh well. Outside of pretty lights, the Kishi V3 Pro has some new tunnel magnetoresistant (TMR) thumbsticks. In many ways, these are superior to even hall-effect thumbsticks in terms of precision and preventing drift. This is a significant upgrade, too, because the Kishi Ultra did not have even hall-effect sticks — a major omission for a $150 controller. The Kishi V3 Pro follows up the Kishi Ultra with TMR sticks, swappable stick caps, and additional mouse-click buttons. Speaking of thumbsticks, the Kishi V3 Pro also supports swappable caps. In the box, you'll find two additional caps: one with a domed top and a short stem and another with a concave top and an extended stem. Depending on your preferences, these can replace either the right or left sticks. Razer also added two more buttons to the controller. They live on the back and are mouse-click style multi-function buttons. The two claw-grip bumpers next to the analog triggers are still here from the Kishi Ultra, too, so there are plenty of extra buttons for you to work with. Outside of these alterations, the Kishi V3 Pro is basically the same as the Kishi Ultra. It even has the same $149 price. That price earned the Kishi Ultra a lot of scorn, especially considering that controller's lack of hall-effect/TMR sticks. The fact that the V3 Pro fixes that while also offering swappable sticks and two more buttons might make people less antagonistic toward this model, but time will tell on that one. Razer Kishi V3 Pro Razer Kishi V3 Pro Swappable TMR sticks • Four extra customizable buttons • Powerful free companion software MSRP: $149.99 Razer's Kishi series gets even better. Swappable TMR sticks and lots of extra customizable buttons make this a powerful telescopic mobile controller. See price at Amazon Razer Kishi V3 C. Scott Brown / Android Authority The biggest complaint about the Kishi Ultra was its price, especially when the very similar Gamesir G8 Plus ($79.99 at Amazon) offered similar features for much less money. Razer appears to have heard that criticism and responded with the Razer Kishi V3. The Kishi V3 abandons a few of the premium features of the Ultra to keep the price down. First, and most noticeably, the full-sized grips have been shaved down. They are still comfortable, but they are not as good as the ones on the Ultra and Kishi V3 Pro. Elsewhere, the Kishi V3 Pro's swappable thumbstick caps are not here, although they are still TMR. Razer swapped out its mecha-tactile face buttons for standard ones and also brought over a typical four-way D-Pad in place of the nicer eight-way model on the V3 Pro and Ultra. The Kishi V3 abandons many premium features of the Pro to keep the price down, including the bonkers omission of any haptic motors. The most notable omission, though, is haptics. Unlike in the Pro models (and the Ultra), there is no haptic motor in the controller at all, so you won't get any rumble effects as you play. This might be a deal-breaker for some. Finally, the Kishi V3 doesn't have the claw-grip buttons of the V3 Pro and Ultra models. The new mouse-click style buttons on the back are there, but that's it as far as additional ways to control your game. Because of these omissions, the Razer Kishi V3 comes down to $99. That's nice to see and should quell some of the hate towards the so-called 'Razer tax.' However, once again, there are controllers from competitors that offer all these features for less money. Razer Kishi V3 Razer Kishi V3 Perfect for large tablets • Swappable TMR sticks • Lots of extra buttons MSRP: $99.99 More customizable than ever. The Razer Kishi V3 improves on the V2 base model with swappable TMR sticks and extra buttons. See price at Amazon Razer Kishi V3 Pro XL Razer Finally, we have the biggest one of them all: the Razer Kishi V3 Pro XL. Before you rush off to buy this one because you think it must be the best, be sure to note that this is not what you're expecting it to be. Rather than being just like the Kishi V3 Pro but better, it is actually just the Kishi V3 Pro but for bigger connected devices. Don't be deceived: the Kishi V3 Pro XL isn't better than the regular Pro. It's just bigger and only accommodates 10-inch tablets or larger. Razer said some customers wished their Kishi Ultra could support tablets larger than eight inches. To make this work (and keep it comfortable to use), Razer needed to rethink the basic functionality of the telescopic mobile controller form factor. The result is the Kishi V3 Pro XL. This controller does everything the Kishi V3 Pro does, but it only does it for tablets sized between 10 and 13 inches. In other words, this model will not work for phones. Because of the extra materials needed to accommodate tablets, the Kishi V3 Pro XL is the most expensive in the family at $199. Razer Kishi V3 Pro XL Razer Kishi V3 Pro XL TMR sticks • Relatively lightweight • Customizable back buttons MSRP: $199.99 See price at Amazon Availability and perks C. Scott Brown / Android Authority Regardless of which model you choose, all the new controllers in the Razer Kishi V3 family are on sale starting today, June 12, 2025. You can buy them directly from Razer or many of its third-party partner stores. As a sweet perk, anyone who purchases a Kishi V3 controller will get free months of an Apple Arcade subscription. For the Kishi V3 and V3 Pro, you'll get three months free. For the Kishi V3 Pro XL, you'll get six months of free access.
