Razer Kishi V2
MSRP $99.99
“The Razer Kishi V2 mostly just mimics Backbone’s design, but that’s what makes it a great mobile gaming controller.”
Pros
Extendable bridge
Microswitch buttons and D-pad
Reprogrammable buttons
Minimal latency
Sturdily constructed
Cons
Indistinguishable from Backbone
Awkward button placement
Like it or not, console-quality cell gaming is on the rise. Not solely are titles like Diablo Immortal displaying that video games don’t must be pared down as a lot from their console counterparts, however Netflix is closely investing within the house, and providers like Google Stadia, Amazon Luna, and Xbox Game Pass can help you actually play console video games in your telephone.
But except you wish to use lackluster contact controls, cell controller is important to make console-like gaming on cell price it. The authentic Razer Kishi was already among the finest cell controllers on the market, however it had just a few flaws. Razer wiped away lots of these points with the Razer Kishi V2, which was launched earlier this month.
By taking some design cues from its competitor, Backbone, the Razer Kishi V2 improves upon a stable design to create a tremendous cell sport controller that’s practically console high quality. Although it’s slightly greater than the unique Kishi, which isn’t the most effective for portability, I’m already positive this can be my go-to cell gaming controller going ahead.
No extra stretching and squashing
The authentic Razer Kishi was a superb cell gaming controller, however it could possibly be a ache to insert your telephone into it. You needed to maintain down launch latches so a stretchable help band may floppily fall again earlier than you may insert the telephone into the controller. It was a problem to stretch out and squash again into place when you took the telephone out. The Razer Kishi V2 does away with this situation by changing that help band and latch system with an extendable bridge.
To put a telephone into the Razer Kishi V2, one merely has to drag one aspect of the controller to increase the bridge and place the telephone inside. It’s method simpler to make use of and has inspired me to make use of the Razer Kishi V2 extra ceaselessly for cell and cloud gaming on my Google Pixel telephone than ever earlier than. While the extra uncovered bridge does go away me a bit fearful that it will break in half if left floating round in a bag, its sturdy construct high quality does make that unlikely.
This isn’t an authentic idea, even when it’s the most important draw of this new {hardware}. The Razer Kishi V2 could be very related in design to the opposite main cell gaming controller, the Backbone One. That controller launched this extendable bridge and even has a really related button format. While I’m content material with the Razer Kishi V2 copying many facets of the Backbone One’s design as a result of it makes the controller simpler to make use of, its similarities imply the Razer Kishi isn’t as distinctive of a controller model anymore, and the V2 is just not price it should you already personal a Backbone controller. But it does cement the extendable bridge as by far the most effective setup for cell gaming controllers going ahead.
Buttoned up
Regarding button format and really feel, the Razer Kishi V2 isn’t too dissimilar from the unique Razer Kishi, however makes some key enhancements. The microswitch face buttons (laid out like an Xbox controller) and the D-pad really feel far more satisfying to click on and use than on the unique Razer Kishi. While the D-pad nonetheless isn’t fairly pretty much as good because the one on the Xbox Series X controller, that is undoubtedly among the finest third-party controller D-pads I’ve ever felt. Its analog triggers and microswitch bumpers are well-built, making enjoying first-person shooter video games like Doom Eternal really feel higher to play than they usually do on cell controllers.
Like the unique, you possibly can even plug in a charger to the bottom-right and cost your telephone whereas enjoying. Unlike the unique, the Razer Kishi V2 not solely has a seize button, however even lets gamers remap two programmable microswitch buttons close to the triggers. These buttons are wonderful alternate options for gamers who battle with urgent the analog thumbsticks for L3 and R3 inputs, so it’s accessibility and utility characteristic.
The one massive flaw of the Razer Kishi V2’s format is the menu and Razer Nexus button placements. This button takes you to Razer Nexus, a brand new free app that organizes downloaded cell video games and recommends new ones for Razer Kishi homeowners, unlocking the complete potential of the controller’s button remapping and display seize functionalities. It’s frustratingly positioned proper above the beginning/menu button, which is utilized in virtually each sport, so I typically discovered myself by chance hitting the Razer Nexus button and going to that app once I simply needed to pause or begin a sport.
Technically, I can remap these buttons, however it doesn’t take away from the truth that it is a irritating ergonomic design selection that would’ve simply been solved by flipping these two buttons. In its present state, the Razer Nexus app isn’t that helpful except you could have many video games put in in your telephone and haven’t grouped all of them collectively. Still, because it’s free to make use of and is required to remap button controls, it’s price putting in in case you have a Razer Kishi V2. Just remember that you may by chance open this app as a substitute of utilizing the menu button rather a lot while you first begin to use the Razer Kishi V2.
Good gaming
I examined a wide range of native and cloud-based video games on cell to place the Razer Kishi V2 via its paces and bumped into nary a difficulty. Games like Stardew Valley and Shatter Remastered natively operating on my telephone instantly acknowledged the controller and performed easily afterward. As extra complicated and console-quality cell video games like Diablo Immortal proceed to emerge, you’re going to wish a controller that may deal with them. The Razer Kishi V2 seems like among the finest controllers to try this with as there’s no noticeable latency and it feels good to make use of.
Meanwhile, TMNT: Shredder’s Revenge on Xbox Game Pass, Bloodrayne 2 on Amazon Luna, and Doom Eternal on Google Stadia all proved that it is a nice cloud gaming controller that received’t add a lot further noticeable latency. If you’re an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscriber and wish to see what the cloud-supported video games look and play like on Android, the Razer Kishi V2 is a cushty controller to try this with. It’ll now be my most well-liked controller for cloud gaming going ahead, and I exploit many cloud gaming providers ceaselessly.
Whether you’re enjoying natively in your telephone or via the cloud, the Razer Kishi V2 is a helpful cell gaming controller. It’s exceptionally well-built too, so I don’t count on the damage and tear that comes with frequent controller use to set in for fairly a while.
Our take
The Razer Kishi V2 loses slightly little bit of its individuality by intently copying the Backbone One. Still, it’s an especially well-built and extremely customizable cell gaming controller that may help your gaming habits, whether or not they’re occurring natively in your telephone or within the cloud.
Is there a greater different?
The Razer Kish V2’s design is sort of just like the Backbone One, and you’ll’t go incorrect selecting both of them.
How lengthy will it final?
The Razer Kishi V2 feels very sturdy and durable, so I believe this cell gaming controller will final you a few years (or not less than till the Raser Kishi V3 inevitability comes out).
Should you purchase it?
Yes, should you plan to begin enjoying extra video video games in your telephone, contemplate selecting up the Razer Kishi V2 to boost that have. It’s a transparent enchancment over the unique Razer Kishi, so it’s price upgrading.
The Razer Kishi V2 for Android is out there now. A model of the controller for iOS is within the works and may launch later this 12 months.
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