The Razer Wolverine V2 is the second iteration in the Wolverine line which graced our gaming presence in late 2017. It was met with a great response which even sparked a tournament edition (TE) version to be made. The Wolverine is known for its plethora of buttons and the ability to switch out the D-pad and even the joysticks for longer or shorter sticks, that are all supplied. The Wolverine was arguably one of the only controllers to take the fight to the Microsoft Elite controller. Much like all of us, the Wolverine has aged and with age comes a sense of maturing. When we were younger we all liked and wanted the flashy and loud things in life. But time has changed us, as has it changed the Wolverine…
Let’s take a look at the latest version of the Razer Wolverine V2!
Design & Features
The Wolverine V1 arrived and blew us away with all of its fancy RGB lights, many mappable buttons, a polarizing fixed cable design, and the wonderful audio control buttons that were featured on the TE version. The Wolverine V2 has decided to focus more on refining an already great product, to make it simply great! First up, Razer has improved the ergonomics of the Wolverine V2 by creating more rounded and fatter handles which are easier to grip as well as reducing the hand and palm fatigue that is caused by gripping the controller tight in stressful situations. Razer has also changed the shape of the handle as a whole allowing you to reach the triggers with more ease while sitting more secure in your hand. textured grips also help the feel of the Wolverine V2 in-hand.
Razer has also opted to drop the RGB light strip for a more pro-gamer esthetic feel, instead, the Wolverine V2 face and handles are separated by a Razer Green piping giving the Wolverine V2 a very industrial look. Buttons on the face have also been updated to match the new generation of Xbox consoles that now feature the share button in the center. The menu and options buttons have been angled and placed right on the edge of the controller. This might be one of the few mistakes that Razer has made because for someone with shorter fingers, like myself I am unable to reach these buttons without moving my grip on the controller. Not a massive issue but if refining is the order of the day, these small points are crucial.
The other new face button that sits right under the quick share button is the new volume control. The previous wolverine, and pretty much every controller before it other than the TE, made changing volume and chat mixing a tedious chore that involved pausing and going into menus. With the new volume button, simply holding it and using the left and right on the D-pad will have your volume up and downing without having to waste any time. The Wolverine V2 does not have the audio controllers that its older brother, the TE version, has but the 3.5mm jack is still present and with the above-mentioned audio controls, the extra features of the TE is nearly obsolete. The Joysticks on the Wolverine V2 are not interchangeable like on the V1 which is slightly sad as, personally, I enjoy a longer convex left stick and a concave right stick. The lack of interchangeable sticks must have been a conscious decision from Razer and it sure does bring the cost of the Wolverine V2 more in line with that of its direct competitors, like the standard Series controllers.
Features
The original Wolverine boasted 4 remappable buttons, Razer has taken an educated decision to remove two of these buttons and leave the Wolverine V2 with only two. Some may say this is a bad move but realistically, I think two buttons are more than adequate. The remappable buttons are placed at the front of the Wolverine V2 close by the triggers and bumpers. Like the Wolverine V1, the V2 features the trigger stops on both the LT and RT triggers. This allows for the trigger actuation points to be moved, allowing for short press actuations in games such as shooters, or long trigger points that are great for racing games. This is a feature that takes some getting used to especially the short triggers, but once you have experienced it you won’t want to go back. Much like the Razer Hypershift feature in their gaming mice, the Wolverine V2 allows for stick sensitivity to be adjusted at a touch of a pre-assigned key. On top of that deadzones can also be set which is a great feature.
When it comes to the ABXY buttons, Razer has gone with the motto: if it isn’t broke, don’t fix it! The buttons are mecha-tactile switches. This means they are not membrane switches like the standard Xbox controllers. The mechanical switches are splendidly crisp and have a travel distance of only a mere 0.65mm. That is 35% less than the standard membrane keys of the normal controllers. I can assure you that this is very noticeable and the response that you gain due to this distance will also be noticeable!
Verdict
The very first point that comes to mind when making a decision on the Wolverine V2 is the wired feature. For many, this might be a problem but with a cable that is long enough for most setups, it should not be a problem. Another aspect to take into consideration is the fact that the Wolverine V2 is set to retail around the R2 000 mark. With the standard Xbox Series S/X controller coming in at around R 1 500, spending the extra couple of Rands for all the added features doesn’t sound like such a terrible idea anymore now does it… The lack of interchangeable joysticks does take away from the charm slightly, but nothing too drastic.
With improved ergonomics, better comfort, and wonderful build quality, 2 remappable buttons, pair that with the adjustable triggers and fantastic mechanical ABXY buttons and the Wolverine is the undoubted go-to controller at the moment! The more mature and refined Razer Wolverine V2 is without a doubt the king of the non-Xbox controllers and unless the wired feature poses a life-altering threat to your controller purchase, there is no reason why you should not be spending your hard-earned cash on this masterpiece.
special thanks to Apex Interactive for supplying the review content
