I swore by the default Xbox Wireless Controller for many years thanks to its reliable wireless performance, ergonomic and attractive design, and accessible price tag. Well, I haven't touched any of my default controllers for months now.
That's because I've been using the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro I helped review, and it's the first true wireless Xbox controller from Razer designed around unlocking your best gaming performance.
It's packed with features and supposedly immune to stick drift (the dreaded death sentence for many a controller), and I've loved using it. The Razer Wolverine V3 Pro is one of the best Xbox controllers we've tested, and now it's available in a brand-new color.
Right, that's not too exciting on its own, but being able to see some real pictures (instead of idealized renders) and hear the thoughts of someone who has actually been using this controller may help you decide if it's the next peripheral for you.
First impressions of the Razer Wolverine V3 White Edition
The Razer Wolverine V3 Pro doesn't quite follow the iconic shape of the Xbox Wireless Controller, but still manages to be extremely comfortable and ergonomic on its own. Initial build quality also feels excellent, and the new White Edition possesses all the same qualities.
Unboxing the new Wolverine V3 Pro was a familiar experience. There's the premium, black travel case with dedicated slots for the two thumbstick replacements (still one of each type), the color-matched USB Type-A dongle for Razer HyperSpeed Wireless across Xbox and Windows PC, and the long 10ft, braided USB Type-C to USB Type-A cable (which is not color matched, sadly).
The controller itself feels the same in the hand, but it's now a two-tone design. The entire body and grips are dominated by white, as well as the Menu, View, Share, and Function buttons, but all other buttons, thumbsticks, and triggers are black.
It looks incredibly clean. It may just be because my PC setup (which has been almost entirely black for years) has started to shift to white in recent months, but I really like it.
How does it compare to the regular Wolverine V3 Pro?
I don't take full advantage of the Wolverine V3 Pro's many features, like using all six of the remappable buttons, but this is still my favorite and best performing game controller ever.
The new White Edition is everything I love about the one I've been using for months, but in a sweet new color. It's comfortable, it's responsive, and it's reliable. The White Edition also costs the same as the original, which isn't always a guarantee (especially not with Razer).
The Razer Wolverine V3 Tournament Edition I reviewed also got the white treatment, so it's up to you if you want to pay the big bucks for the more refined, wireless version or if you're okay relying on a wire for half the price.
Whichever way you go, you're getting the same quality — with one lingering concern from the original, and a new one for the White Edition.
How has the original Razer Wolverine V3 Pro held up over time?
When I contributed to Windows Central's Razer Wolverine V3 Pro review with my own findings, I countered my colleague Richard Devine's conclusion with some criticisms of my own.
To be clear, this is still my top Xbox controller and I happily use it every day despite a myriad of available alternatives, but not everything has been flawless considering the $200 price tag.
For one, one of the rear buttons became loose-feeling within a few weeks of use, and now exhibits a frustrating, always-noticeable "double click." A second rear button has begun to do the same to a lesser degree.
Despite the promise of zero stick drift, my right thumbstick has on a few occasions failed to fully reset to neutral when released, leading to drifting. The slightest touch has fixed it each time, but it's there.
The Wolverine V3 Pro still randomly disconnects while remaining on every now and then, requiring me to manually reset it. It usually fails to turn my Xbox Series X on. I've experienced intermittent connections mid-game before.
All of these problems either occur infrequently or are ultimately negligible, but it's worth mentioning because there's no guarantee the White Edition will fare any better.
And indeed, I've had the "Share" and "Xbox" buttons stop working when connected to a Windows PC multiple times, at least until I reset the controller.
Should I be concerned about the white color, especially the grips?
White products are definitely an aesthetic all on their own, but there's a reason black and grey colors are the default (beyond the popularity of darker tech), and that's longevity.
Whether it's the yellowing effects of the sun's rays, the inevitable wear and tear of the human touch, or even just the accumulation of dust and grime over time, white products seemed doomed to age faster.
Controllers are especially susceptible to this process, since they're constantly in your hands (and often for hours at a time). Simply making the grips black can dramatically improve a controller's resistance to staining, and I expected Razer to take the same approach with the Wolverine V3 Pro as it did with previous controllers.
Alas, Razer did not (likely because the way the Wolverine V3 Pro is constructed would make that difficult to accomplish).
I've already used the Wolverine V3 Pro White Edition for over a dozen hours and there hasn't been any sign of staining, but I'm also naturally very clean (I wash my hands many, many times a day) and tend to baby my tech. There's no guarantee it won't become an issue in the future.
Especially if you have children who use your controllers, I may think twice about committing to the White Edition if you're concerned about how it may age.
Still an amazing wireless controller, and it looks great in white
The Razer Wolverine V3 Pro is an awesome wireless Xbox and PC controller, and the White Edition is the same. My slight concerns regarding the Wolverine V3's quality control remain, and making the controller all-white (including the grips) doesn't help, but this an attractive, premium controller that looks extra fetching in white.
If you've been on the fence about which controller should be your next, I hope these images and impressions have helped. The Razer Wolverine V3 Pro still earns my wholehearted recommendation for those who want a premium, wireless Xbox controller without rolling the dice on the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller (Series 2), and the White Edition earns the same.
You can now buy the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro White Edition for $199.99 at Amazon. Those who'd rather save their cash and stay connected via a wire can get the Razer Wolverine V3 White Tournament Edition for $99.99 at Amazon.
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