Razer Wolverine Ultimate

It’s got heft

PRICE $ 229 www.razerzone.com

The moment you pick up Razer’s latest attempt to beat Microsoft at its own controller game, it’s hard not to be impressed. The new Wolverine Ultimate may not have adamantium-coated bones and a healing factor, but its solid case, incredible build quality, and remarkable versatility certainly make you feel as though it might grow back a lost limb – or trigger – eventually.

The Wolverine Ultimate sits intimately in your hands, and with textured grips on the underside, and a choice of magnetic thumb buttons to customise the controller to how you play, along with a choice of two different magnetic D-pads. Particularly welcome is the double height thumbstick, though it’s annoying that there’s only one – it’s be nice to have the option to have the taller additions on both right and left sticks.

There are also additional triggers underneath the controller, and a single button lets you remap every button on the fly, which is super handy. There’s also a pair of sliders that allow you to adjust the activation depth of the main trigger buttons, the sensitivity of the thumbsticks is also controllable. Everything combined makes this probably one of the best Xbox controllers we’ve ever used, but at the end of the day the price remains steep, and the recessed Micro-USB connector won’t be compatible with all USB cables if something goes wrong with the one that’s included.

Still, if you’ve dropped a tonne of cash on your gaming rig, and money for the perfect controller is no obstacle, this is your clear premium choice. DAVID HOLLINGWORTH