Windows Central Verdict
The Razer Kishi V3 Pro takes everything great about Razer's excellent Kishi Ultra and adds more buttons and features and plenty of other enhancements. It's truly the ultimate mobile gaming controller, as long as you don't mind the size. There's even an XL version that works with up to 13-inch tablets. This is now one of my favorite ways to play.
Pros
- +
Top-notch ergonomics and performance
- +
Plenty of extra buttons and controls
- +
Excellent, free Razer Nexus software with lots of features
Cons
- -
Not the most portable
- -
The regular Kishi V3 feels like a better value
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The mobile gaming landscape has evolved by leaps and bounds the last few years, and mobile controllers are just one part of it.
Cloud gaming, full ports of native PC and console games, emulation — gaming on your phone or tablet has never been better. The brand-new Razer Kishi V3 Pro is for those who want to get the most out of that experience, and it's truly the ultimate mobile gaming controller.
I've been using this accessory with the Lenovo Legion Tab (Gen 3) I reviewed for a few weeks now, and it's clear Razer is serious about competing in this space. When it comes to ergonomics, performance, and features, the Kishi V3 Pro is one of the best you can buy.
It helps that there's a more affordable non-Pro version with many of the same benefits, and a new XL version for those who want to game on their full-sized iPad or Android tablet.
I love video games, and being able to play my games wherever I happen to be is incredibly valuable. Mobile controllers offer one solution, but they need to balance features, price, compatibility, and more to be worth my (and your) consideration.
This review was made possible thanks to a review sample provided by Razer. Razer had no input nor saw the contents of this review prior to publication.
Kishi V3 Pro review: Cheat sheet
- What is it? A premium mobile gaming controller for iOS and Android smartphones and tablets.
- Who is it for? Those who want the absolute best mobile gaming experience with a full-sized controller.
- How much does it cost? The Razer Kishi V3 Pro is available for $149.99 at Razer. The Kishi V3 Pro XL for large tablets is $199.99 at Razer.
- What did I like? The excellent full-sized, ergonomic design, the reliable and responsive controls, the awesome Razer Nexus app.
- What did I not like? The large size, the regular Kishi V3 offering so much of the same experience for less.
Kishi V3 Pro review: Pricing and specifications
I'm reviewing the Razer Kishi V3 Pro, but there are actually three separate mobile controllers in this family.
The entry-level Kishi V3 retains the same design and controls, but loses features like the Sensa HD haptics, extra bumper buttons, and swappable thumbsticks. The Razer Kishi V3 retails for $99.99 at Razer, and is compatible with the same devices as the Kishi V3 Pro.
The Razer Kishi V3 Pro retails for $149.99 at Razer, and is the best option for those who want the ultimate mobile gaming experience with their smartphone or small tablet.
Finally, there's the Kishi V3 Pro XL, which is identical to the non-XL variant feature-wise, but is upscaled to support 10 to 13-inch iPad and Android tablets. The Razer Kishi V3 Pro XL retails for $199.99 at Razer.
Spec | Razer Kishi V3 Pro |
|---|---|
Compatibility | USB Type-C smartphones and tablets (Android 14 or newer, iOS 18 or newer) |
Hardware features | Full-sized controller layout, mecha-tactile buttons, dual rear mouse-click buttons, dual claw grip bumpers, Razer Sensa HD haptics, full-sized TMR thumbsticks w/ swappable caps, Hall Effect triggers, wired PC support |
Software features | Razer Nexus software support, remappable buttons & customizable triggers, Virtual Controller mode, Razer PC Remote Play support |
Ports | USB Type-C for charging passthrough, 3.5mm audio jack |
Weight | 268g (0.59lbs) |
Warranty | 1-year standard |
In the box, you'll find the Razer Kishi V3 Pro mobile gaming controller, two sets of rubber bumpers for adjusting the controller to your device size, and two swappable thumbsticks (one tall concave and one short convex).
For those with iPhones and iPads, the Kishi V3 Pro also comes with 3 months of Apple Arcade, while the Kishi V3 Pro XL comes with 6 months. That particular perk doesn't apply to me, but you might find it valuable.
Kishi V3 Pro review: What I like
In our Razer Kishi Ultra review, our own Jez Corden described it as an "opulent mobile gaming controller with a premium price tag." The Kishi V3 line is built on that same foundation, but Razer smartly expanded into budget and niche categories.
On the surface, the Kishi V3 Pro is nearly identical to the Kishi Ultra, and that means effectively splitting the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro we reviewed (and hailed as one of the best Xbox controllers ever) in two and giving you space to slot your phone or tablet.
Of course, that same design applies to all Kishi V3 controllers — full-sized grips, thumbsticks, and triggers that provide a true console-like experience wherever you happen to be gaming. In terms of ergonomics, the Kishi V3 Pro is leagues ahead of the average mobile controller.
That mentality extends to performance, as well; in fact, the Kishi V3 line is even more advanced than the premium Wolverine V3 Pro in some ways. On top of the mecha-tactile buttons (Razer's unique blend of mechanical and tactile switches) and remappable rear buttons using Razer's class-leading mouse switches, you also get Hall Effect triggers and cutting-edge Tunneling Magnetoresistance (TMR) thumbsticks.
What does that mean? Best-in-class precision, responsiveness, and reliability. The Kishi V3 line's Hall Effect triggers are fully customizable, and the TMR thumbsticks are essentially immune to dread stick drift.
The original Razer Kishi V2 we reviewed had its merits, but ultimately felt confined to a box: a controller designed for phones. By comparison, the Kishi V3 Pro and its siblings offers a genuinely brilliant gaming experience, to the point that being able to plug it into a PC and use it like a normal controller makes complete sense.
The Kishi V3 Pro is incredibly comfortable to hold, and the tactility and consistency of each button is excellent. The addition of four additional, remappable buttons (or two for the regular Kishi V3) only adds to the experience. I genuinely believe there's no other mobile controller that can fully compare.
If you're wondering what the extra $50 nets you when upgrading from the regular Razer Kishi V3 to the Kishi V3 Pro, it basically comes down to: two extra buttons (the "claw grip" bumper buttons) and the surprisingly good Razer Sensa HD haptics (which can even automatically convert audio to haptics).
The secret killer feature of the Razer Kishi V3 Pro and its siblings, though, has nothing to do with hardware. Yeah, the Razer Nexus app has really come a long way.
Razer Nexus is a free iOS/iPadOS and Android app that anyone can install to streamline their mobile gaming experience, and that ostensibly plays nice with any mobile controller, but unsurprisingly only reaches its full potential when paired with a Razer Kishi.
In some ways, Razer Nexus is still a basic app, but it's filled with features that make mobile controllers like the Kishi V3 Pro even better. It's a launcher to quickly access all your favorite games and services, sure, but it also lets you enable the audio-to-haptics feature for everything you want to play, remap your controls, and more.
More includes features like the Virtual Controller Mode and PC Remote Play. The former lets you map any physical Kishi control to the touch-only controls of any game — and it's by far the best implementation I've seen of such a feature, making games that don't normally play nice with mobile controllers (like Call of Duty Mobile and Pokémon Unite) feel completely natural with the Kishi V3 Pro.
The latter is a more recent addition, and lets you use the power of your gaming PC to stream any game to your mobile device. Razer's version of this feature can optimize your PC games for your device's screen, though, and it's shockingly good with the Kishi controllers.
The Razer Kishi V3 Pro is excellent, and the (completely free, subscription-less) Nexus app makes it even better.
Kishi V3 Pro review: What I don't like
I'll avoid any misunderstandings and state first and foremost: I firmly believe the Razer Kishi V3 Pro (and its siblings) is the best mobile gaming controller you can buy right now. Of course... that doesn't mean it's perfect.
Most obviously, the Kishi V3 Pro's greatest strength is also a compromise. All the ergonomics and features of a full-sized controller also makes the Kishi V3 Pro undeniably large — and that makes it a poor choice for those who want a mobile controller they can truly carry with them everywhere.
The Kishi V3 Pro also isn't a complete upgrade over the Kishi Ultra; for some reason, Razer removed the RGB lighting strips. Most people won't care, but I can't review this controller without mentioning that.
If you want an actual criticism, the Kishi V3 Pro is prone to the same issue as the Kishi Ultra, in that it occasionally doesn't want to reconnect after an extended standby time. It's a minor complaint reserved for users like myself, who has a dedicated device just for mobile gaming, but it's worth mentioning.
Finally, and specific to the Kishi V3 Pro... most people don't need the two additional buttons and dedicated haptics that separate the Kishi V3 Pro from the more affordable Kishi V3.
Kishi V3 Pro review: Also consider
Kishi V3 Pro review: My final thoughts
✅You should buy this if ...
- You want a true console-like controller experience on mobile.
- You want a reliable controller that'll survive years of gaming.
- You find value in the Razer Nexus app and its added features.
❌You should not buy this if ...
- You want something as compact as possible for travel.
- You definitely don't want to spend $100+ on a mobile controller.
I've been using the Razer Kishi V3 Pro with the Lenovo Legion Tab (Gen 3), an 8.8-inch Android tablet designed with gaming in mind. The experience has been phenomenal, and I've found myself picking up this combination more often than even my ASUS ROG Ally X.
The simple fact is that mobile gaming does offer some distinct advantages in versatility and efficiency, and the Kishi V3 Pro absolves many of the compromises in ergonomics and controller performance.
To summarize in a different fashion, the Kishi V3 line of mobile controllers brings out the very best of gaming from your phone or tablet, whether you're playing a native title, streaming from the cloud or your PC, or emulating classic consoles.
The Razer Kishi V3 Pro is available now for $149.99 at Razer, and it's clearly the monarch of the family — while I haven't personally used it, though, the Kishi V3 (at $99.99 at Razer) does seem like the obvious choice for many people, given its tasteful compromises.
Razer took what was already one of the best (very premium) mobile controllers and not only made it better than ever, but took that design and extended it to both casual gamers and large-screen tablets. At the center, the Kishi V3 reigns supreme as my favorite mobile controller ever.
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