Razer already makes one of the –best mobile game controllers with the Razer Kishi, which boasts console-quality microswitches, programmable buttons, and the abilty to fit any smartphone, even w ith a case on. The Razer Kishi Ultra expands the mobile game controller’s functionality even more.
Not only does it fit any smartphone available right now, it can even fit the iPad Mini, along with other eight-inch tablets that have similar proportions, so you can play your mobile games on a much bigger screen. Want to do some PC gaming with a controller? You can use it there, too, albeit with a USB-C cable, since you can’t exactly put your laptop on the gamepad’s cradle.
The Razer Kishi Ultra is a full-sized controller that retains the same general design as its two previous iterations. That means, it splits the gamepad into left and right areas, with a connecting bridge in the middle where you can dock your smartphone or tablet. It appears to retain the same “pro-grade console controls” as the last V2, including the outfit’s proprietary “mecha-tactile” action buttons, hall effect analog triggers, an eight-way D-pad, full-sized thumb sticks, and programmable L4/R4 buttons.
This time around, though, it gets the Razer Sensa HD Haptics tech on each side, which allows it to convert any audio into high-fidelity haptics that, the outfit claims, is stronger, more detailed, and more nuanced than traditional controller vibrations. It’s customizable, too, so you can filter out certain sounds from creating feedback (e.g. dialogue), allowing you to tailor the overall immersive effect to your liking. Unsurprisingly, they also integrated Razer’s Chroma RGB lighting, so you can play your mobile games anywhere and get the same fancy light schemes you would get when playing on a PC at home.
The Razer Kishi Ultra also has a larger connecting bridge that can now accommodate any size of smartphone, complete with a case in tow. No need to remove the case every time you play with a gamepad, just dock the phone in the bridge, making sure the USB-C connection is flush, and use the included rubber cushions to give it a snug and secure fit. Heck, it can even fit most eight-inch tablets, although they only mention the iPad Mini, since the fit will probably depend on each tablet’s overall shape and proportions. Seriously, the ability to play on an eight-inch tablet can really change the game, especially for those who a bigger screen for handheld gaming.
More than a mobile gamepad, the controller can also be connected to PCs via a USB-C cable, allowing you to use it as a gamepad when playing AAA titles, modern platformers, and your favorite retro titles, among other games. Do note, the Sensa HD Haptics only work with Android 12 and Windows 11, so you won’t have access to the tactile feedback if you’re playing on other platforms (e.g. iOS, Windows 10 ). It retains all the features from the previous version, by the way, including a 3.5mm audio slot, 15W passthrough charging (so you can charge your phone while playing), deadzone calibration, and button remapping.
The Razer Kishi Ultra comes out on the last week of April.