2023-09-09 05:00:00
It can sometimes be complicated to stand out in a market as competitive as that of game controllers. To make people talk about it, the Raikiri Pro has chosen to include a screen on the front. It nevertheless has many other advantages, much more relevant for players, such as its particular directional cross or its four paddles positioned under the pad. But above all, it plays the card of excessive customization thanks to the Armory Crate software. Intended for the PC and the Xbox console – with some restrictions of course – the Raikiri Pro sells for the relatively substantial price of €200.
Construction and ergonomics
It must be admitted that the first contacts with a Raikiri Pro are rather promising. ROG seems to have chosen quality materials. Obviously, plastic reigns supreme. The one found on top of the controller is smooth and decorated with numerous decorations, which also remain rather discreet. For the underside of the controller, ROG chose a textured plastic, much rougher, which necessarily improves grip: there is no risk of letting go of the pad in the middle of the action! Not to spoil anything, the Raikiri Pro gamepad, without being heavy, still weighs 255 grams compared to 280 grams for an official Xbox controller. This weight is reassuring and you don’t have the impression of handling a budget device as can sometimes happen.
The four buttons A, B, X, Y are also quite pleasant to use. The sensation is quite similar to that which one can experience using an official controller, which ultimately isn’t any worse as the Xbox pads are comfortable. This is also the case for the sticks, even if those of the Raikiri Pro perhaps seem a little more resistant, without this being really annoying. On the contrary, the triggers seem a little softer on the ROG controller, once again without any real impact in the game. Note that the manufacturer has provided the lower triggers (LT and RT) with travel reducers. By moving the sliders under the controller, you can reduce the activation distance in order to gain responsiveness during games of shooting games, FPS or TPS.
The back of the controller, with the small slot for the dongle WiFi.
As a controller intended for gamers, the Raikiri Pro benefits from four paddles (M1, M2, M3, M4) placed on the underside of the pad. The sensation is less pleasant than with the paddles of the DualSense Edge (which allows you to alternate with pebbles) and the Microsoft Xbox Elite Series 2. Made of plastic, they are more imposing, but also much more protruding than those of the two official controllers, which can be annoying when you don’t need them.
The directional cross of the Raikiri Pro is reminiscent of the one found on the Xbox Elite Series 2. We like it or not, but for our part, it seemed to lack precision, unless you really pressed it well. on the edge of the disc. Please note that it is impossible to change to a more traditional cross. In the same vein, we would have appreciated being able to change the stick caps, for example, or even the module itself in the event of drift, as offered by the Dualsense Edge. But this is not the case.
It is on the design side that ROG seems to have concentrated its efforts. First of all, to emphasize the pro-gamer side of things, the eternal lighting effects are indeed there. Indeed, like the scar on Harry Potter’s forehead, a thin light strip decorates the top of the Raikiri Pro. Supreme refinement, it is possible to configure its behavior using the Armory Crate software: choice of color, pulsation, gradient… everything is possible!
A pro Raikiri lit. She is still more attractive.
The Raikiri Pro’s monochrome screen measures just 1.3 inches. Given its limited specifications, its possibilities remain quite limited as well. Thus we are entitled to the manual transition from PC mode to Xbox mode, to the estimate of the remaining autonomy – in the form of imprecise briquettes whereas an indication in minutes would have been perfectly possible -, to the display of the selected profile and, last but not least, to a whole series of small animations of the ROG logo which we can play very well without. Note that navigation within the menu which manages the screen is carried out via two small buttons located on the back of the controller, alternating short and long presses, like what is done for certain monitors.
The two buttons and the USB-C port
To connect the ROG controller to the PC, the user has the choice between Wi-Fi (a dongle is provided, it is found under a magnetic cover under the controller), Bluetooth and the USB-USB-C cable (also provided) which is also used for charging. Be careful, this may not be obvious, but Microsoft imposes some restrictions when using a third-party controller on the Xbox and the Raikiri Pro is no exception to the rule. On console, it will only work in wired mode and pressing the Xbox button will not turn on the Redmond company’s gaming system. This is of course the case for all other non-Microsoft pads, but it’s better to know.
For the price, we regret that ROG only provides the controller, the dongle Wi-Fi and braided cable (more than three meters). A storage bag that could have been used for recharging and transport – like the competition – would not have been too much.
Customization and configuration
The Raikiri Pro expresses its full potential using Armory Crate software. If it is entirely possible to use it without having configured it, then we lose a lot of interest. In fact, the software allows you to adjust many characteristics of the controller to adapt it to the style of play. However, you will need to connect the controller to your PC with the USB cable, because it is not possible to make changes directly. Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connection; This avoids the risks linked to a connection cut such as a bricking of the controller which would then become unusable.
Thanks to Armory Crate, you can, for example, remap the keys and assign them to the four rear paddles. Please note, however, that it is not possible to program a single-key button combination; Shame. Players also have the ability to precisely change the area of trigger activity. The response curve of the sticks – as well as what we call the dead zone – can be configured to favor responsiveness or precision. However, it is somewhat regrettable that ROG does not offer more profiles in its pre-programmed configurations as this aspect is sometimes difficult to understand for novices.
The explanations are sometimes succinct.
Asus RoG
Generally speaking, Armory Crate seemed a bit dry to us for those who are not already experienced gamers or controller mechanics. ROG has therefore not provided any way for players to visualize the different reactions of the sticks directly in Armory Crate, unlike what Sony offers with the Dualsense Edge configuration software.
We can therefore only see the consequences of our actions during the game. If this is not suitable, we must exit the game, enter Armory Crate to modify what is wrong, save, exit Armory Crate, resume the game to finally try to decide if the new setting is more suitable than the one before. And we are of course in the case of a PC gamer. The day Xbox will also have to unplug the controller from its console, to reconnect it to its PC, before modifying its settings, disconnecting the Raikiri Pro from the PC this time, reconnecting it to the console to finally test the modifications… We have had less painful experiences.
And obviously, we wonder a little why ROG hasn’t worked more on this aspect when we see the care taken with the secondary functionalities – in our opinion of course, everything is relative – which are the management of light and the screen. It’s quite simple, in this regard, the ROG Raikiri Pro is unbeatable. There are no less than eight lighting scenarios, of which we can adjust the color(s), speed, direction, light intensity… An entire test would not be enough to cover them all. The screen also has the right to its personalization: preferred animation, information displayed… You can even write the message that will be displayed in the game yourself. Useless? Maybe not, but futile in any case.
The management of lighting features reaches a level rarely seen!
ASUS RoG
We therefore hope that ROG will offer an update to Armory Crate, more user-friendly with multiple stick response curve profiles and a transcription of these parameters on the PC screen.
Precision and responsiveness
On Xbox, the Raikiri Pro can only be used in wired mode. We didn’t encounter any lag issues. The sticks respond to the finger and the eye, just like the triggers and other buttons. Same observation regarding wired mode on PC; the Raikiri Pro shows no weakness.
Still on PC, we also tested the Raikiri Pro using its wireless connections. ROG offers Bluetooth 5.0 and W-iFi (2.4 GHz) to choose from. In either case, there is no lag to report. Good point, the controller is recognized immediately, which is not always the case with third-party peripherals.
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Points forts
Beautiful construction and quality of finishes.
Customizable down to the smallest detail.
Riches of lighting effects available.
Immediate recognition under Windows.
Weak points
No removable appendage (cross, stick, button, etc.).
Accessories reduced to the strict minimum.
Sometimes difficult to configure via Armory Crate.
Unable to assign a button combination to a single key.
Conclusion
Global mark
How does the rating work?
The ROG Raikiri Pro is a good controller that is mainly aimed at fans of gamer design. Indeed, its multiple lighting effects and its small screen will harmonize perfectly with the ROG Ally (for example) or with a PC set up for gaming, especially if it also accommodates various and varied acronyms, transparent walls and other RGB features. We also appreciate the settings options offered by Armory Crate, even if the software, still a little technical, does not necessarily help the user to fully understand what they are doing. Finally, the Raikiri Pro mainly suffers from competition from the Microsoft Xbox Elite Series 2 controller, more advanced for gaming but, it is true, a little more conservative in its design.
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