Razer’s second-gen Kishi controller gets some big upgrades and a price to match
The original Razer Kishi controller for Androidcame to lifewith the help of Gamevice, a controller manufacturer that nailed the familiar landscape side-by-side orientation necessary for comfortable gameplay. Plenty of companies have followed Gamevice’s and Razer’s lead with similar controllers since the Kishi’s launch in 2020, like the GameSir X2 or the Backbone One, but Razer’s Kishi is still the most recognizable of the bunch, and today Razer has announced the sequel, the Razer Kishi v2, and itgoes on sale today for $100.
Coincidentally, the Razer Kishi v2 borrows heavily fromBackbone’s designbut steps things up with micro-switches for all buttons (even the d-pad), paired with analog triggers. This adds weight to the controller, jumping from 163g for the v1 to 284g in the v2. Gone is the confusing folding design of the v1, with the Kishi v2 offering a sliding system similar to the Backbone or GameSir X2. This makes the controller slightly less portable since it doesn’t fold as small as the last iteration, but it does allow for larger phones to fit the device, which is a good move as smartphones have been getting bigger and bigger in recent years.
The USB-C port is centered on the right side of the controller, and the rubber mats underneath that cut down on phones sliding around come in two sizes that can be swapped, affording those with large camera bumps room to clip in their phone. Supposedly the Kishi v2 can even fit phones that are inside of a case, so no longer will you have to remove your case just to slap your phone into the Kishi. There is no battery in the controller, it’s powered through USB-C, and there is a built-n USB-C port that allows pass through charging for phones. This way you can charge as you play.
Also, since this is basically a corded controller that works over USB-C, latency will naturally be low, which is not only great for native Android games like Rocket League Sideswipe, but it’s also great for streaming games, like through Stadia, GeForce Now, and Xbox Game Pass. There’s also haptic feedback built in, perfect for console-quality games.
One caveat is that Razer is up to its old tricks, so the company is offering a tie-in app, known as Razer Nexus. The good news is that the app isn’t required if you just with to use your controller like a typical gamepad, but programming buttons, especially the two extra buttons on the inner sides of the shoulders are only programmable through the app. Of course, Razer has big plans for its Razer Nexus game launcher for game discovery and management, and features like the ability to stream to Facebook and YouTube will be available with the launch of the Razer Nexus app.
All in all, the Razer Kishi v2 looks to be a competent competitor in the mobile controller market, offering a fresh design that fits more models of phones. While the $100 price tag for the Kishi v2 is $10 more than the first model, the available upgrades sound great, especially the move from button membranes to actual micro switches, and Razer’s app doesn’t even sound that bad, especially since it isn’t required for typical functionality. So if you loved the Kishi v1 and are looking to upgrade or want to pick up a new pocketable controller for Android,today’s launch for the Razer Kishi v2should definitely be on your radar.
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