[Mobile Games] Razer Kishi V2 Mobile Controller Review: Mobile Gaming At Its Best

[Rico]

The Kishi V2 is now here to build upon the already strong value of its predecessor and deliver an experience that Razer believes mobile gamers really deserve.
 

Haroon Sultan
By Haroon Sultan 
Jun 29, 2022

 

 

Razer has been battling it out in mobile phone controller space for quite a few years now, a market that has been expanding rapidly as mobile gaming is quickly becoming more of an option for users across the world. With games like Diablo Immortal giving players an experience similar to console and PC platforms, the need for a good controller that connects to your phone becomes steadily more important.

 

The Razer Junglecat in 2019 was a pretty good first attempt at something that felt similar to Joycons but for mobile phones. The Razer Kishi was a much better device, utilizing a better button layout and connecting via USB-C rather than Bluetooth. This meant the controller didn’t need to charge and there was no more latency issues. The Kishi V2 is now here to build upon the already strong value of its predecessor and deliver an experience that Razer believes mobile gamers really deserve.

 

 

Razer Kishi V2 Design

 

The Kishi V2 has basically been redesigned from the ground up to feel so much better in every way. The same clamp-style controller comes with the standard Xbox-style controls with a few additional buttons that can be remapped. In fact, every button can be remapped using the Razer Nexus app. The controller feels light and balanced in my hands, giving me a comfortable time when gaming for hours. The controller feels fairly durable too, albeit not as portable as one would expect.

 

All of the buttons are tactile and have a satisfying click to them, which is also a major upgrade over the first Kishi. The controller also has a pass-through USB-C connection that can be used to charge your phone while you play. A dedicated Nexus button lets you open up the Razer Nexus app on your phone to select your games as well as a “share” button that lets you record video and take screenshots at any moment.

 

When slotting my phone into the clamps, I found that it fit pretty well, although I had to remove my thick Spigen phone cover. I do get the feeling that phones with more prominent camera bumps will have some trouble aligning the clamps properly, but that might not be an issue. Razer provides some rubber pieces to help hold your phone in place and prevent scratching.

 

Razer Kishi V2 Features
 

The Kishi V2 comes with pass-through USB-C connection, but it doesn’t seem to support fast-charging or USB-C to audio port jacks, which means your choices for audio devices will be slightly limited. It seems to have been designed with Bluetooth headsets in mind, which Razer conveniently also sells.

 

 

Audio issues aside, the Kishi V2 is pretty much the best controller I’ve played mobile games with. I’ve had a great time playing games like Diablo Immortal as well as emulator games on my phone as the controller seems to be compatible with pretty much everything that allows it. I was sad to discover that Genshin Impact, even after all this time, still does not support controllers on Android devices.

 

The Razer Nexus app is where you go when you want to remap your controller buttons but it also has a few more things up its sleeves. You can use Razer Nexus to browse your apps and games, live stream to Facebook and YouTube as well as capture videos and screenshots of your games.

 

Should You Buy It?
 

The Razer Kishi V2 is definitely one of the best mobile phone controllers on the market right now. It’s very comfortable to use, easy to setup and seems to be built to last. As long as your phone is compatible, I would highly recommend it if you’re looking for a controller like this. The Nexus app is a bit lackluster and while the controller is compatible with almost every cloud-streaming service, it won’t be of much use in a region that isn’t supported by them. The Razer Kishi V2 is the companion your mobile phone needs for all its gaming needs, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better experience for Android phones right now.

 

The Razer Kishi V2 is currently only available for Android mobile devices, but an iOS version will be coming out later this year.

 

https://me.pcmag.com/en/gaming/13751/razer-kishi-v2-mobile-controller-review-mobile-gaming-at-its-best