Specifications

in the lab
88
JUL 2011 maximumpc.com
MAXIMUMPC
Razer Onza
Tournament Edition
Razer's gamepad is fi nally out—
was it worth the wait?
WE’RE NO FAN OF THE CONSOLE-IFICATION
of PC gaming, either, but you’ve got to
admit, Microsoft has had the gamepad
market locked since it introduced the
USB Xbox 360 controller more than fi ve
years ago. In that respect, it’s not really
surprising that the fi rst real challenger
to Microsoft’s super-solid wired control-
ler is, itself, an Xbox 360 controller: the
Razer Onza.
The Onza was fi rst revealed more
than a year ago at CES 2010, so con-
sumers have had a lot of time to ask
questions like, “Is Razer really going
to try and become a console peripheral
company? Can a third-party controller
ever really beat the fi rst-party offer-
ing?” Well, we don’t have an inside line
on Razer’s business dealings, but we do
have the Onza in our hands, and we can
tell you that the answer to the second
question is an emphatic yes.
The Razer Onza isn’t a wide depar-
ture from the standard 360 controller in
looks—it’s the same shape, more or less,
with a nearly identical layout of face but-
tons and analog sticks and feels as good
in the hands as the original. A slightly
rubbery, nonslip coating makes it easy
to hold on to, and it looks nice in matte
black. It feels just the tiniest bit lighter
and less solid than Microsoft’s control-
ler, but that still leaves it in “very sturdy”
territory. Like the Xbox 360 controller, no
additional drivers are needed in Windows
Vista or 7.
Where the Onza controller beats the
regular Xbox controller is in features.
Notably, the Onza uses Razer’s Hyper-
esponse actuators for the light-up face
buttons, giving them a much clickier
and more responsive feel. Additionally,
Razer’s controller packs two bumper
buttons above each trigger—the bonus
button can be bound to any of the other
standard buttons—and the physical
resistance of the two analog sticks can
be adjusted individually.
The one questionable change to the
Xbox 360 controller formula is the switch
from a rocker-style D-pad to one with
four oversize buttons with lots of travel.
It’s not a disaster, by any means, but we
can’t say we like it better than the rocker,
and it might trip up people who use the
D-pad for complex inputs, such as fi ght-
ing game commands.
At just $10 more than an Xbox 360
controller (or the exact same price for
the non-Tournament Edition, which lacks
the adjustable sticks and light-up but-
tons), and with a strictly superior feature
set, we’d recommend this one to anybody.
Hands down, this is the gamepad to beat.
–ALEX CASTLE
Razer Onza Tournament
Edition
GRAVIS GAMEPAD Feels
great; cool extra features; com-
petitive pricing.
JAGUAR CONTROLLER Slightly less rock-
solid than the original; new D-Pad isn’t for
everyone.
$50, www.razerzone.com
The Onza’s low-profile face
buttons are much more
responsive than the standard
Xbox 360 controller.
9
VERDICT