Why you can trust Windows Central
Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.
I have an odd relationship with ASUS. I love the ROG Ally and subsequent Xbox Ally range. ASUS makes some fantastic products, but the quality bar can be a bit inconsistent at times. I’ve had ASUS headsets, for example, and haven’t been a big fan. I’ve owned an ASUS laptop in the past, and it has given me a lot of driver headaches, too.
All my gripes with the Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X are more on Microsoft’s side than ASUS’, whose update regime has been pretty great overall for the ROG Ally range. Given how good the inputs are on the Xbox Ally, I was eager to test out and review the ASUS Raikiri II controller when given the chance.
ASUS Raikiri II: Specs & price
For $189.99, the ASUS Raikiri II does seem like a good deal on paper. It’s a bit more pricy than the Xbox Elite Controller 2 Core, but it does include all the bells and whistles that you can typically only get with a full Xbox Elite Controller 2 bundle. The Elite controller is also a bit dated at this point, and doesn’t include seamless switching between PC and Xbox like the Raikiri does.
In the box with the Raikiri II, you get the controller, a USB-C cable (braided), a USB wireless dongle, a USB charge dock, and the controller itself. The equivalent bundle on the Xbox Elite side typically runs up to $199.99.
|
Feature |
Spec |
|
Signals |
2.4 GHz RF, Bluetooth, Wired on PC. 2.4Ghz, USB on Xbox. |
|
Speed |
Up to 1000Hz polling on PC |
|
Inputs |
Anti-drift TMR joysticks, two-stage trigger locks, buttons and triggers with mouse-like micro-switches, four programmable back buttons. |
|
Materials |
Plastic with textured grips |
|
Battery life |
Up to 50 hours (with RGB and vibration turned off), around 30 on average. |
|
Accessories |
Travel case, charging stand, joystick caps. |
|
Price |
$189.99 RRP |
On paper, the spec sheet looks grand. Beefy battery life, premium accessories, TMR sticks, Xbox-style design, Xbox Ally buttons. What’s not to like?
Well … let’s get into that.
ASUS Raikiri II: Design & ergonomics
The ASUS Raikiri II will be extremely familiar to anyone who has ever used an Xbox controller. It sports the offset joysticks, ABXY buttons, two shoulder buttons, triggers, and a familiar shape to boot. Where it diverges is in the features, but we’ll get more into that in a bit.
The Raikiri II is lightweight in the hand, lighter even than the Xbox Elite by a substantial margin, and comes with more modernized features. It has four baked-in back buttons, all of which are very pronounced and deliver a tactile feel. ASUS really learned from the shortcomings of the back buttons on the original ASUS ROG Ally I feel here. The micro-switches give the controller a reassuring actuation, and textured grips and thoughtful curvatures make the Raikiri II pleasant to hold across very long sessions.
The Raikiri II also matches the Xbox Ally with its Armoury Crate and Library buttons, as well as the standard Xbox “Nexus” button in the center and a clip sharing button at the bottom. On the back, we have a hard switch between Bluetooth, Wireless, and USB connectivity, as well as Xbox and PC modes. This makes it a lot easier for multi-device use than the Xbox Elite controller, which can be finicky and irritating when swapping between Bluetooth and Xbox modes.
The controller itself nails all the basics well. It feels great to use in games, and the TMR sticks should give it full resistance to drift over time. The compliments end here, though.
The Raikiri II’s worst feature is the charge dock, by far. The dock itself feels like cheap and light plastic. Typically, you’d want a dock to have some heft to it, so that it will sit still on your desk. Furthermore, the two feet of the charge dock are held in place by literally … nothing. Gravity alone and tiny pegs keep the feet in place here. An accidental knock will send the whole thing falling apart like a house of cards. I have no idea what ASUS was thinking here.
There are some RGB lights to help distract you from how poor the charge dock is, at least. Although you might find yourself tearing your hair out while configuring them.
ASUS Raikiri II review: Features & Software
There’s a lot of good stuff in the package overall. The triggers can be locked in place, Elite-style, for more rapid firing. The back buttons are fully configurable, giving you access to key abilities without having to remove your thumbs from the movement sticks. It’s neat having the Xbox Ally buttons available as well.
I’m grateful that there are hard switches for the different modes, too. I found that the radio frequencies work flawlessly across PC, Xbox, and Bluetooth, with no issues with connectivity and interference, unlike certain other major brand controllers I can name. The Raikiri II also delivers big in the battery department, easily sticking out a 30-40 hour battery life complete with RGB ablaze in wireless mode.
Where ASUS fully flops, though, is the configuration software, which is inexplicably web-based and requires an internet connection.
Upon installing the ASUS Armoury Crate software, which is “okay,” I was prompted to download an update for the Raikiri II, which then simply provided me a URL. ASUS claims that the ASUS “Gear Link” web-based software is designed for your convenience … but it isn’t very convenient if you’re in a situation without internet.
Indeed, the web-based software is a maddeningly confusing move here by ASUS. The always-online requirement to configure your controller is an insane idea. And indeed, if you’re traveling, the Gear Link software will use the language of your locale rather than your PC. I was in travelling in Germany while reviewing this controller, and lo and behold, the Raikiri II Gear Link software was displaying in German. Furthermore, I couldn’t use the configuration software when my internet was down, either.
It’s an absurd decision on ASUS’ part to put the configuration tools for this exclusively on the web, rather than in the offline Armoury Crate, like any other sane company might do.
When it works as advertised, it’s not half bad … you can configure the sensitivities across the board, actuation curves, adjust lighting, and other settings. I just wish it weren’t web-based.
ASUS Raikiri II: Competition
The Xbox Elite Controller Series 2 is the obvious competition here. Microsoft’s Elite Controller runs around the same price for the bells and whistles, and remains my go-to preference primarily for the charge dock and battery life. The Elite Controller has various design flaws, including stick drift and bumper wear-and-tear, but the ease of use, convenience, and design of the dock generally win me over.
The Raikiri II feels like it’ll last much longer than the Series 2, however. TMR sticks give it a huge advantage in the stick drift department, and the configuration software issues only matter in specific scenarios. For the most part, once you’ve configured it to your preferences, you’ll probably not need them again.
The charge dock on the Raikiri II is awful, but it is at the very least functional. Competing “Elite” controllers like the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro and so on usually don’t have a charge dock, despite being similarly priced. The Wolverine range also seems susceptible to inference at times, which can be irritating in competitive play.
You could also just opt for something cheaper. At $189.99, the Raikiri II dock should be far, far better than it is. I’d sooner recommend just grabbing an Xbox Elite Series 2 Core and a second-hand Elite charge dock over this.
ASUS Raikiri II: Should you buy it?
The ASUS Raikiri II is not a bad controller. The controller itself is very solid overall, but it’s just in the detailing where ASUS falls over.
The charge dock feels so painfully cheap that it’s insulting as part of a $189.99 bundle, and the web-based configuration software is a huge and odd mistake. If ASUS opted to sell this controller without the charge dock and brought the configuration tools into a native app at $129.99 or less, it would be a great deal worth recommending. At $189.99, it becomes a bit tough.
I think once you’re set up and ready to go with it, you won’t be disappointed overall with your experience, but given that basic Xbox controllers run at $39.99, ASUS is really asking a lot here for what is, in essence, not exactly reinventing the wheel.
“The ROG Raikiri II Xbox Wireless controller features TMR joysticks, 1KHz polling rate in PC mode, four rear buttons, dual-mode triggers, micro-switch buttons, and tri-mode connectivity.”