Razer’s Kishi V3 Pro controller brings gaming to the big (iPad) screen

Almost a year ago, I wrote about Razer’s Kishi Ultra controller. It was a fantastic controller for mobile devices with the distinct ability to work with select small tablets, like the iPad mini, for a more expansive gaming experience. Now, Razer is dialing things up with a new line of Kishi V3 Pro controllers that are functionally identical, but able to handle even larger tablets.

The Kishi V3 Pro comes in two sizes, a regular and an XL version. The regular V3 Pro is compatible with most Android phones, USB-C iPhones, and the 6th- and 7th-gen iPad mini, while the XL drops smartphone support for a wider footprint designed to work with tablets ranging from 10- to 13-inches.

Razer sent me the V3 Pro XL to test, and I mostly tried it with the 13-inch iPad Air, though I was able to connect it to a Pixel Tablet. I even managed to connect it with Microsoft’s latest Surface Pro, but while Windows recognized the controller was attached, games I launched didn’t. That was quite a surprise for me, given that the Kishi controllers are designed to work as wired controllers with PCs — it’s one of Razer’s main selling points for the Kishi line as a multifunctional device. But perhaps that PC functionality is limited to connecting the Kishi via a USB-C cable.

Anyway, I’m getting ahead of myself here. Let’s get into the specs for the Kishi V3 Pro and V3 Pro XL before we dive deeper into the user experience.

How does the Kishi V3 Pro stack up?

Razer has quite a few Kishi controllers with a variety of differences. I’ll start with the Kishi Ultra, since that’s the one I have the most personal experience with. Aside from the tablet support of the V3 Pro XL, the Kishi V3 Pro and Ultra controllers are effectively the same thing.

The only other significant difference is that the Ultra controller sports RGB lighting, which is cool if you’re into that. But if the RGB is the one thing making you lean toward the Kishi Ultra, I’ll caution you by noting the placement of the RGB on that controller means that you basically never see it when gaming because it’s hidden under your hands.

Beyond that, the Kishi V3 Pro and V3 Pro XL offer the same controller shape as the Ultra, which feels great, and the same capabilities, like pass-through charging. The buttons are also the same, though the V3 line gets two extra multi-function buttons for four total.

Those with the Kishi V2 Pro will notice the V3 versions offer a more ergonomic shape, swappable thumbsticks, and other little improvements.

Bigger isn’t always better

When Razer first sent me the Kishi V3 Pro XL to test out, I was initially excited to use it with the 13-inch iPad Air. I thoroughly enjoyed gaming with an iPad mini on the Kishi Ultra and the idea of the same experience, but bigger, was alluring. But after using it, it’s not all it’s cracked up to be.

Frankly, I think the 13-inch iPad Air — and probably most tablets at this size — are just too big for this kind of thing. It wasn’t even so much a weight issue, although the combined tablet and controller works out to around 927g. I use a Lenovo Legion Go for a lot of portable gaming, and it clocks in at 854g, but weirdly, it feels heavier to me than the Air and Kishi combo.

Instead, the sheer size of the iPad Air made holding it feel unwieldy. Sure, the big, expansive screen looked great, and the experience of gaming on it was fantastic, but I found holding it to be uncomfortable enough that I could never commit to using it for more than an hour at a time. The width makes the controller feel awkward, especially when holding the combo high enough not to strain my neck. However, that put additional strain on my wrists.

Ultimately, I think this would be less of an issue with a smaller and/or lighter tablet. I haven’t tried an 11-inch iPad with the controller, but when I used the iPad mini with the Kishi Ultra, it felt perfect. Just something to keep in mind if you’re considering using the V3 Pro XL with a 13-inch tablet.

Razer Cortex remote play works surprisingly well

Windows 11 on an iPad feels wrong.

Back when I reviewed the Kishi Ultra, I put a lot of focus on Razer’s claim that the controller and a tablet could go head-to-head with a handheld like the Steam Deck. Not a lot has changed on this front, though things have improved. In short, it all comes down to what kind of games you want to play. If you’re looking to access a vast library of PC games from, say, Steam, I still think a handheld is the way to go because you can play games locally.

Using a Kishi controller and a tablet, however, means you need to rely on various game streaming options to access those titles. Local gaming is limited to mobile games and emulators, which is fine if that’s what you want. For me, I’d rather have the ability to play games locally with a handheld, but the iPad and Kishi is a great option for streaming titles if I’m at home but don’t want to sit at my computer.

And in that regard, Razer’s Cortex remote play software surprised me with how well it worked. It wasn’t perfect, but it’s in beta, so I wasn’t too bothered by the occasional glitch. What I like about Cortex is that it adapts my PC to the iPad screen, almost as if I had the iPad connected to my PC like a display. And because it works that way, I could adapt my games to the iPad’s resolution.

The other nice thing about Cortex is that it’s platform-agnostic, allowing me to use it with games that I don’t have on Steam or via Xbox Game Pass. For example, I used it to stream a lot of Path of Exile 2 since I don’t have it on Steam.

Worth your money?

The Razer Kishi V3 Pro starts at $219.99 in Canada, while the V3 Pro XL costs $249.99 when you buy directly from Razer. The Kishi V3 Pro and V3 Pro XL are also listed on Amazon, but the XL variant is priced at $289.99 for some reason. When I wrote about the Kishi Ultra, it was priced at $199.99 but has since increased to $219.99, same as the V3 Pro.

I bring up the Kishi Ultra price since because it’s so similar to the V3 Pro, and the price is the same, you can basically just pick whichever one you like and have basically the same experience. Really, it just comes down to whether you want RGB.

But if you want a controller to work with a larger tablet, you’re looking at the pricier V3 Pro XL and there isn’t really another option out there.

The other factor to consider is whether you have a device that will work with one of these controllers. This is less of an issue for those considering the V3 Pro since it also works with smartphones. But for the V3 Pro XL, I’m not sure it’s worth the money unless you already have a tablet to use it with. If you don’t have a tablet already, I think most gamers would be better off spending the tablet and Kishi money on a handheld like the ROG Ally or Steam Deck. Those handhelds allow for a more versatile gaming experience with both local play and game streaming, whereas the Kishi and iPad combo feel more limited on the local gaming front.

So, my recommendation breaks down like this. If you already have a tablet, or want to buy a tablet for other reasons but want to do a little game streaming on the side, I think the tablet and Kishi combo is really great. Alternatively, if you’re looking to do handheld gaming on the biggest screen you can hold, then the Kishi V3 Pro XL is the obvious choice. But anyone looking for a pure handheld gaming play will probably be better off spending their money on a handheld.