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I have a strange relationship with ASUS. I love the ROG Ally and the later Xbox Ally range. ASUS makes some fantastic products, but the quality bar can be a little inconsistent at times. I’ve had ASUS headphones, for example, and haven’t been a big fan. I have had an ASUS laptop in the past and it has also given me a lot of headaches when driving.
All my complaints with Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally Given how good the entries are on Xbox Ally, I was eager to try out and review the ASUS Raikiri II controller when I got the chance.
ASUS Raikiri II: specifications and price
For $189.99, the ASUS Raikiri II seems like a good deal on paper. It’s a little more expensive than the Xbox Elite Controller 2 Core, but it includes all the bells and whistles you can usually only get with a full Xbox Elite Controller 2 bundle. The Elite controller is also a little dated at this point and doesn’t include seamless switching between PC and Xbox like the Raikiri does.
In the Raikiri II box, you get the controller, a USB-C cable (braided), a USB wireless dongle, a USB charging dock, and the controller itself. The equivalent package on the Xbox Elite side typically costs up to $199.99.
|
Feature |
Speculation |
|
Signs |
2.4GHz RF, Bluetooth, wired into PC. 2.4 Ghz, USB on Xbox. |
|
Speed |
Polling up to 1000 Hz on PC |
|
Tickets |
TMR anti-drift joysticks, two-stage trigger locks, buttons and triggers with mouse-like microswitches, four programmable tail buttons. |
|
Materials |
Plastic with textured grips. |
|
Battery life |
Up to 50 hours (with RGB and vibration disabled), about 30 on average. |
|
Accessories |
Travel case, charging stand, joystick caps. |
|
Price |
RRP $189.99 |
On paper, the spec sheet looks great. Robust battery life, premium accessories, TMR devices, Xbox-style design, Xbox Ally buttons. What do you not like?
Well… let’s get into it.
ASUS Raikiri II: Design and ergonomics
The ASUS Raikiri II will look extremely familiar to anyone who has ever used an Xbox controller. It has offset joysticks, ABXY buttons, two shoulder buttons, triggers, and a familiar way to boot. Where it diverges is in features, but we’ll delve into that in a moment.
The Raikiri II is light in hand, even lighter than the Xbox Elite by a substantial margin, and comes with more modernized features. It has four integrated rear buttons, all of which are very pronounced and provide a tactile feel. ASUS really learned from the shortcomings of the original’s rear buttons ASUS ROG Ally I sit here. The microswitches give the controller a reassuring actuation, and the textured grips and thoughtful curves make the Raikiri II pleasant to hold for very long sessions.
The Raikiri II also matches Xbox Ally with its Armory Crate and Library buttons, as well as the standard Xbox “Nexus” button in the center and a clip sharing button at the bottom. At the back, we have a difficult change between bluetoothConnectivity, wireless and USB, as well as Xbox and PC modes. This makes it much easier for multi-device use than the Xbox Elite controller, which can be cumbersome and irritating when switching between Bluetooth and Xbox modes.
The controller itself meets all the basics well. It feels great to use in games and the TMR sticks should give you full drift resistance over time. But the praise ends here.
The worst feature of the Raikiri II by far is the charging base. The dock itself looks like cheap, lightweight plastic. Typically, you’ll want a stand to have some weight to it so that it stays still on your desk. Also, the two feet of the loading dock stay in place literally…nothing. Here only gravity and small pegs keep the feet in place. An accidental hit will cause everything to crumble like a house of cards. I have no idea what ASUS was thinking here.
There are some RGB lights to distract you from how poor the charging base is, at least. Although you may tear your hair out while setting them up.
ASUS Raikiri II review: Features and software
Overall, there is a lot of good stuff in the package. The triggers can be locked in place, Elite style, for faster shooting. The back buttons are fully configurable, giving you access to key abilities without having to remove your thumbs from the movement sticks. It’s also great to have the Xbox Ally buttons available.
I appreciate that there are also physical switches for the different modes. I found that the radio frequencies work perfectly on PC, Xbox and Bluetooth, with no connectivity issues or interference, unlike other major brand controllers I can name. The Raikiri II also offers great performance in the battery department, easily highlighting a battery life of 30 to 40 hours with RGB lighting in wireless mode.
Where ASUS fails completely, however, is the setup software, which is inexplicably web-based and requires an Internet connection.
When installing the “fine” ASUS Armory Crate software, I was prompted to download an update for Raikiri II, which then simply provided me with a URL. ASUS claims that the ASUS “Gear Link” web-based software is designed for your convenience… but it’s not very convenient if you’re in a situation without the Internet.
In fact, web-based software is an infuriatingly confusing move by ASUS. The requirement to always be online for configure your controller It’s a crazy idea. And in fact, if you travel, the Gear Link software will use your local language instead of your PC. I was traveling through Germany while reviewing this controller and lo and behold, the Raikiri II Gear Link software was displayed in German. Additionally, I also couldn’t use the configuration software when I didn’t have Internet.
It’s an absurd decision on ASUS’s part to put the configuration tools for this exclusively on the web, rather than in Armory Crate offline, like any other sane company could do.
When it works as advertised, it’s not bad at all… you can set sensitivities across the board, actuation curves, adjust lighting, and other settings. I just wish it wasn’t web based.
ASUS Raikiri II: Competition
He Xbox Elite Series 2 Controller is the obvious competition here. Microsoft’s Elite Controller is about the same price in terms of details, and remains my preference primarily for the charging dock and battery life. The Elite Controller has several design flaws, including stick shifting and bumper wear, but the ease of use, convenience, and dock design generally win me over.
However, it looks like the Raikiri II will last much longer than the Series 2. The TMR sticks give it a big advantage in the stick drift department, and the configuration software issues only matter in specific scenarios. For the most part, once you’ve set it up to your preferences, you probably won’t need them again.
The Raikiri II’s charging base is horrible, but at least it’s functional. Competitive “Elite” drivers such as the Razer Wolverine V3 Pro and others usually do not have a charging base, despite having a similar price. Wolverine’s range also seems susceptible to inference at times, which can be irritating in competitive play.
You can also opt for something cheaper. At $189.99, the Raikiri II Dock should be much, much better than it is. I’d rather buy a second-hand Xbox Elite Series 2 Core and Elite Charging Dock instead of 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 only in the details where ASUS falters.
The charging dock looks so cheap it’s insulting as part of a $189.99 package, and the web-based setup software is a huge, strange mistake. If ASUS chose to sell this controller without the charging dock and brought the configuration tools to a native app for $129.99 or less, it would be worth recommending. At $189.99, it gets a little tough.
I think once you’re set up and ready to use it, you won’t be disappointed overall with your experience, but given that the basic Xbox controllers cost $39.99, ASUS is really asking a lot here so, in essence, it’s not exactly reinventing the wheel.
“The ROG Raikiri II Xbox Wireless Controller features TMR joysticks, 1KHz polling rate in PC mode, four back buttons, dual-mode triggers, micro-switch buttons, and tri-mode connectivity.”
