Razer Onza Tournament Edition Review
Razer's gamepad is finally 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 five years ago. In that respect, it’s not really surprising that the first real challenger to Microsoft’s super-solid wired controller is, itself, an Xbox 360 controller: the Razer Onza.
The Onza was first revealed more than a year ago at CES 2010, so consumers 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 first-party offering?” 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 Onza’s low-profile face buttons are much more responsive than the standard Xbox 360 controller.
The Razer Onza isn’t a wide departure from the standard 360 controller in looks—it’s the same shape, more or less, with a nearly identical layout of face buttons 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 controller, 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 Hyperesponse 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 fighting 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 buttons), and with a strictly superior feature set, we’d recommend this one to anybody. Hands down, this is the gamepad to beat.
$50, www.razerzone.com
Razer Onza Tournament Edition

GRAVIS GAMEPAD
Feels great; cool extra features; competitive pricing.
JAGUAR CONTROLLER
Slightly less rock-solid than the original; new D-Pad isn’t for everyone.
9
Comments
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ZX9RDan89
June 29, 2011 at 8:32am
Has anyone tried this to fly the choppers and drones in Homefront?
If you have the controller AND Homefront, would you mind trying it?
Im asking because I bought the Saitek Cyborg controller for that purpose and it doesnt work with it.
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newegg911
June 18, 2011 at 6:20am
I like how you can adjust how much tension the analog sticks get. I'm wanted that feature for years.
I might pick one of these up but like any input device I'll have to put it in my hands and see what it feels like first.
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XoRn
June 18, 2011 at 12:40am
IEK GADS! A Razer peripheral that isn't overpriced and works better then the competition for a change. I might have to pick on up!
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Holly Golightly
June 17, 2011 at 9:17pm
I really like how that Razer logo looks on the side of that controller. I am not a fan of big, bright colorful controllers, but this one actually looks pretty darn cool. Long ago, I wanted an Nintendo 64 controller for the PC. It still is my favorite controller, but I moved away from console gaming to a platform a little more mature... PC Gaming that is. So I will primarily stick to my gaming mouse, and gaming keyboard with other cool PC Gaming features, and just have my fun that way. Still though, what a cool design on a controller for once. So I am a little mixed on this one.
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MattyMattMatt
June 17, 2011 at 2:33pm
I cannot wait to pick one of these up. Every time I check they are out of stock. If I like it I'll probably get another and use the other controllers as backups.
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HKUSPC40
June 17, 2011 at 1:35pm
I really don't understand the disdain towards using your PC as a gaming console. My PC has eliminated my DVD player and nearly eliminated the need for cable tv. If I could use it to play XBox games and completely eliminate the need for the outrageously overpriced cable tv; I would most certainly consider myself to be in electronic heaven.
Not all of us have the money to buy a massive monitor or a multi-screen monitor. However, I do have a nice flat screen tv that easily connects directly to my PC (and these days if you have an XBox you most likely have a nice flat screen). If console games were brought to PC's I wouldn't have to spend the $250 - $300 on an XBox (which until recently only played games). I understand that it is expensive to keep a PC running the most top of the line games but imo that is because the graphics far outpace console games and in the long run always have. Without even getting into eliminating excess electronic waste I think using a PC as a complete media hub for a person's home is an argument worth having.
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Fecal Face
June 17, 2011 at 1:34pm
I pre-ordered this, and have loved it since I got it. It's about the same price as the regular Xbox 360 controller, which is good.
I use it on my PC, mainly for racing games because using a keyboard to steer sucks compared to a controller (then again, a controller sucks compared to a steering wheel, but I can't afford one). The longer-than-normal cord is wonderful for when I actually use it on the Xbox 360.
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SilverSurferNHS
June 17, 2011 at 1:02pm
I always felt the 360 controler for windows was a rip off, especially when you had to buy the wireless adapter in addition to it. But this seems more worth the money because of the value added features and the drivers still automatically installed.
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Ridnarhtim
June 17, 2011 at 12:16pm
I recently bought a Logitech Rumblepad 2, and that's pretty good too. Although imo anything is better than a 360 controller.
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savage4naves
June 17, 2011 at 11:52am
I picked one of these up and it's pretty sweet. The backside of the controller has the re-mapping buttons. For $50 you can't go wrong.
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