ASUS ROG Raikiri II Xbox Wireless Controller Review - Ready to Take Control

TweakTown Rating: 89%

Our Verdict

ASUS has delivered an impressive premium, pro-grade controller with the ROG Raikiri II. Optimized for PC, Xbox, and the ROG Xbox Ally handhelds, it's lightweight and packed with impressive features like TMR sticks, micro switch buttons, and deep customization.

Pros

• Lightweight, comfortable, and sturdy
• Premium TMR drift-free sticks
• Responsive, tactile buttons
• Low-latency wired and wireless PC gaming
• Deep customization options

Cons

• Some non-essential button placement is not ideal
• No PC-specific profiles for button remapping
• Requires a PC and a browser for customization

Should you buy it?

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Introduction & Specification Details and Close-up

PC gaming is home to two control methods: keyboard and mouse, and a controller. The latter often arrives in Xbox form, from its layout to the inclusion of a big 'X' button, and can be used on PC and Xbox devices. Both have their place and feel integral to the overall PC gaming experience. Even if you use a keyboard and mouse to play competitive shooters like Counter-Strike 2 and Battlefield 6, and strategy games like Civilization VII and Age of Empires II, you'll want a controller for racing games like Forza Horizon 6 and third-person action-adventure games like Marvel's Spider-Man and Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced. The ROG Raikiri II Xbox Wireless Controller is a premium pad along the lines of the Xbox Elite controller, and arguably more impressive to boot.

Like high-quality wireless keyboards and mice designed for PC gaming, premium controllers like the ROG Raikiri II share the same focus on versatility and performance. For a modern controller, that means adopting the newer TMR, or Tunneling Magnetoresistance, technology for the analog sticks, high-quality micro switches for the buttons, and adding a layer of customization and additional features (like buttons on the underside of the controller) that you won't find on your standard Xbox or PlayStation 5 DualSense controller. Although still relatively new, TMR sticks use Hall-effect or magnetic technology to eliminate "stick drift" while also improving responsiveness and efficiency.

From a controller-tech perspective, the ROG Raikiri II Xbox Wireless Controller ticks all the boxes we'd want to see in a premium controller. TMR thumbsticks, high-quality and responsive switches for the buttons and D-pad, adjustable triggers, programmable underside buttons, comfortable grips, and tri-mode connectivity covering low-latency wireless, wired, and Bluetooth. It's also surprisingly lightweight, with an overall shape and build quality that leaves much of its competition in this space in its wake. And we were surprised because, although we expected a high-quality Republic of Gamers product when we opened the box, we weren't expecting what felt like a fifth or sixth revision in a second-generation product. Let's dig in.

Specifications & Close Up

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Kosta's Test System Specifications

Design, Layout, & Software

Design and Layout

One of the first things you notice when picking up the ROG Raikiri II Xbox Wireless Controller for the first time is that, in addition to its premium feel, it's actually noticeably lighter than the standard official Xbox controller for the Xbox Series X|S console, as well as the PlayStation 5's DualSense controller. Weighing in at 255 grams, the good news is that this is backed by high-quality, durable materials, comfortable, textured grips, and premium buttons. Another thing you notice in those first moments with the ROG Raikiri II in your hand is its responsive, snappy buttons. This is due to ASUS using micro switches, similar to those found on the premium ROG Xbox Ally X PC gaming handheld, which are clicky and a lot louder than your standard controller's buttons.

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This is worth noting because, like a mechanical keyboard with clicky switches, you and others around you will hear each button press, especially during frantic on-screen moments where you're trying to fight through a sea of enemies in Hades II. The benefit is near-instantaneous actuation and a responsiveness you can feel through the tactile feedback. The micro switches are located in the ABXY face buttons, the D-pad, shoulder bumpers, and the rear buttons on the underside of the controller.

ASUS actually developed the ROG Raikiri II Xbox Wireless Controller alongside the ROG Xbox Ally X handheld, so there's a visual similarity between the two, from the angular system-related buttons through to the faceplate pattern, ROG branding and overall ergonomics. Plus, some subtle RGB lighting is present here, with a small strip running along the outer edges of the controller and the ROG logo. Interestingly, the big Xbox button and logo aren't lit. This similar design also means the ROG Raikiri II has dedicated ROG Command Center and Library buttons alongside the 'back' and 'start' buttons. Fortunately, these can be remapped to other buttons.

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On the flip side, you've got four programmable buttons on the underside of the controller that can be mapped to any existing button on the ROG Raikiri II. Unlike some pro-grade controllers, these aren't removable, so whether you use them or not, they're a part of the controller's grip. Another potential minor sticking point is the 'share' button. Not so much that it's pretty tiny on the ROG Raikiri II compared to other pads, but that it's located on the bottom rather than slightly above and between the D-pad and right stick. Speaking of sticks, the TMR (Tunneling Magnetoresistance) analog sticks here feel fantastic, with ASUS providing interchangeable low-profile and high-profile variants to switch between. This technology not only eliminates stick drift but also offers greater efficiency and more detailed customization options for dead zones and accuracy.

This efficiency extends to the battery life of the ROG Raikiri II, which sits at an impressive 50 hours before you need to charge. That said, you're never really out of action, as it supports play-and-charge over a wired connection and Bluetooth for connecting to a wide range of devices. When using the low-latency wireless mode via the included USB dongle, which connects directly to the controller's lightweight charge stand, you get true 1,000 Hz polling on PC. Now, this drops to 250 Hz when connected to an Xbox Series X|S console, but that's still higher than the 125 Hz or 8ms of latency you get with a standard Xbox controller or even the Xbox Elite controller.

Frequently Asked Questions

TweakBot answers common questions about this review using TweakTown's own coverage from this page and related content from our archive. Tap a question to reveal the answer, or type your own below.

Question #1

What connectivity modes does the ROG Raikiri II support and which provides the lowest latency on PC?

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Question #2

How long does the battery last and can you play while charging?

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Question #3

What thumbstick technology does the Raikiri II use and how does it address stick drift?

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Question #4

What customization options does ASUS Gear Link provide for sticks and triggers?

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Software

The ROG Raikiri II Xbox Wireless Controller offers deep, intuitive, and impressive customization options for an Xbox controller, all handled via ASUS's new browser-based Gear Link interface, available on any Windows PC. Yes, customization requires a PC, which is a shame for pure console users, but what's on offer is impressive. For example, in addition to having the manual switch enable full analog control or snappy, button-like triggers, you can manually adjust the start and end points to control how they feel and perform fully. Likewise, you can choose from different stick profiles while manually adjusting the Dead Zone, outer thresholds, and even fine-tuning the acceleration curve.

Button remapping is fairly straightforward, but to ensure compatibility with both consoles and PC, you are limited to buttons that are already there on the controller. This means you can't, say, assign the ROG Command Center button to open up Discord, which is a shame, as it would have been nice to have one or more of the five on-board profiles be PC-specific. Or, have default profiles for both Xbox consoles and PC. That said, being able to assign D-pad directions to the underside buttons is a fantastic option when playing action RPGs or games where items and actions like healing are mapped to the D-pad. This lets you keep your thumb on the stick while issuing other commands.

Gear Link also lets you adjust the lighting on the controller, which by default is set to the somewhat annoying rainbow-and-neon Color Cycle you find on most peripherals. Here, you've got a wide range of presets and the ability to customize each of the three lighting zones individually, as well as adjust the overall brightness. RGB lighting on a controller is never really essential, but if you're going to have some ARGB action, it's always good to see this level of detail in the customization. Rounding out the customization, you've got some power-saving options and the ability to recalibrate the analog sticks and triggers. All in all, it's an impressive suite of options that add to the premium feel of the ROG Raikiri II.

Gaming Performance

When connected to a PC, you unlock the full potential of the ROG Raikiri II, so to speak, as you've got access to 1,000 Hz polling over both wired and wireless. With the controller's lightweight build and the ability to store the receiver in a compartment on the underside of the pad, you can easily switch between PCs, which is what we did during testing on our testbench and on a separate gaming PC connected to a TV for that couch gaming comfort. For this review, we played a wide range of titles, including Forza Horizon 6, DOOM: The Dark Ages, Diablo 4, Hades II, and Resident Evil Requiem. Aside from the fantastic trigger response and vibration you get when playing Forza, perhaps the biggest thing that took a moment to adjust to was the micro switches on the buttons. And that goes beyond the tactile feel and the clicky sound they make when you're pressing buttons rapidly.

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Basically, when you factor in the fact that the face buttons are a light touch, the near-instantaneous response and low-latency from the 1,000 Hz polling on PC mean that accidental presses can happen if you're used to weightier or, more likely, mushier, lower-quality buttons that require a firm press to activate. Now, this was something we got used to pretty quickly in a sort of touch-typist way. After a few days, we grew to prefer the overall feel of the ROG Raikiri II over most other Xbox controllers we've tested, including the official Elite pad. Although the latency increases when connected to an Xbox Series X or another device via Bluetooth, the versatility and lightweight build make this a go-to controller for just about anything. The only real downside to the design is its adherence to the ROG Xbox Ally X layout, which includes two additional buttons above the standard 'back' and 'start' buttons. This isn't a deal-breaker, but outside of pairing the ROG Raikiri II with an actual ROG Xbox Ally X handheld, they feel unnecessary, especially when you've got four customizable underside buttons.

Final Thoughts

With the ROG Raikiri II Xbox Wireless Controller, ASUS has created one of the more impressive premium controller options on the market. Here, you get the latest TMR technology for the analog joysticks, responsive, tactile micro switches for all the main buttons, and deep customization via a web interface that lets you adjust everything from dead zones on the sticks to remapping buttons and fine-tuning the triggers. Throw in a comfortable, sturdy, and surprisingly lightweight build, with a premium carry case, charging stand, and little touches like RGB lighting that enhance the look, and the drawbacks here are few and far between. Basically, when the complaints are that the share button is a little low and the RGO Xbox Ally X-specific buttons feel out of place when on a PC or Xbox, the issues are minor.

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And that second one could be fixed with a firmware and software update, as we'd love for ASUS to add the ability to create PC-specific profiles so we could assign a few of these extra buttons to access apps, keyboard, and system controls, ala keyboards and mice. Hopefully, we won't have to wait until the ROG Raikiri III for that to become a reality. Ultimately, if you're looking for a premium or Elite-style controller to match the rest of your gaming gear, the ROG Raikiri II is not only worth considering but also highly recommended.