The gadgets that hook you the most do not necessarily have to be the most expensive or revolutionary. Many times, Those who manage to conquer your heart are, simply, those who make that desire possible or break down that wall that you longed for so much. An excellent proof of this is the Moom tool, which I talked about a few weeks ago. It is an extremely simple utility, but it has become one of my must-haves. But let’s not get sidetracked. In this text I do not intend to dwell on this utility again – although I recommend you take a look at it if you use macOS. Moom’s case is just an introductory example towards the true protagonist of this text: the Razer Kishi V2.
The Razer Kishi V2 is essentially a controller for mobile phones. An accessory that allows you to turn your mobile into a kind of Nintendo Switch. And yes, he is not the first. As his name suggests, there was a Razer Kishi V1. And it is also possible to find similar products from other brands.
But not being the first or a revolution does not exactly detract from this Razer Kishi V2. On the one hand, because it does its job particularly well. On the other hand, because what is truly important is not the product itself; are the doors you unlock.
The key behind the Razer Kishi V2
Before going into detail about my experience with the Razer Kishi V2, I have to put on the table what has been, for me, the basis that gives meaning to a product like this: Xbox GamePass. And, more specifically, the role of cloud gaming that Microsoft has been developing for years.
It’s not the first time I’ve tried what used to be called xCloud. But I have to admit that it had been a while since the last time. And, dear reader, what a difference. The leap forward that the Redmond company has taken in this regard is enormous. It has gone from being somewhat promising to delivering a truly satisfying experience. And I’m not referring to the catalog of compatible titles –which is also quite interesting–, but to parameters such as latency, stability or image quality.
To exemplify what has been mentioned, allow me to take this text to my field. The bulk of my time in front of a console is spent with driving titles: F1, Gran Turismo, Assetto Corsa, etc. They have always been my passion. And in those titles, let’s remember, latency is key. Braking a tenth of a second too late wastes time or even causes a race-ending crash.
The last time I tried Xbox Game Pass cloud gaming, the service suffered from latency that made it impossible to enjoy titles like those mentioned. Especially if you tried to play without any kind of assistance (traction control off, manual transmission, no ABS, etc.). It wasn’t a huge latency, but it was enough to not finish enjoying or feeling comfortable.
On this occasion, however, the feeling has been completely opposite. Xbox Game Pass cloud gaming has gone from an up-and-coming service that I watched from afar to seriously considering renewing my subscription so I can continue to play on the go without missing my console. Even more so considering that, at the end of the year, Microsoft will allow us to run any title that we have in our digital library – not just those that are available on Game Pass.
And no, it’s not perfect. On a specific occasion, the streaming suffered a slight stuttering despite having a good connection. But, I insist: it is not the norm. Crashes are so occasional that, at least in my experience, they don’t cloud the overall experience.
By the way: it is important to remember that, in order to enjoy a good experience with this service, yes or yes you must have a good internet connection. Can you enjoy Game Pass cloud gaming over a 5G network? Undoubtedly, but the stability – especially in terms of latency – is not going to be the same as on a fiber network. And this factor, obviously, is not in the hands of Microsoft, but of the operators.
the icing on the cake
If you bundle a service like the one described above with a product like the Razer Kishi V2, the experience is really satisfying. The feel of the buttons, for example, is really good, especially the X, A, B and Y. The triggers also have good travel and sensitivity, which is very useful in those titles where you have to play with their progressivity .
The joystick The Razer Kishi V2, on the other hand, closely resemble those of the Nintendo Switch in shape and demeanor. The experience with them is satisfactory, although I must admit that, coming from conventional console controls, I miss that they have a little more travel. I say this for several reasons:
- The titles of GamePass have been developed with the gameplay of the Xbox controller in mind, whose joystick they have more travel.
- Some sticks with more travel they also make the transition to the Kishi V2 easier. If you play a lot on console or PC, you’ll appreciate having a feeling as similar as possible between both devices.
- And finally, having more travel is also useful in many titles where the progressiveness with which you make movements is essential.
The Razer Kishi V2 connection bridge has a large width, so any phone – even a particularly large one – can be docked with no problem. If we get detailed, yes, it could be a little more solid, although it is more a suggestion for improvement than an actual deficiency.
The product itself is quite light, which is key considering that, to its weight, we must add that of a mobile phone – which weighs more and more. It also conveys a good feeling to the touch. –the rubbery finish of some parts contributes to this– and the elements are well placed.
On the other hand, both the inclusion of programmable buttons at the top – configurable from the Razer Nexus application – and a USB-C port at the bottom of the Razer Kishi V2 that allows you to charge the phone while we continue playing are appreciated.
What It is not appreciated so much that there is no universal version of the Razer Kishi V2. The company has released a version for Android and, soon, a version for iOS will also arrive. But why isn’t it the same for both platforms?
The difference between the USB-C port and the Lightning port is the most visible obstacle, but I think a solution like the one DJI applies would probably have been viable in a product like this. For those who are not familiar with DJI: the drone brand includes different interchangeable ports along with the controls of its products, so that you can use one phone or another with the aforementioned control indistinctly.
It is a minor problem, but considering that, from time to time, people change their mobile phone, making the Razer Kishi V2 universal would have been a pretty positive point to prolong its useful life.
Is it worth buying the Razer Kishi V2?
After the above, I think there is no doubt about my answer to that question. The Razer Kishi V2 has become one of my favorite products of the year. It is not revolutionary, but, together with Game Pass, it has opened a door that I had been longing for years: being able to play the titles that I enjoy so much on console wherever I am, in a comfortable and uncomplicated way.