Without further ado, let’s start with an unboxing. The packaging follows the standard ROG design, and it’s a controller designed for Xbox. It’s Microsoft certified, so you can see the Xbox logo on the packaging. Upon opening the box, you’ll find the following items:

1 controller
1 USB-C to USB-A charging cable
1 2.4GHz wireless receiver
1 instruction manual

At first glance, you can tell that this ROG controller takes some design cues from the Xbox 2nd Gen Wireless Elite Controller. However, when the Raikiri Pro is powered on, the cool RGB lighting (ROG being one of the lighting masters) and the unique OLED display on the controller make it look quite distinctive. The OLED screen, though not large, allows players to add their favorite text or images to be displayed as wallpaper using the Armoury Crate software, adding a personalized touch.

In terms of feel, the controller has a good balance between being lightweight and not too heavy, from the body to the triggers. While it may not feel as premium as the Xbox Elite Controller, it’s much better than most third-party controllers and provides a secure grip thanks to its textured coating.

The controller is on the larger side, but ASUS has done a good job with ergonomic design. Unless you have very small hands, reaching the buttons shouldn’t be a problem. Only the 4 buttons on the back might be a bit challenging for younger players, but it’s not too difficult.

One of the main features of the ROG Raikiri Pro is its three connection options, including USB wired, Bluetooth 5.0, and 2.4GHz wireless. You can use it with any Windows 10/11 PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S console. It’s also compatible with ASUS’s own ROG Ally. The best of these three options is the 2.4GHz wireless connection, which feels nearly identical to using it wired, with almost no latency. If you use Bluetooth, there’s a slight delay, but unfortunately for Xbox players, USB is the only option.

The ROG Raikiri Pro features an ESS DAC, allowing players to connect 3.5mm wired headphones. Think of it as a built-in sound card, which isn’t crucial for PC gamers but is quite useful for Xbox and ROG Ally players. This feature not only outputs game audio but also enables voice chat using headphones with a microphone. The only drawback is that the controller can only use the audio mode when connected via USB.

For PC gamers, the Raikiri Pro controller has two buttons on the top that can be used to adjust button mapping, stick sensitivity, trigger modes, and dead zones. There are also 4 programmable buttons, trigger locks, and a directional pad on the back. All these settings can be customized using the ASUS Armoury Crate PC software.

Finally, let’s talk about the most crucial aspect of a controller: battery life. With RGB lighting enabled, you can expect around 31 to 32 hours of use on a full charge, and without RGB lighting and vibration, you can extend the battery life to about 48 hours.

Shortcomings:

While the controller has 4 buttons on the back, the button design is mediocre. These 4 buttons cannot be removed, and they are quite flat. During intense gaming sessions, these inward buttons don’t provide the best tactile feedback. If they could be replaced or redesigned as trigger-like buttons, it would greatly improve the feel.

Secondly, although the OLED display is a highlight, its functionality is limited. Additionally, the two small buttons dedicated to toggling the OLED display are located on both sides of the USB port, making them difficult to use. Pressing and holding them is required to navigate the menu, which makes the operation slow and cumbersome. The OLED screen can only switch profiles, systems, connection types, brightness, and change wallpapers. It cannot remap buttons in-game, which could have added more versatility. Controlling the OLED screen with the ABXY buttons, analog sticks, and/or D-pad in conjunction with customizable button functions on the OLED screen would enhance the overall user experience.

Currently, the controller can only be fully configured using the Armoury Crate software. However, this software only recognizes the controller when connected via USB. If you’re using Bluetooth or the 2.4GHz wireless connection, the software won’t detect the controller. Hopefully, future updates will address this issue.

Furthermore, this controller is not compatible with mobile devices, whether Android or iOS. While it can be discovered and connected via Bluetooth on mobile devices, the buttons are unresponsive, rendering it useless. We tested it on an iPhone 14 Plus, iPad 10th Gen, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5, and Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra, and none of them yielded results. So, for users who want to game on mobile or stream cloud games, this controller is not an option.

Conclusion:

The ASUS ROG Raikiri Pro gaming controller has good overall build quality and design. The adjustable step triggers and extra four buttons provide added flexibility for gaming, although there is room for improvement in the latter. Players can use the Armoury Crate program and custom profiles to fine-tune settings according to different game requirements and personal preferences, but all of this can be fully experienced only on a PC. For Xbox players, many features are not available, not to mention that this controller is not compatible with mobile devices. So, if you are a PC gamer or want a controller for your ROG Ally, the Raikiri Pro is worth a try.