The iPad Mini is no longer the biggest tablet you can fit into a mobile gaming controller (without breaking it a little). Razer’s new $199.99 Kishi V3 Pro XL can accommodate a 13-inch iPad or Android tablet that uses a USB-C connector. It’s like Razer’s 2013 Edge, in spirit at least.
My 10.9-inch iPad Air is a cinch to fit inside of the Kishi V3 Pro XL, and having even this large of a screen to play on is a treat. How could it not be? Not only that, its speakers sound fantastic for playing games.
The ability to fit a huge tablet is the key feature of the Kishi V3 Pro XL specifically, but it shares other gen-to-gen improvements with the smaller, cheaper Kishi V3 options in the lineup: the $99.99 V3 and $149.99 V3 Pro. Razer says that the Kishi V3’s design was inspired by its own Wolverine V3 Pro Xbox controller (our pick for the best alternative to the Xbox Elite Series 2), which was clear to me as I got some gaming time in with the XL.
All the controllers in the Kishi V3 lineup include full-size TMR joysticks (with swappable caps), which use magnets instead of physical contacts for registering inputs, and thus aren’t prone to stick drift. The controller grips are more pronounced and are covered in an etched texture to keep them snug in your hands. The pair of configurable macro buttons near the triggers from prior Kishi models are present in the Kishi V3 Pro XL, along with a new second pair around the rear of the grips. The V3 Pro and V3 Pro XL support haptics, but only on Android, or when connected to a computer via USB-C cable (not included).
I had a great time testing GeForce Now on the Steam Deck, so I wanted to take advantage of the Kishi V3 Pro XL to try it on an iPad’s larger screen. Not that it’s Razer’s fault, but it’s more difficult to get GeForce Now running on an iPad, since Apple’s App Store policies require streaming experiences to run through a browser, not through their own dedicated apps.
Image: Cameron Faulkner/The Verge
Once I got it running, the game window fit the iPad’s aspect ratio almost perfectly, save for small black bars on the left and right sides of the screen in landscape mode. This won’t be an issue if your tablet has a 16:9 aspect ratio. Despite my fast internet speeds, visual quality looked worse on the iPad Air than it does on the Steam Deck OLED. That could be because the iPad has a much larger screen and a significantly higher resolution that make it a lot easier to see visual artifacts in a cloud streaming session. Still, latency felt good enough that I could complete parries in Expedition 33: Clair Obscur.
The moment the Kishi V3 Pro XL clicked with me was when I launched Razer’s somewhat-new PC Remote Play experience. It performs really well, if you’re okay with installing Razer apps on your PC. You’ll need Razer Cortex, which lets you run games on your PC and stream them to your handheld. Cortex makes the feed look fantastic, taking full advantage of the iPad’s screen resolution. Steam’s Link app works just fine, too, and it’s a convenient option if you’re accustomed to using a Steam Deck since it has a similar interface.
With my iPad Air installed, the Kishi V3 Pro XL setup weighs about 1.7 pounds, which is over a fourth of a pound heavier than the Steam Deck OLED, and just a touch heavier than the new Xbox ROG Ally handheld. It’s a little too cumbersome to hold comfortably with one hand, even if just for a moment to itch my shoulder. I assumed this would be the case, though it’s worth keeping in mind if you have an even bigger tablet than me. Still, it’s a comfortable two-handed experience if you’re hunkered down on the couch.
The Kishi V3Pro XL has less direct competition than the rest of the Kishi V3 lineup. Backbone’s $169.99 Pro controller doesn’t attempt to fit devices larger than a phone. But unlike the Kishi V3 series, it can be used as a standalone Bluetooth controller for your other devices — including tablets — when a phone isn’t wedged into it. The GameSir G8 Plus is a cheaper option at $79.99, and can stretch to fit an iPad Mini or the original Nintendo Switch, but it can’t fit a full-sized iPad like the Kishi V3 Pro XL can.
While I’m not thrilled with the $199.99 price, there’s an audience that’s been asking for something like the Kishi V3 Pro XL to exist and will probably pay for it. It’s a great way to use your tablet as a console-like gaming device, putting its screen and speakers front and center. As for me, I’m thrilled to have more fun things to do with my iPad Air instead of using it exclusively as a Ms. Rachel device for our one year old (no shade to Ms. Rachel).
