Razer Onza TE - Review

[proxyman]

I picked this controller up on Saturday because my controller broke and it was about the same price as a normal controller. I did some research and it looked like it had some nice features. I will give an overview then go specific.

Overview:
-The Onza is similar to the classic 360 controller, except it feels a bit better ergonomically.
-It is wired, due to Microsoft rules, but it is a nice 15 foot long braided wire with a quick release in case someone trips over it.
-There are two extra programmable buttons above the left and right bumpers. These can be programmed to act as any other button on the controller.
-The analog sticks have resistance adjustment, meaning you can adjust how hard you have to press to move them.
-The four buttons (A,B,X,Y) are back-lit and are mechanical, meaning they feel like mouse clicks.
-The directional pad is four separate buttons that are slightly raised.
-The triggers are lighter and require less movement to press, meaning faster response.

Controller Feel/Ergonomics:
Overall, the Onza feels really good in your hands. It carries a nice rubberized finish (as opposed to the plastic finish on the SE edition and regular controllers). The design sticks to the classic controller design, but adds better shape, and feels better in the hand.
Ergonomics Score: 10/10

Analog Sticks:
The sticks are raised higher than those of the standard controller, providing more control and accuracy. They also have a nice adjustable resistance, meaning you can determine how much force you need to apply to move the stick. The sticks also have a rubberized top which provides comfort for your thumbs during long sessions of gaming.
Analog Sticks Score: 10/10

Buttons/D-Pad:
The four main buttons (A,B,X,Y) are a nice improvement over the standard controller. They now use mechanical switches, instead of membrane, to provide a very fast response time with minimal pressure, and are also back-lit. If you are used to clicking a mouse, they feel and sound a lot like that. The directional pad, however, still uses the membrane switches, which require more pressure to press. While it is four separate buttons, it still feels a lot like, if not a little worse, than the standard D-Pad.
Buttons/D-Pad Score: 7/10

Programmable Buttons:
One new feature of the Onza is the addition of two programmable buttons, located above each bumper. These can be programmed to act as any button on the controller, except Left and Right bumper. While seemingly a good idea, I find myself very rarely using them. Actually, they seem to get in the way and I often am wondering why I am not throwing a grenade because I accidentally pressed the programmable button and not the bumper. However, this may just be user-error and it may just take time to get used to them.
Programmable Buttons Score: 8/10


Final Score: 37/40

A very nice controller for the money, and is definitely an upgrade over the standard controller. With some minor improvements, this could easily be a perfect controller. All in all, I highly recommend picking up this controller if you are looking for a replacement, or just an upgrade.

[daredevil]

Nice review. I'll probably pick one of these up when my standard one innevitably dies.

[proxyman]

Originally Posted by daredevil

Nice review. I'll probably pick one of these up when my standard one innevitably dies.

Thanks! Yes its a really good controller. You will love it, fellow LoL player!

[krone6]

Originally Posted by proxyman

Thanks! Yes its a really good controller. You will love it, fellow LoL player!

You can play this on LoL? If so i'll probably get one even more.

[The Dude]

Nice, when my xbox controller dies I'll get this I think, extra buttons ftw.

[CybrSlydr]

I never heard of this until now - thanks for the review.

I can't get anyone to send a 360 controller to APO (Newegg or Amazon), so this looks like a great alternative for my PC!

[proxyman]

Originally Posted by CybrSlydr

I never heard of this until now - thanks for the review.

I can't get anyone to send a 360 controller to APO (Newegg or Amazon), so this looks like a great alternative for my PC!

Glad I could help :-)

[Playap0wnr]

Yeah, I know this post has been dead for a few months, but I think it's worth mentioning that the Onzas have a known problem where the analog stick starts to drift automatically (without moving them) after a couple months. It was good while it lasted, but i dont think they will last more than a year or so.

[The Dude]

I've had xbox controllers drift from day one. My onza is only 7 mo old, but its sharp and accurate.

[Dil-tech]

I see no purpose if it doesn't improve upon the dpad. That's the standard x360 controller's massive flaw. I dare ANYONE to try and play high level with the dpad on the x360 controller.

[SwiftSnipeR]

i also picked up this controller over the weekend i ended up taking it back the next day, controller is very nice! but.. i have long fingers and i kept hitting the extra set of bumper on the top on the controller when i "engaged in cobat" and it was getting real annoying went back to the old 360 controller and now i miss it lol....