Razer Onza Tournament Edition

Designed for pro gamers and enthusiasts alike, the Razer Onza controller aims to build on and improve the original XBOX 360 controller. So will this new joypad give you the edge in multiplayer games?

Lightweight and Improved Design

From precision and responsiveness to design and handling, Razer has clearly thought long and hard about how to rework every aspect of the official XBOX 360 controller. The Razer Onza has the same excellent basic shape as the original controller, which was already very well designed, but this new version has a more aggressive overall look. In fact, it has a slightly more angular design and is even more comfortable to hold than the official model thanks to deeper grips around the back of the pad and a particularly nice rubber finish (Tournament Edition only). Only the sharp upper angles, next to the LB (Left Bumper) and RB (Right Bumper) buttons, could prove a bit annoying for some of you.


The Onza has a build and finish that can easily rival the official XBOX controllers, and its only real let-downs are the slightly tacky XBOX logo and the feeble backlighting around the coloured buttons (if you really want to be picky). On the whole though, it's a very well-made controller and Razer has even gone as far as to hide the screws that hold it together with little rubber covers—nice!

The Onza is a wired controller that's very light. In fact, at just 200 g it's almost 100 g lighter than the XBOX 360 Silver wireless controller! You'll almost certainly feel the difference when playing for hours and hours on end, but the braided cable—although very long (4 m 60 cm)—could be a nuisance in some situations.

Better but Noisy Buttons

The main differences are found in the controller's buttons. As well as being backlit, the four coloured buttons (A, B, X, Y) boast improved responsiveness by using a mechanism that's similar to the clicks of a mouse button.

Razer has also added two extra buttons above the LB and RB buttons, which can be programmed to adopt the function of any other button on the controller. It's just a bit of a shame that they can't be assigned combinations or strings of commands.
We also found the trigger buttons on this controller rather noisy. The official controller's buttons are quieter and less stiff to press.


The analogue trigger buttons also have a longer stroke for improved accuracy. This can, for example, be handy in racing games for precision control of the accelerator.

Precision Directional Controls

Thankfully, the D-pad keeps each directional arrow completely separate from the others. This is one of the most frequently criticised features of the official controllers, which lack precision in their four-way arrows. The XBOX 'Silver' controller has the same problem too. You won't have to worry about that with the Onza though, even if the arrows are quite stiff and a bit less comfortable to press. We would have preferred them to be a little looser and to have a shorter keystroke.


Finally, the two analogue joysticks both now come with adjustable resistance. A small control wheel allows you to make the sticks stiffer or looser according to your needs or the type of game you're playing. This can, for example, be handy when you need a more resistant stick for driving and racing games but a more supple stick in FPS.

Ideal for Fast-Action Games

We tried the Razer Onza with a selection of different games and we were suitably impressed, especially in games that require high levels of dexterity and fast, responsive movements. In a fighting games like Marvel vs Capcom 3, the more accurate D-pad is particularly handy, even if it does hurt your thumb after a while.

Although it's difficult to judge just how much faster a wired controller really is compared with a wireless joypad, we did find the coloured buttons particularly responsive and sensitive. The difference is merely a matter of milliseconds, but for a pro or hardcore gamer that can make all the difference.
Although you'll notice no major difference in FPS (Call of Duty, for example) or TPS (Gears of War), the other general improvements in the Onza still make gaming a pleasant experience with this controller.