Unlevel the playing field? Don’t mind
if we do…
The Sabertooth isn’t Razer’s first stab at
a gamepad last year’s pro-focused Onza pad included analogue sticks with
adjustable torsion but the Sabertooth does something more. This time the focus
is on extra buttons between two to six of the blighters and a pretty advanced
on-pad system for customizing them.
Razer
sabertooth elite gaming controller
Mounted in the center of the Sabertooth’s
underside is a pair of trigger rockers that cover two inputs each. They’re
raised so that they can be easily reached with whichever fingers you hook
around, and are perfectly placed to either replace or augment the standard face
buttons when your thumbs are occupied with the analogue sticks.
We fared best using them with index and
middle fingers, though their flexibility means it’s entirely up to you how you
interact with them or if you want to use them at all. Razer has made the
Sabertooth’s rear rockers detachable, and has included silicon covers to fill
the voids they leave behind.
The
connection from the cable to the controller is great though, a nice positive
screw fit, and one that feels sturdy
The other additional buttons sit on top of
the pad, between the bumpers and the triggers. They’re easy to reach with the
tips of the index fingers, even if they’re otherwise occupied with the bumpers.
All the extra buttons are programmable through the on-board OLED screen, and
can represent any digital input you like.
The Sabertooth stores two different
configurations, and there’s even a button dedicated to profile switching, so it
can be done on the fly.
There’s a slight issue, though: the program
button sits directly below the right analogue stick, and our sausage thumbs managed
to activate it accidentally more than once in the heat of gaming. You’ll need
to adjust your handling at least slightly, though we suppose that’s to be
expected when transitioning from a standard pad to an advantage peripheral like
this.
The box crows about adjustable analogue
stick sensitivity, but we couldn’t find such an option. Thankfully the
Sabertooth’s sticks are perfectly weighted and a joy to use just slightly
stiffer than the standard Xbox pad’s. There are bright green rubber caps in the
box that increase their stickiness at the expense of a little aesthetic beauty.
Easy, tiger
We should also mention the face buttons –
an optionally backlit quartet that Razer calls ‘hyper-responsive’.
Micro-switched with minimal travel, they’re a great improvement on the
Microsoft pad’s somewhat spongy inputs.
All
the extra buttons are programmable through the on-board OLED screen
In fact, almost everything – from the
detachable braided cable (an absolute must in tournament-level gaming) to the
included carry case – puts the Sabertooth on a plane above the standard pad and
we reckon it’s probably the best third-party pad out there.
So do you need one? It’s superior, but it’s
superior to an already very high standard. If you’re not a super competitive
gamer, the Sabertooth may be an unnecessary expense.
We enthusiastic but ham-fisted used it over
the course of a month, and while it made our FPS experience slightly more
convenient, we’re not convinced it led to a real improvement in results. Your
results may vary.
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Vital
statistics
§ Price:
$105
§ Ratings:
4.5/5
§ Manufacturer:
Razer
§ Web:
www.razerone.com
§ Buttons:
2x shoulder MFB, 4x backlit, 4x removable MFT
§ Audio:
2.5mm audio jack
§ Extras:
OLED screen, carry case
§ Interface:
Quick-release USB
§ Weight:
288g
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