The Razer Onza is yet another first from the company which makes high-end precision gaming hardware. A controller for the Xbox 360, the Onza comes with quite a few surprises, and in that respect it truly is a Razer. Just a glance and you can tell that it is something out of the ordinary. The ergonomic black Tournament Edition is light as air and has a feather touch to it, thanks to Razer’s incorporation of its Hyperesponse technology. The Razer Onza Tournament Edition was created for one thing and one thing only; instant annihilation of opponents. Here’s a review.
The Onza TE’s jagged edges and crystal-like cuts perfectly complement the new Xbox 360 console while providing the Xbox 360 gamer with features way beyond the standard controller. And incidentally, it also works with your Windows PC, so gamers who seek such a solution to PC gaming can look no further. It takes a little getting used to though, mostly because there’s a world of difference between the Onza and the standard Microsoft controller. But after a short few hours you should be able to reconfigure your brain to deal with winning.
No batteries means the Onza needs to be plugged into your console via USB. The Tournament Edition comes with a 15 foot long, light weight braided cable worthy of Razer. This lengthy cable could give your gaming session quite a messy look, but it beats having to scour high and low for batteries to prolong a Red Bull fuelled killing spree. The USB cable even comes with a quick release mechanism to protect your console if yanked by accident.
The Razer Onza Tournament Edition Review takes the form of an Xbox 360 controller, but it comes with a lot more than just the standard stuff; something that the Razer guys specialize in putting into their products. First off, it has two extra shoulder buttons, called Multi-Function Buttons, which can be remapped to take on the role of other buttons for quick use in-game. This straight away gives you an advantage over using the standard Xbox 360 controller. We found them useful in sports games where pressing the action buttons in quick succession proves a little challenging. Frankly, it’s much easier with these programmable pocket rockets in FIFA when faking the keeper or putting an early one into the box or perhaps leaving a defender for dead. In FPS games where getting up the gears quickly is key, these buttons can be configured to help in switching between weapons or strategies in order to get an upper hand over your opponents. You can even configure the left and right MFBs to correspond respectively to the left analog stick button and right analog stick button.
All that has been said about the Razer Onza Tournament Edition up to this point is sort of overshadowed by what the controller’s analog sticks have to offer. They come with customizable resistance manifested as simple ‘tension rings’ just beneath the thumb rests. Turning these tension rings clockwise should increase the resistance of the analog sticks and this requires you to apply more force in order to move them. So although adjusting the tension doesn’t change the sensitivity of your sticks, it provides a sort of tactile response to your gaming session. The great thing about this feature is that you can set different amounts of tension for the left and right sticks, making the Onza TE ideal for first or third person shooters, where you might want to have your character’s movement and turning to reflect a difference.
The Onza’s Hyperesponse action buttons are extremely sensitive, one of the device’s most instantly noticeable features, and almost grant the effect of touch feedback. The trigger is set up for those jarheads who love a good gunfight just as much as the next guy. Strange that the Onza TE doesn’t figure a glowing marque, as do almost all the Razer products available. A tiny bit of criticism though is that the ‘Start’ and ‘Back’ buttons are arguably inconveniently located, which makes for a little hassle. But you can reconfigure the MFBs if you like to perform these functions.
One thing that the Razer Onza TE does not feature is the ability to program in macros. So you can’t use it to fire a weapon at a higher rate, for instance. Other products from the company have this capability, but as Razer clearly puts it, ‘Rapid fire is for n00bs!’
The Final Word: The Razer Onza Tournament Edition will make a great addition to anyone’s console gaming hardware, and is well worth its price tag of Rs. 3,499. With all the functions it provides or even just for its striking looks you’d be crazy not to pick one up to take your Xbox 360 or PC gaming experience to another level. All controllers are not created equal in a world where the Onza TE stands out noticeably from the rest. In the right hands this controller can be used to tear through the hearts of opponents. The Onza is so much more than a gaming peripheral; it’s a Razer!
Looks and Style Factor: 9.0/10.
Functionality: 9.0/10.
Comfort and Usage: 9.0/10.
Overall (not an average): 9.0/10.