If you've seen one video game controller, you've seen them all right? Wrong. As gamers get more serious about their playtime, companies have been fighting in a frenzy over getting their wares into the hands of today's hyper competitive players.
Today, Razer announced their elite level Sabertooth controller for the Xbox 360. Though it may not seem like it's no different than your stock 360 controller, there is a big difference and here's why.
Razer Sabertooth
Price: $80
Where to buy:Razer
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Score: 10/10
The first thing you'll notice about the Sabertooth is that the analog sticks are raised slightly higher than basic controllers. While this isn't a new concept in professional grade units, it's a big advantage in First Person Shooter games where precision is insanely important. Also by raising the sticks, there's less fatigue on your thumbs which helps you to play a lot longer. In the packaging, you'll find two sets of rubber tops that will make sure your thumbs don't slip at crucial moments.
Since everyone's play style varies, customization plays a huge role in control handling. The Sabertooth gives players tons of options with the ability to re-map the functions of every button on the controller. These buttons include two removable rockers on the underside, two smaller buttons between the left and right bumpers, the two triggers and the A,B,X,Y buttons. The directional pad which trades the classic all-in-one gray tilt button with individual ones are customizable as well. If you spend a lot of time remapping to the perfect configuration, you can save it as a profile into the controller itself. You get to your profile through the unit's OLED screen located on the Sabertooth's bottom front. Unfortunately, you only get two available slots to save in but if you're looking to save tons of profiles, you should be on a PC and keyboard anyway.
Here's an unboxing video of the Sabertooth but we have to warn you, it contains dubstep.
Everyone loves wireless but in heated battle you don't want to risk getting a dreaded controller disconnection. The braided, detachable cord keeps the controller connected to your console constantly but don't count on moving too far back if you've got a large living room. The cord is lengthy but it may not be long enough for some gaming environments.
We tested the Sabertooth out on a copy of Far Cry 3 and Call of Duty: Black Ops II and found the hype totally believable. Aiming was a lot more accurate and controlling shots was easier (some of us have trigger fingers that have a mind of their own). Button remapping was simple and took no time to get the hang of. The only thing that would've made the Sabertooth the holy grail was if it also supported wireless. If that was the case though, we'd probably never be able to support the increased price tag.
Bottom line, even if you're not a pro-gamer, Razer's Sabertooth will you feel like one as your butt cheeks get blown off in multiplayer. It's comfortable, the button placement is intuitive and its dark, sleek design looks intimidating. Pull this controller out on your pal and see how fast they take back all the trash talk.
