Review on Razer Kishi V2 Mobile Gaming Controller And Opus X Wireless Low Latency Headset Bundle For Android by James Bullets

I own both the V1 and V2 models and my phone is the S21 Ultra.TL;DR - Overall, a solid and more premium feeling improvement to V1 with some minor caveats. Improvements are significant enough to make the Kishi V2 the controller I will use going forward and will replace my Kishi V1.UPDATE: After using the controller extensively over the last couple of weeks (dozens of hours) I am increasing my score. I love this controller! I still think there is room for improvement in terms of the firmware (being able to map a home button for whatever cloud service you're using), but it looks, feels, and performs great. Most of the negative reviews are irrelevant (i e. whining that the pass through charging isn't as fast as when directly plugged into the phone (duh), or that their folding phone doesn't fit, etc). For me, the V2 is far superior to the V1. The buttons, triggers and extendable bridge are huge improvements.PROS- Premium feel over V1- Significantly more stable feeling in the hands than V1. There is no "give" like experienced with the V1 expandable band- Minimal to no bend or movement when playing, very secure- I'm less concerned about using my phone "naked" due to the included bumpers (pre-installed ones work best for the S21 Ultra) and the extendable bridge. The latter is a huge improvement over the V1- The phone fits snugly and has far better-feeling stability and support- Previously with V1, I would have to remove my main case (thicker, more protection) and put on an ultra-thin case for added support, which was an inconvenience. Although I generally get nervous when my phone doesn't have a case (i.e., I have young kids, accidental drops, etc.), it feels more secure without a case and looks nicer. I was able to get my thin cases to work, but ironically it feels less secure with a case on, as the two ends of the controller (not meant to accommodate a case) can slide more easily against the case material, and the USB-C connection is not as tight with a case on, which also contributes to lost connections between the phone and controller and unwanted movement- Unlike V1, nothing is physically rubbing up against the camera bump or back of the phone that would cause scratches- Although a matter of personal preference, the micro-switch buttons feel fantastic to me and are super responsive, which makes me less prone to "mashing" them like on V1, which reduces the amount of strain or pressure I might put on the controller- Overall, I think it looks and feels better (although, smaller) and more premium in the handCONS- Smaller than V1 and feels less durable when not connected to my phone. With V1's more compact design (when closed), I could easily toss it into a bag or pocket without a second thought. I have to be more gentle and deliberate with the V2 for fear of damaging/putting pressure on the bridge. It's also more awkward to store for this same reason, and although there are storage cases you can use to protect it, they add bulk- Unlike V1, there is no way to exit a game and return to the Stadia main menu without completely closing the Stadia app via your phone's touchscreen and restarting it. Also, Stadia is not included in the supported apps in the Nexus app Razer is promoting, so you can't use the Nexus button to change games quickly or even map a button to do this. On V1, a long press on the home button would allow me to exit a game and go back to the Stadia main menu- Although you CAN use a very thin case, they clearly designed it to be used without a case, the same as the V1. The only difference is that the extendable bridge makes it a LOT easier to accommodate larger phones and hold them more securely, making me far less nervous about not using a case.and frankly, it's nice not to have to keep changing cases (I bought a couple of thin cases specifically for use with the V1). My daily cases are the UAG Monarch and Speck Presidio Grip, so I did not expect that the controller would accommodate them, but it would be nice for them to consider this in the future (i.e., including a USB-C extender)- Analog sticks are shorter but do feel more responsive (less lag) than V1 analogs. As others have stated, the buttons and analog sticks feel more akin to the Nintendo Switch. They (analog sticks) take a little getting used to due to the less travel required, but they also feel more streamlinedI give it four stars because I feel that there is still room for improvement (i.e., being able to map buttons to work better with cloud gaming/Stadia, etc).