ASUS, or more specifically its ROG division, has a new controller for PC gamers. It’s called the Raikiri II Pro, and befitting the Pro suffix, it comes with plenty of features that the discerning gamer will appreciate. But notably, it’s the latest entry in the controller market to offer 8,000 Hz polling rate. Though that comes as the cherry on top of a pretty stacked cake, as we’ll see from its spec sheet.
To get the immediately obvious out of the way, fans of ergonomic symmetry will have to look elsewhere, as the ROG Raikiri II Pro comes with an offset left stick. But for those who like this sort of arrangement, the good news is that both sticks make use of TMR tech. An added bonus here is that, should anything happen to the initial pair of sticks, they are also hot-swappable.
Then you have just about all of the extra bells and whistles you’d expect from a Pro controller, from the four additional buttons at the back to the extra pair of bumper buttons. Also as expected, you get to toggle between the full analogue TMR input and a micro-switch trigger with the trigger lock. Speaking of which, the company lists that the d-pad, face buttons, rear buttons and bumpers all make use of micro-switches for not only immediate actuation, but also tactile feedback.
Beyond just the ROG Raikiri II Pro controller, you’re also getting a lot of add-ons as part of the package. This includes a case, two sets of cover plates for when you’re not using the rear buttons, two detachable joystick caps, and even two additional TMR modules. Also included is a charging stand. On that note, ASUS rates the battery life at 79 hours, but only if you leave the polling rate at 1,000 Hz, without vibration and turning off the RGB panel. And yes, the RGB lighting, plus a lot of other details, come in a small screen on the top section of the controller.
Despite all of these details being available, ASUS has not revealed what the asking price of the ROG Raikiri II Pro is, nor when it will be available. We reached out to local brand reps who say that local availability has not yet been locked in. We’ll let you know if that changes.
