Home » Razer Junglecat Review, Controller For Xbox Game Streaming, Project XCloud

Razer Junglecat Review, Controller For Xbox Game Streaming, Project XCloud

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Razer Junglecat

Razerthink – Perhaps the lack of ergonomics in mobile gaming led Razer to drop the Razer Junglecat; The touchscreen controls are rigid to get used to if you’re used to a mouse and keyboard or a gamepad. Mobile gaming is rising lately, especially with more cloud-based game streaming services hitting the market. Bluetooth cellular controllers aren’t new, but they’ve usually become the full-sized controller with a phone clip, mainly due to the different shapes and sizes of the various smartphones on the market. At first glance, it looks impressive to me – a black dual-ended, ultra-light Android gaming controller featuring everything a generic modern controller should have – joysticks, d-pad, triggers, and bumpers. Each controller section is also equipped with its Type-C port, power switch, and Bluetooth unit.

Which Razer hopes to leverage with the Junglecat game controller. Just swipe over to your existing Android phone, and voila, a Nintendo Switch emergency with access to all your favorite Android games. This Nintendo Switch-like gamepad mounts to a compatible phone case, complete with a switchable joystick. The sticks can be mounted separately for a more traditional controller experience or on the side of various instances specifically designed for mobile devices. And hey, it’s compatible with Xbox Game Pass Ultimate Cloud Gaming, which launches on September 15, 2020. Overall, it’s a great buy at $99 and should be on anyone’s radar looking for a controller to use with mobile games. The Razer Junglecat is a pretty slick portable dual-sided game controller that does pretty well — provided you have the correct phone model.

Specification

Total Buttons 16 (total for both)
Directional Keys Left Side
Analog stick and D-pad
Right Side
Analog stick
Connectivity Wired
2 x USB-C port (one for each side)
Wireless
Bluetooth LE
Cable Length None
Dimensions 81 x 36.8 x 29.9 mm
Weight 42g each, 84g total
Compatibility PC, Android

 

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  • Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) connection
  • 100+ hour battery life
  • One-sided controller play
  • USB-C charging
  • Razer Gamepad app
  • Product requirements
    • Android™ 7.0 Nougat or higher
    • Windows® 8.1 or higher
    • Bluetooth compatibility
  • Mobile app requirements
    • Android™ 7.1 Nougat (or higher)
    • Internet connection
    • Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE)
    • Location (to pair controller)
    • GPS (to pair controller)
  • Controller Dimensions (each): 81 x 36.8 x 29.9mm (3.18 x 1.44 x 1.17″)
  • Controllers + Slide-in Controller Grip Dimensions: 81 x 104 x 29.9mm (3.18 x 4.09 x 1.17″)
  • Controllers + Razer Phone 2 Phone-grip case Dimensions: 83 x 236 x 29.9mm (3.26 x 9.29 x 1.17″)
  • Controller Weight (each): 42g (1.48 oz)
  • Controllers + Slide-in Controller Grip Weight: 101 g (0.22 lbs)
  • Controllers + Razer Phone 2 Phone-grip case Weight: 106g (0.23 lbs)

 

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Compatibility Android™ 7.0 Nougat or higher
Windows® 8.1 or higher
Case compatibility Razer Phone 2
Samsung Galaxy Note 9
Samsung Galaxy S10+
Huawei P30 Pro
Connectivity Bluetooth
Battery Listed 100 hours, charged via USB-C
Included Configuration app, two separate controllers, central dock, cases for mobile devices, USB-C charging cable
Price $100

Design

The Razer Junglecat consists of two separate joysticks complete with triggers, shoulder buttons, a directional pad, two analog thumbsticks, and standard ABXY buttons. Out of the box, it’s directly compatible with Project XCloud and Xbox Game Streaming. At first glance, there’s no doubt that the Razer Junglecat resembles a Nintendo Switch Joy-Con controller. The Razer Junglecat is made with quality materials considering that Razer maintains and sticks with the build’s quality.

Very comfortable to hold; I prefer a slightly bigger controller when gaming. Junglecat is never uncomfortable or irritating. And playing games with it for hours on end is still a delightful experience. The design features Razer’s signature matte black finish that looks like all its techs. Both controllers slide in and out of place on the included center connector and phone case. They’re not that hard to lock into place, so you don’t have to fumble around too much. Overall, the controller looks great, feels great, it fits perfectly into smaller pockets making it super easy to carry wherever you wish to have time to play games.

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Razer Junglecat controller

At the bottom of each stick is a small switch, which turns on the joystick and sets it in pairing mode. You only need to pair the right post, as the left stick will support the right stick radio for connectivity. The left controller has an LED indicator in the top left corner, a clickable thumbstick in the top third of the controller, four directional buttons at the bottom, and a select button in the bottom right. On the leading edge, you’ll find the bumper and trigger. The bottom edge is where the power switch and USB Type-C charging port are located. You can configure various settings, keybinds, and sensitivities via the Razer Junglecat app, compatible with Android.

The app also lists games fully compatible with the Razer Junglecat, which you can also browse here.  The proper controller is the same. Two notable differences are the A/B/X/Y button tactile switch instead of the directional buttons and the start button instead of the select button. Both controllers have slots on the inner edges that attach the controller to the included phone grip box or slide controller grip. Near the bottom, the Razer logo is debossed in a glossy black finish on the outer edge.

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The buttons on the controller are great

You have a d-pad, two thumbsticks, select and start buttons, ABXY, and left and right bumpers and trigger buttons. Each thumbstick click also creates an L3 and R3 button so you don’t miss anything you’d find on a standard console controller. The better part is that the buttons on the controller are nice. Big even. They feel very tactile and have an enjoyable ride pushing them in. Razer wants to give its users a good product.

Case

The Razer Junglecat comes with three phone grip cases. One for the Razer Phone 2, another for the Samsung Galaxy S10+, and the third for the Samsung Galaxy Note9. Junglecat only works with Android phones; you will only get a whole handheld experience with all three devices. The phone grip case is made of a pretty lovely matte black plastic.

On the Razer Phone 2 case, there are tears on the left and right sides for the volume and power buttons. The bottom does have a hole for the USB Type-C charging port, but there is no hole at the top for the 3.5mm audio jack. The top and bottom edges of the case have slots similar to those of the sliding controller handle, making it easy to insert the left and suitable controllers into the matter.

 

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Performance

Razer has taken an Android-first approach here, I prefer. Razer, of course, also has good attention to detail for mobile gamers. Overall, I still recommend Junglecat for its quality, performance, and reliability. It’s a shame Razer has kept the price high while keeping the number of supported phones very low by not selling another phone case separately. When I try to play Fortnite, it is responsive, but there is no noticeable lag. Button input, thumbsticks, and triggers are just as responsive as expected and only positively affect gameplay.

 

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Battery

Razer claims more than 100 hours of battery life for this, and that’s not wrong. I haven’t been able to drain the battery since we started this review. To turn it on, flip the small switch on the bottom of each controller. The light near the shoulder button will flash blue when connected and remain steady green once connected. You only need to pair one controller with your phone as the others will connect automatically. The indicator light near the bumper button will flash red when your battery is low. Junglecat takes two and a half hours to charge. Charging is done via the USB-C port on the bottom of each controller (you’ll need to plug both in).

Pros 

  • Great connectivity
  • Light and portable
  • Easy to set up, with familiar standard controls
  • Great battery life
  • Quality construction
  • Nice design
  • Excellent buttons with a very tactile feel

Cons

  • The minimal pool of compatible devices
  • Relatively limited collection of compatible games
  • Rather expensive
  • A slightly small size could be a bit larger

Price

The Razer Junglecat is now available on the Razer website for  US$99.99

Overall

Razer wants to give its users a great product; the Razer Junglecat is a great Android game controller for casual and avid gamers. Compact, convenient, and customizable Switch-like layout. Junglecat controllers are responsive, reliable, and durable, although they can be expensive and offer a minimal number of compatible cases.

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