It might not have the convenience nor flexibility of what HBFS and OBS-MX buttons have but there is possibly some potential in experimenting. Tldr: panthera is a beast stick and removing the original art is not too hard with some goo gone a hair dryer and some patience. For those who prefer Korean arcade levers, the Panthera Evo is not designed to accommodate the Japanese mounted versions of these models due to their mounting plates obstructing the cable door's internal area. It sort of reminds me of Mad Catz's Arcade FightStick SE if it was a more full form factor stick. Despite the body not allowing suitable modding, I might end up opening the stick down the line to work on these buttons specifically. For players who are bigger framed or just want the stick closer to their stomach, the port's placement helps in avoiding damage to itself and to the headphone cable when in use. Double taps felt pretty good and responsive. Mad Catz TE2+. While the Panthera featured a braided detachable cable with a port on the front, the Evo sacrifices that convenience. Press J to jump to the feed. It even includes the common Japanese mounting structure found on other sticks so you can opt for a Seimitsu lever if you want. Much like the general body design, the top panel is also aiming for a simple look. If you guys have a panthera and have changed the artwork I would love to know how difficult it was or what the risks of damaging it where. There are no comments for this journal entry. It's good to see Razer make a new stick after so many years with the Atrox and Panthera models. If you are looking for a more hardware mod-friendly solution, despite the lack of art customization support, then there is the original Panthera. The plunger cap and rim does have the high end clack when pressed. Cookies help us deliver our Services. I personally have a panthera and i love it. However, I heard the stick and buttons are a bit close on the Qanda. While the latter is also focused on noise reduction, I can't say if the black switches do feature the same trait. The overall process is cumbersome. The clean and smooth plexi panel surrounds the common Taito Vewlix arcade layout. The change makes it easier to hold on to than the very box-y feel that the Atrox and normal Panthera carry. It's common that sticks would usually have their special functions in a different and noticeable area with a plastic portion separating itself from the panel. A discussion for anything fightstick related, and as a gallery for posting custom-made fightsticks. Compared to the other stick, the differences in design and features left me disappointed. The ideal stick for me would be the Panthera with the Noir layout...man I just don’t understand why they can’t just add more space between the lever and the buttons, I don’t care if it’s still the Vewlix button layout since I only need the far left four buttons but I feel the current vewlix is too close to the lever. The clean and smooth, With how relatively daunting swapping the parts can be, Razer really wants owners to keep them as-is. If your 3.5mm-based headset features a built-in microphone, it will work as intended. I would also be using this to play games like DBFZ, MK, Persona, and other similar games. I'm just afraid I won't be able to get any support from MadCatz and for the Panthera how do you reattach the plate? No need for unnecessary shapes. I'd say besides that, the panthera is the best choice, cause all you really need is a hairdryer and something to scrape off the faceplate. The Panthera Evo's delivery was not what I initially expected after what was good with the previous design. But if your set on these sticks as said by others before it shouldn't be too hard to modify them to add artwork, the process is fairly simple so even if you mess up it's easily fixed. Ive never done a Panthera custom, but I would think this would help greatly: https://www.focusattack.com/blank-plexi-artwork-cover-for-razer-panthera/, As far as the Fighting edge, I think your only option is to get a wrap on it from LayersFGC. The problem is that if the cable isn't tied well, it can push the door outward. Starting with the lever, it's the tried and true Sanwa Denshi JLF. Nori panels are available as well for the Obsidian, if you're a fan of that layout. I also replaced the artwork on it all it took was a hair dryer and some goo gone to remove the glue. While I haven't swapped the art on my Panthera Evo, I downloaded one of the premade images from Razer's site and printed it from a local service. Today I take a look at the Razer Panthera EVO and give my thoughts on it. That said, going that far is beyond what Razer intended. Just make sure to take your time with the cuts. vewlix layout is so obsolete and stupid, just add more space and it’ll make a world of a difference. The thing is build like and fucking tank and it just feels quality. Personally, for customization i would go with a Obsidian or a Mad Catz TE2+, Thanks man. I saw the plexi and I know how people are customizing the panthera, my big concern is that it's my first fight stick and I'm not really comfortable melting glue and scraping off the top. The Panthera Evo's approach is a lot more blended-in. Modding is a plus, but I also want a good one for playing too. With how relatively daunting swapping the parts can be, Razer really wants owners to keep them as-is. ...Accessing the internals isn't as convenient. Starting with the lever, it's the tried and true. The plexi also borders on each individual special function button and switch. Panthera is the best choice overall, remove TE2+ since it’s no longer a supported product, better off avoiding it in the long run. I dont have experince with the other 2 sticks so i cant give an opinion. After some use, I forgot these were not OBSF-30 buttons. You're pretty much SOL if your USB wire goes out, unless you wanna do some soldering on the PCB to correct Razer's issue. Fortunately, they perform solidly. It's either that or the Hori FE / Pro N and replace their parts with Sanwa parts. Along with the Hori Fighting Edge, the Panthera Evo is another stick that lacks official support for PlayStation 3. For what it is, these buttons are very good. By using our Services or clicking I agree, you agree to our use of cookies. These switches have a linear press, similar to their yellow switches. Ultimately, full internal access requires the removal of multiple screws from different parts of the stick, with different-sized screwdrivers required for proper swapping. If you're looking to do the same, a soldering iron is required when working with the Akemi PCB. If you guys have a panthera and have changed the artwork I would love to know how difficult it was or what the risks of damaging it where. Side presses had some drag, likely due to the plunger and rim coming into contact with each other. There are still other aspects to factor in as well but ultimately, it's a matter of preference. I personally would have set it at a lower price similar to how companies like Hori and Qanba have done for their sub-$199 sticks. Its feature set, though, did eventually leave me feeling more positive about the Evo. Other than that the brief case style case makes all other mods like changing the buttons or stick super easy. This results in the stick weighing in at 4.6 lbs. You want to first remove the rubber nut found on the bottom of the stick so you can unscrew the ball top. Personal preference, but for me the Rap.N wins since it has the noir button layout which I prefer. When it comes to platform support, the Panthera Evo was designed specifically for both PS4 and PC. Since Razer's switches are based on the Cherry MX mechanical switches series, I will look into trying different models out. Mimicking Sanwa's OBSF-30 buttons on the front side, these proprietary buttons were designed to utilize their own mechanical keyboard switches. This resulted in the ability to easily open its internals with the press of the button found on the Atrox and original Panthera. It's a couple of pounds lighter than most higher-end sticks on the market, especially the original Panthera at 7.44 lbs. The plexi can then be fully removed after the six screws found on the bottom are taken out. Hori Pro N Hayabusa or MadCatz SF TE2+ for me. While there is no technical information about the board, it might be possible that they can work with LED controller boards such as Paradise Arcade Shop's Kaimana kit. It's not as strong as the bottom mat of the original Panthera but it's decent enough. Thanks for all of the help! It's just unusual that the Panthera Evo gets the swapping treatment yet the original Panthera can't without mods; even the Atrox models allow artwork to be swapped. While the instruction booklet didn't explain it at all, removing the stock art is simple enough. My top 2 choices so far are the Razer Panthera and the Qanda Obsidian. Razer Panthera and Qanda Obsidian is for me is expensive and overprice. Hori RAP 4 Kai vs Razer Panthera vs TE2+ So I'm finally looking into getting my first stick and have it narrowed down to these three choices. A little nice addition to the Panthera Evo is the addition of a 3.5mm headphone port.