HyperX just launched their first foray into the lightweight gaming mouse market with the Pulsefire Haste. While upon first look it may look like yet another honeycomb design, it’s actually got some unique design elements that set it apart from the pack. At 59 grams, it hits that sweet spot in weight for a medium sized mouse. I was sent this mouse by HyperX for review but that won’t impact my thoughts on the mouse.
Dimensions (L x W x H)
124 x 66.8 x 38mm
Weight
59g
Packaging and Presentation
The mouse comes secure packaged in a standard looking HyperX box. Besides the regular documentation there is a nice set of extras with a second pair of mouse feet and rubber grips for the sides and triggers.
Design and Build Quality
In all honesty I did not like the look of the Pulsefire Haste when I saw photos of it online but in-person it came across much better. The first time I picked it up, I noticed right away that it was a premium feeling mouse. The split button design is combined with a rubber RGB-enabled scroll wheel. The feel is very similar to textured PBT plastic and it was a bit reminiscent of the Razer Viper Mini. If anything this coating was more textured and grippy than the one featured on the Viper Mini. The cable feels pretty thin and light right out of the box.
There was no rattle on my copy and there was no side or bottom flex when I press into the mouse. I like that they kept the weight this low without adding holes on the side of the mouse. I couldn’t get the mouse to actuate the side buttons no matter how hard I pressed on the side. There some creaking that showed up after a few days of use that was a little bit disappointing. It was noticable in feel and especially sound but that’s a bit of a nitpick considering how solid this feels for a honeycomb-style mouse.
Buttons & Scroll Wheel
I do have to gush a bit about how good the main clicks on this mouse feel. While most manufactuers are just defaulting to the 20M Omrons these days, the Pulsefire Haste opts for the TTC Golden micro switches rated for 60 million clicks. From the first time I clicked M1 and M2 on the mouse, I was all in on the implementation of the main switches. They are very tactile , satisfying and have a really great sound. You can spam click these quickly as they bounce back immediately and they are still light but with bit more force required for actuation than the Omrons in my opinion. These make this an awesome click for one-tapping and shooting pistols in FPS games. There is a tiny bit of pre-travel and some noticeable post-travel but sideplay on the buttons is very minimal. There are some comfort grooves on the buttons as well which I personally like but they’re not as pronounced as you might see on some other mice.
The side buttons are well placed and very easy to reach in claw or fingertip grip. They feel crispy and pretty satisfying with just a hint of mushiness. There is some noticeable pre and post travel but I’d say they are about average for side buttons. My only issue with the side buttons is that I wish m4 was a big larger to match m5.
The scroll-wheel is also plus for me. It’s usuable both in-game and for everyday desktop use. The rubber coating is nice and grippy and there’s enough tactility to feel without being too loud. It’s quiet and has a low amount of tensioning so you won’t feel a ton of resistance. One of my favourite things about the wheel is that the click is very satisfying. It requires medium force to actuate and just feels very responsive and consistent. The DPI button is on the front of the mouse is one weak point, its really easy to hit by accident and is kind of in no mans land in that its neither recessed or featured as a useful button to re-bind.
Shape, Performance and Software
So the shape of the HyperX Pulsefire Haste often gets written off as a Zowie FK2 clone. I’m not sure that’s fair as it does deviate enough from the FK2 in some meaningful ways. The front of the mouse is nicely curved so it feels a little shorter than the length of the mouse would indicate. In-hand the grippiness of the coating means I can use this in fingertip, claw or palm comfortably. My hand size is 18.5x10mm and this feels perfect in claw grip as the hump gives enough support for me to hold angles steady without getting shaky or fatigued. The low front high is also a plus in my opinion as it gives me a better feeling of control. The reason I like this mouse is I flat out play well with it to the point where this has been my main for a week but I will continue to main this for the forseeable future because this shape just works for me. While the FK2 shape is usually not optimal for me the little design considerations made this one of my top performing mice of 2020 in-game. I recommend this mouse most for medium handed gamers.
The NGENUITY software offers all the standard settings to adjust DPI, button assignments, make custom macros and adjust the RGB on the wheel. The only thing missing was I couldn’t find any way to adjust the sensor LOD (lift off distance) in game.
Sensor and Skates
The Pulsefire Haste features 100% PTFE skates that perform pretty great in-game. They are a decent thickness and you get a second pair in the box. I did not have any issues with scratchiness and there’s minimal break-in time needed to have these feeling great. These are some of the better stock skates I’ve reviewed this entire year. Pixart 3335 sensor is primarily in wireless mice due to the fact that it consumes less power than the 3360 and 3389 sensors, but I did not experience any issues with it in terms of tracking, spinouts or LOD issues. It felt just as good as a 3389 in terms of its implementation on this mouse.
Cable
The “HyperFlex” cable featured on the Pulsefire Haste feels great out of the box. It’s light, flexible and is pretty thin compared to most stock cables these days. It’s not the best stock cable I’ve experienced but it’s close. I definitely can use this in a bungee and not feel compelled that I need to paracord this mouse to get the most of it.
Conclusion
HyperX should be commended for making a mouse that checks so many boxes and even offers some extras at a price point that is reasonable. While the retail price of $50USD isn’t quite budget category in these days, you’re paying for a mouse that has awesome clicks with a premium feel across the board.
Pros
TTC Gold Switches feel awesome on the mouse
Premium feeling build quality and good coating
Above average stock cable and good feet
Shape works great for a variety of grips
Cons
Developed some side creak during use after a couple days
DPI buttons is easy to press by accident
Side buttons could be improved
Rating
8.5/10
Where to Buy the HyperX Pulsefire Hate