The complexity of modern video games often requires advanced peripherals with a multitude of features. So it's surprising that HyperX, a brand built for gamers, went a simpler route with the Pulsefire Haste 2, a comfortable and responsive wireless mouse that could benefit from a few more buttons.

In the past year alone, I've tested and reviewed a number of mice, from the Logitech G502 X to the tiny CHERRY MW 9100. Each one brought something unique to the table, be their considerable heft with a multitude of buttons or a tiny design meant for travelers. The HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 wireless gaming mouse falls somewhere in between those two extremes, providing you with a comfortable, average-sized build with minimal customization and features.

If you're expecting something overly fancy or enhanced, you won't find it here. What you will find is HyperX's high standard of quality and a comfortable mouse that offers a gentle RGB glow and a hearty, responsive click.

For what it's meant to be---a multi-function wireless gaming mouse compatible with an entire video game ecosystem---the Pulsefire Haste 2 delivers at an agreeable price tag.

A Mouse for Comfort, Not Features

• Weight: 2.2oz (61g)
• Size: 4.9 x 2.6 x 1.5in (12.4 x 6.8 x 3.82mm)
• Buttons: 6
• Compatibility: Windows 10/11, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series X|S

The first thing I noticed about the HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 is its visual simplicity. And then I realized that's because it is a simple six-button mouse. For a gaming mouse, it feels weird not to have more than just two extra side buttons. It's a fairly standard layout, and the buttons are definitely placed appropriately, but the mouse could benefit from another set below them.

Having not overdone it with customizable buttons, though, HyperX is able to achieve a straightforward design that fits well in most hands. It's nothing you haven't seen or probably held before, and that familiarity is really welcomed in a market flooded with gaming mice that look like spaceship controls. My Logitech G602 overcompensates with eight custom buttons that make it bulky and awkward. I just want to be somewhere in the middle.

I didn't get a chance to test the Haste 2's predecessor, the Pulsefire Haste, but I'm not entirely heartbroken about that. I'm very pleased that HyperX went with a completely different design because the trypophobia-inducing honeycomb pattern of the Pulsefire Haste was not at all appealing, in my opinion.

The Pulsefire Haste 2 sports a much cleaner and sleeker look, and the white version I tested was striking against my all-black desktop. I saw the black version in person at CES 2023, and the RGB does pop just a little better against the darker mouse.

Battery Life and Connectivity

• Battery size: 370mAh
• Battery Life: 90 hours
• Charge Time: 2 hours
• Charging Port: USB-C
• Connections: Bluetooth 5.0, 2.4Ghz wireless

I put my mice through the wringer, often using them for upwards of 10 hours a day during the week. With the Logitech G502 Lightspeed that I was using before the Pulsefire Haste 2, I'd get around 90 hours of use before it needed charging.

With the HyperX Pulsrefire Haste 2, it took just over a week for the low-battery indicator to kick in, and that's with RGB enabled and a consistent DPI of 3200. Recharging from 20% to full took a little under two hours, which is good considering you could be up and running in half that time if needed.

While you can get a longer battery life and faster charge time with other gaming mice on the market, you're also going to pay quite a bit more.

The battery charges via a USB-C cable that doubles as the connector for the 2.4G wireless hub. You'll need this connection if you want to use the Pulsefire Haste 2 on your Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One, as the consoles don't support native Bluetooth connections. If you own a PS4 or PS5, you can simply connect via Bluetooth without the need for a dongle.

Gaming Performance

• Minimum DPI: 200
• Maximum DPI: 26,000
• Polling Rate: Up to 8,000Hz

Over both Bluetooth and 2.4G, even on my Xbox Series S, I enjoyed smooth, virtually latency-free gaming. The Pulsefire Haste 2 achieves an 8,000Hz polling rate which really drives home that, despite the lack of additional buttons, this mouse is for gamers. Its high performance, coupled with a very noticeable lightweight build, supports improved control even when in the thick of battle.

I run my mouse at a slick 3,200 DPI for office work and drop it down to 2,000 for gaming, but the sensor can be kicked up to a floaty 26,000. It's unlikely that you'll ever go that high, though the option is nice to have if it's your preference. At the higher ranges, the Pulsefire Haste 2 moves as expected, covering quite a bit of ground in a snap.

What few buttons the HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 has are responsive and tight. I find Logitech's G500 series to be a little too loose, and I'm more prone to misclicks. I like having to put a little weight onto it before it responds.

My favorite feature, which isn't even technically part of the mouse's mechanics, is the sheet of rubber grip tape you can add to the main buttons and along the side. As much as I enjoyed the aesthetic of the pure white mouse, the tape has a nice feel and texture to it that kept my fingers in place during highly chaotic combat.

HyperX NGENUITY

Customizing available buttons and changing the RGB settings are done through HyperX's NGENUITY app (available on Windows). Assigning macros, keyboard inputs, Windows commands, and more is easily done, so long as the app behaves.

Though the app never crashed, it did frequently lose connection with my mouse and my 25-inch Armada monitor. That never affected my macros, and the mouse functioned normally regardless, it just became tiresome to have to close and re-open NGENUITY.

Should You Buy the HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 Wireless Mouse?

Unless a gaming mouse is just bad overall, whether it will work for you or not is going to depend heavily on personal preference. The HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 is the opposite of bad, so you have to ask whether you're okay with a simpler design and minimal customization. I can get away with just two extra buttons, and I genuinely like the simplicity of the Pulsefire Haste 2, so this HyperX addition is more than suitable.

Elevating the experience is the mouse's performance, which didn't falter over the many hours I've used it. The DPI range caters to all play styles, and that 8,000Hz polling rate helps achieve lag-free input whether you're connected to your PC, PS5, or Xbox console.

The HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 is a great addition to the HyperX ecosystem, though a few tweaks could have made it better. An extra two buttons would make the mouse feel better suited for a wider variety of gamers. As it stands, having only two doesn't align with any genre, as even straightforward first-person shooters can make use of four. It may be a hurdle for you if you're into more complex titles; otherwise, it can be overlooked in favor of the overall high quality of the Pulsefire Haste 2.