HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 Gaming Mouse Review - Lightning-Fast Performance for All Gamers

This year at CES, HyperX announced news of the HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 Wireless (PH2W) gaming mouse, to replace the fan favorite Pulsefire Haste Gen 1 with more welcomed features designed to take your gaming to the next level.

Check out my review of the PH2W a competitive gaming mouse that brings blindingly fast precision, latency smashing connectivity, button and RGB customization, all at an affordable wallet-friendly price. (special thanks to HyperX for the review sample)

COMPARISON:

Last year HyperX wowed us with the release of the (PH1W), a super lightweight honeycomb skeletonized beast that was ultra responsive with lightning speeds and sniper tight precision. I love it as a gaming go-to so my expectations were high for the new release.

When comparing last year’s PH1W to the new PH2W, it is immediately apparent that HyperX chose to abandon the skeletonized honeycomb design in favor of a more traditional shell and in doing so, actually made the PH2W lighter than it’s predecessor by one gram. While I’m kind of sad to see the disappearance of PH1W’s unique extreme-esque design, I am comforted by no more anxieties of dust or moisture build up. Keeping the PH2W clean will now be effortless.

Here is a list of other upgrades and improvements that the PH2W delivers over the PH1W:

Sensor: The PH2W upgrades to the Precision HyperX 26K Sensor that boasts an impressive 26,000 DPI that trounces the older PH1W Pixart PAW3335 sensor by 10K and also delivers 10Gs more acceleration and 650 IPS (inches per second) speeds over the PH1W’s 450 IPS.
Weight: Even without the honeycombed chassis, the white PH2W weighs in at 61 grams while the black version weighs in at 60 grams, compared to the obese (lol) 62 grams from the previous PH1W model.
Buttons: The PH2W is equipped with HyperX switches delivering crispy clicks and are rated for up to 100 million clicks over the PH1W’s 80 million click rated TTC Golden switches.
Connectivity: Dual connectivity via 2.4GHz dongle or Bluetooth.

FEATURES:

The PH1W is/was a nice gaming mouse that fit so many of my needs when PC gaming and in regular work life (like at this magazine). One of my tiny gripes was that the sensor seemed a little dated but overall the PH1W was a solid performer. Fast forward to the new kid on the block, the PH2W kicks in the doors with a newer and more precise 26K sensor that many speculate is the Pixart PAW3395.

Adding to the excellent sensor comes new HyperX branded switches that promise to deliver more clicks and better performance actuations than the dustproof TTC Golden Micro switches. Personally I appreciated the crispy clicks along with the solid physical response to each press. I’d be curious to see how these switches perform in aggro-click testing.

Dual connectivity is also a nice premium feature, not found on many comparable gaming mice, which confidently delivers a seamless gaming experience whether you chose to use the supplied 2.4GHz dongle with USB extension hub or connect via Bluetooth where compatible. My wireless connectivity experience was smooth and responsive and I never noticed any kind of lag or interference. Of course this is achievable with all wired setups but on my cord-minor desktop, wireless connectivity is of the utmost importance.

As with its predecessor, the PH2W is a feather-stepping beast in the weight department delivering all brawn and no heft. To be honest, I was questioning how the new design would affect the weight but shockingly the PH2W came in lighter and simultaneously it excised any dangers of dust and moisture with it’s (dare-do-I-say) boring shell. I believe the internal structures of the PH2W still contain honeycomb engineering but we’ll never know until we open it up.

Once again, HyperX offers their free NGENUITY software that allows gamers to customize any and all RGB and button-characteristics, which can make or break your gaming experience.

Other features are very similar if not exactly the same as the PH1W but that’s definitely a good thing. With a solid performance track record, the only way is UP with all of the new changes that the PH2W brings.

FINAL THOUGHTS & CONCLUSION:

LOVED:

Sensor sensor sensor!!! More DPIs means more precision and that’s never a bad thing.
Dual connectivity opens up the door for Bluetooth devices.
Lighter weight.
Included PTFE skates and grip tapes.
NGENUITY customization software.
Very reasonable price bump for more tech. No “Greedflation” here!

NOT SO MUCH:

Boring chassis.
RGB is mid-to-minor, what’s the point? Better to remove for more weight loss.
No on-board profile storage (for various game demands). Understood this is a weight gain but maybe nix RGB for on-board profile storage?

Do I love the HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 Wireless…so far the answer is a loud YES! Does it have some shortcomings? Of course, but NOTHING in this industry is perfect.

For someone who doesn’t have their gaming setup on display for thousands of viewers and trolls to critique and comment about, the PH2W is a get-down-to-business killer in all things gaming and also a brute force when it comes to pinpoint accuracy projects. If you’re looking for a no nonsense customizable gaming mouse with premium top-tier features, exemplary battery life, connectivity versatility, all housed in a non-trypophobia triggering chassis, then this is definitely a capable and affordable candidate.