HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 Overview
With the Pulsefire Haste 2 out of the box, the first thing I noticed was the lack of multiple hexagonal cutouts on the upper portion of the body and mouse buttons that were found on the original Haste. Instead, I found a smooth surface all around the mouse – something that is much more common outside the lightweight gaming mouse genre. The cutouts on lightweight mice is somewhat a love it or hate it situation in the gaming community, each side with their fair reasonings from comfort and structural integrity, to internal maintenance and caution with regards to debris affecting their mouse. Even with this design change, the Pulsefire Haste 2 Wireless still weighs just 61g, compared to the original wired and wireless Haste at 59g and 61g, respectively.
The overall shape of the Haste 2 remains the same, and could be considered ambidextrous, but the lack of buttons on the right side deem this to be a right-handed mouse. With the now smooth touch surfaces, the Pulsefire Haste 2 looks like one of the most basic gaming mice out there, but that may just be an advantage, as it will likely fit the needs of a larger population of gamers.
Both the left and right mouse buttons feature slightly concaved surfaces for your fingers to rest in, and the lack of cutouts in the buttons is one of the small changes that have been made to the Haste 2 that I think will be seen as an overall improvement of the mouse. Just beneath each button are HyperX switches, changed over from TTC Golden Micros, though we don’t know much about them.
Looking at the left side of the mouse, we see a pretty standard layout, with a plain plastic side and two thumb buttons. Aside from a HyperX logo, there is not much to say about this side of the mouse, until you factor in the included accessories, which we will discuss later on.
Moving to the right side of the mouse, we find another plain layout, void of any buttons or embellishments. Again, this will change once we get to the accessories.
From the top down, we find a rubberized mouse wheel nearly identical to the previous Haste centered between the left and right mouse buttons. While the original Haste had a solid plastic divider between the left and right mouse buttons, the Haste 2 has no separator, but instead each button is just a little bit wider.
The mouse wheel has a slightly textured pattern to it, and each side is trimmed in a semi-transparent ring, illuminated by the mouse’s only RGB lighting.
Just behind the wheel is a small button that can be programmed for a variety of functions.
Flipping the mouse over we find that a large section of the lower panel has been given the lightweight treatment, though it is now covered up by a large sticker.
This weight-savings technique is appreciated, and goes to show that HyperX has not fully moved away from reducing weight via reductions in materials. Centered in the mouse base is a 26K DPI HyperX optical sensor. While we don’t know much more about it, I believe this is most likely a collaboration with PixArt, as the original Haste features one of their sensors.
Also found on the bottom of the Haste 2 is a small three-way switch to select between Bluetooth, Off (wired), or 2.4GHz wireless modes.
Also making its home on the bottom of the mouse is a small opening that allows you to store the included 2.4GHz USB wireless dongle when on the go.
Angled in each corner of the mouse base and surrounding the optical sensor opening, are low-friction, 100% PTFE skates, which is the most common material found on modern gaming mice.
At the front of the mouse we find a USB Type-C connection which allows for the included lightweight USB cable to connect to the Haste 2 for charging and wired use. The HyperFlex cabling found on the Pulsefire Haste 2 is just like the cable found on the previous version of the mouse, and the HyperFlex cable is so light weight and flexible that it almost feels like you are using a wireless mouse when it is plugged in. One of my biggest pet peeves is having my mouse cord snagging or bumping into an object on my desk, and having that interfere with my gaming. This cable takes away all of that trouble during those times when you are using the mouse with the cable because you forgot to charge it.
Accessories
As I have hinted, there are a few additional accessories included with the Pulsefire Haste 2, and I really appreciate their inclusion. First off, there is an additional set of PTFE feet should the original feet become worn out or damaged. This is a really nice touch that probably doesn’t add much to the cost, but will extend the mouse’s life.
The second accessory, which I think is the most important, is the inclusion of four optional grips for the mouse body. Both the left and right sides of the mouse, as well as the left mouse button can be outfitted with adhesive grips for better control and comfort. This grip material has more of a rubber feeling to it compared to the almost foam feeling the previous generation had. While it is a personal preference, I do prefer the previous grips a bit more, as once installed, there was an ever so slight padding to the material that really improves your grip on the mouse, and adds a bit of comfort as well. That being said, I found no issues using the new grips, and their updated texture pattern was quite comfortable.
Being a wireless mouse, the Pulsefire Haste 2 Wireless comes with a few more accessory items than your standard wired mouse. First up is the included HyperFlex cable with USB Type-A connectivity for your PC, and USB Type-C for use with the mouse. This lightweight cable is great for reducing any drag that you might feel with non-lightweight cords.
In order to support the 2.4GHz wireless connection, a small USB Type-A dongle is included with the Haste 2. Paired up with this dongle is a weighted wireless adapter that allows you to extend the positioning of the wireless dongle to your desk or another location. This adapter, when used with the HyperFlex cable, makes having a charging cable available that much easier, while providing a line of sight shot for 2.4GHz communications.
