HyperX releases the Pulsefire Haste to the market in late 2020, which is the company’s first ultra-lightweight gaming mouse. It incorporates some much-requested improvements to the mouse feet and cable, that are lacking from previous models. Let’s see how it performs.
Unboxing
HyperX has slightly updated the design of their product packaging, although the signature red and white color scheme remains unchanged. Several key features of the Pulsefire Haste are translated into 10 different languages and printed on the back of the cardboard box. The mouse is compatible with Windows PC, PS4 and Xbox One. Our sample’s model number is HMSH1-A-BK/G.
You see the same three highlighted characteristics at the side of the box, i.e. the weight, cable and sensor.
The quick start guide and support card are the usual stuff that come with most HyperX’s products. For the Pulsefire Haste, the company includes an additional set of the mouse feet and an optional set of grip tapes/pads.
HyperX Pulsefire Haste RGB Gaming Mouse
The Pulsefire Haste is a wired, medium-sized ambidextrous mouse. Only one set of secondary buttons is located on the left side of the symmetrical body, for right-handed users. It is 124.2 mm in length, 66.8 mm in width and 38.2 mm in height. Thanks to the now widely-adapted port/hole outer shell design, the mouse weighs just 59 grams (~57 grams on our own scale), excluding the cable. Both the bottom, top panels and part of the primary buttons have the honeycomb holes.
There are four pill-shaped white-dyed 100% pure-PTFE mouse feet at the bottom to reduce friction for smoother gliding. It is great for HyperX to put in some replacement feet in the packaging, which you can use when the existing one starting to wear out.
The Pulsefire Haste’s body is made from plastic, with a rather flat hump in the middle. The width stays pretty much the same throughout the whole length of the mouse. The back gently curves outwards to accommodate the palm. All grip types should work fine with the shape, especially for claw grip users, due to the shorter hump.
A total of six buttons can be found on the mouse, which all of them are re-mappable via software. HyperX chooses to fit the Pulsefire Haste with TTC Golden micro switches for the primary buttons, instead of those from Omron. The new switches are sprayed with an anti-dust coating to improve durability and are rated for at least 60 million clicks.
The whole mouse uses a rougher matte coating, contrasting with the glossy finish on the secondary buttons. The sides do not have any textured surface, but you can apply the included grip tapes/pads. The side buttons are uniform in size and length.
The Pulsefire Haste uses HyperX’s brand new paracord-like USB cable, named the HyperFlex. It is softer and more flexible than normal braided cable, which is aimed to create less drag when you are moving the mouse. There is a tiny ferrite core at the end of the 1.80-meter cable to filter undesirable signal noise.
Review
Sensor
The Pulsefire Haste is equipped with the Pixart PAW3335 optical sensor. Compared to the more widely-used PMW3389, it has the same native DPI range from 50 to 16000 and 450 IPS of tracking speed, but a smaller 40 G of acceleration and a lower 1 mm / 2 mm of Lift-Off Distance (LOD). It also consumes much less electricity, because it is designed to be used on a wireless mouse. The polling rate of the mouse can be set from 125 Hz (8 ms) to 1000 Hz (1 ms).
We tested the Pulsefire Haste’s CPI/DPI divergences with MouseTester v1.5.3. The sensor did an acceptable job, with 7 out of 8 measured DPI levels having higher values than nominal. The largest deviation is at 400 DPI with a difference of about +14%, while the smallest is at 1200 DPI of around -0.167%.
The polling rate stayed relatively stable, hovering between 900 Hz and 1100 Hz. There are occasional drops or spikes to frequency at 800 Hz or 1400 Hz, but they are not noticeable in real life.
I personally set the mouse to 1200 DPI for testing, in Rainbow Six Siege and Apex Legends. The tracking felt extremely accurate without hardware acceleration. There was no jittering or smoothing.
User Experience
The Pulsefire Haste is comfortable and pleasurable to use, especially in games. It is one of the lightest mice we have ever tested. Flicking the mouse quickly took little effort, due to the 59 grams of weight. Despite the port/hole exterior design, the mouse is exceptionally well-built with loose components inside. The side panels are thick enough to stop any unwanted flex and squeaking noise.
The main buttons have very low button pre- and post-travel. Compared to the Omron switches from other HyperX’s mice, the TTC Golden switches are less firm and have a lighter actuation force. Clicks are still tactile and responsive. The dust-proof coating is a nice-to-have, now that the mouse’s body is full of hexagonal holes. The side buttons are good with nice feedback. The scroll wheel has distinct steps and makes little noise when scrolling.
In the review for the Pulsefire Raid, we suggested HyperX to use a paracord-like USB cable and virgin-grade PTFE mouse feet to keep up with the competitors. The two previously-mentioned features are now implemented into the Pulsefire Haste. The HyperFlex cable is way softer and malleable than standard plastic braided cables. It is a touch thinner than the one (Flex Cord) found on the XM1 RGB. I had no problem using the mouse without a bungee to hold the excess cable.
Software
Identical to other HyperX peripherals, the Pulsefire Haste can be customized via the NGENUITY software. It is exclusively available in the Microsoft Store, with a installation size of about 106 MB. The mouse was at firmware v1.1.0.4.
The user interface of the NGENUITY software does not change much in recent product launches. It is mainly separated into three sections. “Lights” is where you can configure the RGB lighting on the mouse. Four effect presets can be found, like cycle, breathing and fade. You can keep up to five DPI levels at once, from 200 DPI to 16000 DPI at a 50 DPI interval.
In the “Buttons” tab, you can re-assign the six buttons on the Pulsefire Haste to different functions, such as controlling multimedia playback, Windows Shortcut and macros. Polling rate and brightness of the LED can be adjusted on the top right corner. Please remember to press “Save to Mouse” to store all the modified configurations to the onboard memory.
RGB Lighting
RGB Lighting is not the strong suit for the Pulsefire Haste. There is only one lighting zone on the scroll wheel. The effect presets in the NGEUNITY software is limited, but the transition animation is smooth. The lighting is bright and colorful.
Conclusion
The HyperX Pulsefire Haste ticks almost all the boxes for an ultra-lightweight gaming mouse, featuring the increasingly-common port/hole shell design, paracord-like cable and 100% pure PTFE feet. It is one of the lightest mice in the market at 59 grams. Build quality is excellent, with the primary buttons rated for 60 million clicks. The Pixart PMW3335 sensor has solid and accurate tracking performance. The NGEUNITY software is functional with helpful features to re-map the mouse’s six buttons. The user interface is clean and easy to navigate around.
The Pulsefire Haste costs $49.99 USD (MSRP) with a 2-year warranty, which is reasonably-priced. For comparison, the Glorious Model O/O- and Xtrfy M42 are priced from $49.99 USD and $59 USD (MSRP) respectively. The Pulsefire Haste has the same claimed weight as the M42, and is slightly lighter than the Model O/O-. It has the most durable switches for the main buttons among the three mice (60 million vs 20 million vs 20 million). Though, it has the least attractive RGB lighting.
You can purchase the mouse from your local/online resellers or the links below from Amazon or Newegg.
- Amazon US: HyperX Pulsefire Haste RGB Gaming Mouse
- Newegg US: HyperX Pulsefire Haste RGB Gaming Mouse
Thanks HyperX for providing us the mouse for review. (Review Sample)
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