It’s common to see “Pro” iterations of gaming hardware, and they always denote some sort of definitive version of a base model. Whether that’s something as big as a PS5 Pro or a minor distinction like the Razer Viper V3 Pro, there usually comes a price hike, but not without tangible benefits. In the case of the HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 Pro mouse, it’s harder to distinguish between itself and its original counterpart outside of the higher polling rate, a feature in which mileage will vary. That’s not to say it's bad, because the original Pulsefire Haste 2 is one of my top recommendations for mid-range gaming mice – it’s just that I don’t think the Pro does enough to fully justify the higher price tag.
HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 Pro – Design and Features
More so than other gaming mice I’ve used recently, the Pulsefire Haste 2 Pro sports more of a pronounced look with clearly defined lines and cuts between the mouse buttons and sides of the body. You can see HyperX branding on the palm and side, but just a little RGB as a treat on the scroll wheel. It’s nearly identical to the original mouse, but I’m not a big fan of the muted gray color scheme, and unfortunately it’s the only one available right now.
The thumb buttons on the side have a somewhat thin profile but they bulge out in a way that makes them easy to feel out and hit, and they have a firm actuation that’s quite nice. Both mouse buttons are built with HyperX's own optical switches that are crunchy and responsive, making rapid clicks since they also have a good bounce to them.
Compared to my go-to mice from Razer and Logitech, the Pulsefire Haste 2 doesn’t have as prominent of a hunch on the palm area, making it a bit tough for palm grips but its somewhat longer profile at least makes claw grips feel natural. At just 61g, it’s fairly lightweight which makes it easier to whip around and its density helps make sure it doesn’t feel cheap. The PTFE mouse feet on the underside don't cover nearly as much surface area as Razer's flagship mice, and I notice that the Pulsefire Haste 2 Pro doesn't glide quite as well across my desk mat, although it's still smooth enough to be accurate while gaming.
It earns its "Pro" moniker with the 4,000Hz polling rate, which means it registers movements to your system much more frequently, giving mouse movement a smoother and more accurate feel. You have to use the high-speed receiver in the package that connects via a USB-C cable along with the 2.4GHz wireless dongle. Otherwise, you can use the standard 2.4GHz dongle along for a max polling rate of 1,000Hz. The mouse can also connect via Bluetooth, which adds a little versatility for more casual scenarios and work environments.
HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 Pro – Software and Battery Life
The Pulsefire Haste 2 Pro is a pretty straightforward mouse focused on performance, so there isn’t too much to customize or tinker with outside of setting your polling rate. So long as you're connected using the high polling rate receiver, you can access 4,000Hz and 2,000Hz polling rates in the top-right of the HyperX Ngenuity software (the mouse is set to 1,000Hz by default). You can also set the lift-off distance to a higher 2mm, but the standard 1mm feels right for how I swipe my mouse in gaming scenarios. Otherwise, this is where you customize the RGB lighting color and pattern along the scroll wheel and set up to five DPI sensitivities you can cycle through using the DPI button atop the mouse.
Battery life is great on the Pulsefire Haste 2 Pro, lasting up to 90 hours on the standard 1,000Hz polling rate. It's also efficient with a swift default rest mode to save battery when not in use – after three days straight of usage, roughly accounting for 30 hours (including a few hours with the 4,000Hz polling rate active for gaming), the mouse was still at 60% charge. It's rated to last around 30 hours total using the resource-hungry 4,000Hz, which is comparable to other mice of this caliber.
HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 Pro – Performance
Competitive gaming with the Pulsefire Haste 2 Pro felt right based on the rounds of ranked matches I played in Counter-Strike 2 and Valorant. The fast and accurate HyperX 26K sensor holds its own regardless of whether you're using the higher polling rate. I didn't miss a beat controlling my spray patterns, whipping around a sniper rifle for quick-scope shots, or carefully maintaining my aim around corners as I moved. The tactile and bouncy mouse buttons were solid for semi-automatic weapons as well, where you can only fire as fast as your clicking will let you.
I often maintain that higher polling rates aren't going to make you a better player and will likely not affect your performance. But I think I've grown to enjoy how much smoother a 4,000Hz polling rate since it's able to pick up on and read the most incremental movements regardless of the speed in which I'm swiping the mouse. If you run higher fps in competitive games and have a high-refresh rate monitor, the benefit can definitely be felt. But you still have to play smart in these games, so don't expect it to make you jump up on the scoreboards.
In a less competitive, but still intense, environment like Final Fantasy XIV, the firm scroll wheel and side buttons shined a bit more. I'm constantly adjusting my camera distance and pulling off important actions mapped to extra buttons, so having both of these features working well made sure I wasn't caught lacking in my weekly raid clears and daily dungeon runs. My time with FFXIV did highlight that I prefer more shapely mice with more prominent hunches and grooves for long-term comfort, and in this regard, the Pulsefire Haste 2 Pro (and non-Pro) is a bit lacking.
