HyperX Pulsefire Surge review: a great value gaming mouse

For this HyperX Pulsefire Surge review, I got hands-on with the mouse over a number of weeks, using it for gaming, working and everything in between. 

If you are looking for a whole new set of gaming peripherals, it’ll be worth taking a look at T3’s guides to the best gaming keyboards, best gaming headsets and best gaming monitors. Here, you'll find all of our favourite gaming accessories, for every budget and every type of gamer. 

As the name ‘Pulsefire’ suggests, this is a mouse that thrives in first-person shooter games, while the 360° RGB lighting adds some awesome effects to your setup. Comfortably taking a spot as one of the best gaming mice you can buy, the HyperX Pulsefire Surge performs well and is an affordable option, too.

 HyperX Pulsefire Surge review: price and availability

Available now from a number of retailers, including Microsoft and Amazon, the HyperX Pulsefire Surge starts at $32.99 in the US, £32.99 in the UK and AU$73.31 in Australia. Check the widgets for the most recent pricing. 

HyperX Pulsefire Surge review: design and setup 

Weighing 100g and measuring 11.94 x 6.35 x 4.06 cm, the HyperX Pulsefire Surge isn’t the smallest or lightest gaming mouse you can buy, but it is by no means a big, heavy mouse either. It simultaneously feels lightweight and solid, small but substantial enough to rest your palm. 

HyperX has opted for a symmetrical, ambidextrous design - there are no grooves on either side to place your thumb or little finger which means you can use it whether you're left or right-handed. Before you plug it in, it looks like a very classic black wired mouse. With a matte-black plastic coating and a matching rubber grip on both sides, you do get a good hold on it. I didn’t find it slippy at all. It’ll be suitable for a small-handed palm grip or for those with bigger hands, you’ll find yourself reverting to a claw-grip.

When you come to plug it in, be prepared for a show. The customisable 360-degree RGB light strip surrounds the edges of the mouse, and the HyperX logo on the front illuminates as well. Its default wave setting shows the impressive vibrancy of the colours - it really is a looker when the lights are on. You can play around with the extensive illumination possibilities in the HyperX NGenuity desktop software. 

Six buttons in total with two on the left side of the mouse that default to forwards and backwards click, then the DPI switch is located behind the scroll wheel. I did find the latter was placed slightly too far down the mouse, it didn’t feel completely natural to press. However, that may be more down to my hand size than a design fault. It has a braided cable giving you enough space to move around your desk without issue, though some may prefer the cable to feel a bit more flexible.

Setup is as easy as plugging it into your computer’s USB port. To personalise the mouse, the NGenuity software gives control over lighting and sensitivity settings, as well as button assignment, and you can also create user profiles that you can store on the mouse’s onboard memory. NGenuity did feel clunky though, despite giving you plenty of customisation options it’s not particularly intuitive and looks a bit dated. HyperX could do a lot to improve on it.

HyperX Pulsefire Surge review: performance 

Thanks to a Pixart 3389 sensor, the HyperX Pulsefire Surge has accurate tracking, managing to pick up every inch of fast movement during gameplay. Native DPI settings can go up to 16,000 (dots per inch) and can be manually adjusted using the desktop software or you can cycle through profiles on the fly using the button on the central divider. As well as having smooth, silky skates on the underside, these are the specs that make this mouse perfect for FPS-style gaming.

Every button on the HyperX Pulsefire Surge, including the side buttons, felt clicky and tactile. They never missed a click, nor were they prone to accidental presses. Being both reliable and long-lasting, the Omron switches will supposedly deliver 50 million clicks. As you scroll through web pages or switch between weapons in games, you can feel a satisfying bump on the textured scroll wheel making it seem responsive and precise. For such a low price, HyperX has managed to absolutely nail the quality of the switches. 

HyperX Pulsefire Surge review: verdict 

The HyperX Pulsefire Surge is a reasonably priced gaming mouse that delivers on performance and has striking RGB lighting. It will be best suited to those who play a lot of shooter games, though it'll work well for general computing too. Work by day, game by night. 

It’s not the lightest option out there, and the desktop software leaves a lot to be desired, but for reliable clicks, precise 16,000 DPI and a smaller price tag than many other mice of this calibre, the HyperX Pulsefire Surge is a fantastic buy. 

HyperX Pulsefire Surge review: also consider  

If you’re big into FPS gaming, and willing to spend a bit more on the best gaming mouse, take a look at the Razer DeathAdder V2 which has previously topped T3’s guide to the best gaming mouse. You should also add the Roccat Kain 120 AIMO to your shortlist, another mid-range mouse with near-faultless performance. 

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