HyperX Pulsefire Core: Specifications
Max DPI: 6200
buttons: 7
Size: 4.7 x 2.5 x 1.6 inches
Weight: 3.1 oz
HyperX Pulsefire Core is not it Best gaming mouse I’ve ever tested, but it’s pretty good at running for the title of best cheap gaming mouse. Although the Pulsefire Core only costs $30, it has some of the features you’d expect in a much more expensive mouse. Not only does Pulsefire Core work great in-game, but it also has plenty of customization options and a smart way to toggle DPI sensitivity levels.
While the design of the Pulsefire Core has one big flaw and its software with a few weaknesses, the mouse gets almost everything else right. If you want a simple, straightforward gaming mouse, the Pulsefire Core is a good argument for not spending more than $30 on one. Read on for the full HyperX Pulsefire Core review.
HyperX Pulsefire Core review: Design
With its ergonomic design and RGB logo, HyperX Pulsefire Core should look familiar if you’ve seen a gaming mouse before. You can get it with a plain black or elegant pink chassis, but either way, it looks more elegant than a regular office mouse, with sharper angles and more curves.
There are a lot of buttons on this mouse, and they are all easy to access. You get a left button, a right button, a clickable scroll wheel, two DPI adjustment buttons, and two thumb buttons. They all have a strong click feel to them, and they meticulously analyze any commands you program with HyperX nGenuity.
The downside here is probably the biggest criticism I can make against the Pulsefire Core. While the left side of the mouse feels good, with a firm thumb grip, the right side of the mouse simply feels wrong.
Instead of twisting to meet the ring and pinky fingers, they bend inward, leaving the two outer fingers with no place to rest. It’s an annoying and persistent problem that makes the mouse less comfortable than it should be.
HyperX Pulsefire Core review: Features
The HyperX Pulsefire Core doesn’t have a lot of bells and whistles—which isn’t surprising when you’re using a $30 mouse. You won’t find wireless connectivity, adjustable weights, swappable side panels, or any other features you’d expect in a high-end peripheral. However, the device still offers a fair amount of customization through the competent HyperX nGenuity software.
I’ve written about nGenuity many times in the past. It sometimes works properly and sometimes malfunctions, but either way, it was a bare experience compared to something like the Razer Synapse or Logitech G Hub.
With a simple mouse like the Pulsefire Core, “bare bones” isn’t necessarily a bad thing. You can reprogram buttons, set up individual game profiles, and adjust RGB lighting – although the lighting only includes a small logo on the palm rest. However, this logo offers a useful function, as it will change the colors to match the current DPI level. It’s a useful feature that many pet mice avoid.
However, nGenuity is not a perfect program. Setting up multiple profiles can be a little tricky, as is deleting extraneous DPI levels. (Once you click a number, the DPI will be set to that level, making it hard to recycle and right-click to delete.) Try downloading it through the Microsoft Store, if possible, as the standalone executable from the HyperX website isn’t always the latest version.
HyperX Pulsefire Core review: Performance
One area where HyperX Pulsefire excels is in its performance. I tested the mouse with Age of Empires IVAnd the eternal tormentAnd the Cyberpunk 2077 movie And the Final Fantasy XIVand found that the mouse provided consistent results across the board. He did not endorse any particular type, but he analyzed my commands quickly and accurately, whether I was ordering a group of villagers to build a castle or synchronizing a gun with an electronic implant.
It’s worth noting that the versatility of the Pulsefire Core may come at its expense if you prefer a particular genre. It is not as light as an electronic rat. It has fewer buttons compared to MMO; It lacks the additional “sniper” button for FPS mice. But to get specialized-type mice, you’ll actually have to spend more than $30.
HyperX Pulsefire Core review: Verdict
The HyperX Pulsefire Core is one of the cheapest gaming mice on the market, at least from a major manufacturer. Despite its low price, the device has only one major drawback – the lack of finger rest. This isn’t an insignificant flaw, but it’s also not a bargain flaw, especially considering how well the mouse performs in the game. For everyday PC gaming, Pulsefire Core is an easy recommendation, especially if you’re entering the ecosystem for the first time.
In terms of competition, Pulsefire Core is not much better than Steel Series Rival 3, which also costs $30. In fact, Rival 3 excels in some ways that Core doesn’t, especially when it comes to lighting and software. The good news is that you can’t go wrong either way.