Pulsar Xlite V2 Review

Pulsar Xlite V2 specs

Alternatives

If you want a higher polling rate: The Razer Viper 8K Hz has a max polling rate of 8000 Hz, improving click latency, albeit minimally.

If you don’t want an open-chassis design: The Logitech G Pro X Superlight is a few grams heavier but doesn’t have cutouts or an open bottom. But the Logitech model is priced considerably higher due to higher-end specs and performance in other areas.

If you want better battery life: The Razer Viper V2 Pro has an advertised battery life of 90 hours. It even weighs the same. You will also get better specs in certain areas, but the price is considerably higher.

Performance

Weight

If you want a featherlight gaming mouse, the Pulsar Xlite V2 is worth considering. This mouse weighs just 59 grams. While it doesn’t take the podium spot for the lightest gaming mouse – some models are dropping below 50 grams – the Pulsar Xlite V2 is still exceptionally light and a great option if you’re looking for the best FPS gaming mouse. You can also get the Xlite V2 Mini if you like the Pulsar Xlite design language but want a smaller mouse that weighs 55 grams.

The light weight is partly achieved by strategically cutting out chassis material – the top and parts of the sides have slotted cutouts, and the bottom uses an open structure design. This design approach differs from lightweight models that achieve similar weight without cutouts, such as the Razer Viper V2 Pro (59 grams) and the Logitech G Pro X Superlight (63 grams).

Sensor

The PixArt PAW3370 optical sensor in the Pulsar Xlite V2 has a high max DPI and tracks accurately at high speeds, which is great for quick mouse flicks in fast-paced games. The sensor DPI is adjustable in increments of 50 from 50 to 20,000.

The max DPI is higher than almost all gamers will need. Still, it provides future-proofing against the inevitable march upward for display resolutions since you need to increase your DPI to retain the same tracking when increasing resolution. Beyond DPI, the sensor tracks accurately up to 400 inches per second (IPS).

The DPI and IPS specs are on par with similarly-priced fast gaming mice. Some high-end gaming mice offer better specs on paper, but this is mostly marketing hype that is more than sufficient and isn’t noticeable for most casual gamers.

Polling rate

The Pulsar Xlite V2 maxes out at a 1000 Hz polling rate, though you can adjust it to one of the lower three presets. It’s best to keep the polling rate to the highest possible setting for the fastest performance. Otherwise, your mouse will report actions back to your computer fewer than 1,000 times per second, increasing latency and making the Pulsar Xlite V2 less snappy.

Button performance and sound

The Kailh GM 8.0 optical switches in the Pulsar Xlite V2 have a nice tactile feel and register crisp clicks. The switches are audibly similar to most gaming mice, not loud nor quiet. We don’t know if long-term double-clicking issues exist since the gaming mice we put through the paces in-house aren’t tested for long-term durability.

The switches are rated for 80 million clicks, which beats the durability of many pricier models.

The two side buttons feel similar and require similar downforce as the switches, though the click sounds slightly more hollow. The different sound is likely a result of the cutouts but not a detractor.

Gliding

We tested sliding the Pulsar Xlite V2 across several surfaces in a few FPS titles. Whether you’re using a mousepad or not, the Pulsar Xlite V2 slides effortlessly and smoothly. The featherlight weight provides no noticeable resistance when switching mouse directions, something that can’t be said for heavier gaming mice.

The gliding experience is another reason this gaming mouse is popular among casual gamers and pros who prioritize nimble and fast performance.

Connectivity

Wireless connection

The Pulsar Xlite V2 transmits over a 2.4 GHz frequency using the included USB receiver that’s plugged into your computer. There’s also an extender in the box, which can improve latency.

Unlike other fast gaming mice, the Pulsar Xlite V2 doesn’t include onboard USB receiver storage. Admittedly, this convenience feature isn’t make-or-break for many gamers, but it’s nice for portability and reducing the risk of losing the USB receiver. The Logitech G Pro Wireless or the Logitech G Pro X Superlight are two options to consider if onboard USB storage is critical.

There is no BlueTooth connectivity, which is common in this performance-oriented category. If wanting BlueTooth, consider the Steelseries Aerox 3 Wireless. It works over a 2.4 GHz and BlueTooth connection, but the latency isn’t as good and it weighs more.

Battery life

The Pulsar Xlite V2’s 70-hour advertised battery life is solid for the price point. Some higher-end ergonomic gaming mice, like the Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro (90 hours), have longer battery lives. But consider that the Pulsar Xlite V2 still works with the charging cable plugged in, so you’ll never be left with a dead mouse.

Charging cable

One of the first things we check when opening the box for a new gaming mouse is the quality of the charging cable’s quality. You can immediately tell if any corners were cut if the charging cable isn’t good quality.

Thankfully, the Pulsar Xlite V2’s charging cable is made of a soft braided material that feels great and is flexible, unlike stiff rubber cables. Pulsar also went the extra mile using USB-C in the mouse port end, oddly still rare in 2023 and lacking in some higher-end models.

Design

Buttons

The Pulsar Xlite V2 uses a familiar five-button configuration, two side buttons, the standard L/R buttons, and a clickable scroll wheel. There is an On/Off slider on the underside. There is no dedicated profile-switching button, but you can remap one of the five buttons in the Pulsar software.

We think more gaming mouse should design their two side buttons like the Pulsar Xlite V2’s. The side buttons are slightly oversized compared to other five and six-button mice and are well-positioned for most hand sizes. We found it hard to miss hitting the side buttons when using this gaming mouse for the first time.

Scroll wheel

The Pulsar Xlite V2’s scroll wheel is solid, not exceptional, and not bad. We assign a rating of one, two, or three to a gaming mouse’s scroll wheel design and feel and the Pulsar Xlite V2 scored a two, which is average.

Nicely, the scroll wheel click feels solid, and there’s a rubberized material with ridges surrounding the scroll wheel, which is great for precision scrolling.

It didn’t score our highest rating because the scroll wheel steps could be more tactile, and the scroll wheel could oddly be pushed to the side. This quirk left us wondering if there was L/R tilt functionality, which there isn’t. Other gaming mice without L/R tilt functionality have scroll wheels that stay locked when pushed to the side.

There is no free-scrolling functionality, which is expected in this category where bells and whistles, such as adding a button to unlock free-scrolling, increase the weight.

Shape

The Pulsar Xlite V2 has an ergonomic shape, contoured sides that improve grip, and a left-to-right downward-sloping top. This design approach supports your hand in a more natural position than a symmetrical gaming mouse, where your hand is rotated flat on top of the mouse.

But the ergonomic design is muted, especially compared to traditional ergonomic gaming mice like the Razer Basilisk V3 Pro and the Logitech G502X Plus, which have thumb rests and more accentuated curves.

The hump on top visually appears to be located in the middle of the Pulsar Xlite V2, not back-biased like many models. This design provides support right at the base of your fingers, not under the inside curvature of your palm.

Hand size and grip style

The Pulsar Xlite V2 is suitable for all grip styles and hand sizes, even if your hand is smaller. The 122.66mm length is a few millimeters short of the average, putting the L/R buttons within reach for medium to small hands.

As noted before, the side buttons are big, so they’re easy to hit for different hand sizes. Also, you can buy the Pulsar Xlite V2 Mini if you want the same mouse in a smaller form factor and lower weight.

We wouldn’t suggest the Pulsar Xlite V2 if you have extra-large hands. Your fingers may overhang too far in front when holding the mouse.

As for grip styles, the ergonomic design is suitable for palm, fingertip, and claw grips. The top hump provides sufficient palm support for palm grips. The inward side curvatures are good for gripping power using a claw or fingertip grip, though we’d recommend adding grip tape when using these grip styles – the smooth side texture can be hard to grip otherwise.

Customization and software

RGB

The Pulsar Xlite V2 has limited RGB, just a tiny RGB effect on the underside of the gaming mouse that changes color based on the current DPI selected. The companion software can customize the color by assigning a color to each DPI preset. You can also customize the RGB for a breathe effect and adjust the brightness.

Profiles

The Pulsar Xlite V2 has onboard memory to store four custom profiles configured in Pulsar’s companion software. This way, you can cycle through profiles on the fly – if assigning the profile cycling command to a button – with the software closed, suitable for using different profiles in specific games.

There is no ability to assign custom profiles to particular apps, games, and programs so that your gaming mouse switches profiles automatically based on the current program. Razer mice and Logitech gaming mice do offer this feature.

Pulsar software

Pulsar’s companion software has an easy-to-use UI and sufficient functionality for most gamers. Inside Pulsar’s software, you can customize the below settings for your Pulsar Xlite V2:

• Remap your five mouse buttons, including assigning custom macros
• Adjust the debounce time from 0 to 30 milliseconds
• Set the auto sleep timeframe
• Adjust the DPI presets in increments of 50 from 50 to 20,000
• Adjust the polling rate from a list including 125, 250, 500, and 1000 Hz presets
• Customize your lift-off distance
• Enable/disable ripple and angle snapping, features that can smooth out movements at higher DPIs and or smooth out the path you’re traveling to
• Customize the RGB effects

It’s worth considering that Pulsar’s software isn’t compatible with macOS. You can use the Pulsar Xlite V2 in macOS, but you’ll be limited to the default settings if you don’t have a PC to configure the gaming mouse in the first place.

Another downside is that the Pulsar Xlite V2 offers no layers to remap your mouse buttons. This means that you’re limited to five programmable actions. Some other gaming mice offer shift-like functionalities where additional actions can be programmed.

In the box

• Pulsar Xlite V2
• Braided charging cable (1.9m)
• USB receiver
• USB extender
• Cable tie
• Sticker
• Operating manuals