Turtle Beach Burst II Pro Review: Lightweight 8K Gaming Mouse
▼ Summary
– The Turtle Beach Burst II Pro is an ultra-lightweight (57g) wireless gaming mouse with 8K polling rates over both wired and wireless connections, but it largely fails to differentiate itself from similar competitors.
– Its primary distinguishing flaw is a noticeably creaky plastic shell on the sides, which could be frustrating for gamers who grip or lift their mice firmly.
– The mouse features a high-performance Owl-Eye 30K optical sensor and Titan optical switches, delivering accurate, responsive performance across various surfaces.
– It offers solid battery life (150 hours at 1KHz polling) and includes useful accessories like grip tape and alternative mouse feet, but its retail price of $139.99 is not the most competitive in its category.
– Overall, the Burst II Pro is a competent but unremarkable option in a crowded market, being comfortable and capable yet lacking standout features beyond its problematic build quality.
Finding a truly distinctive ultra-lightweight gaming mouse in today’s market is a challenge. The Turtle Beach Burst II Pro enters a crowded field, offering a comfortable 57-gram design and the headline feature of 8K polling rates over both its wireless and wired connections. While it performs reliably, the mouse struggles to stand out from numerous competitors, with its most notable characteristic being an unfortunate amount of creakiness from its side panels.
This mouse presents a fairly standard pseudo-symmetrical shape with a centered hump, wrapped in a smooth matte finish that feels pleasant but shows fingerprints easily. Weighing just 57 grams, it feels exceptionally light and agile. The build feels generally sturdy, but applying even mild pressure to the sides produces audible creaks. For gamers with a relaxed grip, this may go unnoticed, but those who frequently lift or grip their mouse tightly might find the noise distracting during intense sessions.
In terms of size, the Burst II Pro measures 4.81 by 2.65 inches, making it slightly more compact than many flagship models, potentially suiting those with smaller hands. It features six programmable buttons, with a unique placement for the DPI switch on the left side near the front. This location is unconventional but preferable to a bottom-mounted switch, though it sits just a bit too far forward for convenient remapping to another function.
Performance is driven by Turtle Beach’s Owl-Eye 30K optical sensor, which delivers a maximum sensitivity of 30,000 DPI. In testing, the sensor proved accurate and consistent across various surfaces, including different mouse pads and tabletops. The mouse uses Titan optical switches rated for 100 million clicks, offering a firm, tactile, and somewhat loud actuation. The side buttons share this audible, clicky feedback.
The 8,000 Hz polling rate is the star spec, achievable wirelessly with the included dongle or via the supplied “PhantomFlex” USB-C cable. Real-world benefits for most users will be minimal, but the option is there for those seeking the absolute lowest possible latency. Battery life is rated at a robust 150 hours at the standard 1,000 Hz polling rate, though this drops to approximately 40 hours when utilizing the 8K mode.
Full customization requires Turtle Beach’s Swarm II software, which handles firmware updates, DPI staging, and button remapping for the mouse’s eight programmable inputs. The package is rounded out with a USB extender, pre-cut grip tape, and additional mouse feet options.
Priced at $139.99, the Burst II Pro is a competent peripheral. It provides a comfortable, lightweight form factor and cutting-edge wireless performance. However, it fails to offer a compelling reason to choose it over other established options in its category. Unless the specific combination of its shape and feature set resonates with you, it remains just another solid entry in a sea of very similar ultra-lightweight wireless mice.
(Source: Tom’s Hardware)
