Pulsar is a brand that hit the market with force. The Xlite line of mice seemingly came out of nowhere and was an almost immediate hit with enthusiasts and reviewers thanks to its amazing overall quality. It’s not often that you see a brand’s debut product being that good.
While the original Xlite Wireless was a great mouse, there were some remarks that the community had, and Pulsar subsequently made the Xlite Wireless V2 to address those concerns, leading to one of the best gaming mice out there right now. You can read our full review of that one here.
The Xlite Wireless is a medium (to large, depending on who you’re asking) sized mouse, so the community quickly asked for a Mini version, and Pulsar delivered yet again. Today we’re taking a look at the Mini version of the acclaimed Xlite Wireless V2 to see if it matches the standards that its bigger brother has set. Read our full Pulsar Xlite Wireless V2 Mini review to find out!
At A Glance
Pulsar Xlite V2 mini Wireless
If you are looking for a small ergonomic wireless gaming mouse then this one should be heavily considered. It’s pretty much your best option in that section of the market right now.
Pros
- Well built
- Top tier wireless performance on a budget
- Great shape
Cons
- Side buttons could use some improvement
- Holes in the shell are starting to become outdated and might annoy some
- Coating isn’t the best
Specs
| Sensor | PMW 3370 |
|---|---|
| Polling Rate | 125 / 250 / 500 / 1000 Hz |
| Button Switches | Kailh GM 8.0 |
| Button Force | 71g |
| Connection | Wireless |
| Shape | Ergonomic |
| Length | 11.81cm |
| Height | 4.04cm |
| Weight | 55g |
| Width | 5.71cm |
First Impressions
Something that I absolutely love here is that Pulsar doesn’t overcomplicate things. All too often, brands that come out with mini versions of their popular mice downgrade the sensor or make other adjustments that change the mouse from being a straightforward shrunken version of the bigger version to something quite different. Here, that’s not the case. The specs on the Pulsar Xlite Wireless V2 Mini (I will sometimes refer to it as the ‘V2 Mini’) are the exact same as what you’ll find on the regular version, so you don’t need to worry about this being a downgrade in any way, shape, or form.
Being smaller than the regular Xlite Wireless V2, it is only logical that the V2 Mini weighs less as well. I weighed it in at 55 grams, which is extremely light for a gaming mouse. Just as with the regular version, there are no holes on the sides of the V2 Mini.
As a result, much of what I say in this review will already have been mentioned in the main review of the Xlite V2 Wireless. This will be more of a ‘mini review’ where I focus on the changes between this and the larger version.
Packaging
Inside the (very nice looking, I must say) box of the Pulsar Xlite Wireless V2 Mini you will find the mouse, a Pulsar sticker, the usual documentation, a USB-C charging cable, the mouse receiver, and an extension piece that allows you to put the receiver closed to your mousepad.
There are no replacement mouse feet in the package, which is something that I personally like to see with these esports-oriented gaming mice, but I won’t hold the absence of these feet against the mouse. It would’ve been a nice little extra, that’s all.
Shape, Coating, and Mouse Feet
The Xlite Wireless V2 Mini really is just a shrunken down version of the regular edition. This means it’s a mouse based on Zowie’s EC shape, but contrary to Zowie’s EC3-C (which brings shape changes) this keeps the exact same design ideas, only smaller. As a result, this is a small ergonomic mouse with a hump focused towards the middle. For me, the shape isn’t ideal. I don’t mind smaller mice but I prefer the hump to be more towards the back in case they’re ergonomic. Of course that’s completely subjective, so if you’re someone who has always wanted to use a smaller EC shape then this one should be right up your alley.
The coating on the V2 Mini feels good to the touch, though it can be a bit slippery if your hands are very dry. It handles fingerprints and finger oils as it should though, and I never had any reason to bring out a piece of cloth to wipe the mouse down so that’s all fine as well. I would perhaps have liked it to feel just a tiny bit more textured, but that’s just me being nitpicky.
As I said before, there are no holes on the sides of this mouse. Pulsar has removed those because a lot of people dislike the feeling those holes give you while gripping the mouse, so it’s a logical design choice, but just as with the regular sized Xlite V2 there are still some holes near the top of the shell. With this being a smaller mouse I personally still feel the holes on both sides when gripping the mouse normally. On the regular version I don’t feel them with my thumb, but here I do due to the shorter length (and overall size) of the Mini, so for me the solid portions on the sides of this mouse are a bit useless, but that might just mean that my hands are too big for this mouse. Still, it’s something to note if you dislike the feeling of holes.
On the bottom of the mouse you will find two PTFE feet plus a ring around the sensor, and these offer a perfectly smooth glide, though they’re not super fast as far as stock skates go. Perhaps that’s for the best though, as I sometimes felt a bit ‘slippery’ using a mouse that’s this light and small. That’s partially because I don’t really tend to use very small mice as my daily drivers, so your experience may vary. If you want a faster glide you can always order Pulsar’s Superglides anyway: these glass skates are definitely among the absolute fastest on the market right now, so there are options for you if you’ve got a desire for speed.
Recommended Grip Types
If your hands are small, then the Xlite Wireless V2 Mini can suit pretty much any grip style. For normal to large hands I wouldn’t recommend going for a palm grip (or any other grip where you like there to be a lot of palm contact) given the size of the mouse and the location of the hump. It can also definitely be used as a fingertip grip mouse if your hands are larger but you will need to take the tilt design into account. Other than that this is pretty much a shrunken down EC-style mouse, meaning that it has a very accommodating shape.
As usual, a little disclaimer: everyone is different, and your preferences may cause you to love this mouse even with very large hands. Take these grip/size guides in reviews with a grain of salt, as this is heavily dependent on your own personal preferences.
Buttons and Scroll Wheel
The buttons on the Mini version pretty much match those on the regular version. There is no a lot of pre travel and some post travel, and side travel is non-existent on my copy. The Kailh GM 8.0 switches that they’ve used here are probably known by the majority of gamers at this point, but these switches are a bit stiffer than your standard Omrons, giving you a reassuring and very tactile clicking sensation. The left button on my copy sounds and feels a bit more hollow than the right click, but it’s not a massive difference so I am fine with this. My conclusion when it comes to the clicks is the same as with the regular Xlite V2: they are great and there are no annoyances, but they could be even better.
The side buttons still feel mushy and pretty cheap, and while there is no noticeable pre- or post travel these can still be improved by a lot.
The scroll wheel is almost completely quiet and has subtle steps, so if you’re looking for a very tactile wheel this probably won’t please you, but for the vast majority of gamers I see this being completely fine.
Build Quality and Cable
Something that really impressed me about the Xlite Wireless V2 was its build quality, and the same goes for the Mini version. A mouse that’s this light can often feel flimsy in some areas but that isn’t the case here at all. Of course that bottom plate isn’t the sturdiest plate around, and you can get it to flex a little bit if you apply pressure in some areas (even though I was surprised at how well it held up even when applying abnormal amounts of pressure) but this is no issue at all when using the mouse normally. Shaking the mouse did not reveal any issues. The build quality is once again very impressive.
The included charging cable (the charging port has a cutout that also allows a variety of other USB-C cables to be used; so you don’t have to use the included cable) is flexible, lightweight, and thin, so even if you forget to charge the mouse and you have to charge it while playing you’re unlikely to be bothered by the cable.
Performance and Everyday Usage
The implementation of the 3370 sensor that’s inside of the V2 Mini has been done perfectly. There are no signs of sensor malfunction on my unit, and the wireless experience is also very, very good. The mouse can sometimes be a bit slow to wake up from inactivity if your receiver is a bit too far away from the mouse itself, so I would recommend using the extension piece so that you can place it as close to your pad as possible.
You can use the mouse as a plug and play peripheral but you can also download Pulsar’s software to change the DPI to uncommon levels and rebind buttons and create macros. The software isn’t the flashiest, but it does the job without any annoyances, and I prefer this over bloated pieces of software.
Pulsar Xlite Wireless V2 Mini Review – Conclusion
The Xlite Wireless V2 Mini is pretty much the regular version, only smaller. Everything I said about the regular Xlite Wireless V2 goes for the Mini version: it’s a very well built mouse with an extremely low weight, a comfy shape, great wireless technology, and a very decent set of main clickers. The coating perhaps doesn’t feel as premium as what you can find on some other options, and the side buttons can definitely use some improvement, but other than that this is just simply a fantastic gaming mouse.
If you are looking for a small ergonomic wireless gaming mouse then this one should be heavily considered. It’s pretty much your best option in that section of the market right now.
This product was received for free from the manufacturer and given to our reviewer to test and review. Brands and manufacturers have no editorial control over our reviews. For more information, check out our review FAQ.
