Turtle Beach Burst 2 Air review: a gaming mouse that’s light on weight, but not on price

Turtle
Beach
Burst
2
Air:
Two-minute
review

The
Turtle
Beach
Burst
2
Air
is
the
brand’s
new
ultralight
gaming
mouse
promising
top-tier
performance,
which
it
hopes
to
achieve
with
its
ergonomic
design,
quality
hardware,
and
in-depth
tweakability. 

Considering
the
Burst
2
Air
is
a
full-size
gaming
mouse,
it’s
remarkable
that
it
only
tips
the
scales
at
47g,
undercutting
many
gaming
mice
in
the
lightweight
category.
Rather
than
sporting
an
all-over
honeycomb
design
to
shed
the
weight,
it
has
just
two
small
cutouts
underneath
that
expose
the
underside
to
the
PCB
within.
Despite
this
absence
of
material,
Turtle
Beach
has
managed
to
include
a
handy
slot
to
store
the
2.4GHz
USB
receiver.
As
an
exercise
in
cutting
weight,
it’s
impressive. 

With
its
understated
appearance,
the
Burst
2
Air
cuts
a
rather
unremarkable
figure,
especially
compared
to
the
audacious
looks
of
some
of
the


best
gaming
mice.
The
white
colorway
I
tested
does
look
more
vibrant
than
its
black
counterpart,
and
the
light
gray
accents
on
the
logo,
side
buttons,
and
scroll
wheel
are
a
nice
touch.
There
are
two
small
LEDs,
one
between
the
mouse
buttons
and
another
under
the
scroll
wheel,
but
these
are
relatively
subtle.
The
finish
is
smooth
with
a
slight
texture
that
I
found
suitable
for
my
palm
and
fingers,
although
grip
tape
is
included
in
the
box
for
those
who
prefer
something
more
substantial. 

The
Burst
2
Air
fits
nicely
in
the
hand,
with
an
even
curve
all
around,
although
there’s
slightly
more
bulk
towards
the
back
end.
There
isn’t
much
of
a
forward
rake
either,
so
it
doesn’t
feel
like
your
fingers
are
falling
away.
Turtle
Beach
doesn’t
recommend
specific
grip
styles
but
it
seems
ideal
for
most,
though
it
may
be
too
bulky
for
those
who
prefer
the
claw
type.
My
only
real
complaint
about
the
shape
of
the
Burst
2
Air
is
that
the
sides
cinch
inwards
a
little
too
much
for
my
liking,
making
it
harder
to
squeeze
during
those
clutch
moments.

The
mouse
wheel
is
softly
notched
but
still
provides
enough
security
to
prevent
mis-scrolls.
It’s
tight
and
secure
when
pressed,
while
still
being
easy
to
actuate.
The
side
buttons
are
very
clicky,
and
their
angle
and
protrusion
make
them
easy
to
use.
Rather
than
being
situated
on
top
or
underneath,
as
is
typical
for
many
gaming
mice,
the
DPI
cycle
button
is
located
on
the
left
front
side.
It’s
small
and
pressing
it
can
be
awkward,
given
it’s
quite
close
to
the
bottom,
meaning
your
thumb
ends
up
pressing
into
your
desktop.
This
is
a
small
grievance,
though,
and
the
button
operates
smoothly.

When
it
comes
to
the
business
of
gaming,
the
Burst
2
Air
is
a
joy
to
use.
Maneuverability
is
exceptional,
gliding
effortlessly
on
almost
any
surface,
thanks
to
the
thick
PTFE
skates.
The
pre-tensioned
optical
switches
can
be
activated
with
light
clicks,
and
although
they
travel
further
than
I
expected,
this
only
adds
to
their
satisfaction.
There
is
the
slightest
indentation
on
the
buttons
themselves,
just
enough
to
guide
your
fingers
to
the
optimal
position.

Coupled
with
the
ultra-light
total
weight,
this
makes
the
Burst
2
Air
very
precise.
Of
course,
what
weight,
shape,
and
size
is
best
for
a
gaming
mouse
comes
down
to
personal
preference,
but
for
me,
I
found
the
Burst
2
Air
ideal
for
my
hands
and
swipes.
Using
it
with
the
included
USB
cable
does
add
more
resistance
to
movements,
but
I
adapted
to
it
quickly,
and
I
wouldn’t
go
so
far
as
to
call
it
drag,
with
all
the
negative
connotations
that
word
brings.
As
with
many
braided
cables,
durability
can
be
an
issue,
but
during
my
time
using
it
I
didn’t
notice
any
fraying. 

For
customizing
and
adjusting
settings,
you’ll
need
Swarm
2,
Turtle
Beach’s
peripheral
software.
As
soon
as
you
open
it,
you’re
greeted
with
jagged
fonts
that
are
hard
to
read
and
fail
to
inspire
much
confidence.
I
have
previous
experience
using
this
software
with
a
Turtle
Beach
keyboard,
and
in
that
case,
I
found
it
to
be
obtuse
in
places
and
not
the
most
user-friendly.
Some
of
my
concerns
remain
in
place
in
the
case
of
the
Burst
2
Air,
although
I
do
think
mice
settings
are
more
clearly
laid
out. 

The
software
allows
for
all
the
typical
tweaks
you’d
expect,
including
adjustments
for
the
DPI.
However,
this
has
a
clunky
implementation,
requiring
you
to
drag
dots
across
the
screen
for
each
of
the
five
predefined
settings.
In
theory,
this
interface
is
a
good
idea,
but
it’s
poorly
executed
here,
with
bugs
and
glitches
occurring
until
I
updated
the
mouse’s
firmware.
The
update
also
fixed
the
battery
level
readout,
which
was
previously
stuck
at
18%,
even
when
charging.

There
are
also
adjustments
for
the
poll
rate,
with
five
settings
ranging
from
125Hz
to
1000Hz,
and
a
debounce
time
slider
in
a
nondescript
unit
between
0
and
10
(a
lot
of
other
software
I’ve
tested
measure
this
in
milliseconds).
There’s
also
DCU
calibration,
which
is
equivalent
to
lift-off
distance.
There
are
two
predefined
settings,
very
low
and
low,
as
well
as
a
custom
mode
that
automatically
sets
the
distance
based
on
a
few
test
movements.
Again,
though,
there
is
no
indication
in
any
setting
as
to
what
the
exact
distance
you’ve
set
is.

Other
settings
include
angle
snapping,
which
smooths
cursor
movements
by
making
them
more
linear,
and
motion
sync,
which
aligns
the
mouse’s
polling
rate
to
that
of
your
PC,
so
only
the
latest
polling
data
is
read.
In
theory,
this
improves
accuracy
as
tracking
becomes
more
seamless,
but
in
reality,
only
hardcore
pro
players
will
likely
notice
or
care
about
this.
During
my
tests,
I
failed
to
notice
much
difference
when
activated.

It’s
also
compatible
with

Nvidia
Reflex,
which
claims
to
reduce
input
latency
even
further
when
gaming.
It
requires
an
Nvidia
GPU
and
a
monitor
compatible
with
Nvidia
G-Sync
(although
my
FreeSync
monitor
worked
with
this
too).
It’s
only
currently
supported
by
a
handful
of
games,
and
again
it’s
a
feature
that
only
pro
players
will
likely
notice
in
action.

Switching
between
the
different
connectivity
modes
worked
fairly
seamlessly
in
my
experience,
letting
me
switch
between
two
devices
on
the
fly
with
a
flick
of
the
switch
underneath.
Note,
however,
that
when
connected
via
USB
cable,
this
overrides
your
other
connectivity
options,
so
device
switching
effectively
becomes
unavailable
until
you
pull
the
plug.

The
claimed
battery
life
of
the
Burst
2
Air
is
120
hours
in
Bluetooth
mode,
and
40
when
using
the
2.4GHz
receiver.
According
to
my
tests,
this
seems
accurate,
as
the
battery
barely
dipped
below
90%
over
several
days
of
use,
even
when
set
to
the
maximum
1k
poll
rate.

The
Burst
2
Air
is
a
solid
wireless
gaming
mouse
for
those
who
are
after
a
comfortable
yet
speedy
performer.
The
overall
shape,
low
package
weight,
connectivity
options,
and
smooth
glides
are
its
standout
aspects.
However,
Swarm
2
isn’t
the
most
intuitive
peripheral
software
to
use,
and
the
fact
is
there
are
better
value
gaming
mice
that
match
the
Burst
2
Air
for
performance,
such
as
the

Cooler
Master
MM311.
It’s
by
no
means
a
bad
pointer
to
plump
for,
but
there
are
plenty
of
other
great
options
around
for
less
money.

Turtle
Beach
Burst
2
Air:
Price
&
availability

• 
  $99
  /
  £99
  (about
  AU$147)
• 
  Black
  and
  White
  colorways

The
Burst
2
Air
is
priced
at
$99
/
£99
(about
AU$147)
and
is
available
now.
It
comes
in
either
Black
or
White
colorways.

For
a
gaming
mouse
of
this
spec,
the
Burst
2
Air
represents
pretty
average
value
for
money.
It
competes
with
other
wireless
mice
such
as
the

Razer
DeathAdder
V3
Hyperspeed,
which
offers
similar
features
and
functionality.
It
also
supports
an

8k
poll
rate,
although
this
does
require
Razer’s
HyperPolling
Wireless
Dongle,
which
costs
an
extra
$29
/
£29
/
AU$54.

If
you’re
after
a
wireless
gaming
mouse
with
an
8k
poll
rate
straight
out
of
the
box,
then
be
prepared
to
part
with
more
cash.
Offerings
in
this
category
can
set
you
back
considerably
more:
the
Razer
Viper
V3
Pro,
for
example,
is
over
$100
/
£150
/
AU$275.

However,
if
you’re
happy
with
1k,
there
are
more
wireless
budget
picks
than
ever.
For
instance,
there’s
the
Cooler
Master
MM311,
which
is
our
current
pick
as
the
best
gaming
mouse
for
those
on
a
budget
–
it’s
heavier
than
the
Burst
2
Air
and
runs
on
AA
batteries,
though.
If
you
want
a
rechargeable
battery,
then
the
HyperX
Pulsefire
Haste
2
could
fit
the
bill;
although
it
weighs
61g,
it’s
slightly
cheaper
than
the
Burst
2
Air.
There’s
also
a
wired
variant
with
an
8k
poll
rate
for
even
less.

Turtle
Beach
Burst
2
Air:
Specs

Should
you
buy
the
Turtle
Beach
Burst
2
Air?

Buy
it
if…

Don’t
buy
it
if…

Turtle
Beach
Burst
2
Air:
Also
consider

How
I
tested
the
Turtle
Beach
Burst
2
Air

• 
  Tested
  for
  two
  weeks
• 
  Played
  FPS
  and
  strategy
  games
• 
  10+
  years
  PC
  gaming
  experience

I
tested
the
Burst
2
Air
for
around
two
weeks.
During
that
time,
I
used
it
with
a
variety
of
games,
as
well
as
for
general
use
and
productivity.

I
played
FPS
titles
including

Counter-Strike
2,
the
evergreen
peripheral
tester,
as
well
as
strategy
games
that
almost
exclusively
use
mouse
inputs,
such
as

Tactical
Breach
Wizards. 

I
have
been
PC
gaming
for
over
a
decade,
and
during
that
time
I
have
tried
a
variety
of
gaming
mice
of
all
shapes
and
sizes
from
the
likes
of
Razer,

Logitech,
Alienware,
and
HyperX,
to
name
a
few.
I
generally
prefer
full-size
mice
over
miniature
ones
and
prefer
a
light
to
medium
weight. 

Read
more
about
how
we
test

First
reviewed:
September
2024