HyperX Pulsefire Mat RGB Review

HyperX’s Pulsefire Mat RGB sets itself from all that with impressive surface quality with RGB to match. It just feels so good, so different.

Plenty of mouse mats available in the market today, that’s for sure. There are even stores where you can have your mouse mats customized with the design of your choice. These are basically good solutions if you simply want to have one instead of having to work on your bare flat table. HyperX’s Pulsefire Mat RGB however sets itself from all that with impressive surface quality with RGB to match. It just feels so good, so different.

Technical Specifications

Dimensions	Length: 420mm Height: 4mm Width: 900mm Cable length: 1.8m
Weight	1000g
Material	Cloth, Rubber
Size	XL
Onboard Memory	3 profiles
Lighting	2 RGB Zones, Customizable via NGENUITY Software
Cable	1.8m attached, braided cable
Colors	Black
Price	$49.99/PHP2,195

UNBOXING

Right from the get-go, the HyperX Pulsefire Mat XL is massive. After all, this is XL, which is the only variant available. The box is itself towers any mouse mat packaging I’ve come across. Just take a look at this thing.

For inclusions, you’re not really getting a lot of extras here. You get the mouse mat itself, as well as some paperwork for manual and whatnot. Stickers, HyperX. We want stickers.

DESIGN AND USER EXPERIENCE

Measuring 900mm x 420mm x 4mm, this will likely occupy your desk space without question. It’s really massive. This is welcomed if you can keep your desk space clean, which will likely give you the initiative to do so every now and then. And unfortunately, if you’re looking for a smaller Pulsefire mat, you won’t be able to. This is currently the only available option, but I’ll be sure to ask them since I would prefer something a tad smaller. Say, around 700mm.

The surface texture is easily one of the most comfortable surfaces I’ve played on. While there are several options out there, most of them are pretty basic fabric surfaces that now feels so generic after using this one. According to HyperX, this features a densely-woven precision surface. The difference is there, and you’ll see it right away. 

Flip it over and you’ll see an anti-slip rubber base. This also adds some form of cushioning, so this is quite welcomed here. 

We tested the Pulsefire Mat together with HyperX's Pulsefire Haste mouse, which is also a good option if you're looking for a gaming mouse. You can read our review of it here. Mouse glides are definitely smooth, without the loss in control. Its size is also an upside for controls since you’ll have more surface to work with. The RGB on the perimeter can even be your signal for borders if you’re working on a dim room.

At the top left corner of the mousepad lies the touch sensor for switching profiles. You can use that if you want to change the lighting on the fly or power it off. 

I can’t really say that its perimeter RGB is its crowning glory. That’s reserved for the quality of the surface in my case. This is still welcomed if you like RGB, and just in case you don’t you can easily turn it off via the HyperX NGENUITY software. 

RGB AND SOFTWARE

The software gives you control over the RGB here, and there’s a touch-sensor for switching between the 3 profiles that you can program. 

You have four options for the RGB: Solid, Cycle, Wave and Breathing. You have a color wheel and two sliders for the RGB’s brightness and color level. You can also save your profiles. You’ll get three here, but you’ll likely make use of the Ngenuity software instead. 

Now, you’ll also be working with two RGB Zones. One for the left and bottom and another for top and right. I can’t really say if that’s a limitation, because really, are you going to have 15 different colors or animations on your mat? That’s really distracting, so while four would be preferable, two will do just fine. 

One small issue that I found was the touch-sensor won’t work if the Ngenuity software is running. I’m not sure if this is a bug or a feature, but maybe an option to have this disabled on the software would be nice. 

CONCLUSION

There’s really no reason to go microscopic here. The HyperX Pulsefire mouse mat offers a breath of fresh air and a great upgrade from the standard ones available in the market today. While its RGB is a nice addition, its best quality is its surface texture. The XL size and the lack of smaller options right now may pose a problem if you have a small or narrow desk space however. While there's also the HyperX Fury S Pro Gaming Mousepad with a Large option, it's square-ish and may not be up your alley if you want something with the same aspect ratio. I can't exactly say the surface texture difference between the two since I haven't out the Fury S, but that may be a subject for another time if you want us to check it out. Going back to the topic, the HyperX Pulsefire Mat features a simplistic design choice that gives room for RGB on the perimeter, so at least you have the option for a clean slate or one for rave parties at will.

So here we are. It's quite easy to recommend the HyperX Pulsefire Mat, but only if you have the desk space to accommodate this behemoth. I've said it before and I'll say it again. The texture is superb -  smooth glides without the compromise in control and all that. It's a cut above other mousepads I've used over the years. Of course, it's all skill-based but gears will give you a leg up on the games you play. So, if its sheer size is no concern for you, then by all means have at it. You'll surely have a great time with it. 

So, checking on listings from several e-commerce stores and even HyperX's, there seems to be a non-RGB variant and other sizes (but my point still stands that there's no smaller version with the same aspect ratio regardless. There's even  a 2XL version at 1220mm x 610mm. So if you do find one, please kindly point me to it 😁).