If wireless mice now compete with the best-wired models, their price is often higher. So far, it has been difficult to find a product that really meets the expectations of players without having to pay close to 120$.
With the new Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless, this may be history since the latest model of the brand prides itself on offering one of the best quality/price ratios in the sector with a price below the 80$ mark.!
Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless – Best Mouse for Gaming
Taking the broad lines of the Harpoon RGB unveiled two years ago, this Wireless version promises a response time of 1 ms as well as autonomy that can exceed 30 hours with backlighting activated. What to compete with the excellent Logitech G Pro Wireless, nearly three times more expensive? Answer after ten days at his side.
Key points
- Wireless gaming mouse
- Bluetooth connection and 2.4 Ghz
- 6 programmable buttons
- Battery life 30 hours
- Compact size and weight 99g
Unboxing
The mouse is delivered in a small cardboard box in the usual Corsair colors. There are some visuals and the main characteristics of the product.
Inside the box:
- The Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless mouse
- A USB dongle for the wireless connection (hidden at the back of the field mouse)
- A proprietary USB / Micro-USB cable for charging and wired use
- A little paperwork
Design & Ergonomics
The Harpoon RGB Wireless takes up the lines of the wire model, keeping a particularly compact size for a relatively discreet look. While sober, the paw of the manufacturer remains nevertheless very present and this miniature model will not come to contrast with the rest of the range of Corsair.
Only offered in black tones, the mouse displays an all-plastic construction combined with neat finishes. The matte and rough coating is resistant to fingerprints and provides, as we will see later, a slight additional grip once the hand rests on the mouse. Visually, it is simple and effective and players who are fond of refined products should find what they are looking for.
As explained above, the Harpoon stands out for its rather compact size for a model intended for players. With dimensions of 115.5 x 68.3 x 40.4 mm, the mouse is intended to be much smaller than a SteelSeries Rival 310 or a G502 Lightspeed for example. On the scale, it weighs 99 g, making it a light mouse but still heavier than a G Pro Wireless.
If players with small hands should find what they are looking for, others will probably have to switch to a Claw Grip or Fingertips Grip grip to enjoy a minimum of comfort. While the Harpoon RGB Wireless lends itself to this naturally, be careful if you have large hands. If you have the chance, don’t hesitate to try it.
On the construction side, the upper shell of the mouse is built around a slightly rough black plastic while the side facades have a large textured grip area. As often with the brand, nothing to complain about the side of the finishes.
A little more in detail, we start with the upper part of the mouse. First of all, we find the two main buttons, with a slightly curved shape to accommodate your fingers as well as possible. They are accompanied by Omron switches advertised with a lifespan of 50 million activations.
Between these two buttons, a wheel with textured coating offers notches that are neither too marked nor too flexible and is therefore perfectly suited to the game. It overhangs a third button allowing by default to switch between the different levels of sensitivity of the sensor. An integrated LED also allows you to obtain visual feedback on the active DPI level.
On the side of the facades, no additional buttons on the right side since the mouse is mainly designed for right-handed players. On the left side, there are two additional buttons positioned just above the thumb.
In use, these two buttons are very responsive but their format is a little too narrow for our taste. In addition, the demarcation between the two buttons is not clear enough to really differentiate them during the first hours of use.
At the back of the mouse, there are four Teflon pads ensuring correct glide on all surfaces as well as an insert allowing to slide the USB dongle dedicated to the wireless connection. Rather practical if you often move with your mouse.
We will also have a switch allowing us to switch between the three modes of use: wired, Bluetooth, or wireless 2.4 GHz. For the wired connection, the cable is connected under the wheel via a proprietary micro-USB port. Be careful not to lose it!
Price and availability
The Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless is available for purchase now at the Corsair website, and will be released soon at other online retailers. The MSRP for the Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless is $49.99 USD.
The Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless is a budget-friendly option for gamers who want to experience the benefits of wireless gaming without breaking the bank. The Harpoon RGB Wireless features a comfortable ergonomic design, six programmable buttons, and on-board memory to store your custom button profiles. The mouse also includes vibrant RGB backlighting that can be customized to match your other RGB peripherals or your gaming setup.
Performance
After putting the Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless through its paces, we can say with confidence that it’s a great performer. Its optical sensor tracks well and is accurate, making it great for gaming. The mouse also has a fast response time and polling rate, meaning that your input will be registered quickly and accurately.
Even when put under strain during intense gaming sessions, the Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless held up well and didn’t miss a beat.
So, if you’re looking for a wireless gaming mouse that won’t let you down, the Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless is definitely worth considering. It’s comfortable to use, has great performance, and looks good too – what more could you want?
Wireless connection
The mouse is connected wirelessly via a USB dongle offering a 2.4 GHz connection without any latency. As often, we advise you to avoid moving it too far from your field mouse if you do not want to suffer any loss of signal.
Once the dongle is in position, the connection is made automatically and you instantly enjoy the comfort provided by a wireless mouse. No latency is to be emphasized and Harpoon is as responsive as the wired model, with a response time of 1 ms.
It is also possible to connect the mouse via a more traditional Bluetooth connection. Here, no dongle is needed if your PC is compatible. We obviously lose responsiveness to the 2.4 GHz RF connection, but we gain a few hours of autonomy.
Autonomy, we come there precisely. The Harpoon RGB Wireless is doing better here than its big sister the Corsair Dark Core RGB since it is possible to play for more than 30 hours in 2.4 GHz RF mode and activated backlights.
In Bluetooth mode, it is possible to reach 60 hours if you opt for the “Energy saving” option. Rather convincing.
Allow around 2h30 for a full charge via USB. The cable is obviously provided in the box and this is a proprietary model, slipping under the mouse. You can also use it to play wired (or simply continue playing while the battery is recharging).
Corsair iCUE software
Like most of the brand’s products, the Harpoon RGB Wireless is compatible with the Corsair ICUE software, available free of charge on the manufacturer’s website. If you already have a branded device, you don’t have to reinstall it.
From the tool, you can come and configure different mouse options and create several profiles according to your games and applications.
The first tab “Actions” allows you to assign the commands of your choice to the 6 mouse buttons. It is possible to select commands via the list proposed by Corsair or better, to create your own macros.
The second tab “Lighting effects” is rather meaningful. This is where we will configure the different light zones of the field mouse. You are starting to know, it is 2024 and 99% of “gaming” products have RGB lighting.
Finally, the “DPI” tab takes care of the settings of the optical sensor. It is possible to record up to 5 different levels as well as a “Sniper” mode. For each level of sensitivity, you also have the possibility to select the color of the indicator light.
Performance & Precision
No big revolution on the side of the Harpoon RGB Wireless sensor. We go from a PixArt PMW3320 to its new update, the PWM3325. The optical sensor is capable of achieving a sensitivity of 10,000 DPI, which in itself should be WIDELY sufficient for most users.
In use, no tracking problem was report during our tests and as often, the choice will be made more according to the ergonomics and the functionalities than the performance of the optical sensor.
When gaming, the Harpoon Wireless is therefore doing without too much problem, even if it’s very compact size can clearly handicap some players. The buttons react well and its contained weight of 99g promotes wide and fast movements if you are used to playing with low sensitivity.
Be careful though, with only 6 programmable buttons, the model is relatively simple and will not necessarily adapt to all types of games. If you’re looking for a more complete and versatile model, the Corsair Ironclaw RGB Wireless might make more sense.
FAQs
1. Is the Corsair harpoon wireless good for gaming?
The Corsair harpoon wireless is a great gaming mouse that offers a lot of features for a reasonable price. It has a comfortable ergonomic design, good wireless performance, and advanced buttons that are customizable.
It’s also one of the few wireless mice that doesn’t require a proprietary receiver, which is a plus. However, there are some downsides to the Corsair harpoon wireless. The mouse isn’t very accurate, and it can be difficult to use on certain surfaces.
Additionally, the battery life isn’t great, so you may need to recharge it frequently. Overall, the Corsair harpoon wireless is a good gaming mouse that has some minor flaws.
2. How long does the Corsair harpoon battery last?
Assuming you are using the Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless, it has a battery life of up to 60 hours via Bluetooth connection. This is with the lights turned off though. If you have the lights on, then the battery life goes down to about 45 hours via the 2.4GHz connection.
3. How long does Harpoon RGB Wireless take to charge?
It takes about two hours to charge the Harpoon RGB Wireless. The device has a USB charging port and comes with a USB charging cable.
4. Does the Corsair harpoon have wireless charging?
The Corsair harpoon does not have wireless charging.
Conclusion
More affordable than most of its competitors, the Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless is positioned as one of the best value for money in the industry if you are looking for a wireless model.
Efficient and complete, the mouse displays convincing autonomy, and only its rather compact size may be a problem for some players. For the rest, at less than 80$, the model should meet the expectations of most gamers and especially those playing on a laptop.
If you are looking for a more complete wireless model, do not hesitate to take a look at our presentations of the SteelSeries Rival 650 and Logitech G502 Lightspeed. Also at Corsair, the Dark Core RGB SE also offers more buttons as well as wireless charging.
