Turtle Seaside Kone 2 Air: Two-minute evaluation
The Turtle Seaside Kone 2 Air is a big gaming mouse with some helpful options aimed toward enhancing the consumer expertise for gamers. It stands out as a result of that measurement and its form, with its concave sides, the left of which juts out on the backside to accommodate the Straightforward Shift button. The physique may be very easy with no texturing.
The white colorway options some refined grey accents on the buttons and scroll wheel, and general it appears comparatively mature in comparison with different gaming peripherals, though it nonetheless isn’t precisely elegant.
In comparison with the best gaming mouse on the market, the RGB lighting on the Kone 2 Air is comparatively giant, with two stripes working alongside the highest, in addition to the standard LED on the scroll wheel.
The Kone 2 Air adopts a large, squat stance and contains a comparatively flat prime, so these with bigger arms will seemingly discover this fills their palms extra considerably than different gaming mice do. With that giant measurement, although, comes a heavy 110g weight.
In contrast, the clicks are gentle and snappy, but properly damped, and the identical is true of the 2 facet buttons and the DPI cycle button on prime. The scroll wheel feels easy to the contact and options 4D scrolling, permitting you to tilt it left and proper for horizontal navigation. It additionally has a free spin operate, activated by urgent the button above the DPI cycle. This lets you disengage the notching to scroll a lot quicker, but it nonetheless feels reassuringly weighty and easy.
Nonetheless, with out free spin activated, there’s a bit of an excessive amount of play within the wheel, making it exhausting to get a really feel for single flicks. The scroll click on, nonetheless, is reassuringly strong and straightforward to press within the warmth of the second, in addition to offering satisfying suggestions and a clearly audible click on.
The included USB cable is braided and lightweight, so there’s subsequent to no drag when utilizing it. Nonetheless, it doesn’t appear as thick or as sturdy as these on different gaming mice. It’s additionally fairly brief, so that you’ll want your machine comparatively shut by if you wish to play in wired mode.
Turtle Seaside’s peripheral software program, Swarm 2, permits for quite a few changes and customizations. There are quite a few rebinding choices, akin to keyboard keys (together with together with modifiers) and media controls, however there’s solely two system stage shortcuts obtainable: one for shutdown and one for sleep. There’s additionally an entirely separate layer for assigning secondary inputs courtesy of Straightforward Shift, and naturally, you can even customise the RGB lighting in Swarm 2.
Swarm 2 options some helpful changes for gaming too, akin to Movement Sync and Angle Snapping, in addition to a debounce time slider between 0-10 (no unit is given right here).
Nonetheless, there’s no setting labeled lift-off distance; as an alternative, there’s what Swarm 2 calls DCU Calibration. You may have settings for low and really low, in addition to a customized setting which takes you to a calibrator, asks you to make round actions with the cursor, and mechanically selects an applicable lift-off distance for you – though it doesn’t let you know what this distance is.
There’s additionally the standard DPI settings, with 5 predefined factors so that you can modify for biking. There’s a DPI calibrator too, which asks you to hit a collection of targets to be able to mechanically decide what it thinks is the perfect DPI setting for you.
Macro recording is feasible, and Swarm 2 even features a vary of default macros for a variety of common video games and productiveness software program, together with Microsoft Workplace and Photoshop.
Gaming with the Kone 2 Air is a blended expertise. All buttons are responsive and satisfying to make use of, however the general kind isn’t probably the most ergonomic, as the perimeters don’t supply sufficient grip, even when you apply the included grip tape.
The indentation of every facet solely happens in direction of the rear, and flattens out instantly, which meant my thumb and fingers couldn’t set in place for larger safety. Because of this, I needed to squeeze tighter than I usually would for, which naturally compromises motion velocity; I by no means really felt snug holding the Kone 2 Air.
That hefty weight the Kone 2 Air is saddled with solely provides to the issue. It prevents glides from being easy and seamless. The load can be concentrated in direction of the rear, which makes the mouse really feel unbalanced because it tends to tilt backwards when lifting off.
Fortunately, the Straightforward Shift button is simple to succeed in and hit along with your thumb. The RGB lighting additionally adjustments coloration when held, which is a helpful indicator that I used to be simply in a position to make out in my peripheral imaginative and prescient, with out it being distracting.
In relation to connectivity, utilizing the Kone 2 Air by way of Bluetooth or the two.4GHz is as fast and straightforward as may be, and switching between two gadgets on the fly works just about flawlessly, merely requiring a flick of the swap beneath.
Turtle Seaside states a really lengthy battery life for the Kone 2 Air: 350 hours by way of Bluetooth and 150 by way of the two.4GHz wi-fi dongle. Though I wasn’t in a position to check its limits throughout my time with it, I can say that after a number of days of various use, it solely dropped a number of proportion factors, so its claims would appear to carry water.
The Kone 2 Air is a divisive gaming mouse, then. These with bigger arms might want it extra, due to its measurement and weight. Nonetheless, these after velocity and luxury will likely be higher served by lighter, higher-performing mice, such because the Razer DeathAdder V3 Professional – and, if saving cash is a prime precedence, the Logitech G305 Lightspeed and Cooler Grasp MM311 are higher options.
Turtle Seaside Kone 2 Air: Worth & availability
- $119 / £119 (about AU$182)
- Out there now in black and white colorways
- Undercuts some common manufacturers
The Turtle Seaside Kone 2 Air prices $119 / £119 (about AU$182) and is available in two colorways: black and white. A wired solely model can be obtainable for significantly much less, at $59 / £59 (about AU$90).
In comparison with the best wireless gaming mice, it sits in direction of the decrease finish of the market. It’s cheaper than common choices from Razer, together with the DeathAdder V3 Professional. That mouse, although, is able to polling at 8K (albeit requiring an extra adapter).
There are some that undercut it, together with mice in Logitech’s Lightspeed vary, such because the G305 Lightspeed and G309 Lightspeed. Nonetheless, the previous can solely join wirelessly by way of the Lightspeed USB dongle (there’s no Bluetooth), and each haven’t any rechargeable battery, requiring a AA every as an alternative.
Then there’s the Cooler Grasp MM311, our decide as the perfect gaming mouse for these on a funds. It massively undercuts the competitors, and though this too has no rechargeable battery or Bluetooth connectivity, it nonetheless gives good gaming efficiency with wi-fi functionality.
Turtle Seaside Kone 2 Air: Specs
| Interface | Wi-fi (2.4GHz and Bluetooth), wired (USB-C-to-A) |
| Ergonomics | Proper-handed asymmetrical |
| Buttons | 7 |
| DPI | As much as 26,000 |
| Switches | Titan optical switches |
| Weight | 3.88oz (110g) |
Ought to I purchase the Turtle Seaside Kone 2 Air?
| Worth | The Kone 2 Air is priced properly for a wi-fi gaming mouse with a number of connectivity choices and a chargeable battery, however there are higher performers for even much less. | 3.5 / 5 |
| Design | The Kone 2 Air is giant and thick, so these with smaller arms might wish to look elsewhere. It’s not probably the most ergonomic, both. | 3 / 5 |
| Efficiency | That measurement and weight inevitably have an effect on efficiency, making quick actions and swipes exhausting to attain. The Straightforward Shift function is a boon, although. | 3 / 5 |
| General | The Kone 2 Air actually isn’t a gaming mouse for everybody, as its giant measurement and heavy weight impression ergonomics and efficiency. There are some good options right here, however solely these with giant arms ought to take into account it. | 3 / 5 |
Purchase it if…
Do not buy it if…
Turtle Seaside Kone 2 Air: Additionally take into account
| Header Cell – Column 0 | Turtle Seaside Kone 2 Air | Logitech G305 Lightspeed | Cooler Grasp MM311 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Worth | $119 / £119 (about AU$182) | $59 / £59 / AU$99 | $39 (about £31 / AU$59) |
| Interface | Wi-fi (2.4GHz and Bluetooth), wired (USB-C-to-A) | Lightspeed wi-fi | 2.4GHz wi-fi |
| Ergonomics | Proper-handed asymmetrical | Proper-handed asymmetrical | Proper-handed symmetrical |
| Switches | 7 | 6 | 6 |
| DPI | 26,000 | 12,000 | 10,000 |
| Switches | Titan optical switches | Mechanical Button Tensioning | Not specified (mechanical) |
| Weight | 3.88oz (110g) | 3.49oz (99g) | 2.71oz (77g) |
How I examined the Turtle Seaside Kone 2 Air
- Examined for a number of days
- Performed FPS titles
- 10+ years PC gaming expertise
I examined the Kone 2 Air for a number of days, throughout which era I used it for enjoying video games, productiveness, and normal use.
I performed Counter-Strike 2, the litmus check for gaming mice, in addition to Black Mesa. I made certain to strive as many options and features as attainable on each the mouse and within the GG software program.
I’ve been PC gaming for over 10 years, and through that point I’ve skilled a wide range of mice. I’ve additionally reviewed quite a few items, ranging in measurement, weight, efficiency and worth.