Turtle Beach Vulcan 2 TKL Pro
Offering analog functionality at an affordable worth, the Vulcan 2 TKL Pro does an admirable job in most elements. The controller emulation is a pleasant contact, however it’s only a disgrace this – and some different analog options – aren’t executed nicely sufficient.
For
- Analog keys
- Good gaming efficiency
- Small and light-weight, but sturdy
Against
- No wi-fi possibility
- Not nice for typing
- Software not one of the best
SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3
A perfectly engineered gaming keyboard with the efficiency to match. It could also be costly, however it actually delivers on its guarantees, making it top-of-the-line analog keyboards round.
For
- Great efficiency
- Well made
- Good software program
Against
- Expensive
- Unergonomic wrist relaxation
- Lacking analog tweaks
SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3 vs Turtle Beach Vulcan 2 TKL Pro: specs
| Header Cell – Column 0 | Turtle Beach Vulcan 2 TKL Pro | SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $149 (about £113 / AU$219) | $219 / £209 (about AU$336) |
| Layout | TKL | TKL |
| Switch | Analog (Hall-effect magnetic) | OmniPoint 2.0 Adjustable HyperMagnetic Analog (Hall-effect magnetic) |
| Programmable keys | Yes | Yes |
| Dimensions | 14.5 x 5.5 x 1.5 inches (approx.) | 14 x 5 x 1.7 inches / 355 x 129 x 42mm |
| RGB or backlighting | Yes (customizable) | Yes (customizable) |
SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3 vs Turtle Beach Vulcan 2 TKL Pro: worth and availability
The SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3 prices $219 / £209 (about AU$336) whereas the Turtle Beach Vulcan 2 TKL Pro prices $149 (about £113 / AU$219). Both keyboards can be found now in black and white colorways, and each include a wrist relaxation.
The Vulcan 2 TKL Pro is significantly cheaper, and looks as if higher worth on the face of it, given each use the identical Hall-effect know-how of their analog switches, like a number of the best gaming keyboards. However, the Vulcan 2 TKL Pro doesn’t fairly match the premium construct high quality and efficiency of the Apex Pro TKL.
There is a wi-fi model of the Apex Pro TKL that naturally prices extra, though the value distinction isn’t as nice as you would possibly anticipate. The Vulcan 2 TKL Pro, then again, is wired solely.
SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3 vs Turtle Beach Vulcan 2 TKL Pro: design and options
Despite each keyboards having the identical TKL structure, they’re fairly distinct in all different regards. The Vulcan 2 TKL Pro is lithe and appears sleeker total, whereas the Apex Pro TKL is extra substantial in each method. It has a really thick chassis and weighs greater than the Vulcan 2 TKL Pro, however it’s not fairly as heavy as you would possibly anticipate.
While each have floating keys, they’re extra pronounced on the Vulcan 2 TKL Pro. They’re very skinny and expose the switches beneath much more prominently. One advantage of this design is that it makes it simpler to wash, as particles has no place to cover or lodge itself.
The T-shaped ABS keycaps outfitted on the Vulcan 2 TKL Pro are fully clean with a slight indentation, besides these on the underside row, that are convex as a substitute. This makes them simpler to make use of along with your thumbs and little finger.
By distinction, the inventory keycaps of the Apex Pro TKL are thicker and have a slight texture to them, though they’re nonetheless clean to the contact. They’re additionally comprised of Double Shot PBT, which is the gold commonplace for gaming keycap materials, due to their premium really feel and sturdiness. The keycaps on each keyboards could be switched out for others.
Both keyboards include wristrests. However, I didn’t want to make use of one with the Vulcan 2 TKL Pro – the thinness of the chassis meant I used to be in a position to undertake a cushty place immediately. However, I did want to make use of the wristrest with the Apex Pro TKL, which is unlucky because it’s one of many keyboard’s weak factors. It’s fairly brief and has no slope to it, which meant my left hand hung off the sting barely when adopting the WASD place, inflicting some minor discomfort.
Both keyboards could be custom-made and tweaked utilizing their respective software program. The Vulcan 2 TKL Pro integrates with Turtle Beach’s Swarm 2, which at first look didn’t fill me with confidence. The interface is poorly rendered, making it a chore to learn textual content. Navigation isn’t probably the most intuitive both, with a scarcity of rationalization for varied options and capabilities making issues worse. Also, when rebinding keys, you possibly can’t view the ties with out first clicking on every particular person key in query, which is very inconvenient.
However, there are many rebinding choices in Swarm 2, together with some area of interest system-level shortcuts and a number of binding layers courtesy of modes comparable to Easy Shift and others. Naturally, for a gaming keyboard, RGB customization can be doable.
Being an analog board, there are many actuation changes too, together with Multi-input and Rapid Trigger capabilities. The trump card of the Vulcan 2 TKL Pro and Swarm 2, although, is Controller mode, which helps you to emulate a gamepad by mapping keys to buttons, triggers, and analog sticks.
SteelSeries’ GG software program offers most of the identical tweaks for lighting, rebinding, and actuation. It doesn’t provide as many binding layers as Swarm 2 provides, although, and it might’t match it for shortcut choice both. What’s extra, controller emulation is absent too.
However, GG does characteristic customization choices for its inbuilt display (the Vulcan 2 TKL Pro has no display), with choices to add your individual GIFs and show in-game data for loads of common titles, together with Counter-Strike 2, Minecraft, and League of Legends.
GG can be typically simpler to make use of. But a problem affecting each software program is the dearth of visible suggestions when adjusting actuation factors. Swarm 2 does present this in some instances, however it’s lacking completely from GG.
SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3 vs Turtle Beach Vulcan 2 TKL Pro: efficiency
Both keyboards provide succesful gaming efficiency. It took me a while to acclimatize to the narrower, T-shaped keycaps of the Vulcan 2 TKL Pro, and the deep indentations meant I couldn’t glide over them seamlessly, regardless of their low profile.
However, these indentations helped me to take care of the WASD place. Another boon for gaming is the adjustable actuation, as responsiveness could be ramped up when wanted when snappy presses are required. However, the switches aren’t damped in addition to these on the Apex Pro TKL, so tougher pressers may end up in an disagreeable sensation because the plastics slam collectively.
The Rapid Trigger operate, although, works nicely, making quick-twitch actions doable whereas concurrently sustaining decrease sensitivity ranges for preliminary presses.
Multi-input mode wasn’t as usable in my expertise, because it was exhausting to exert the precise quantity of stress to hit predefined actuation factors persistently for triggering these secondary inputs. The keys and switches fail to supply sufficient refinement or management, as they lack suggestions.
As for Controller mode, that is one thing of a disappointment on the Vulcan 2 TKL Pro. Again, the switches and keys simply don’t present sufficient precision to emulate analog triggers and sticks successfully. I did discover that adjusting the response curve in Swarm 2 helped issues, however not by sufficient. This means for situations the place granular management is required, comparable to racing, the Vulcan 2 TKL Pro can’t rival a gamepad.
There are additionally points round practicality, with many video games missing the combination of gamepad and keyboard controls for seamless transitions between the 2. For instance, in Grand Theft Auto V, you could possibly map the W and S keys to R2 and L2 to permit for automobile acceleration and braking, however you then wouldn’t be capable of transfer your character on foot. Workarounds are doable, comparable to utilizing the Easy Shift characteristic, however I nonetheless discovered this too inconvenient to be definitely worth the hassle.
By distinction, the Apex Pro TKL doesn’t characteristic controller emulation, maybe on account of its impractical nature; I believe it might simply be a tough indisputable fact that keyboards won’t ever match the analog precision of triggers and sticks on controllers.
However, it greater than makes up for this omission with the remainder of its skills. In motion, the general really feel of the Apex Pro TKL is great. The switches are damped exceptionally nicely, offering a satisfying thock whereas nonetheless being snappy. The backside row is simple to succeed in and use too, due to the comparatively compact structure and the slope of the keys discovered right here.
What’s extra, hitting sure actuation factors is far simpler than with the Vulcan 2 TKL Pro, because the managed nature of the keys and switches, coupled with the bodily suggestions they supply, offers you loads of confidence.
As with the Vulcan 2 TKL Pro, the fundamental actuation changes are efficient, making noticeable and helpful adjustments to response instances. The Rapid Trigger mode on the [] is equally succesful as nicely.
SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Gen 3 vs Turtle Beach Vulcan 2 TKL Pro: verdict
The Vulcan 2 TKL Pro does an admirable job contemplating its comparatively low worth, with helpful actuation changes and loads of different options and capabilities out there by way of Swarm 2. While the analog efficiency is efficient in sure regards, it isn’t fairly nearly as good as you would possibly anticipate, and controller emulation doesn’t fairly hit the mark both.
On the opposite hand, the efficiency and really feel of the Apex Pro TKL is healthier in nearly each facet. Thanks to the suggestions of the switches, actuation factors are simpler to hit persistently, making for higher analog performance. The construct high quality can be unparalleled on this sector, and the category it oozes actually lives as much as its price ticket. If you’ve received the money to spend, the Apex Pro TKL received’t disappoint.