While the Xlite already marked a very strong debut, the Xlite Wireless manages to top that. I'm more than pleasantly surprised by how mature and plainly excellent Pulsar's wireless implementation turned out to be. Getting wireless right isn't easy: Between unstable polling, high wireless delay, added delay at the onset of motion, and poor battery life, there are many opportunities to screw up, yet Pulsar has managed to dodge almost all of them.

Much like many other contemporary wireless mice, the Xlite Wireless comes with PixArt's PAW3370. A highly capable sensor, but not entirely trivial to implement. In particular, many implementations of the 3370 and related 3335 suffer from added delay at the onset of motion, which is due to slow sensor framerate ramp-up, which helps save power. On the Xlite Wireless, this added delay is entirely absent, which has it perform as consistently as possible at any point in time. Furthermore, no doubt owing to the inclusion of a wireless extender, the isolated wireless delay sits at a very strong 1 ms, on par with the absolute best. In fact, motion delay is as low as it possibly can be across the board since there is no smoothing across the entire CPI range, much like on the wired Xlite. CPI accuracy is decent as well, displaying only minor deviation that is easily accounted for within the software. The only flaw I could find is with polling stability in wireless mode, where polling rates other than 1000 Hz exhibit periodic hiccups. Nothing major though, and 1000 Hz performs flawlessly. The stellar sensor performance is further complemented by the click latency, which lands at an excellent +1.3 ms (Ikari scaling) if set to the lowest value.

The most impressive thing about the Xlite Wireless, however, is no doubt the build quality. Despite weighing just 59 g, being covered in a rib-like hole pattern, and lacking much of a traditional bottom plate, I couldn't get the Xlite Wireless to flex, creak, or merely actuate its side buttons by squeezing. While the lack of a solid shell may be off-putting to some, structural integrity hasn't suffered for it. Unlike the wired Xlite, the Xlite Wireless comes with Kailh GM 8.0 main button switches, which have become an increasingly popular choice lately. Accordingly, button response is firm and satisfying. Tactile switches are used for the side buttons, resulting in virtually no pre or post-travel, but the lack of feedback may not be to everyone's liking. The scroll wheel encoder is new as well, providing scrolling that is both quieter and less tactile than on the Xlite. Lastly, the Xlite Wireless also comes with new, larger feet, which glide incredibly well. Unfortunately, a set of replacement mouse feet isn't included this time around.

Since the Xlite Wireless lacks a dedicated CPI button, switching CPI levels is done through the software. Thankfully, the software is both very light on resources and equally convenient to operate. CPI values can be entered manually, and all the important options are present. Even an LED indicating the currently active CPI step found its way onto the Xlite Wireless and can be configured within the software. The only option I've found to be buggy is ripple control, which simply doesn't work. A battery life indicator is present as well, but far from reliable or accurate and therefore of very limited use. Pulsar cites a battery life of around 70 hours, which seems plausible considering the lack of RGB, but I have no way of confirming or denying that figure. In any case, the charging cable is appreciably flexible to where one can use the Xlite Wireless just fine during charging. In fact, the charging cable beats the cable of the Xlite in terms of flexibility, essentially rendering the latter obsolete. Speaking of charging, this is among the few things where Pulsar has room for improvement, as charging isn't particularly fast.

A minor quibble like that aside, I had a really hard time finding anything to criticize about the Xlite Wireless. The only criticism one could level against the Xlite Wireless is the lack of a solid shell, though that is ultimately a matter of preference. Those who can deal with it get a mouse that can easily compete with the very best $150 mice, yet only costs $74.95, beating even Glorious in terms of value. In fact, the Xlite Wireless costs only $15 more than the wired Xlite, while doing everything as good or better and even including a wireless extender, which even some $129.99 mice fail to do. In short, the Pulsar Xlite Wireless earns both our Editor's Choice and Budget awards with ease.

When looking at the right-handed ergonomic wireless competition, there is absolutely no shortage. Priced at $129.99, the ROCCAT Kone Pro Air has no holes, yet only weighs 73 g, has similarly great build quality and performance, but lacks a wireless extender and suffers from botched polling with RGB turned on. The Razer DeathAdder V2 Pro is also priced at $129.99, weighs a bit more at 87 g, and its main buttons can be hit or miss, but the optical switches afford outstandingly low latency, sensor performance is stellar, polling stable, wireless delay just a tad worse, and a wireless extender is included. The ASUS ROG Gladius III Wireless weighs 89 g, allows for using either mechanical or optical main button switches, both of which shine with incredibly low latency, has excellent sensor and wireless performance provided the latest firmware is applied, and a wireless extender can be found in the box, but it is brought down by Armoury Crate, which may only please masochists. The much smaller ASUS ROG Keris Wireless lacks a wireless extender, but too has hot-swappable main button switches, great performance, an appreciably low weight at 79 g, very low click latency, and very nice buttons and feet, but again comes with the non-negotiable Armoury Crate burden, for $99.99. Lastly, the Dream Machines DM6 Holey Duo is the budget option, even featuring a wireless extender at a price point of $49.99, weighs 79 g, but suffers from very high click latency, some motion delay, massive CPI deviation, and a coating that attracts finger marks almost magnetically.