Turtle Beach Vulcan 2 TKL Pro Gaming Keyboard Review: Solid Hall Effect at a Good Price

Pros

• Hall Effect switches with Rapid Trigger mode and customizable actuation points
• Media controls

Cons

• Customization options can be overwhelming
• Can take some adjustment if you've never used Hall Effect switches

As a writer, there's just something about the tactile feel and sweet, sweet clickety-clack of a mechanical keyboard that I'll never be able to give up. Ask any serious gamer, and they'll likely say the same thing about whichever technology their favorite gaming keyboard uses. The magnetic Hall Effect switches on a dedicated gaming keyboard, like the Vulcan 2 TKL Pro from Turtle Beach, can completely change the way you game. 

Hall Effect switches use magnets and sensors to register each keypress so there are fewer parts to wear out and respond faster to keystrokes. Turtle Beach claims the keyboard's Analog Magnetic Hall Effect sensors will last up to 150 million keystrokes, which is about 50 million more than the many optical-based keyboards offer and even more over mechanical. 

The Hall Effect switches enable another nice feature becoming increasingly popular, Rapid Trigger. Mechanical switches have to be pressed down and fully returned to their reset position before a second keypress can register. By getting rid of a mechanical actuator in the switch, the keyboard can register continuous and rapid represses of each key. During gameplay, this translates to faster response times for each keypress so you're able to maneuver and interact within the game more quickly and can help compensate for sloppy fingering.

One of the odd things about the Vulkan II TKL Pro is that the stems on the switches seem to be much taller than pretty much any other keyboard I've used and they're matched with low-profile rather than standard height ABS keycaps. Thankfully, they are swappable so you can replace them. I don't know if that might have impacted my typing accuracy (along with the slight layout difference from my current keyboard) but it did seem a bit strange.  Also, the LEDs are at the top of the switch, so I had some trouble seeing the secondary functions on the keys in low light, though it wasn't a huge issue for me. 

Like a lot of Hall Effect keyboards, such as the Corsair Apex Gen 3 TKL, the Vulcan 2 TKL Pro offers an extremely granular level of customization available via its Swarm 2 desktop app. For starters, you can customize the actuation and reset points (how far down the key needs to be pressed to register an input and how far up it resets) for each individual key from between 0.1 and 4.0 mm. You can store up to five separate profiles to quickly switch your setup work to play -- or jump quickly into another game. 

It wouldn't be a flashy gaming keyboard without customizable per-key RGB lighting, and as with most of the best gaming keyboards, you can map many of the keys to your favorite shortcuts for the most streamlined play in each game. There's also Easy Shift to map multiple functions to certain keys.

Aside from the broad customizability, the keyboard is very well built. The aluminum plates make it solid and durable while keeping it lightweight. The smaller TenKeyLess design -- that means it's missing the Numpad -- and lighter weight make it easy to carry if you want. Sadly, it's not wireless so you'll also need to carry around the detachable cable with you as well. 

There's also a media control knob in the top right corner to adjust or mute the volume, a double kickstand so you can select from two different angles, plus a bundled soft wrist rest. 

As impressive as the Vulcan 2 TKL Pro is, it's not perfect. The number of customization choices may be quite overwhelming for some folks and the use of ABS keycaps over more durable PBT versions means the legends might wear off sooner and they may develop shine from finger oils. 

The biggest upside of the Vulcan 2 TKL Pro, the Hall Effect switches, is also potentially the biggest downside. As someone who's used to using one of the best mechanical keyboards, the Hall Effect switches felt too soft for me. Yes, they're incredibly responsive and you can customize that responsiveness to your heart's content. They just don't offer the same tactility and feel of a mechanical switch. 

So if you're used to using a mechanical keyboard, the feel of the keys may take some adjustment. I found it hard to use the Vulcan as my daily keyboard. It was fantastic for gaming, as my fingers never ventured far from the W, A, S and D keys, and the Hall Effect switches and customization really are next-level, but when using it for everyday work, even exclusively for about two weeks, it felt more annoying than anything -- especially for writing. 

Make no mistake: this is a gaming keyboard through and through. If you're looking for a dual-use keyboard that's great for productivity and gaming, depending on what you're used to, the Vulcan 2 TKL Pro might not be the best choice. If you're looking for a high-quality gaming keyboard that won't break the bank, $150 (or less, if you find it on sale) for Hall Effect is a pretty respectable price for a good gaming keyboard these days. If you're considering upgrading from a membrane keyboard or a low-quality mechanical keyboard, it will likely be a big step up.