Turtle Beach Vulcan II XP: $150 Keyboard Scores 6 Out of 10

Turtle Beach's new full-size mechanical keyboard, the Vulcan II XP, earned a 6 out of 10 in a review published by WIRED on October 23, 2026. Reviewer Matt Kamen found a board that types well and runs reliably but carries enough design trade-offs to keep it out of the top tier of competitive gaming gear.

What is the Turtle Beach Vulcan II XP?

The Vulcan II XP is a wired, full-size keyboard — NumPad included — built around Titan HS mechanical switches, according to WIRED. It measures 462 x 153 x 32 millimeters and uses a brushed-aluminum top plate with a floating-key design. It connects via a detachable 1.8-meter USB-C to USB-A cable, which Kamen writes delivers zero input latency, a benefit for competitive play. Turtle Beach is also launching a wireless variant, the Vulcan II XP Air, at a $50 premium over the wired model, per the review.

How does it type and game?

Kamen calls the board great to type on, with reliably responsive inputs. The included soft foam wrist rest snaps to the front underside and adds support, though the review notes it is not memory foam and may lose cushion over time. Flip-out legs add roughly 10 millimeters of height and a comfortable typing angle, and the review describes them as sturdy.

What are the compromises WIRED flagged?

The review's core complaint is the absence of Hall effect switches, a feature increasingly common in gaming keyboards at this price. Kamen also points to a plastic basin underside that "feels cheap," an inverted media wheel, and "some non-functioning LEDs." Those issues, combined with the missing Hall effect tech, are what the review says keep the board "middle-of-the-pack" rather than a clear upgrade for serious players.

How does the Swarm II software change things?

Out of the box, the default RGB lighting is what Kamen describes as a "blinding rainbow cascade," and getting the most from the board requires Turtle Beach's Swarm II app. That software adds 10 built-in lighting effects, full per-LED customization through an 11th "custom" slot, and the ability to remap individual keys across five onboard profiles — useful for swapping between game-specific layouts and a work setup, per the review. LEDs can be disabled entirely, but only through the app, not via a physical switch.

Vulcan II XP by the numbers

• Price: $150 wired; wireless Vulcan II XP Air adds $50, per WIRED
• WIRED score: 6/10
• Dimensions: 462 x 153 x 32 millimeters
• Cable: 1.8-meter detachable USB-C to USB-A

The review lands as peripheral makers continue pushing customization-heavy gaming hardware; a separate gaming gear showcase covered by HTT News highlighted adaptive peripherals from rival maker DAREU, underscoring how crowded the mechanical-keyboard category has become heading into the holiday shopping window.

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