Turtle Beach Vulcan II XP Air wireless
Turtle Beach launches its first wireless mechanical keyboard, the Vulcan II XP Air, featuring an AirTrack gesture sensor and a claimed 2,000-hour battery
Turtle Beach has launched the Vulcan II XP Air wireless gaming keyboard. The full-size mechanical keyboard offers tri-mode connectivity via 2.4 GHz, Bluetooth, and USB-A and features hot-swappable switches.
Innovative sensor technology
The keyboard integrates an AirTrack gesture sensor for touch-free control. This camera-based sensor recognizes hand movements performed above the keyboard, enabling media control and shortcuts. A separate presence sensor detects when the user moves away and automatically reduces the keyboard's illumination to help preserve battery life.
Battery life and power management
Battery performance is a key claim. Turtle Beach said: "Turtle Beach claims 2,000 hours of use with RGB lighting and AirTrack disabled." This relies on the large 6,000 mAh internal battery. Runtime drops significantly with features enabled. The company added: "If both are turned on, it is said to last up to 95 hours." Actual battery life will vary based on connection mode, lighting level, and sensor use.
Switches, build, and customization
The keyboard ships with factory-lubricated TITAN HS Red linear switches. These actuate at 1.8mm with a 45-gram force and are rated for 100 million operations. The hot-swap sockets accept both 5-pin and 3-pin MX-style switches, though users should check compatibility with the low-profile keycaps. Internal damping reduces hollow resonance.
Customization and performance features are extensive.
| Feature | Specification |
|---|---|
| Switch Type | Pre-lubed Titan HS Red Linear |
| Actuation | 1.8mm |
| Switch Force | 45g |
| Hot-swap Support | Yes (3-pin & 5-pin compatible) |
| Polling Rate | 1,000 Hz |
| RGB Lighting | Per-key |
| Key Rollover | N-key rollover |
| Special Function | ReacTap SOCD handling |
ReacTap SOCD handling resolves simultaneous opposing directional inputs, which can benefit certain games. Players should verify if this implementation is permitted for tournament play. The keyboard also supports key remapping and a dedicated gaming mode.
Design, pricing, and availability
The Vulcan II XP Air has a brushed aluminum top plate. It includes dedicated media controls, a volume dial with press-to-mute, and a detachable soft wrist rest. The keyboard is priced at $199.99. It is available for pre-order now. The Vulcan II XP Air and a wired Vulcan II XP model will launch globally on October 25.
