Technologies

I Loved Using This Keyboard, but There Was One Thing I Just Couldn’t Get Used To

The Turtle Beach Vulcan II Mini Air is a great gaming keyboard, but it won’t replace my current one.

Gaming keyboards are everywhere these days, and with a plethora of options available it’s not hard to find a good one. They can also be expensive, so it can be difficult to know if the investment is worth the money. It’s with that in mind I got in the new the new Vulcan II Mini Air from Turtle Beach. I have some thoughts.

Turtle Beach bought the company behind these keyboards, Roccat, several years ago, but it only started phasing out that branding in May of 2024. So you might still find the Roccat branding on Vulcan II Mini Air (you can see it on my review sample here) if you buy one in the near future.

What I like about the Turtle Beach Vulcan II Mini Air

First things first, the size. The 65%-sized layout is my perfect setup because it still includes the arrow keys. True FPS gamers may prefer a 60% design, but I tend to mix my genres, and I’m also a writer in my work life, so I prefer having arrow keys (and Home/End keys — don’t you dare take those away from me). I don’t miss the dedicated media keys or functions keys too much, but this is certainly subjective.

The Vulcan II Mini opts for optical switches over the more traditional mechanical switches. At the risk of generalizing, optical and mechanical switches primarily differ in how they register the actuation of each key. Mechanical switches use physical contact between two metal plates while optical switches use beams of light to detect the actuation.

I hadn’t used optical switches much before testing the Vulcan II Mini but I can see their appeal for hardcore gamers. The idea is that the light-activated sensors allow for a much shorter actuation point for key presses, meaning there’s less time between when your finger moves to press the key and that key press being registered by your computer.

Turtle Beach says the actuation point of their Red Linear switches is 1.4mm, a decent improvement over the 2mm of most mechanical switches. That said, you’ll likely only notice the shorter actuation point if you’re a hardcore gamer who needs to prioritize every millisecond. Personally, I couldn’t tell a difference compared to my main keyboard with Cherry mechanical switches.

Another big advantage of optical is similar to the advantage Hall Effect switches have in keyboards like the Vulcan II TKL Pro. Since the sensors are activated by light and not physical contact between two plates, there’s less friction with each keypress. So the switches should last quite a bit longer. Most traditional mechanical switches are rated for about 100 million presses. These are rated for 200 million. That’s a pretty significant advantage if you don’t tend to upgrade your keyboard very often.

To be honest, it took me a little time to get used to the feel of the optical switches. They’re aren’t mushy by any means, but they are noticeably softer than the traditional switches I’m used to. Thankfully, they’re more tactile than Hall Effect switches. After a few hours, though, I couldn’t notice much of a difference anymore between the feel of the Vulcan II Mini and my regular keyboard.

The Vulcan II Mini’s build quality is top notch. The aluminum top plate gives it a nice solid feel with no creakiness or give that I could detect anywhere. At 578 grams, it’s also not very heavy either. The included braided cable also feels well-designed. It’s nice that it’s available in white, although I do wonder how clean it will stay long-term. The two-position kickstands allow for some nice ergonomic options.

Customization is one area where Turtle Beach levels things up a bit. Via the Swarm app, you have access to many of the typical customizations for gaming keyboards. But Turtle Beach also adds a secondary function to 29 keys, so you can quickly trigger another action. These Smart Keys are also equipped with dual LEDs that will indicate when the secondary function is active. On top of that, you can store up to five different profiles, so you can set up the perfect configuration for your favorite games.

No self-respecting gaming keyboard would stop you from customizing the RGB lighting to your heart’s content. So of course you can choose from a variety of lighting effects. That includes the AIMO effect, which synchronizes all your Turtle Beach accessories together so the lighting effects are coordinated.

Battery life

Being a wireless keyboard, battery life is important. Turtle Beach says the Vulcan II Mini can clock 240 hours of continuous use without the RBG lighting active, which is a bold claim. I haven’t used the keyboard exclusively for the approximately four weeks I’ve had it, but even with heavy usage, I still haven’t managed to kill it, and that’s with the RGB lights still on. Suffice to say, battery life has been awesome for me.

One trick Turtle Beach uses to accomplish this is a proximity sensor in the keyboard that automatically detects your presence to turn the lights on and off. Logitech does something similar in some of its keyboards, so it’s not revolutionary, but Turtle Beach lets you adjust the effect somewhat by changing the sensitivity of the sensor. At least, that’s the theory. I couldn’t get the Swarm app to save the settings for this when I changed it, so I can’t speak to how effective it is.

As the «Air» name might suggest, this version of the Vulcan II Mini is wireless (there’s a wired option for $119). It can connect to four devices: Three via Bluetooth plus one via an included 2.4Ghz wireless dongle. The only downside I found when connected via Bluetooth was that I could never get it to show up in Turtle Beach’s Swarm app. It showed up fine when using the dongle, but not on Bluetooth.

What I didn’t like about the Turtle Beach Vulcan II Mini Air

As cool as the optical switches are, the typing experience wasn’t great. I’m a writer by day, so I always prioritize a great typing experience first and a good gaming experience second. Even after using the Mini exclusively for more than three weeks, I just couldn’t the same level of comfort typing on it as with my Keychron Q81 Pro. I’m willing to acknowledge that much of that could be attributed to the II Mini’s low profile design, which I’ve never found to be as comfortable as a full-size profile.

The wake time for the Vulcan II Mini Air is also significantly slower than many other keyboards I’ve used. I’m not sure if this is because of the proximity sensor or something else, but it sometimes takes up to 10 seconds for my computer to begin registering key presses.

Should you buy the Turtle Beach Vulcan II Mini Air?

Overall, it’s a nice keyboard with plenty of excellent features for someone looking for a serious gaming keyboard. The small size means it doesn’t take up much space on the desk, the optical switches provide fast response times and greater durability, and the customization options are nearly endless. For me, though, I struggled to use it as a daily keyboard as it just didn’t offer me the tactility and feel that I prefer, but if you’re looking to upgrade your gaming keyboard, or just dive into the world of gaming keyboards for the first time, the Vulcan II Mini Air is a great choice.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for Feb. 18, #513

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for Feb. 18, No. 513.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Connections: Sports Edition has a fun yellow category that might just start you singing. If you’re struggling with today’s puzzle but still want to solve it, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by The Times. It doesn’t appear in the NYT Games app, but it does in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: I don’t care if I never get back.

Green group hint: Get that gold medal.

Blue group hint: Hoops superstar.

Purple group hint: Not front, but…

Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Yellow group: Heard in «Take Me Out to the Ball Game.»

Green group: Olympic snowboarding events.

Blue group: Vince Carter, informally.

Purple group: ____ back.

Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words

What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?

The yellow words in today’s Connections

The theme is heard in «Take Me Out to the Ball Game.» The four answers are Cracker Jack, home team, old ball game and peanuts.

The green words in today’s Connections

The theme is Olympic snowboarding events. The four answers are big air, giant slalom, halfpipe and slopestyle.

The blue words in today’s Connections

The theme is Vince Carter, informally. The four answers are Air Canada, Half-Man, Half-Amazing, VC and Vinsanity.

The purple words in today’s Connections

The theme is ____ back. The four answers are diamond, drop, quarter and razor.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Wednesday, Feb. 18

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Feb. 18.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s Mini Crossword is a fun one, and it’s not terribly tough. It helps if you know a certain Olympian. Read on for all the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.

Mini across clues and answers

1A clue: ___ Glenn, Olympic figure skater who’s a three-time U.S. national champion
Answer: AMBER

6A clue: Popcorn size that might come in a bucket
Answer: LARGE

7A clue: Lies and the Lying ___ Who Tell Them» (Al Franken book)
Answer: LIARS

8A clue: Close-up map
Answer: INSET

9A clue: Prepares a home for a new baby
Answer: NESTS

Mini down clues and answers

1D clue: Bold poker declaration
Answer: ALLIN

2D clue: Only U.S. state with a one-syllable name
Answer: MAINE

3D clue: Orchestra section with trumpets and horns
Answer: BRASS

4D clue: «Great» or «Snowy» wading bird
Answer: EGRET

5D clue: Some sheet music squiggles
Answer: RESTS

Technologies

The Witcher 3, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Bring the Heat to Xbox Game Pass

Two amazing games will be available soon for Xbox Game Pass subscribers.

The second half of February and early March could be considered one of the best stretches in recent memory for Xbox Game Pass subscribers. The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, widely regarded as one of the best games of the past decade, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 headline a lineup that leans heavily into sprawling, choice-driven adventures but does throw in some football to mix things up a bit.

Xbox Game Pass offers hundreds of games you can play on your Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Amazon Fire TV, smart TV, PC or mobile device, with prices starting at $10 a month. While all Game Pass tiers offer you a library of games, Game Pass Ultimate ($30 a month) gives you access to the most games, as well as Day 1 games, meaning they hit Game Pass the day they go on sale.

Here are all the latest games subscribers can play on Game Pass. You can also check out other games the company added to the service in early February, including Madden NFL 26.

The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Complete Edition

Available on Feb. 19 for Game Pass Ultimate and Premium Game Pass subscribers.

The Witcher 3 came out 10 years ago, and it’s still being praised as one of the best games ever made. To celebrate, developer CD Projekt Red is bringing over The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Complete Edition to Xbox Game Pass. Subscribers will be able to play The Witcher 3 and its expansions, Hearts of Stone and Blood and Wine. Players once more take on the role of monster-slayer Geralt, who goes on an epic search for his daughter, Ciri. As he pieces together what happened to her, he comes across vicious monsters, devious spirits, and the most evil of humans who seek to end his quest.

Death Howl

Available on Feb. 19 for Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium and PC Game Pass subscribers.

Death Howl is a dark fantasy tactical roguelike that blends turn-based grid combat with deck-building mechanics. Players move across compact battlefield maps, weighing positioning and card synergies to survive increasingly difficult encounters. Progression comes through incremental upgrades that reshape each run. Battles reward careful planning, as overextending or mismanaging your hand can quickly end a run.

EA Sports College Football 26

Available on Feb. 19 for Game Pass Ultimate subscribers.

EA Sports College Football 26 delivers a new take on college football gameplay with enhanced offensive and defensive mechanics, smarter AI and dynamic play-calling that reflects real strategic football systems. Featuring over 2,800 plays and more than 300 real-world coaches with distinct schemes, it offers expanded Dynasty and Road to Glory modes where team building and personnel decisions matter. On the field, dynamic substitutions, improved blocking and coverage logic make matches feel more fluid and tactical.

Dice A Million

Available on Feb. 25 for Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers.

Dice A Million centers on rolling and managing dice to build toward increasingly higher scores. Each round asks players to weigh risk against reward, deciding when to bank points and when to push for bigger combinations. Progression introduces modifiers and new rules that subtly shift probabilities, making runs feel distinct while keeping the core loop focused on calculated gambling.

Towerborne

Available on Feb. 26 for Game Pass Ultimate, PC, and Premium Game Pass subscribers.

After months in preview, Towerborne will get its full release on Xbox Game Pass. The fast-paced action game blends procedural dungeons and light RPG progression, with players fighting through waves of enemies. You’ll unlock permanent upgrades between runs and equip weapons, spells and talents that change how combat feels each time. The core loop pushes risk versus reward as you dive deeper into tougher floors, adapting builds on the fly, and mastering movement and timing to survive increasingly chaotic battles.

Final Fantasy 3

Available on March 3 for Game Pass Ultimate, Premium and PC Game Pass subscribers.

Another Final Fantasy game is coming to Xbox Game Pass. This time, it’s Final Fantasy 3, originally released on the Famicom (the Japanese version of the NES) back in 1990. Since then, Final Fantasy 3 has been ported to a slew of devices and operating systems, including the Nintendo Wii, iOS and Android. Now, you’ll be able to play on your Xbox or PC with a Game Pass subscription. A new group of heroes is once again tasked with saving the world before it’s covered in darkness. Four orphans from the village of Ur find a Crystal of Light in a secret cave, which tasks them as the new Warriors of Light. They’ll have to stop Xande, an evil wizard looking to use the power of darkness to become immortal.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

Available on March 3 for Game Pass Ultimate, Premium and PC Game Pass subscribers.

Last year was stacked with amazing games, and Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 was one of the best. Developer Warhorse Studios’ RPG series takes place in the real medieval kingdom of Bohemia, which is now the Czech Republic, and tasks players with a somewhat realistic gaming experience where you have to use the weapons, armor and items from those times. The sequel picks up right after the first game (also on Xbox Game Pass) as Henry of Skalitz is attacked by bandits, which starts a series of events that disrupts the entire country.

Games leaving Game Pass in February

For February, Microsoft is removing four games. If you’re still playing them, now’s a good time to finish up what you can before they’re gone for good on Feb. 28.

For more on Xbox, discover other games available on Game Pass now, and check out our hands-on review of the gaming service. You can also learn about recent changes to Game Pass.