Last updated on November 6th, 2023
Back in 2021, I was given the opportunity to test out the new Planet Eclipse CS2 paintball marker and I have to say, I was impressed! Till now, i have this marker on the shelf as one of my favourite marker. This beauty has a ton of great features that make it perfect for any player, from beginners to experienced pros. In this review, we’ll take a closer look at why the CS2 is such an impressive piece of engineering. So if you’re ready to take your game to the next level, keep reading!
Engine – Easy to Maintain
The big improvement that the PE makes in CS2 is its Engine. The CS1 was equipped with an IV core, whereas the CS2 has a newly upgraded one, the Gamma Pro Core. The internal components arrangement is quite minimalist and the engine can be broken down into 3-parts. In my opinion, this is one of the simplest designs available in the market that is super easy to maintain.
It took me only 2 minutes to get done with maintenance. Pull the engine out, take out the can from the valve and push the bolt out from the can. Simply wipe off the surfaces and lubricate the O-rings and put them back together. That’s all! easy peasy!
Visual Impression
Tough, tactile and tool-less – CS2 comes with an exceptional fit and finish, exactly as I expected from the Planet Eclipse. The back of this paintball gun is thick as compared to the front tube which gives it a full trunk-like appearance.
The frame fitting, eye covers, body and feed neck demonstrate the impeccable craftsmanship that PE delivers!
In addition to the CS2 aesthetics, I found the foregrip quite thick but comfy to hold with a natural space for the thumb behind the eye cover. I analysed the foregrip slightly slanted. I think that PE should keep the grip straight as in its previous models Geo3.5 or CS1. Anyhow, it is a matter of personal choice.
The best change that PE brings to the CS2 is the adjustable trigger. I appreciate this feature in the new M series and Dye DM. As this feature enables the user to adjust the trigger back or out and fit the user desired settings. Blade trigger was a bit uneasy for me but thanks to the rake adjustment which helped me to set it to my preferred settings.
CS2 vs CS1:
- Improved blade trigger
- Trigger adjustment – Trigger could be taken out without disassembling marker
- Grip slimmer
- New Bluetooth tech
- Low feedNeck
- 20 grams lighter than CS1
- Easy maintenance – compared to CS1
I haven’t found any sort of issues regarding materials or designs as in its previous model CS1. The CS1 grip material was hard (still good grip though). It seemed to last any time. Whereas, from what i tested on CS2, the grip is smaller compared to its predecessor CS1 and shaped well. Though I found the grip a bit larger than my preferred size. But overall it is easy to control, highly comfortable and satisfactory. Moreover, the tool-less eye covers are well-designed while keeping the retention system the same as in CS1.
Finally, I found it really good in my hands. The PE keeps every part streamlined, clean and balanced in terms of design. The blade trigger is responsive, adjustable and light to take action. I expect PE to bang on with more adjustable features in the future.
Electronics – Eye covers, Screen settings, USB port
CS2 is probably one of the coolest paintball guns out there! It has all the electronics inside the grip frame including the eyes. So when I first got this model in my hands and saw the eyes, I was a bit concerned about its performance. Especially after some disappointments with ETHA 2 and BT line where eyes were bendable, breakable or difficult to clean.
Thank God! This wasn’t the case with CS2. This model has outward eyes that are easy to clean while removing the cover. The Planet Eclipse has incorporated the mirror light pipes/prism to bounce the light on both sides of the gun. Which further helped me to work with cleaning for any paint gunk left. I recommend CS2 to any paintball players who have the problem with eye covers breaking down quickly.
That’s not all! The CS2 is easy to program and use. The navigation screen is simple that enables the players to quickly set up their markers. The PE utilises the same screen as in its high-end markers. Yet, it is easier due to its puffed up window inside the grips.
The PE included the shot gauge feature, from it previous model CS1, to help you know when you require the next pod of paint. This is pretty useful during a paintball tournament.
Performance – Efficiency & Shot Quality
If you want to know how it points in the field, then yes! It performs extremely well. I was able to put paint on the targeted location without breaking any paint. As I use the Boomstick barrel back, the CS2 is quiet throughout the operation. Hence, it was difficult for the opponents to find me in the paintball field.
In my opinion, the CS2 shot quality is just like the CS1, i didn’t feel any significant difference. The shot smoothness was incredible in CS1 too.
The CS2 delivers the same shot quality as other Gamma Core paint markers in my collection. The smoothness is just like other high-end models. The PE prefers to keep things alike and mostly better, as the competitor’s models in the market.
Moreover, upon testing, I figured the cS2 is a bit shaky in my hands Which is figured is due to my small hands and thick foregrip.
Key Features
- Improved blade trigger
- Adjustable trigger rake
- Removable grip without any tool
- Slimmer Grips as compared to CS1
- Bluetooth Tech
- Battery lock & load in front grip
- SL5 regulator
- Gamma Core pro Engine
- Compact and efficient
- 20 gms lighter than previous model – CS1
- Bolt Reset – Air Spring
Nitty Gritty
Pros
- Lightweight, sleek and compact paintball gun. It lets you perform swiftly in the playground.
- Shoot over long-distance then average range markers
- Low-power Bluetooth for less consumption of energy
- Easy to maintain and quick to set up
- Easy to read navigation menu
Cons
- Expensive to buy but value the money
- Moderate shot quality
- Moderate noise
Final Thoughts
I always tend to grab different paintball guns than my fellow opponents. That’s why I grasp the models that others may overlook.
My experience with PE CS2 was exceptional. It has proven itself in terms of reliability, easy to operate, flawless shooting and efficiency. I recommend this model as the PE keeps reliability and maintenance as a primary factor instead of a quiet or smooth shot.
Avail this ergonomic CS2 paintball gun and give a tough competition to your opponent on the paintball ground! Good luck!
CS2 vs 170r – Which ones better ?
Shot Accuracy:
In the modern age, almost all high end markers are providing the same accuracy. So our test result showed that both markers have remarkable accuracy. CS2 comes with Planet Eclipse FL Carbon barrel kit, while 170r comes with 2 piece regular barrel of Planet Eclipse, despite being regular the barrel had a great performance. It’s just a cheaper version of shaft 4 or shaft 5.
Therefore, we can say both markers have equally remarkable performance and some good quality barrels.
Build Quality:
Planet Eclipse is known for its build quality. So both these markers are very well built. However, the feel in your hands is a little more premium in CS2. Maybe it’s the rubber or the overall assembly, it just feels better and a bit more classy.
Shot Quality:
This is something that’s hard to explain, because this is more like a feeling that can only be experienced by yourself. So according to what we have experienced on the field, the CS2 shot quality FEELS a little bit better. This could be because of the overall feel of the marker in your hand. The overall material and tolerance just feels better in the hands, which makes you feel like the shot quality is slightly better.
Ease of use:
In both PE 170r and CS2, Bolts come out easily without using any tool. They both have air on offs. By just taking off the rubber grips, batteries can come out easily and in both of them. Similarly in both guns, you could easily take off eye cover and clean any gunk left inside during breakage. You can checkout our Full review of Planet Eclipse 170r. So cleaning and maintenance of both these is pretty similarly.
Kick:
The kick of the marker has to do with the operating pressure. Our test shows that CS2 kicks lesser because the operating pressure is 105 in comparison to operating pressure of 170r which is 135. This could be another reason why the shot quality in CS2 feels a little better.
Air Efficiency:
Both these markers are quite air efficient. You might be thinking that because CS2 has lower operating pressure (105) , it must be more air efficient. But that’s not the case. They both have similar kinds of systems with Gamma cores. So Both these guns have almost equally good air efficiency.
Upgradeability:
Unfortunately none of them is quite upgradeable. Like bolt, body and many of the things are not upgradeable.
The only thing you could upgrade in them both is actually the triggers. Like there are many aftermarket triggers available for CS2 and 170r. So it’s a tie in this one.
However, for an additional $150, Planet Eclipse 170r is offering a mechanical frame and that mechanical upgraded version is named as Planet Eclipse M170r. So in this category, we could say Planet eclipse 170r is slightly better.
Ergonomics:
Ergonomics, by which we mean how well the gun overall feels in your hand.
As we already discussed in the shot quality section, the feel of CS2 is a little better in the hands. Which doesn’t mean that 170r doesn’t feel good. They both feel really good. But it’s just that the CS2 has a more premium look and feel. Maybe it’s because its over build looks more natural or maybe we can say organic and the trigger frames are very rounded not any squares.
Triggers:
The triggers in both guns are customisable. Similarly Aftermarket triggers are available for both guns. But with CS2, you can adjust the trigger to any position you want. On the other hand, with 170r you can adjust the trigger upto certain positions only.
Triggers:
This is where they both have a big difference!! 170r is for around 900$ (Check latest price) and CS2 is like almost double the price for around 1500$.
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