INTRODUCTION

   If you happen to be a space sim fan like myself you should be well aware that just a couple of weeks ago David Braben announced the launch of the Elite: Dangerous Premium Beta open only to backers and just yesterday Chris Roberts announced the pre-alpha availability of Squadron 42 (Arena Commander V0.8) again for backers of the game. Thanks to both Chris Roberts and David Braben these two space sim titles alone may be more than enough to cause a serious ripple effect in the gaming industry not only because both are solely funded via crowd funding and thus many more will most likely follow in the near future but also because fans of both legends will be willing to spend quite a bit in order to play these games at maximum graphics (trust me when i say they are more than just worth the investment). Of course joysticks, gaming keyboards and mice will be the primary peripherals people will look to get and so today we are taking a look at one such peripheral the latest RIVAL Optical Gaming Mouse by SteelSeries.

   From day one, SteelSeries has been focused on making professional gaming gear that provide meaningful benefits to gamers of all skill-level, with the most demanding being those gamers whose lively hood depends on the performance of our products. We believe, as most gamers do, in winning, not trying! What originally began as a small two-person operation in Copenhagen back in 2001 has become a global leader in professional gaming products. SteelSeries recognized the need for superior, high-quality professional gaming gear that would give players a competitive edge. Fast-forward to today, and we've come a long way since our first glass mousepad. We have global offices in North America, Europe, and Asia, providing an integrated portfolio of products designed specifically for gaming. Fueling our growth is you, the gamer!

   The SteelSeries RIVAL is actually the 3rd gaming mouse we've received to date that uses the very fast and accurate Avago ADNS-3310 IR-LED optical sensor that features zero hardware mouse acceleration for a more consistent performance. What's somewhat strange is that unlike the other two products we've reviewed in the past that use the same sensor SteelSeries seeks to be using a "slower" version that goes up to 6500 CPI and 200 IPS with a force of 50 Gs (as opposed to the 7000 CPI/215 IPS of the other models). Of course that rather tiny gap between speeds doesn't make a difference really and I’m certain that SteelSeries has a good reason for doing so but regardless we do need to point that out. The 2nd most important feature of the RIVAL is the switches SteelSeries used for the primary buttons since they are custom made by them and have a lifespan of up to 30 million clicks meaning 10m more compared to the popular switches by OMRON used in many other mid/high-end gaming mice. SteelSeries didn't really "pitch" the RIVAL as their top of the line gaming mouse but since its specifications say otherwise let’s see of what it's capable of.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

The box has the SteelSeries logo, OS compatibility and a large product picture at the front.

On the left side we see the rear of the product and its main features inside small boxes.

All of the unit’s specifications and features are listed and explained at the rear in 3 different languages.

The logos of the 4 professional gaming teams that assist SteelSeries with product development are placed at the top.

As usual the front of the box opens up to reveal the unit itself and a product picture used to showcase its features.

Inside the box you will find the RIVAL optical gaming mouse, help and safety paper and a 2nd nameplate.

THE RIVAL

Just like the SENSEI MLG which I’m currently using with one of my test rigs the RIVAL is a medium-sized gaming mouse (not ambidextrous however) measuring 133mm in length, 70mm in width and 45mm in height. The mouse weighs 128g and unlike the Sensei MLG for example it features a nice matte anti-sweat coating which helps quite a bit with the grip.

On the left side the RIVAL has two fully programmable large buttons and a rubber grip.

The SteelSeries logo is placed at the rear of the mouse right above the model name.

You can swap the name plate for the bundled one with the company name on it or you can make your very own if you have one of the new 3D printers (i can't say that i know of a single person that has one however).

The CPI toggle switch is placed at the top of the RIVAL.

Another rubber grip is placed on the right side (slightly larger than the left).

The programmable clickable scroll wheel is very soft and quite inaudible when used.

At the base of the RIVAL we see 4 removable PTFE feet.

The Avago/Pixart ADNS-3310 IR-LED optical sensor can reach up to 6500 counts per inch (CPI) and down to one millisecond of customizable response time. The sensor also delivers zero acceleration and the ability to reach movement speeds of up to 200 inches per second at 50g of acceleration.

Instead of a braided cable the RIVAL has a soft-rubber one that ends to a regular USB plug.

STEELSERIES ENGINE 3

Since CDs are no longer part of any bundle you will need to head over to the official SteelSeries support page to download the latest version of the Engine 3 control software.

SteelSeries is testing a new service called CloudSync. This service allows you to store all settings online so you can access them from wherever you are.

Unlike the previous SteelSeries Engine software the new version auto checks and installs new firmware updates to the device.

The Engine 3 control software allows you to remap all 6 buttons (and the scroll up/down if you want), create new macros via the macro editor, set the 2 sensitivity levels from 50CPI and up to 6500CPI, set acceleration/deceleration (or leave it to zero), play around with angle snapping and you can also configure the polling rate.

Of course you can also adjust the illumination of the two zones as seen above.

The illuminated sections are not very large thus not very impressive but it's certainly better than nothing.

CONCLUSION

   To date the only mouse that has sat on my primary desk for longer than 1 full year has been the SENSEI MLG again by SteelSeries so when they announced the RIVAL roughly 6 months ago i couldn't wait to see if this was the mouse to replace it. The answer is not so straightforward although the RIVAL left us with very good impressions. So on one hand we have the Avago/Pixart ADNS-3310 IR-LED optical sensor which may just be one of the three best sensors in the market today (offers excellent and smooth tracking), the custom SteelSeries switches that do feel great when pressed, the Engine 3 software that looks a lot better than its predecessor and the design of the RIVAL which is indeed slightly better than that of the SENSEI MLG (the coating and rubber grips help a lot). On the other hand however the build quality doesn't seem as sturdy as that of the SENSEI MLG while the 2m long cable has a very soft rubber coating which we don't know how long it will last always compared to braided and double braided cables.

   With a current price tag set at USD59.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and 60Euros inside the EU (Amazon.co.uk) the RIVAL Optical Gaming Mouse by SteelSeries is roughly 30% cheaper compared to the SENSEI MLG and that's reason enough for us to ignore its tiny flaws. Overall SteelSeries has designed and manufactured a very fast and accurate gaming mouse with excellent grip and a control software that puts most others in the market to shame (although I’d really like to see an surface analyzer like the one Mionix uses). Sure it's far from perfect and i still prefer the SENSEI MLG but for that kind of cash the RIVAL is one of the best possible gaming mice you could get your hands on (if not the best) and that's why it gets our Golden Award.

PROS

- Overall Build Quality
- Design
- Grip (Anti-Sweat Coating/Rubber Grips)
- 6500 CPI Avago ADNS-3310 IR-LED Optical Sensor
- Custom SteelSeries Switches (30m Clicks)
- 6 Programmable Buttons
- SteelSeries Engine 3/CloudSync Software
- Illumination Control (2 Different Zones)
- Price (For Some)

CONS

- Right Hand Use (For Some)
- Soft Rubber Coated Cable