SteelSeries Rival

£52 inc VAT • steelseries.com

For a price of around £52, the SteelSeries Rival is a contender for the best gaming mouse on a budget. It features an advanced PMW3310 optical sensor that is said to offer zero hardware acceleration and true 1:1 tracking, enabling precise movement. Even at higher sensitivities, it’s extremely accurate and has enabled us to react quicker than we’ve been able to in the past.

Its adjustable CPI is amazing, and offers adjustments from 50 to 6500, enabling gamers to find the perfect cursor sensitivity for their style of gaming. The best part is that you don’t have to settle on one setting – there’s a button directly beneath the scrollwheel that allows you to switch between various CPI profiles for different situations. SteelSeries Engine 3 enables gamers to access various Rival customisation settings, including programmable buttons, polling rate, angle snapping and acceleration and deceleration speed. With this being said, the Rival does skimp on programmable buttons with only six buttons and a scrollwheel.

It features a matt finish, but still manages to feel smooth to the touch and the anti-sweat coating helps to maintain contact when the pressure is on. The rubber grips aren’t stuck onto the Rival either – they’re directly injected for better control and grip. If that’s not enough for you, the SteelSeries Stratus offers a customisable LED-lit logo with 16.8 million (according to SteelSeries) colours to choose from. Although this last feature won’t apply to the masses, it’s fun for those that can – the Rival logo can be removed from the mouse and be replaced with a 3D printed personalised nameplate, with the digital model available to download from the SteelSeries website.

The SteelSeries Rival is a solid gaming mouse for a decent price, but the lack of programmable buttons may be too much to ignore for some gamers. If you’re in the market for a comfortable, precise and understated mouse, the Rival is a solid option.