Steelseries Rival Review

[maxvons]

I've had my Rival for almost a month now, and I like to share my thoughts on it with you guys.

 

First of, I'm gonna start with saying that I'm not a huge "sensor-sensei", so I won't be posting paint pics and acceleration stuff etc. You can go look elsewhere for that, I think there's lots of them out there. This will also not be a very "in-depth" review. This is also my first review, so go easy on me!

 

 

Shape & Comfort:

 

The shape is IMO awesome, and is quite similar to the IE 3.0. This mouse is IMO best suited for palm grippers, as it is quite long with a quite fat back. The rubber side grips really help with grip, and make the mouse really easy to lift up, perfect for low sens gamers. I haven't experienced any particular discomfort with this mouse, and I would like to say that it is the most comfortable mouse I've ever used. 

 

 

 

Build Quality:

 

This is a bit hard to talk about, as no one has had this mouse for several years, so it's hard to judge if the build quality is good or not. But I would say it seems sturdy and well built for now. Mine does actually not rattle at all, but I've heard that a lot of people's Rivals did this. Might be an early batch fault or something. The coating on top of the mouse is very nice. It's quite smooth, and feels great on the hand. It's also quite sweat resistant. People who found the coating on the Deathadder to be a bit rough, will love this. One thing I have to critize a bit, is that the coating has discolored a bit where my index fingers are clicking the mouse. Not a problem at all for usage etc, but I does not look too good in the right light. Other than that, the build quality and coating is awesome. The teflon feet are also very good. Nice and big, with good glide. The cord is not braided, but it is nice and thick and does not drag, and is very flexible. The place where the cord connects to the mouse is also very reinforced. I don't think the cord will break before anything else.

 

 

 

 

Buttons:

 

The main buttons are a bit stiffer than Omron switches, but are still easy and way lighter to press than Huanos. I found the switches to be great for tap firing, as the travel time is quite low. The side buttons are nice and big, but are IMO a bit too stiff, might get easier to press after some time. The scrolls wheel is awesome IMO. Really smooth, but with distinct notches, and is easy to press down. The CPI toggle button is awesome, and I found it very usefull for programs like Photoshop and Lightroom, where I need precise cursor movements when I edit eyes and irises etc. It's also useful for when you start up a game, and you use a different CPI for desktop usage and gaming.

 

Sensor: 

 

I found the sensor to be perfect for my usage, and I did not feel any acceleration or prediction (which isn't supposed to be there according to sensor-sensei's and Steelseries themselves). I also did not feel any "smoothing", which I noticed some people have complained about. I'd say the sensor is almost perfect, or at least VERY good. The sensor works very well at 3200 DPI (which I use for Dota gaming and general desktop usage), and also 1600 DPI (which I use in FPS games and the like). 

 

 

 

Software & Lightning Effects:

 

The Steelseries Engine 3 is absolutely awesome IMO, and it looks really good, and performs well. It does not use a lot of RAM, almost nothing at all. It's very good looking, and also very functional. Macro's are easy to set up (don't use them though), and it's very easy to change the things the different buttons do when you press them. I also like that it combines all my Steelseries Products into one software. One thing I don't like, is that it opens a new window if you select your Rival mouse, or Siberia Elite headset etc.

 

The lightning effects are really good, and you can change the colors to what ever you want. The colors aren't 100% accurate, but more than good enough. You can also make it spin through many different colors, and the transitions are very clean and smooth. 

 

 

Conclusion:

 

To conclude, I'd say this is an awesome mouse for people with medium+ to bigger hands. I have 19cm hands from base to tip of middle finger, and it fits me very well. The price is also very good, and you get a lot for your money IMO. People who found the Deathadder to be a bit too small, or have a bit too high "hump", might like this better. I at least did. Feel free to ask me any questions you have regarding the mouse

 

I'd give the mouse a solid 9.5/10

 

[wng_kingsley7]

Very nice.

[maxvons]

Very nice.

Thanks!

[BlackMirror]

Nice Review. I love it when there are pictures ,it makes it way more attractive and easier to read.

[maxvons]

Nice Review. I love it when there are pictures ,it makes it way more attractive and easier to read.

Yeah, I think so too .Thx

[Lightcookie]

how does the rival compare to the deathadder and the g502 proteus core ?

 

[Silent_Xaxal]

Nice simple review. I have to concur with a lot of these things, based on my Rival's performance during my bouts in Warframe and Titanfall.

[maxvons]

how does the rival compare to the deathadder and the g502 proteus core ?

I prefer the Rival to the Deathadder in some ways, but I like the more rounded butt of the Deathadder. I strongly prefer the G502 to both of them, best mouse I've used so far.

[CostcoSamples]

I would like to add some comments since I am going through a very annoying "Mouse Hunt" right now.  my hand measures 20cm from tip of middle finger to bottom of palm.  I use a "fingertip-grip"

 

in the past 2 weeks, I've tried the following, with comments for each:

 

Razer Deathadder 2013: Everyone knows this is great mouse.  The ergonomics are not good for my hand.  build quality, sensor quality, button quality, all were fantastic. It's also very light, which I love. This mouse is NOT for finger-tip grippers. I returned it.

 

Corsair M65: This mouse has amazing built quality.  I especially loved the scroll wheel (its made of machined aluminum with a rubber grip). Buttons were fantastic, sensor movement felt really great, easily as good as the Deathadder (IMO).  Ergonomics are terrible for my grip.  Also, I did not like the textured plastic. The aluminum frame is nice but adds weight. This mouse is too heavy for my taste. I returned it.

 

Logitech G502: I really wanted to love this mouse, but I don't.  The scroll wheel has no rubber, making it too slippery. it also feels very clunky (after using the M65 wheel, the G502 feels junky).  The buttons are very responsive and require a bit less actuation pressure compared to others, which for me is a problem.  I don't like accidental clicks.  The sensor movement is very good, I'd say comparable to the others I tried.  Ergonomics for my big, finger-tip grip hand, is OK, but not great.  For the price, I want something more comfortable. I returned it.

 

Steel Series Rival: The first time I put my hand on this mouse, I knew I had a winner.  Selecting a mouse is really all about comfort, and for me, this is the one.  This mouse is designed for ergonomics with any of the 3 main grip types.  I tried all 3 grip positions and found is very comfortable in all 3, at least in my hand.  Unfortunately, the mouse I got had a sticky scroll wheel and did not track properly.  I exchanged it, and the second one has a good scroll wheel but the same weird tracking problem.  I might try returning it and getting one from a different store in a different city, hopefully it will have come from a different production batch or something.  I agree with pretty much everything the OP said about this mouse, but it seems there may be QC issues at the factory.

 

On quality: Every manufacturer seeks to build their mice for the lowest cost, which usually means some components will suffer from quality issues.  this is a fact of modern manufacturing, and every company struggles with it.  For this reason I am willing to try the Steel Series one more time.  If the third copy has issues, I'll wash my hands of this company.

[maxvons]

I would like to add some comments since I am going through a very annoying "Mouse Hunt" right now.  my hand measures 20cm from tip of middle finger to bottom of palm.  I use a "fingertip-grip"

 

in the past 2 weeks, I've tried the following, with comments for each:

 

Razer Deathadder 2013: Everyone knows this is great mouse.  The ergonomics are not good for my hand.  build quality, sensor quality, button quality, all were fantastic. It's also very light, which I love. This mouse is NOT for finger-tip grippers. I returned it.

 

Corsair M65: This mouse has amazing built quality.  I especially loved the scroll wheel (its made of machined aluminum with a rubber grip). Buttons were fantastic, sensor movement felt really great, easily as good as the Deathadder (IMO).  Ergonomics are terrible for my grip.  Also, I did not like the textured plastic. The aluminum frame is nice but adds weight. This mouse is too heavy for my taste. I returned it.

 

Logitech G502: I really wanted to love this mouse, but I don't.  The scroll wheel has no rubber, making it too slippery. it also feels very clunky (after using the M65 wheel, the G502 feels junky).  The buttons are very responsive and require a bit less actuation pressure compared to others, which for me is a problem.  I don't like accidental clicks.  The sensor movement is very good, I'd say comparable to the others I tried.  Ergonomics for my big, finger-tip grip hand, is OK, but not great.  For the price, I want something more comfortable. I returned it.

 

Steel Series Rival: The first time I put my hand on this mouse, I knew I had a winner.  Selecting a mouse is really all about comfort, and for me, this is the one.  This mouse is designed for ergonomics with any of the 3 main grip types.  I tried all 3 grip positions and found is very comfortable in all 3, at least in my hand.  Unfortunately, the mouse I got had a sticky scroll wheel and did not track properly.  I exchanged it, and the second one has a good scroll wheel but the same weird tracking problem.  I might try returning it and getting one from a different store in a different city, hopefully it will have come from a different production batch or something.  I agree with pretty much everything the OP said about this mouse, but it seems there may be QC issues at the factory.

 

On quality: Every manufacturer seeks to build their mice for the lowest cost, which usually means some components will suffer from quality issues.  this is a fact of modern manufacturing, and every company struggles with it.  For this reason I am willing to try the Steel Series one more time.  If the third copy has issues, I'll wash my hands of this company.

My Rival has 0 issues except the coating wearing a bit out. I just orderer a XTD Optical though, might be my new favorite mouse, as I palm grip, and it's supposed to be really good for that.

[CostcoSamples]

My Rival has 0 issues except the coating wearing a bit out. I just orderer a XTD Optical though, might be my new favorite mouse, as I palm grip, and it's supposed to be really good for that.

I just got my 3rd Rival in the mail yesterday, which I ordered online.  So far I've had zero issues with it, and I am really enjoying it.  The LED colors are fun to play with too, and surprisingly vivid.  I am a happy mouse owner, finally!

 

As a side note, the two crappy Rivals I had were both from Best Buy.  Their price was $10 cheaper than everybody else, and it was not a sale price.  I'm thinking they had a batch of crappy mice and knew it, that's why they were selling them cheap.

 

Crappy Best Buy deals aside, all of the mice I tested were good, it just depends on personal preference and comfort. 

[maxvons]

I just got my 3rd Rival in the mail yesterday, which I ordered online.  So far I've had zero issues with it, and I am really enjoying it.  The LED colors are fun to play with too, and surprisingly vivid.  I am a happy mouse owner, finally!

 

As a side note, the two crappy Rivals I had were both from Best Buy.  Their price was $10 cheaper than everybody else, and it was not a sale price.  I'm thinking they had a batch of crappy mice and knew it, that's why they were selling them cheap.

 

Crappy Best Buy deals aside, all of the mice I tested were good, it just depends on personal preference and comfort. 

Yeah, I'm most happy with the Logitech G502 atm though. It's the mouse I've had the least ergonomical issues with so far. Rival had a too edgy, and fat back for me, and the Kone XTD had a bad thumbrest. Naos was too low profile, and too hard to pick up, also the ring and pinky rests were too short, Deathadder was just too short, and the right side was too short and too small etc.

[CostcoSamples]

Yeah, I'm most happy with the Logitech G502 atm though. It's the mouse I've had the least ergonomical issues with so far. Rival had a too edgy, and fat back for me, and the Kone XTD had a bad thumbrest. Naos was too low profile, and too hard to pick up, also the ring and pinky rests were too short, Deathadder was just too short, and the right side was too short and too small etc.

 

Lol  I'm happy to hear I'm not the only person who has a hard time picking a mouse!  I was getting really frustrated.  

[Really2n2]

My M95 will be here tomorrow, wanna see how it goes 

[maxvons]

Lol I'm happy to hear I'm not the only person who has a hard time picking a mouse! I was getting really frustrated.

Haha, my mouse hunt has been really expensive so far. I think I'm just gonna settle on the G502, as I've had the least issues with it, and I like everything about it except the sniper button, which I removed. I also recently had some issues with the right side, but that's because I changed my grip because I used an other mouse. One week with the G502, and I should adjust. It's already less of a problem now.

My dream mouse would probably be a bigger version of the CM Storm Alcor

[Mateyyy]

If you're planning to get the Rival, I personally have one complaint, and that is that after 3-4 months of usage, a small portion of the rubber on the left side where you put your thumb actually peeled off, but it's only a very small area. Except for that it's an amazing mouse

[CostcoSamples]

My M95 will be here tomorrow, wanna see how it goes 

 

I hope it works well for you.  I really loved the build quality of the M65, I just couldn't get comfortable with the ergonomics.

[Huginn]

As someone who has been using the same mouse for like 10 years (Logitech MX1000), I managed to switch over to this mouse very easily. I love it, it feels very comfortable. The software (Steelseries Engine 3) is very user friendly, and very customisable aswell. Sensor is amazing. Great mouse for FPS too.

Great mouse, I'd buy it again.

[TheProfosist]

Nice review though I personally had some different experiences with the mice but that's why mice are so much personal preference.

[TheProfosist]

My Rival has 0 issues except the coating wearing a bit out. I just orderer a XTD Optical though, might be my new favorite mouse, as I palm grip, and it's supposed to be really good for that.

I really want to try a kone xtd optical and a kone pure military.

[maxvons]

I really want to try a kone xtd optical and a kone pure military.

I found the XTD Optical to be way too big, haha. The left side also was a problem for me, as the indentation for the thumb is so far back. I would rather buy the KP Military

[TheProfosist]

I found the XTD Optical to be way too big, haha. The left side also was a problem for me, as the indentation for the thumb is so far back. I would rather buy the KP Military

Id like to try both and have for quite some time but the fact that prior to the Kone Pure Optical they focused on fancy features and software over actual performance put me off. i believe the original Kone was like dual laser if I recall.

[maxvons]

Id like to try both and have for quite some time but the fact that prior to the Kone Pure Optical they focused on fancy features and software over actual performance put me off. i believe the original Kone was like dual laser if I recall.

The Kone Pure Military is quite good I think. Worth checking out. I'm not a fan of Roccat as a company tbh. They don't seem really "grown up" kinda, and most of their products are flashy and ugly IMO. I like Logitech's style way better. They are more mature about their products and design. Especially with the G402 and G502 now. They have focused on good sensor technology, removed smoothing etc. Instead of increasing DPI and just market it as a "high DPI lotzz of buttonzzz mouse). They did ofc raise the DPI on the G502, but that's just because they could. Every DPI step is still native, and it's the best sensor available.

[BaSkA]

Comfort wise, would you say the Rival is more comfortable for long periods of time using it than the Deathadder/Mamba?

Also, is the material "good" as the Razer one, apart from the rubberized side which looks pretty smart?

[brokencross]

Great review. But just a thing, you don't need to be always mentioning "IMO." It's your review, therefore your opinion.

Btw, I don't know if you've already tried the Sensei, but what did you think? Does it fare better or worse?