Steelseries’ Rival 3 Wi-fi Gen 2 wired mouse is, as we stated in our evaluate, the finances grasp: low-cost, dependable, well-built, and exact in twitchy FPS video games. There’s a purpose it’s one in every of our favourite gaming mice. For the previous week I have been testing the Rival 3 Wi-fi Gen 2 wi-fi, and the variations are extra substantial than an absent twine.
This wi-fi model is way heavier, primarily as a result of it’s important to insert AAA batteries. It has no customisable RGB, its click on latency is increased, and it is fairly much more costly. Alternatively, its sensor has a better most DPI, and it guarantees tons of of hours of battery life in the fitting situation.
SteelSeries Rival 3 Gen 2 Wi-fi – Design and Form
It is a heavy, heavy mouse, and it will be too heavy for some individuals. With each AAA batteries inserted, it weighs simply shy of 110g – double many light-weight gaming mice. The mouse works advantageous with one battery, dipping the burden beneath 100, however it’s nonetheless beefy.
As any person who prefers lighter mice, the Rival 3 Gen 2 nonetheless felt easy, and nonetheless glided advantageous on its PTFE toes. I may nonetheless whip it round my mousepad and make exact changes when wanted, and neither my hand nor arm ached whereas utilizing it.
However there isn’t any denying it required extra effort. I used to be continually reminded of its heft – it definitely did not really feel like an extension of my arm, and I loved utilizing it lower than the 77g wired model, which I examined for comparability. I may really feel the distinction after I took one battery out, and I most well-liked it, however it’s nonetheless arduous to wholeheartedly suggest the Rival 3 Gen 2 wi-fi to anybody who’s used to light-weight mice.
Its sensor sits decrease down the physique than for many mice. The additional ahead a sensor is, the extra it can transfer to match advantageous changes of your fingers. A low-down sensor means your fingers want to maneuver additional to make the sensor journey the identical distance. Mix that with its weight and it’s important to put extra effort than regular to make these small changes.
Placing the substantial weight to at least one facet, there’s tons to love. I at all times fear about construct high quality with cheaper mice – no worries right here. It is a strong mouse with good bones. I can squeeze it, twist it, and prod it with none creaking or indicators of weak spot.
You should buy it in 4 colors: black, white, lavender or aqua. I examined the white model and loved the arctic look in opposition to my black mousepad.
The primary physique of the mouse slides again to disclose the battery compartment. It requires a good degree of drive, making it just about unattainable to open unintentionally, and it feels tight and safe when shut. You too can slide the small USB dongle – which permits low-latency 2.4GHz wi-fi connection – into this compartment, the place it sits snugly, and there is a sturdy change to flick between Bluetooth and a pair of.4GHz connections.
The form is an identical to the wired model. It is nearly symmetrical, however the left facet is extra angular to accommodate the bend of your thumb. Its low profile is comfy in fingertip or claw grips. I attempted it in palm grip and the right-hand ridge sat awkwardly in opposition to my pinky finger.
Its left and proper clicks are bouncy, responsive, and completely spammable. After I actually hit them arduous, each for testing and in a panic throughout rounds of Arc Raiders, they sound loud, echoey and low-cost, however below regular situations they sound gentle and crisp.
The facet buttons are annoyingly skinny and there is nearly no hole between them, however regardless of that I by no means misclicked. The addition of a DPI change button – positioned well so you possibly can’t unintentionally nudge it – is welcome, and the scroll wheel is simply advantageous for a finances mouse. It feels slightly free and rattly, however by no means induced me any issues.
SteelSeries Rival 3 Gen 2 Wi-fi – Efficiency and Gaming
We liked the SteelSeries Rival 3 Gen 2 wired’s gaming efficiency. It confirmed that, for most individuals, you needn’t spend tons of of {dollars} on a mouse. On paper this wi-fi model is completely different in two noticeable methods. Its sensor has a better most DPI however its click on latency – the time between your bodily click on and it registering in your PC – is longer.
Enormous DPI numbers are sometimes pointless. The 8.5K DPI sensor on the wired one felt good, and I actually could not really feel a lot of a distinction with this 18K one. And a 1.9ms click on latency remains to be low sufficient for me to not really feel the delay. So in actuality it can carry out simply in addition to the wired model: no higher, no worse.
I examined it in a wide range of video games together with Arc Raiders, Cyberpunk 2077, Fortnite, and Blue Prince for a mixture of informal clicking and flicky capturing. It was responsive and correct, and I felt my mouse actions, together with small changes and fast flick pictures, had been mirrored on display screen. It by no means held me again throughout multiplayer matches.
Its max 1,000Hz polling fee – the variety of occasions the mouse reviews its place to your PC – falls in need of high-end efficiency mice, however in my expertise you get diminishing returns as polling fee rises. As I transfer as much as 2,000Hz and 4,000Hz I can, nearly, really feel a distinction in smoothness and responsiveness. It helps that I’ve the set-up to reap the benefits of a better polling fee, together with a latest graphics card and a 240Hz refresh fee display screen. However the distinction is small and staying at 1,000Hz is completely advantageous for many gamers, particularly these on a finances.
You too can decrease the polling fee or change to Bluetooth to save lots of plenty of battery (which I am going to focus on extra in a second). Slicing the polling fee to 500Hz felt advantageous for a singleplayer recreation like Blue Prince, as did enjoying on Bluetooth: you lose some efficiency however you do not actually need it, and the additional battery life is greater than value it.
The mouse’s weight will, I really feel, be the most important consider whether or not you get pleasure from gaming with it or not. In case you’re used to a light-weight mouse it would throw off your purpose, not less than initially earlier than you get used to it.
SteelSeries Rival 3 Gen 2 Wi-fi – Battery Life and Software program
Steelseries makes lofty claims about battery life: 175 hours by way of the two.4Ghz connection or a staggering 450 hours over Bluetooth. Connecting to Bluetooth was at all times simple and immediate, and it is a superb choice for low-stakes singleplayer video games. You may want to purchase new batteries once they run out so having the ability to squeeze tons of of hours from every one is good.
On 2.4Ghz connection, you will not get 175 hours until you decrease the polling fee. Once more, in singleplayer video games like Blue Prince that is utterly viable however in multiplayer video games, enjoying beneath 1000Hz can hamper your efficiency. In case you persist with 1000Hz you will get roughly 100 hours of life, according to different trendy gaming mice. Simply be sure to fill up on AAA if you are going to use it long run.
I like that Steelseries permits you to take out one battery to chop the burden to lower than 100g. You half the battery life, however for me the improved really feel was definitely worth the sacrifice and, in the end, it is the identical whole life on two AAA batteries.
As for software program, the SteelSeries GG app appears intimidating at first however is definitely fairly easy and intuitive. The basics – DPI adjustment and polling fee – sit alongside different settings which might be defined clearly, resembling a battery-saving mode, cursor smoothing on Bluetooth, and separate sensitivity for X and Y-axis actions.
What it lacks is the complicated RGB customization of the wired mouse. The one lighting on the Rival 3 Gen 2 wi-fi is on the scroll wheel, blinking blue for Bluetooth connection and biking colors while you change DPI, and you’ll’t change them in any means. In case you actually care about RGB then the wired model is your finest guess.
