Review: SteelSeries Rival 3 is a great option for folks on a tight budget
More affordable PC hardware often comes with a serious flaw or two often resulted from cuts made to keep the price low. SteelSeries tried to go down a different route with the Rival 3, creating a gaming mouse that you actually feel comfortable using and doesn’t let you down in heated sessions.
It’s largely a success, but there are a few minor improvements that would make this a compelling recommendation, even against more pricey pointers.
Interestingly, the SteelSeries Rival 3 looks much like the Sensei Ten, released just last year. This makes sense since the Sensei Ten is an excellent gamer-focused mouse and is a good foundation for a more budget-friendly pointer. Take away some buttons, replace the sensor, trim some of the fat off and you’ve got the Rival 3.
A budget-friendly mouse with a solid gaming sensor.
The ergonomics of the Rival 3 are designed with a right-handed bias, making this not such a great option for lefties. There’s not much in the form of texturing on the mouse, but SteelSeries did add more than enough for grip on both sides, and there are no pesky adhesive side panels. The unit is pretty light too, coming in at just 77g, though you won’t find yourself flinging it across the room.
The integrated USB cable cannot be removed, which is to be expected at this price, but it’s not braided and as such can be a slight pain to use. Speaking of using the mouse, the CPI (counts per inch) can be configured between 100 and 8,500, which isn’t as flashy as more premium mice, but does allow for some degree of personalization to get the Rival 3 feeling just right in-game.
Like other SteelSeries mice, the Rival 3 works with SteelSeries Engine, the company’s software package that allows one to manage all accessories. With the Rival 3, it’s possible to alter CPI, lighting, button mapping, and other configurations. Unfortunately, because there’s no onboard storage, you’ll need to install and run the software to make changes.
What you might dislike about the SteelSeries Rival 3
The non-braided, non-removable cable is also a minor gripe.
Should you buy the SteelSeries Rival 3?
While there are a total of six programmable buttons to help map in-game functionality, you won’t find any profile storage for LAN use, nor can you alter the weight of the device. Still, with a polling rate of up to 1,000 Hz and a configurable CPI of between 100 and 8,500, the Rival 3 has some great features for the price tag.
Solid Pointer
SteelSeries Rival 3
One of the best entry-level gaming mice
It’s hard to beat the SteelSeries Rival 3 on price and performance, rocking a trimmed down TrueMove sensor, but a few minor flaws prevent this from being a truly great PC accessory.