Nowadays, finding the best gaming mouse for your gaming needs might not be that easy, but it is also not that hard (to be completely honest). With so many global gaming hardware manufacturing companies to choose from, gamers usually end up overwhelmed by the ridiculous amount of choices they have for each piece of their gaming gear (gaming mice, gaming keyboards, gaming headsets, etc.). However, as said, the choice doesn’t need to be that hard, especially when you can opt to go with super reliable gaming hardware manufacturers like SteelSeries, who just very recently released its brand-new hyper-durable SteelSeries Rival 3 Wired Gaming Mouse just a few months ago (on January 21, 2020).
This super reliable and extremely affordable wired gaming mouse comes packed with a ton of high-end gaming features that are normally reserved for higher-end gaming devices only, and as such, the end-result is an impressive gaming mouse that features a premium performance for any and all of your gaming experiences.
That obviously includes competitive FPS (First Person Shooter) games – or just “Shooters” – like CS:GO, PUBG, Overwatch, or even RIOT’s recently released Valorant; competitive MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) games like Dota 2, League of Legends and even Smite; competitive RTS (Real-Time Strategy) games like Starcraft 2; or even intense Dungeon Crawler RPG games like Diablo III, Path of Exile, Grim Dawn, etc.
Not only that, but the SteelSeries Rival 3 wired gaming mouse is also part of SteelSeries’ brand-new Glow Up Collection of gaming products.
Thanks to the Rival 3’s brand-new and budget-friendly TrueMove Core Sensor, which features a cutting-edge technology that allows you configure the mouse with up to 5 different customizable CPI profiles – each one ranging from 100 to 8,500 CPI (Counts Per Inch) – you can enjoy true 1-to-1 tracking to ultimately play with stunning mouse placement accuracy, as well as great maneuverability, remarkable speed and full consistency.
This performance-focused sensor which introduced for the very first time in the company’s brand-new Rival 3 Wired Gaming Mouse.
Now, let’s take a look at the Rival 3’s design, specs, and features, and check everything that this wired gaming mouse can offer to any dedicated gamer out there.
DESIGN & SPECS
First of all, the SteelSeries Rival 3 wired gaming mouse features both a lightweight and ergonomic design, as the mouse weighs just a measly 2.7 oz. (77 g) without counting with its cable (real gamers usually don’t have to lift this one anyways).
Not only that, but the mouse itself is also made for almost any gamer out there, featuring super nice dimensions that allow it to fit most hand sizes (maybe excluding just people with super large hands).
The Rival 3 gaming mouse measures exactly 4.74 inches long by 2.29 inches wide (at the front) / 2.63 inches wide (at the back) by 0.84 inches tall (at the front) / 1.49 inches tall (at the back) (120.60 x 58.30 (front) / 67.00 (back) x 21.50 (front) / 37.90 (back) mm). The Rival 3’s cable measures exactly 6 feet long (1.8m).
Furthermore, not only is this wired gaming mouse extremely lightweight and super comfortable to use, but also extremely durable, meaning that it was designed and built to last you a very, very long time. The Rival 3’s body is mainly made of a high-grade polymer, which is basically a very lightweight yet super durable material.
As the Rival 3 Mouse’s core construction is mainly composed of a super durable ABS Plastic, that means that every single one of its components uses those same hyper-durable materials, and that even includes its SteelSeries Mechanical Click Switches (rated for 60 million clicks) – which are the very same 60 million click switches that are included in SteelSeries’s most expensive mice currently available. That ultimately allows the entire Rival 3 wired gaming mouse as a whole to last you for years and years to come.
Its back cover features a highly durable Black Matte Finish that allows the mouse to look brand-new at every single time you have a glance at it.
Furthermore, the Rival 3’s cleverly thought ergonomic shape helps to greatly reduce strain on both your hand and shoulder, and that ultimately and effortlessly allows for a greater comfort for tons of hours of intense (and competitive) gameplay.
MOUSE SENSOR
As mentioned before, SteelSeries’s recently released Rival 3 Wired Gaming Mouse features the company’s brand-new TrueMove Core Sensor, a new performance-focused sensor that features cutting-edge technology, which allows users to configure the mouse with up to 5 different customizable CPI profiles – each one ranging from 100 to 8,500 CPI (Counts Per Inch).
As such, gamers can have a much better gaming experience and enjoy true 1-to-1 tracking to ultimately play with stunning mouse placement accuracy, as well as great maneuverability, remarkable speed, and full consistency.
The Rival 3’s TrueMove Core performance-focused sensor is basically an optical mouse sensor, featuring a total of five (x5) individually customizable CPI Profiles (customizable via the SteelSeries Engine Software / Desktop App – discussed at the end of the article) that can go between 100–8,500 in 100 CPI Increments.
This performance-focused optical sensor also features a great mobility”, going up to 300 IPS (Inches Per Second) when gamers use the Rival 3 solely on SteelSeries QcK surfaces (the company’s QcK mousepads).
Lastly, the Rival 3’s TrueMove Core performance-focused sensor features a Mouse-Acceleration of 35G, a Polling Rate of 1000Hz / 1 ms and no Hardware Acceleration whatsoever (meaning Zero [0] Hardware Acceleration).
HAND-PREFERENCE DESIGN
The SteelSeries Rival 3 Wired Gaming Mouse features a round and ergonomic shape that’s super comfortable to hold, but that is designed for right-handed people in particular, and that’s mainly because of the Rival 3’s interface (discussed right ahead).
The Rival 3 should be mainly gripped/grabbed in either a “Claw” or “Fingertip” grip styles (explained ahead at the Features section).
INTERFACE
The Rival 3’s configurable interface (customizable by using the SteelSeries Engine Software) features a total of six (x6) fully-customizable buttons, which are: Left-Click, Right-Click, Middle Mouse Button (the Mouse Wheel), Center Mouse Button, Top Left-Side Mouse Button, and Bottom Left-Side Mouse Button.
COMPATIBILITY
The SteelSeries Rival 3 wired gaming mouse is fully compatible with Windows, Mac, Xbox, and Linux.
All you really need to get the Rival 3 to work is a free USB port and the SteelSeries Engine‘s 3.15.1 version (or higher), which works flawlessly for Windows (7 or newer) and Mac OSX (10.12 or newer).
WHAT’S IN THE BOX?
Inside each package, users will find: their SteelSeries Rival 3 wired gaming mouse and a Product Information Guide (downloadable) for the Rival 3 mouse.
FEATURES
2 Highly Recommended Gaming Grip Styles
As mentioned before, the Rival 3’s Right-Handed Shape/Design was chosen to match a player’s highest demand for comfort, and as such, to get that perfect comfort for all of your long and intense gaming sessions, the company highly recommends that gamers only use the Rival 3 by gripping it in either a “Claw” or “Fingertip” grip styles.
That should ensure that you have no physical issues whatsoever, while also greatly reducing strain on both your hand and shoulder.
However, remember that extremely long (10~12 hours+) gaming sessions should end up hurting you, especially for more casual-like gamers that are not used to playing videogames almost every single day for those same specific periods of time (super-long ones) at a consistent basis.
Brilliant Prism Lighting System
This gaming mouse also uses the same cutting-edge technology as SteelSeries’s professional line of gaming products (this special line of gaming hardware/peripherals is designed for gamers that are part of gaming organizations, i.e. e-sports athletes that play competitive games for a living), and as such, it also includes the same Brilliant Prism Lighting System that allows the gaming mouse to simply and ultimately outshine any other gaming mouse from other companies out there.
Its Brilliant Prism Lighting System features a total of three (x3) fully-customizable RGB Light-Color Zones (located around the very bottom of the mouse, starting from both sides at the middle and all the way around its back) that can be independently customized, working at 16.8 million beautifully crisp colors.
Those same Color Zones are basically the very middle of the mouse (on both sides), then close to both of its back edges, and the Rival 3’s back curve.
While just three (x3) zones can feel like a “small” customizable number of lighting settings, having 16.8 million colors for each of those zones literally gives you endless combinations, so every taste should be covered.
On-Board Memory
Lastly, the Rival 3 also features an On-Board Memory that allows users to save polling rate, keybinds, and 5 CPIs directly on the mouse, which makes it easier for them to have the perfect settings for each and every single one of their games.
This ultimately allows users to seamlessly change/switch all of their mouse settings with ease and with just the touch of a single button for each and every time they’re going from game to game, as well as whenever they’re on-the-go.
DESKTOP APP – SteelSeries Engine Software
As mentioned before, the SteelSeries Engine Software (which is free to download) can be used to configure any of the Rival 3’s physical mouse settings that users want to change, including Mouse Sensitivity Levels / CPI (Counts Per Inch), Mouse Acceleration / Deceleration, Angle Snapping and even Polling Rate.
Not only that, but users can also configure all of the Rival 3’s Macros/Hotkeys, as well as the mouse’s Brilliant Prism Lighting System and its RGB SteelSeries Logo.
Ultimately, the SteelSeries Engine Software makes the customization of the Rival 3 very easy as well as super intuitive.
Additionally, users can enable both the Discord and GameSense Engine Apps to allow their Rival 3 wired gaming mouse to react to chat notifications, in-game events, and more.
FINAL THOUGHTS
The SteelSeries Rival 3 Wired Gaming Mouse features a lightweight and ergonomic design, its brand-new and high-quality TrueMove Core performance-focused optical sensor, a fully configurable 6-button interface, 3 customizable RGB Light-Color Zones and customizable RGB Logo, and an On-Board Memory that saves all of your favorite physical and lighting settings for whenever you’re on the go.
This combination of features ultimately brings gamers a super reliable and extremely affordable wired gaming mouse that comes packed with a ton of high-end gaming features that are normally reserved for higher-end gaming devices only.
If you’re interested in buying it, each unit is currently going for $30. You can order yours online right now, directly from SteelSeries’s official shopping page, which you can access by clicking this link here.
