Steelseries’ Rival 3 Wireless Gen 2 wired mouse is, as we said in our review, the budget master: cheap, reliable, well-built, and precise in twitchy FPS games. There’s a reason it’s one of our favorite gaming mice. For the past week I’ve been testing the Rival 3 Wireless Gen 2 wireless, and the differences are more substantial than an absent cord.
This wireless version is far heavier, mainly because you have to insert AAA batteries. It has no customisable RGB, its click latency is higher, and it’s quite a lot more expensive. On the other hand, its sensor has a higher maximum DPI, and it promises hundreds of hours of battery life in the right condition.
SteelSeries Rival 3 Gen 2 Wireless – Design and Shape
This is a heavy, heavy mouse, and it’ll be too heavy for some people. With both AAA batteries inserted, it weighs just shy of 110g – double many lightweight gaming mice. The mouse works fine with one battery, dipping the weight below 100, but it’s still beefy.
As somebody who prefers lighter mice, the Rival 3 Gen 2 still felt smooth, and still glided fine on its PTFE feet. I could still whip it around my mousepad and make precise adjustments when needed, and neither my hand nor arm ached while using it.
But there’s no denying it required more effort. I was constantly reminded of its heft – it certainly didn’t feel like an extension of my arm, and I enjoyed using it less than the 77g wired version, which I tested for comparison. I could feel the difference when I took one battery out, and I preferred it, but it’s still hard to wholeheartedly recommend the Rival 3 Gen 2 wireless to anyone who’s used to lightweight mice.
Its sensor sits lower down the body than for most mice. The further forward a sensor is, the more it will move to match fine adjustments of your fingers. A low-down sensor means your fingers need to move further to make the sensor travel the same distance. Combine that with its weight and you have to put more effort than normal to make those small adjustments.
Putting the substantial weight to one side, there’s lots to like. I always worry about build quality with cheaper mice – no worries here. This is a solid mouse with good bones. I can squeeze it, twist it, and prod it without any creaking or signs of weakness.
