You love the SteelSeries Rival 600, but you think the removable weights are unnecessary, since you are a fan of the lighter mice? You don’t say no to dropping a few euros into your piggy bank at the first chance you get?
Don’t worry at all! SteelSeries is here “and they got your back” with the brand new SteelSeries Rival 5. The design you loved at Rival 600, into a thinner and simpler line, lightweight as a feather and at a lower price.
This model is characterized as a multi-genre gaming mouse which means that it is the right mouse for those who play more than one type of game. I will explain below how it achieves this.
Unboxing
Firstly, I would like to mention that SteelSeries has taken the environmental protection seriously. That said, their new packaging is quite minimalist without a lot of unnecessary extras. Something that I personally like. I’m not a fan of bulky packaging and it’s good to start contributing to a brighter future for all of us. Huge respect to SteelSeries for this concept.
As soon as I opened the package, I found just the essentials. The mouse with the matte coating that leaves no fingerprints in the foreground and just below that, the user’s manual. Nothing more, nothing less.
Design
As I mentioned above, SteelSeries Rival 5 can be described as the child of Rival 600. Great design, inspired by 600 but not quite the same.
Initially, the bold gaps of 600 where the removable part for the weights is fastened, does not exist on 5. It makes the mouse look smoother, especially since this is quite a solid piece. Another small detail is that we do not have the thumb-rest rubber under the side buttons.
Buttons
Speaking of side buttons, this is the third and biggest change in the design. Remember I mentioned above that this is a multi-genre mouse? The extra buttons on the side contribute to this.
On the left side of the mouse, there are two buttons, as well as a third that is slightly in front of the others (almost below the left click), which is a little bigger and in a silver color. In addition to these three buttons, a fourth one is added and it looks like a switch toggle but is not. It’s a button that adds two extra clicks. One by moving the button up and one down. Thus, with one simple movement of our thumb, we have access to five different clicks. If we add both the left, the right, the click of the scroll wheel and the button under the wheel, we immediately get to 9 buttons.
All buttons are programmable via the SteelSeries Engine. In addition to their basic functions, some macros can be programmed on the side buttons, which are always useful for RPG titles. You lost some HP? Drink a potion by pressing the fourth button. Did you spot the opponents running across Olympus? Ping them with the sixth button to inform your team. Fast and efficient.
The cable material is the brand new soft microfiber mesh cable that gives you less resistance and an overall lighter feeling which makes it slide like it’s wireless.
Prism
I love the Prism lighting that sits up on the mouse back in the form of lines. Being a huge Star Wars geek myself, these particular ones remind me of Star Wars lightsabers. There is also RGB on the SteelSeries logo, as well as on the scroll wheel.
The lined prism reminds me of my Jedi days
In the SteelSeries Engine the coloring can be adjusted to suit everyone’s taste. There’s the option for all the lighting to follow the same color range or you can program each piece separately. Even in dual color. For example, the line can start from a red color and end up in yellow.
Functionality
Comfort
Its size follows the classic line of a normal mouse. Which means for my hand that’s like a shovel (thanks mom), it’s a click smaller than I’d like it to be, so that it can buckle perfectly in my palm. But I believe that it has the perfect size for the majority of gamers (both men and women).
The buttons are all positioned perfectly, and accessible without much effort. The only problem I had was with the new dual-use button, while I was trying to click up. The click down is really easy. The click itself is pretty “hard” and when you combine it with the super low weight of the mouse, the whole mouse raises up from the desk.
SteelSeries Rival 5 weighs just 85 grams. 85 grams! This is something less than the weight of a living hamster which usually weighs close to 100 grams. The weight of this model is minimal. This makes it comfortable for long gaming sessions, as well as really neat for quick moves on a mousepad (this is the one I am currently using) for no-scope headshots.
Performance
Rival’s 5 sensor is designed by PixArt and SteelSeries to outperform the competition with true 1-to-1 tracking, 18,000 CPI, 400 IPS, 40g acceleration. Also, tilt tracking technology to eliminate unwanted tracking during angled drops, tilt slams, and quick flicks.
What is 1-to-1 tracking though? It is what Pro players need and what will bring you one step closer to the competitive level. Rival’s 5 TrueMove Air sensor claims to deliver triple(!) the accuracy compared to other mice of the same category. Whether you like doing surgical moves inside the Summoner’s Rift and not miss a single skillshot. Or spray shooting with your AK-74u without emptying half the magazine on the wall. The Rival 5 is for you.
Rival’s 5 next-gen IP54 switches offer up to 80 million clicks without any issues. This amount is three times more endurance compared to other gaming mice. The switches have been upgraded with dust and water-resistant protection, to provide you with the perfect result and performance even in the most extreme conditions of use.
It bothers me more than anything when I try to click somewhere and the mouse just double-clicks because of the switches. I know you can empathize with me now that you’re reading this. And this is why Rival 5 winks to both of us.
Conclusion
The SteelSeries Rival 5 is a mouse for all kinds of games, with 9 programmable buttons, TrueMove Air sensor with 1-to-1 tracking, weights 85 grams, IP54 switches and the most beautiful RGB lighting through PrismSync at the price of 69.99 euros? Where do I order mine?
I would like to thank SteelSeries Greece for the review unit they provided us. In case you want your mouse with more holes though, check out our review for the SteelSeries AeroX 3.