INTRODUCTION

   For most consumers wireless mice are directly linked to signal issues and battery life and although as mentioned in previous reviews technology has advanced to a point where these don't stand out nearly as much most models still can't compare with their wired competition. For gamers however things become even more complicated since response times, tracking performance, battery life and even looks need to be on a whole different level compared to what casual consumers are looking for. SteelSeries may have a near perfect track record when it comes to wireless gaming peripherals but it's been many years since they last released a wireless gaming mouse so when they announced the RIVAL 650 Wireless late last year we put in a sample request (did take a while for it to reach our lab however) and after almost two full months of testing we can finally release our review.

   SteelSeries is a leader in gaming peripherals focused on quality, innovation and functionality, and the fastest growing major PC gaming headset brand in the US. Founded in 2001, SteelSeries improves performance through first-to-market innovations and technologies that enable gamers to play harder, train longer, and rise to the challenge. SteelSeries is a pioneer supporter of competitive gaming tournaments and eSports and connects gamers to each other, fostering a sense of community and purpose. SteelSeries’ team of professional and gaming enthusiasts help design and craft every single accessory and are the driving force behind the company.

   The RIVAL 650 Wireless Gaming Mouse is built around the state of the art TrueMove3+ dual sensor system developed by SteelSeries which consists from the primary optical sensor manufactured by Pixart (12000CPI/350IPS/50G/zero hardware acceleration) and a secondary optical depth sensor used exclusively to track lift-off distance. As for its wireless capabilities SteelSeries has used their very own quantum wireless 2.4GHz lag-free system with 1000Hz (1ms) polling rate for incredibly low latency and a strong, consistent wireless connection. The RIVAL 650 Wireless also features 7 programmable buttons (60 million clicks for the primary ones), lithium-ion rechargeable battery pack that gives it over 24 hours of life, fast charging (over 10 hours of battery life with just 15 minutes of recharge), 32-bit ARM processor, innovative customizable side-load weight system (256 different weight combinations), fiber-reinforced rubber coated plastic body (ergonomic - right handed), 8-zone RGB lighting (4 modes/effects) and a 2 meter long detachable rubber coated cable.

SPECIFICATIONS AND FEATURES

PACKAGING AND CONTENTS

SteelSeries uses a box that has a product picture at the front right next to their logo and the main product features.

Another product picture is placed on the left side of the box while on the right side we find the product specifications and bundle contents.

The product serial and part numbers and barcodes are all printed on a sticker located at the base of the box.

Yet another product picture is located at the rear of the box and is used to showcase the three main features in 5 different languages.

A few words by SteelSeries with the "good luck, have fun" acronym at the end await you once you remove the exterior box.

The RIVAL 650 Wireless is placed inside a formed piece of plastic while the rest of the bundle is placed inside a small cardboard box.

Contained inside the box are the RIVAL 650 Wireless Gaming Mouse, USB wireless transmitter, extension adapter, 2 meter long USB data/charging cable, rubber weight case, eight 4-gram weights and the product information guide.

THE RIVAL 650 WIRELESS

The 121g heavy fiber-reinforced rubber coated plastic body of the RIVAL 650 Wireless measures 131mm in length, 69mm in width (widest end) and 43mm in height (highest end).

3 programmable buttons are located on the left side right over a rubberized grip area.

As usual the SteelSeries logo is located at the rear.

Two rubberized areas are located on the right side of the mouse right beneath yet another light bar.

A single CPI toggle button is located at the top.

The clickable scroll wheel is rubberized and among the most silent ones we've used to date.

Right beneath the scroll wheel we find the micro USB port for the 2 meter long detachable cable.

Turning the mouse over we see 3 PTFE feet, the TrueMove3+ dual optical sensor system and the on/off and connect buttons.

To access the customizable weight system, you just need to pull both sides of the mouse (held in place via magnets).

There are 4 weight mounts on each side.

The eight 4g weights are placed inside the rubber case contained in the bundle.

By adding all available weights, the weight of the Rival 650 Wireless climbs up to 153g.

The quantum wireless 2.4GHz USB dongle is bundled with an extension adapter which can be used with the 2 meter long cable.

Both plugs of the 2 meter long cable are plain (not gold plated).

ENGINE 3 SOFTWARE

To download the latest version of the Engine 3 control software you will need to visit the official SteelSeries support/downloads page as seen above.

Once you download and install the software it will automatically check for new firmware updates and if there are any it will notify you (wired connectivity required for the update).

The SteelSeries Engine 3 is one of the most thorough and yet easy to use software control panels in the market. From here you can program any of the 7 available buttons, set the sensitivity (CPI) levels and lift-off distance, adjust sensor acceleration and deceleration, enable/disable angle snapping, set the polling rate, adjust the sleep timer, create macros and of course configure the RGB illumination for all of the 8 available zones.

Here we've placed some of the available colors one can use with the RIVAL 650 Wireless.

CONCLUSION

   The RIVAL 650 Wireless Gaming Mouse is basically the wireless version of the very good RIVAL 600 model which we reviewed early last year. Both mice have the same set of features and the same specifications, minus of course the wireless connectivity and li-ion rechargeable battery pack of the former. Surprisingly enough even though the RIVAL 650 is a wireless model it’s just as good as the RIVAL 600 in terms of response times and tracking performance (although a professional eSports player could say otherwise) and as for battery life well we weren’t able to surpass 24 hours as per what SteelSeries states but we did surpass 22 which is not bad at all (especially considering that the brand new IronClaw RGB Wireless by CORSAIR hits 16 hours with its 2.4GHz technology). As for its illumination system well 8 RGB zones is a bit too much (too small to notice I guess) and although it does look great, we have seen more impressive ones (if that’s what you’re looking for in a mice) alas not with wireless models.

   Even though at the time of our review the RIVAL 650 Wireless already counts 5 full months in the market it still retails for USD119.99 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for 104.59Euros inside the EU (Amazon.de). On the other hand, however the RIVAL 650 is still more affordable compared to some other wireless models (like the far less impressive G-Pro by Logitech) so there’s also that to consider. Overall the RIVAL 650 Wireless may not be as impressive as was the case with the RIVAL 600 when it was released well over a year ago but it’s just as good (not to mention wireless) and that’s why it’s certainly worth our Golden Award.

PROS

- Build Quality (Primary Buttons / 60 Million Clicks)
- Design
- Excellent Grip
- Extremely Fast And Accurate (TrueMove3 & Depth Sensors)
- 2.4GHz Quantum Wireless System (1ms)
- Battery Life (24+ Hours)
- RGB Lighting (8 Zones / 4 Effects)
- Innovative Weight System
- Detachable Cable
- Engine 3 Software

CONS

- Price (For Some)
- Right Handed Only