Is SteelSeries’ New Colorful Wireless Mouse Worth Your Money Despite Its Low Price?

Okay, so here goes nothing. You ever notice how your mouse—yeah, that thing you click all day—somehow ends up being like the unsung hero of your gaming rig? Seriously, who knew? Anyway, sorry to sidetrack, but I just had to mention that.

Let’s talk about the SteelSeries Rival 3 (Gen 2) Wireless. SteelSeries is all, “Hey, give this one a shot,” so I did. It’s like, why not, right? Especially since it claims to give you a bang for your buck performance-wise without bleeding your wallet dry. But here’s the kicker, they’ve thrown in some surprises.

So, picture this: Bluetooth connectivity in a budget-friendly wireless mouse. I know, right? It doesn’t just stop there. There are fun colors too! No more snooze-fest blacks and greys. Imagine a sea of purple or blue instead. Do we need that? Maybe, maybe not. But it sure beats staring at plain old monochrome.

Oh, by the way, it’s just $54.99 on Amazon. Seen it even dip to $55 sometimes. Just saying!

Now, why should you trust me? Simple. I’ve spent more hours with a mouse in my hand than I’d care to admit. Trust me, sometimes I wonder too.

Anyway, SteelSeries sent me a review sample—no strings attached though—which is super cool. They had no say in what I’m about to spill here.

So, what’s the deal with this Rival 3 Wireless? For starters, it’s up at $34.99 for the basics over at SteelSeries. But the wireless bells and whistles bring it up to $59.99 with a choice of colors. And yep, you can snag it at Best Buy or Amazon for the same dough.

In terms of specs, it’s packing a TrueMove Air Sensor with an 18,000 DPI. Fancy numbers, right? It’s got this symmetrical design too, alright for right-handed peeps mostly. And oh, two AAA batteries included right out of the box. Pretty sweet, though not for long—I mean batteries, so you might need more down the road.

Now, the fun stuff—what I dig about this mouse. The colors! Finally, some life injected into gadgets. Then, the build feels solid, no wonky flexing. Seams are tight, like my aunt’s purse strings, and overall, it’s just sturdy. This one leans toward users who like a compact shape.

On the performance side, sure, it’s not a beast, but it gets the job done. The sensor feels precise, and gaming felt smooth, minus stutters, unless it’s waking from sleep. And that software? SteelSeries GG Engine? A bit unexpected for this range. Loads of customizations. You can tweak a lot—like a real lot, maybe even too much. But hey, options are good, right?

But here’s the rub—nothing is perfect. Batteries are disposable, adding weight. They do throw in a garage for the dongle in the mouse’s belly though. Handy but… yeah, disposable batteries. Gotta love them… or not.

Honestly, the scroll wheel doesn’t scream quality. Side buttons could use a little finesse too. I’m nitpicking now, but hey, if you’re shelling out dough, might as well know, right? Competitors like Razer Viper V3 HyperSpeed might tempt you, and for a little more cash—or sometimes the same during sales—you get more oomph.

In the end, if you’re in the market for a budget-friendly wireless mouse that doesn’t skimp on spunk and offers solid enough performance, this isn’t a bad pick. Plus, it’s a cheerleader for color in a rather drab tech world. That gets my vote any day.