Page 3 - Subjective Performance Tests
After installing and properly configuring the SteelSeries Rival 650 Wireless to my liking using the software, I put the mouse through our series of standard tracking performance tests. This includes normal office usage in the Windows environment as well as gaming within first person shooter games such as Counter-Strike: Source. Graphics work is done in addition to the regular office usage with Adobe Photoshop CS6. Mousing surfaces used includes the Func F-Series 10 L and XTracGear Ripper XXL. Please note these are subjective tests, but we attempt to make it as objective as possible with our cross-reference testing methods.
Personally, when I use my mouse, I prefer to establish a palm grip rather than a claw grip. This means I prefer to cover the whole mouse with the palms of my hands, therefore a comfortable ergonomic fit is a priority. The SteelSeries Rival 650 Wireless, being designed for users like me in mind, is perfect for the occasion. For those who like claw grips or semi-claw-palm-hybrid grips, the Rival 650 Wireless will also accommodate you well. Furthermore, this mouse is good for a wide variety of games, since its weight and the distribution of weight can be customized to an extent. This, in conjunction with its wide sensitivity sensor -- 100 CPI to 12,000 CPI in 100 CPI increments -- caters perfectly to pretty much all the different scenarios and game play strategies gamers will encounter in the real world. The fact is, dipping as low as 100 CPI is not something you will see every day, nor is the 12,000 CPI maxima in 100 CPI increments. I am not entirely sure why anyone would need something that nauseatingly sensitive, but hey, it is there for those who want it.
During usage, I have never accidentally pressed any buttons I did not intend to click. Obviously, there is not a whole lot of buttons on the SteelSeries Rival 650 Wireless, but at the same time, this is only made possible considering the few that are there are very well placed in the first place. At the same time, any feature I need is always well within reach, so props to SteelSeries for coming up with great placements. I am also a fan of the soft touch finish. The SteelSeries Rival 650 Wireless is very comfortable to use and always grip well in my hand.
The primary purpose of SteelSeries' Rival 650 Wireless is intended for the performance enthusiast crowd. It is intended for gaming, but this does not exclude graphic professionals and office users demanding the edge in tracking precision. Unlike some gaming-oriented products, I found the SteelSeries Rival 650 Wireless to be excellent for both everyday office work in addition to performance demanding applications. The TrueMove3+ sensor, being based on the PMW3360, is considered to be one of the best, if not the best, sensors in the market today, and you can definitely see why with this mouse. The sense of control and the smoothness of its glide over all tested tracking surfaces was excellent, and the pointer goes exactly where I want it to go combined with the precision I want. I noticed no tracking problems with the SteelSeries Rival 650 Wireless on all surfaces I have tested it on, and the wireless connection was lag-free and reliable from my experience. The extremely low lift off distance was also excellent for gaming, and thanks to the dedicated depth sensor, it is customizable to your liking.
At 1000Hz polling rate with the optical sensor, the Rival 650 Wireless is incredibly precise and quick responding, just as we would expect from a performance gaming product. Its relatively lightweight build for a wireless mouse and excellent grip only enhances the capability of the electronics. No input lag was noticed; response time was consistently excellent from the lowest sensitivity setting all the way to its upper 12,000 CPI limit. Although sensitivity range is not a direct indicator of performance, like how resolution is not a direct indicator of digital camera performance, its incredible precision was sustained across the entire sensitivity range. I noticed no real jitter even at the highest resolution. There was no autocorrection as well.
The rated battery life of the SteelSeries Rival 650 Wireless is 24 hours. Depending on how you count idle time and usage time as well as the configuration of your LEDs, your mileage will vary. From my experience, the battery life is quite reasonable for a high-performance product and the quick charge function works well. It is unlikely you will unexpectedly run out of juice with this mouse, and if you ever do, using it in wired mode for ten minutes will get you back on the road for another ten hours.
The SteelSeries Rival 650 Wireless is highly customizable wireless mouse for users desiring wide tracking resolution, maximum responsiveness, lag free performance, and razor-sharp handling characteristics. It glides very smoothly thanks to its PTFE feet too. This is everything you can expect from a gaming product, and needless to say, this mouse is my new daily driver.
Page Index
1. Introduction, Packaging, Specifications
2. A Closer Look - Hardware and Software
3. Subjective Performance Tests
4. Conclusion
