Steelseries is one of the most respected names in the accessory world, so when they release a pair of high-end gaming mice, we stand up and take notice. Today, we’re reviewing a pair of their best with the Rival 650 Wireless and Rival 710. Both are refreshes of mice we’ve looked at in the past. Is it worth it to upgrade? Join us as we find out!
Specifications
- Design: Right handed
- Core Construction: Fiber Reinforced Plastic
- Sensor System: Steelseries TrueMove3
- Tracking Accuracy: 1:1
- Sensitivity: 12,000 CPI
- Maximum Speed: 350+ IPS
- Maximum Acceleration: 50G
- Polling Rate: 1000Hz (1ms)
- Buttons: 7 programmable
- Switch: Steelseries, 60-million click rated
- Finish: Black soft touch
- Cable Length: 2m/6.5ft
Rival 650
- MSRP: $119.99
- Lift-off Distance: 0.5 - 2.0mm
- Connectivity: 2.4GHz Wireless/Wired USB
- Battery Life: 24+ hours
- Fast Charge: 15 min = 10+ hours
- Lighting: 8-zone RGB
- Dimensions (mm): 124.8 (H) x 68.5 (W) x 42 (D)
- Adjustable Weight: 121g - 153g
Rival 710
- MSRP: $99.99
- Modular Design: Swappable cover plate, sensor, and cable
- Lighting: 2-zone RGB
- Dimensions (mm): 124.8 (H) x 68.5 (W) x 42 (D)
- Short Cable: non-braided, 1m/3.3ft
- Weight: 136g
)
If you haven’t read our reviews of the original Rival 600 or 700, please take a minute and give them a skim because a lot of the core features remain the same. The 650 is just as sexy as it was before and the 710 as innovative as the 700. These were both great mice and they’re only more so now.
So what’s changed? The biggest updates come to the Rival 650 Wireless with, you guessed it, high speed wireless! Like Razer and Logitech, Steelseries is officially joining the growing list of wireless mice that offer wired-like performance. Here, that means an ultra-fast 1ms response time on top of acceleration and smoothing-free tracking.
Up until the last year or so, these were features only found in wired mice. Gamers need and demand that kind of high-fidelity tracking. But, in the past, even many wired mice would lose accuracy at higher DPIs and need to resort to tactics like smoothing to mask their accuracy loss. Cut the wire and, well, you know the results. The TrueMove3 sensor, on the other hand, takes advantage of 2.4GHz wireless to deliver tracking that’s on par with the best gaming mice. The days of wireless lag are behind us. Long live wireless!
)
The 650 also includes stand-out features from the 600, like the modular weight system under each removable side panel and the dual sensor system. The first sensor covers your usual tracking but the second is dedicated just to tracking lift-off, preventing any extra movement when you tilt or pick-up your mouse. With its larger, palm-grip side and heavier weight, it’s perfect for users who like a little more substance to their mouse.
The Rival 710, on the other hand, is almost identical to the Rival 700 except that it now features the upgraded TrueMove3 sensor. I have to applaud Steelseries for going back and updating their line with the latest advancements and this was definitely a mouse worthy of keeping around a while.
)
The original Rival 700 was one of the most unique mice I’ve ever used. It features an OLED screen on the left side panel that can relay in-game information, like ammo count or health, or can be customized with custom pictures or imported GIFs. The downside, like on the original 700, is simply resolution. We’re limited to 128x38 pixels, which is tiny. You can do some neat things with it (see the PC Perspective logo above), but you’ll need to resize any still images to make sure they’re clear. Since I don’t spend much time looking at my mouse when I’m gaming, I usually just set mine to something unique and leave the gameplay integration on the side.
The other unique feature here is the haptic feedback engine. Inside the Steelseries Engine 3 software, you can program in timers with unique vibration patterns (think “touch screen” not “controller rumble”) to let you know when they’ve expired. This is a great cue for keeping track of cooldowns and frees you up from staring at action bars. The downside is that they’re limited to single button triggers. This means that you can set a timer to count down with the “1” button but not “shift+1.” In my mind, this limits their utility, at least in games with lots of skills.
)
The 710 also brings back the modularity of the 700. The rear “Rival” plate can be swapped out and Steelseries even provides 3D printing files on their site to make your own. The cable is detachable and swappable. Even the sensor is swappable with four simple screws! At the moment, there isn’t another sensor option though that’s expected to come this fall. What it is remains to be seen.
Final Thoughts
Like their predecessors, the Rival 650 Wireless and Rival 710 gaming mice are excellent options for gamers in any genre. If you own the originals, the Rival 650 Wireless makes a solid case for an upgrade by cutting the cord without sacrificing performance. The 710 is a bit harder of a sell, but if you’re coming to it fresh, it’s obviously a better option than the 700. Each offers full reprogrammability and lighting control, is tight and accurate, and feels great in the hand. More importantly, they’re priced competitively and make for a darn compelling value if you’re on the fence. I would have no problem purchasing them for myself and waste no time recommending you put them at the top of your list.
Pros
- Competitively priced
- Customizable weight on the 650 Wireless
- 650 Wireless performs flawlessly, easily competes with wired mice, and looks great doing it
- Haptic feedback is innovative and useful on Rival 710
- Each looks great, though the 650 Wireless is certainly the most eye catching
Cons
- Soft touch coating shows oils easily
- Utility of haptic feedback is limited by single-key triggers
The products discussed in this article were provided by the manufacturer for the purposes of review.
