SteelSeries Rival 3 Wireless Review

The SteelSeries Rival 3 Wireless provides gamers on a budget (currently $89AUD) with extraordinary value for money that boasts the TrueMove Air optical sensor that is capable of tracking up to 18,000 CPI (Counts Per Inch) with pixel-perfect precision. It offers dual connectivity options via 2.4 GHz Quantum Wireless for flawless latency or Bluetooth for seamless device pairing.

Additionally, it boasts up to 200 hours of battery life on a single AAA cell when using the dongle or up to 400+ hours over Bluetooth. It includes PrismSync RGB lighting for synchronised customisable effects, a robust matte plastic shell that feels solid and scratch resistant plus a detachable top plate that exposes dual AAA battery slots and a discreet USB dongle storage compartment. It’s also quite lightweight at just 106g with two batteries or 96g with one battery.

Box Contents

Unboxing Gallery

Under the hood, the Rival 3 Wireless houses its SteelSeries TrueMove Air sensor technology that tracks up to 18,000 CPI with pixel-perfect precision and delivers consistent performance at speeds of up to 400 inches per second. Should you care about maximising battery life, you can run on a single battery in high-efficiency mode to achieve up to 200 hours of gameplay on the dongle or up to 400+ hours when paired over Bluetooth, underlining the mouse’s remarkable endurance.

And while the lack of onboard memory for macro profiles may disappoint those who move between multiple machines without installing SteelSeries Engine software, the companion app does allow extensive button remapping and lighting customisation, as well as power-saving tweaks and cloud synchronisation so that your preferred settings always follow you. All this comes at a very affordable price that undercuts many premium wireless gaming mice, making the Rival 3 Wireless a compelling choice for budget-conscious gamers who favour reliability and battery endurance, even if it may not satisfy those seeking an ultra-light form factor or a shape optimised for palm-gripping. With that in mind, I found the SteelSeries Rival 3 Wireless super comfortable.

Whether I was firing my last two rounds of the GS45 handgun in Call of Duty Black Ops 6 or taking down the treacherous Kreed Maykr with my Plasma Rifle in Doom: The Dark Ages, the Rival 3 performed exceptionally well and registered my shots immediately. Additionally using the mouse for surfing the net, tweaking images in Adobe Photoshop or just general Windows usage, this mouse was fast and more importantly super accurate.

Final thoughts?

In the realm of budget wireless gaming mice, the SteelSeries Rival 3 Wireless truly distinguishes itself through a combination of features rarely seen at this price point. It starts with the TrueMove Air sensor that delivers pixel-perfect precision even at high speeds, combined with dual connectivity options via 2.4 GHz Quantum wireless or Bluetooth that provide gamers with both imperceptible latency and device flexibility.

Further, it offers an insane battery life of up to 200 hours via the dongle or up to 400+ hours on Bluetooth, all housed in a durable ergonomic shell with a clever detachable top plate that grants easy access to replaceable batteries and integrated USB dongle storage, ensuring you can game without interruption. It also looks the part as a gamer mouse and it comes in four colours to suit your system that include black, white, aqua and lavender.