When it comes to gaming mice, one of the more interesting versions, to me anyway, are the ones that go further into that “gamer” arena than most. They usually pack extra RGB into their housing as well as a few extra programmable buttons to ensure that you’re always just a button press away from that game-winning click. SteelSeries’ Rival 5 gaming mouse does just that and yet manages to be a very effective and worthy gaming mouse with little hangups.

What’s In The Box

As with most SteelSeries products these days, the Rival 5 doesn't include any bells or whistles along with it inside the signature clean-trimmed box. You simply have the mouse and its instructions to get you going. As per usual, the mouse plugs in and gets running very easily, especially if you already have the SteelSeries Engine app installed on your computer.

Aesthetics and Build Quality

This is honestly one of my favorite looking gaming mice that SteelSeries has put out. Not only is the RGB illumination superb, but the cutout designs for it to shine through just look absolutely fresh. When using the Audio Visualizer app, seeing the long lines bounce to the music makes it look like an absolute beast of a mouse. I also like the silver touch of color on the thumb button located on the side of the mouse. It gives it just a touch of something different, though doesn’t feel like an eyesore.

This mouse is substantially bigger than some of the mice I’ve tried from SteelSeries over the past few years but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. This is a pretty sturdy mouse, with a nice bit of weight to it as well. Though I wouldn’t say it’s heavy. For its size, I’m actually pretty impressed and happy with just how light it is compared to others I’ve used in this size range, weighing only 85g.

Specs and Features

You always know that when you buy a SteelSeries gaming peripheral, that it comes with the added aspects of personalization. The Rival 5 is no exception, with multiple lighting areas to play around with to create your own original designs. It’s easy to use and admittedly very fun to sink time into. The other apps like Audio Visualizer and PrismSync are just another reason to have a desk full of SteelSeries peripherals to sync together.

Gameplay

Another area that SteelSeries does consistently right when it comes to customization is in its button mapping. Well with the Rival 5, that’s extremely evident. You have a couple more buttons than the average gaming mouse for which you can map to your heart’s desire.

Keeping in mind that this mouse is a bit on the bigger side, I found that the two additional buttons were easy enough to press. And yet I still wish they were placed in easier-to-reach orientation to where my hand lands on the mouse. Though I never felt uncomfortable using it as it’s an extremely comforting design that fits my hand very nicely.

The gameplay itself is just what I’ve come to expect from SteelSeries’ gaming mice; perfection. With its TruMove Air Sensor and Next-Gen Golden Micro IP54 Switches, reaction time is as on-point as ever. Even as a wired mouse, I never had issues with the cable getting caught or pulling the mouse away from me.Another area I really liked about the Rival 5 is its thumb-rest area. It just concaves very well to my thumb and is something I wish was implemented into more mouse designs.

What It Could Have Done Better

My single complaint about the Rival 5 is that I personally find its design a bit too large overall. It’s not uncomfortably big or over-cumbersome but I do feel that a lot of gamers would agree with me in wishing it were just a bit smaller. The extra two buttons just slightly fall out of my reach and it’s something I wish wasn’t the case as it’s a near-perfect piece of gear.

Verdict

You can’t go wrong with the Rival 5 if what you’re looking for is fantastic gameplay, beautiful aesthetics, and a couple of extra buttons to play around with. The only thing that dings its existence is that it’s ever so slightly on the large side. For me, it was a comfortable experience as someone with medium to large-sized hands. I’d overwhelmingly recommend this if you’re someone who fits within the demographic as it’s a stellar addition to any setup. It also doesn’t break the bank which is another reason to give it a glance.