SteelSeries has debuted its Rival 5 wired, right-handed gaming mouse that is available right now for $59.99. From a distance, the Rival 5 looks similar to the modular Rival 600, but this is a simpler and slightly more ergonomically friendly mouse. The overall shape of the device seems to have a softer curve, making it fit a little more comfortably for palm or fingertip grip users.
This mouse offers plenty of controls, starting with the primary mouse buttons, an RGB-backlit scroll wheel, and a DPI switcher. Two thumb buttons are near the concave thumb rest; they’re flanked by an interesting toggle bar that can be customized using SteelSeries’ software to execute an in-game command when you tilt it right or left. In addition, there’s a silver-colored side button that, in my brief testing, felt easy to reach and feel for in games. SteelSeries says this selection of buttons makes it adept for multiple gaming genres.
The Rival 5 weighs 85 grams and features the company’s TrueMove Air optical sensor — the same one found in 2020’s SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless and the Rival 3 Wireless. It’s also getting the main mouse switches that have an IP54 rating to protect against some water and dust; the company claims these can last for 80 million clicks.
At $59.99, this seems like a good, budget-friendly option for people looking for a versatile mouse. We’ll be testing it more in the near future to see how it compares to the best gaming mice of 2021.
