SteelSeries Rival Pro: huge 2-battery hot-swap upgrade
SteelSeries announced the SteelSeries Rival Pro and Sensei Pro gaming mice on Sept. 29, featuring an Infinite Power System with two hot-swappable batteries that let gamers keep playing without plugging in. The feature mirrors the hot-swappable battery setup already in the company’s Arctis Nova Pro headset.
Both mice cost $179.99 and launch Oct. 13, with pre-orders open now, Dexerto reported. Each comes in full-size and Mini versions, in black or white.
How the SteelSeries Rival Pro battery system works
The two included batteries swap out without plugging the mouse in. One powers the mouse while the other charges outside it, so gamers can keep playing uninterrupted. At the maximum 8,000 Hz polling rate, each battery lasts up to 16 hours per charge. Dropping the polling rate to 1,000 Hz extends battery life to 60 hours per battery — a combined 120 hours from the pair.
The system solves a core problem with wireless mice: higher polling rates consume more power. The Sensei Pro and SteelSeries Rival Pro send position data 8,000 times per second at top speed, and the spare battery keeps that pace going without a trip to the charging cable.
Specs and wireless technology
Both mice ditch standard 2.4 GHz wireless for Ultra-Wideband (UWB), which operates from 6.4 GHz to 9.056 GHz and provides around 20 times the bandwidth, according to SteelSeries. The company says UWB reduces interference from other devices and allows simultaneous multichannel operation.
The new TrueMove 42K optical sensor tracks up to 800 IPS and 70G acceleration, with Max Performance Mode capturing 20,000 frames per second. Optical switches are rated for 100 million clicks, and SteelSeries claims click latency as low as 0.35 milliseconds. Customization options through SteelSeries GG include adjustable lift-off distance, Rotation Control, Scroll Jump Protection and a 3D Aim Trainer.
Design
The Sensei Pro has a symmetrical design that rises slightly toward the rear, while the SteelSeries Rival Pro uses an ergonomic slope. PC Gamer found both mice rock-solid in hand, with no flex or wiggle, though its reviewer called the scroll wheel a bit mushy. Neither mouse has a USB port, so they can’t be plugged in at all — power comes only from the swappable batteries.
At $179.99, the pair sits at the premium end of the market, alongside other high-end gaming hardware.
Reporting from Dexerto and PC Gamer contributed to this story.
Featured image: Photo: Kent Madsen / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)