SteelSeries Prime Wireless Pro Series Gaming Mouse

Reviews
SteelSeries Prime Wireless Pro Series Gaming Mouse

The new Steelseries Prime Wireless gaming mouse is appealing in that it is reminiscent of the Razer Viper Ultimate. Designed to become one with the palm of your hand, this no-frills, high-performance machine will allow you to become the FPS god you've always dreamed of. This $139 mouse is part of Steelseries' Prime lineup of esports-focused peripherals, which falls somewhere between the less expensive wired Prime and the OLED-equipped Prime+.

Interestingly, you can't tell just by looking at it. I was taught from an early age that one should never judge a book by its cover, or in this case, a mouse by its casing, and while the Prime may not look like much on the outside, it certainly wins in terms of ergonomics and performance, even if it won't win any beauty awards. The moment I held it in my hands, I knew there was something special about it.

The Prime Wireless immediately felt like it was designed just for my specific hand, and Steelseries says they worked with several esports pros to develop the right shape and weight to feel like an extension of my arm. For once, the product lives up to its hype: the Prime Wireless is designed for right-handed users, especially those who grab the mouse with their fingernails or fingertips. The entire mouse is gently sloped toward the right, so it feels as if it is wrapped in the palm of your hand.

The body is made of micro-textured ABS plastic with a matte finish that is both slippery and grippy; at 80 g, it is slightly heavier than the Viper Ultimate, but hardly heavy. The thumbwell curves inward, and the mouse buttons are higher toward the index finger and taper off under the middle finger. This subtle tilt makes the buttons easier to click. The thumb buttons are positioned slightly above where the thumb rests, so there is little travel to reach the buttons. It would have been nice if they were a little more forward so that one did not have to bend the thumb to press the rear buttons, but it is bearable.

The scroll wheel has a solid rubber finish that provides enough grip to scroll through long web pages and has a medium amount of resistance that is noticeable but does not tire the fingers. It is also the only mouse with RGB lighting. It's vibrant and reminds us that this is indeed a gaming peripheral. Of course, you can adjust the lighting with the new Steelseries GG software, but I turned it off in favor of battery life.

Speaking of which, the Prime Wireless has a built-in rechargeable battery that can last 100 hours on a single charge. On average, this means more than a week of use. It should be noted, however, that this number is only achievable when the mouse is operated in high-performance mode, and some settings, such as RGB, are toned down to save power. If you are playing games, keeping it in performance mode will save a lot of battery power.

Thankfully, charging the Prime Wireless is a breeze thanks to its convenient fast-charging feature, allowing for 40 hours of play time on just a 15-minute charge. Power is provided via USB Type-C, which is a bit annoying since the mouse's port will not work with older cable leads.

When it comes to gaming, the Prime Wireless is just plain fun to use. The mouse glides effortlessly thanks to its lightweight, large PTFE skates, and the TrueMove Air 18000 CPI optical sensor and 1000 Hz polling rate make 1-1 tracking precise and snappy. to access the bottom button, which is not ideal in the middle of a fight.

The main clicker at the top uses the proprietary Prestige OM magnetic switch, a combination of magnet and laser that operates at "quantum speed" to provide satisfactory response. The buttons are completely free of any wobble or sideways movement, feel solid, are built to last longer than most, and can be clicked over 100 million times.

Quantum 2.0 Wireless is provided via a slim USB Type-C dongle. If your machine does not have a Type-C port, don't worry, Steelseries includes a Type-A adapter; Quantum Wireless uses a unique dual-channel system that allows the mouse to stay connected even if one channel is interrupted Prime showed no perceptible delay at all, except when using the ultra-efficient mode.

We didn't expect to like Steelseries' Prime Wireless, but it is very comfortable to use for both work and gaming. Input lag was no problem, and honestly, wireless these days is almost indistinguishable from wired. The battery life is good, and the fast charging is something that all wireless peripherals should have. The Prime Wireless is expensive at $139, but it is a quality mouse that serves well enough.

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