SteelSeries will release the Rival Pro and Sensei Pro, two new wireless gaming mice, on October 13th for $179.99 each. The Rival Pro uses an ergonomic shape, while the Sensei Pro is ambidextrous. Both are available for preorder now. SteelSeries is also launching miniature versions of both form factors that weigh four grams less and carry the same price.
The new mice weigh 53 grams each in black, with the white versions coming in one gram heavier. They include two features SteelSeries has used in other product categories: swappable batteries and a wireless base station that the mice pair with. The circular batteries lock and unlock in place in both the mouse and the station, and the station can hold a spare battery on a charge.
Battery life depends on the polling rate. Each battery is rated for 16 hours at an 8,000Hz polling rate, a figure that required roughly six battery swaps during a few weeks of testing. Dropping the polling rate to 1,000Hz extends each battery to 60 hours.
Rather than the 2.4GHz band used by most wireless gaming accessories, the mice communicate with their base station over ultra-wideband between 6.4GHz and 9.056GHz. According to SteelSeries, that spectrum is less crowded by nearby consumer electronics, providing 20 times the bandwidth and lower latency, which the company uses to deliver high polling rates more consistently than other brands.
The launch coincides with new features in the GG companion app. SuperSync separates click polling from sensor polling, so a user could run 8,000Hz click reporting alongside 4,000Hz sensor reporting. SteelSeries says the split reduces the load on a computer's CPU at 8,000Hz and may help in games that have trouble with high polling rates. Smart DPI automatically changes sensitivity when a player moves between gameplay and menus, slowing for menu selections and returning to the preferred setting when play resumes.
GG is also now available as a browser-based web app in Chrome or Edge instead of only as a download. The web version has fewer features but can install firmware updates and adjust simple settings.
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