SteelSeries Promises To ‘Reinvent’ MMO/MOBA Gaming Mice With New Rival 500

It’s sometimes hard to choose between one gaming mouse and another when you’re in the market for one. That could even apply to the same vendor; it’s inevitable that multiple models are going to be so similar that figuring out which is actually best (for you) will be a little tedious. Well, that problem shouldn’t exist within SteelSeries’ Rival series, as the four models available right now are quite a bit different from one another. A great thing, actually, since finding the “right” one shouldn’t prove that difficult.

Considering the fact that the Rival 100, Rival 300, and Rival 700 have already been made available, it’s not too hard to figure out where the Rival 500 falls into the lineup. It’s set to cost $79.99 (USD), which is $20 less than the full-blown Rival 700, which boasts a flagship feature of an OLED screen.

SteelSeries says that the Rival 500 is best-suited for MOBA and MMO gamers. It has an optical sensor that can process 300 inches-per-second, for a total CPI of 16,000. Like the Rival 300 and 700, the Rival 500 features double-shot injected rubber sides for improved control over the mouse (which should help with regards to clenching it with your sweaty meatpaws).

All of the Rival mice fall a tad short of the Sensei models in that they only have 2 RGB zones (versus 3), but that still bests the Rival 100, which has just 1.

So what on Earth sets the Rival 500 truly apart from the others? The fact that it has 17 buttons. That’s 9 more than the Sensei and Sensei Wireless, and 10 more than the Rival 700. MMO and MOBA gamers have a lot to control, so it goes without saying that this mouse could prove a boon to your gameplay.

If you’re interested in scoring the Rival 500, it won’t be too hard. You can just head over to the official product page and click on “Preorder”. If you purchase through SteelSeries direct, you can get free 3-5 day shipping – not bad!