How well this works is a testimony to the research that SteelSeries has done on mouse ergonomics and how gamers actually use their pointing devices. The Rival 500 applies these textures very subtly, but the use of these tactile cues will definitely help ease what can be a frustrating transition to a new control device. SteelSeries has used different surface textures to help gamers identify, almost subconsciously, the parts of the mouse they can press and those they can hold. As your thumb is also generally needed to hold the mouse in a pincer grip, in the center of this five button cluster is a solid rubberised area where your thumb can rest between presses. If, however, this doesn’t suit you -you may find it ends up causing you to press unintentionally -there is a lock underneath that fixes these two buttons in position. The lowest of these two being sculpted to be actioned by a very natural thumb movement. The most useful buttons are those positioned where your thumb would normally rest. The Rival 500 has no less than 15 of them, along with the scroll wheel – all, as you might reasonably expect at this price, user-programmable on a per-title basis.

SteelSeries is targeting the MOBA/MMO gamers with this design, as it combines extraordinary precision with an amazing selection of extra buttons.

Steelseries rival 500