SteelSeries Diablo III Mouse Review

1. Introduction2. Packaging and Bundle3. Design and Ergonomics4. Software5. Performance and Conclusion6. View All Pages

We recently took a look at a rather attractive looking Diablo III headset from SteelSeries which impressed us with the extra features it offers over the standard Siberia V2 headset.  While the most obvious differences were mainly cosmetic, there were a few hardware tweaks including a built in USB soundcard and a bundled software configuration utility.

Today we are going to look at another product in SteelSeries' Diablo III range, the Diablo III mouse. At a glance, it looks remarkably similar in form to all of SteelSeries' latest gaming mice, featuring an ambidextrous design.  Like the Diablo III headset, is also features some added eye candy which is sure to whet the appetites of Diablo III followers.

Specification

• 12 000 Frames Per Second
• 150 Inches Per Second
• 100 – 5700 Counts Per Inch
• 30 G Acceleration
• True 16-bit Data Path
• ~2mm Lift Distance
• 8 Buttons
• 2m Braided Cable

Like the Diablo III Headset that we looked at previously, the Diablo III mouse is supplied in a very high quality cardboard packet that is decorated extensively in Diablo III branding.

The front of the box acts as a door which opens to reveal the mouse within underneath a sheet of clear plastic.  This gives you a good idea of the size, shape and design of the mouse without having to remove it from the packet.

On the reverse of the box there are a couple of images showing the mouse itself and the included software package which illustrate various different features.  There is also a list of the mouse's technical specifications at the bottom.

Removing the mouse from the box is a very simple process, requiring us to slide out the inner tray after opening the top flap.  The included bundle isn't exactly plentiful but there aren't really many accessories required with a mouse.  All we find inside the box alongside the mouse are a quick start guide, a SteelSeries product catalogue and a logo sticker.

It is clear from a glance that the Diablo III Mouse shares a lot of DNA with the other gaming mice in SteelSeries' range.  It uses the same ambidextrous shape which lets the mouse perform the same irrespective of which hand you use to operate it with.  The ergonomic shape features slight alcoves in both sides which help you grip the mouse securely.  While the shape is comfortable to use with all gripping styles, we would say that it is best suited to those who adopt a palm-grip when gaming.

The aesthetic design of the Diablo III Mouse is  more exciting than the other SteelSeries mouse thanks to the extra detailing and LED lights.  Unlike the Sensei, the lighting on this mouse is restricted to red only to suit the Diablo III theme.  But, it is also significantly cheaper so we cant reasonably expect a full range of colours.

As expected, build quality is top-notch and all the materials used to make the mouse feel superb.  The mouse is finished in the same rubberised paint that features on their Xai and Kinzu mice.  This feels great in the hand and improves performance by helping you to grip the mouse securely.

One area in which we think SteelSeries have improved greatly on the Xai is the mouse wheel.  While the mouse wheel on the Xai was acceptable, it wasn't quite up to the same high standard as the rest of the mouse.  SteelSeries have replaced it with a much more chunky version which is more precise and easier to control.

There are seven other buttons on the mouse excluding the mouse-wheel and all it's functions.  These comprise of the left and right mouse buttons, browser forward and back buttons on both sides of the mouse and a DPI switch directly behind the mouse wheel.  All of these buttons are programmable through the included software with the exception of the DPI switch.

SteelSeries have chosen to extend the Diablo III theme of this mouse to the cable which features a high quality red and black cloth braid.  This should help to improve the longevity of the mouse and gives it a very quality look and feel.  The cable terminates in a gold-plated USB connector.

Inside the packaging of the mouse there is a small leaflet which instructs us to visit the SteelSeries website to download the latest version of the software for the mouse.  Installing the software is a very simple task and takes no more than five minutes including download.  The software package is the same ‘SteelSeries Engine' utility used by the Diablo III Headset so you're only required to download and install one program regardless of whether you are using one or both of the Diablo III products.

The first page of the software handles the button assignments for the mouse.  There are seven configurable buttons in total which can be assigned to a number of functions including macros and a set of pre-defined mouse functions.  If you want, you can also disable buttons altogether to prevent you accidentally activating them in game.  We have to say, the way in which SteelSeries handles button configuration in the software isn't the most intuitive and it took us a while to get the mouse set up as we wanted.

Clicking the ‘Settings' tab brings up a page which lets us adjust the sensitivity of the mouse.  There are two configurable CPI levels which can be changed on the fly by pressing the small button directly behind the mouse-wheel.  Sensitivity can be adjusted with 100 CPI increments between  100 and 5700 CPI for both levels.  There are also controls on this page which let us configure the LED lighting and set the polling rate.

On the third page of the software is labelled ‘Properties' and lets us configure the mouse to activate a certain profile when a certain program is started.  This lets us easily configure different setting profiles to optimise the mouse for different games without having to manually activate the different profiles when changing game.

The fourth and final page of the software utility is called ‘Statistics'.  This allows us to monitor various aspects of our mouse usage including lifetime clicks which gives us an idea of how much life there is left in the mouse.  SteelSeries claim that the Diablo III Mouse is good for 10 millions clicks which should provide a good few years use for even the most frequent gamers.

Performance is the key concern of most gamers when it comes to choosing an appropriate gaming mouse.  While a massive specification isn't always necessary for great performance, SteelSeries don't disappoint and have included a very high resolution 5700 CPI sensor into the Diablo III gaming mouse.  During our gaming tests this tracked flawlessly and recorded every slight movement we made with complete accuracy.

Another important aspect of the performance of a gaming mouse is weight. While some gamers prefer a reasonably weighty mouse, a lightweight model can help improve agility and facilitate a smooth glide when coupled with a high-quality gaming surface.  The Diablo III mouse is very lightweight and features three large Teflon feet on the underside.  This seems to be a winning combination as the mouse glides effortlessly and can easily be controlled with precision.

Everything considered, we are left with a very positive impression of the SteelSeries Diablo III gaming mouse.  The cosmetic differences from SteelSeries' usual ‘plain and simple' approach is quite refreshing and is sure to lure those who prefer a more exciting looking mouse.  All the usual benefits of owning a SteelSeries mouse are also present with the Diablo III as it offers great performance and top-notch build quality.

We were a little concerned that the SteelSeries Diablo III Mouse was going to be priced in a similar manner to the Diablo III headset that we reviewed recently.  This was considerably more expensive than the very similar Siberia V2 headset, making us question why anyone would really want to buy it. Thankfully, this isn't the case with the Diablo III mouse which is available for the reasonable price of £44 from Lambdatek. This makes it around £10 cheaper than the Xai, which actually has an inferior specification. We do find it hard to understand Steelseries pricing patterns at times.

As far as we can see, the only feature of the Xai which isn't present on the Diablo III mouse is the screen on the underside which allowed driverless configuration of the mouse settings.  While some gamers might find this useful, we have been using a Xai for over a year and haven't used it once!  So we think the Diablo III mouse offers great value for money for all gamers, not just those who want to play Diablo III.

Pros:

• SteelSeries build quality
• Configurable LED lighting
• Comprehensive software configuration
• Ambidextrous design
• Great performance
• Excellent value for money

Cons:

• Diablo III branding may not be to everyone's tastes

KitGuru says: An excellent mouse that offers great performance at an affordable price.

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