Review – Steel Series Sensei Mouse

Up until a week ago I was content with living my life with tiny little netbook mice. “I won’t need another mouse,” I told myself. “This mouse serves all my functions, gaming and non-gaming alike, just fine.” What an ignorant creature I once was. Once I got my hands on the SteelSeries Sensei Mouse my entire outlook changed. Now I can’t think of doing anything on my PC without this mouse by my side.

The first thing to note is just how freaking pretty this mouse is. The Sensei’s sleek silver body is simplicity in design, something I actively seek to find with some difficulty. Even rarer than the simplicity of it is the symmetry present here. I know that’s to allow it to be ambidextrous for all kinds of gamers, but it really sells the design of it well. The scroll wheel and logo light up with a range of vibrant colors that’s completely customizable to your liking. You can even control the brightness of the lights which is something I’m glad about – on the off chance I ever need to use it.

When I went to install the SteelSeries Engine program I ran into a little trouble. The mouse froze up on me while it was trying to update itself and for a good chunk of time it was completely unresponsive. On the SteelSeries website they had a FAQ that described my exact problem, but even after following the instructions the problem still persisted. Unable to find a contact number I continued to frustratingly troubleshoot a solution to this predicament. Eventually I figured it out, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say it put a sour taste in my mouth. [Editor's Note: The solution was to reset the mouse to factory settings and reinstall the software. I originally had set the mouse up on another operating system which I believe is what confused the device.]

All the problems with setup could be forgiven if the performance of the mouse could shine – and boy did it ever. The SteelSeries Engine allows you to customize all aspects of the Sensei mouse that you would need to adjust. You can make it more sensitive, accelerate quicker, and be just a tad bit more accurate. You can even adjust what the buttons do on your PC – and switch them around if you use your mouse with your left hand. Playing around with the settings it was easy to see where the benefits off all these adjustments would show off. You can save individual settings as different profiles depending on what you plan on doing with your mouse. You can even modify the lift distance for different surfaces. There are a few profiles already programmed into the mouse for Starcraft 2, Counterstrike, and League of Legends – three of the big e-sports – with the settings similar to those used by big names in e-sporting. Since I use my PC for more than gaming, I set up a profile for the Adobe products as well, and the improvements there have definitely been noticeable.

One other thing that deserves mention is the LCD screen on the bottom side of the mouse. This mouse was built with input from professional teams like Fnatic and EG, and the top e-sports players in LoL, HoN, CS, SC2, and DotA. This mouse is seriously professional grade, and the LCD really drives that point. The SteelSeries Sensei customization program allows you to upload a BMP of your team logo or name and match the lit scroll wheel and SteelSeries logo to match your team colors. Seeing the mouse in Golgotron-pink with our friend and compatriot, Golgobit, emblazoned on a superior-quality mouse gave me a warm feeling inside.

Final Call: I think that’s the selling point here; there is a major noticeable improvement in my PC functionality performance since using the Sensei mouse. It’s not just good for gaming, it’s good for all the other functions you would use on your PC. The mouse design is incredibly gorgeous and ergonomic to boot. My hand used to cramp a little if I was on my computer for too long, but after using this mouse I don’t have the same issues. The installation process was a glaring problem, in my opinion, but it’s a one-time situation that not everyone is likely to encounter. Overall my experience with the Sensei was a definite positive and I’d gladly recommend it to everyone.

Pros:

• Sleek, gorgeous and ergonomic design
• Makes for a better gaming performance
• Improves all aspect of PC functions, even outside of gaming
• The LCD screen is a great touch

Cons:

• Some installation issues will cause frustration for a little bit
• The sleek design of the mouse gets dirtied easily