The SteelSeries Prime series was developed in collaboration with esports players, in particular, the shape, weight and functionality of the mouse are optimized taking into account their professional requirements. It is always much more interesting to get acquainted with such models, and I also got the wireless version SteelSeries Prime Wireless.
Specifications
- Number of buttons: 5.
- Sensor: SteelSeries TrueMove Air, optical.
- Polling rate: 1000 Hz.
- Sensor resolution: up to 18,000 CPI.
- Speed: 400 inches / s.
- Switches: Magnetic Optical SteelSeries Prestige OM, 100 million clicks.
- Body materials: hard textured plastic and ABS plastic.
- Backlight: RGB wheel.
- Connection: wireless via USB transmitter, wired.
- Cable: Detachable USB-C Braided Cloth, 2m.
- Dimensions: 125.3 x 59 x 23 mm.
- Weight without cable: 80 grams.
Appearance and ergonomics
The proportions of the Prime Wireless look very unusual due to the shortened main keys and atypical lines at the back. This, along with the ergonomic grooves on the sides and sag in the center, optimizes grip. The mouse is equally comfortable to hold with claws, fingers and palm.
SteelSeries handwriting is unmistakable. First of all, this is the merit of branded hard plastic with a light rough texture. It has a distinctive grayish tint found only on SteelSeries. The buttons are made of ABS plastic, there are no rubberized inserts. This has a beneficial effect on the weight: the rather large wireless mouse weighs only 80 grams. The lightness is offset by the lack of rubber pads. The materials are pleasant to the touch and have no wear problems.
RGB LEDs do not affect playability, but they add weight to the design. Therefore, on SteelSeries Prime Wireless, only the scroll wheel is illuminated. At the same time, the diodes play the role of an indicator – they notify about DPI switching.
Iron and performance
The SteelSeries Prime family debuts Prestige OM (Optical Magnetic) switches with a fundamentally different design compared to conventional monoblock switches. The structure consists of a pin-like spring, a magnet and an optical sensor. In the initial position, the spring is attracted by a magnet. When you press the key, it is necessary to overcome this force, after which the spring will lower and interrupt the optical beam – the actuation will be recorded. After releasing, the magnet will “help” the spring to return to its original position.
Fundamental changes affected consumer properties. The switches feel very resilient, with minimal pre-click and post-click travel and well spring-loaded. The click when triggered is muffled, one might say stately.
The pusher in the button is metal, the spring is large, the optical sensor excludes mechanical contact and does not need a delay for contact bounce. All this has a positive effect on the Prestige OM resource – the guaranteed number of clicks is equal to 100 million. Moreover, the kinematics of the switches will not degrade with wear, as is the case with monoblocks.
The two side buttons are based on Kailh mechanical switches and have completely standard features. The wheel has a clear stepped stroke without backlash and medium pressing force.
The sensor is replaced by the familiar optical SteelSeries TrueMove Air with a resolution of 18,000 CPI. A one-to-one value equates to the usual DPI. No complaints about accuracy, the speed reaches 400 inches per second, subject to the use of proprietary QcK mats, and the maximum readable acceleration is 40G. Three Teflon feet and a frame around the wheel made of the same material are responsible for sliding.
Connection and autonomy
I tested the wireless version of Prime Wireless with its own 2.4GHz transmitter. The quality of the radio channel is comparable to a wire – the refresh rate reaches 1000 Hz without any interruptions or twitching. Waking up from sleep takes half a second and does not require pressing a button – you just need to move the mouse. The sleep mode timeout is configurable from 30 seconds to 20 minutes and can be disabled altogether. The USB-C transmitter has an unusual format that resembles a USB flash drive in size. When used in tandem with a stationary PC, this does not interfere in any way. It is inconvenient to carry Prime Wireless for a laptop all the time: there is no room for the receiver in the case, it will not work to connect it to USB-C either, since the connector is recessed.
The adapter and standard cable will help to bring the transmitter to the table closer to the mouse to combat interference.
The battery life reaches 100 hours. When connected, the Prime Wireless not only charges, but also transforms into a wired mouse. The standard wire is 2 meters long and hidden in a fabric braid.
It’s better not to lose the cable, since it’s not easy to find an alternative – the USB-C connector is noticeably recessed into the case.
SteelSeries Engine Utility
One application controls all SteelSeries peripherals. In the case of Prime Wireless, the settings are divided into two tabs. The first one gives the opportunity to configure the sensor and reassign any keys, except for the DPI on the bottom of the case. Actions can be performed when pressed or released, it is possible to configure multiple repetitions when held. A full set of settings is available for the sensor, I will separately note the highly efficient mode, which automatically selects the polling rate and timeout for dimming the backlight to save battery power. There is support for profiles with the ability to bind to the desired games and applications.
There is only one illumination zone – a small wheel. However, SteelSeries offers three effects at once: static glow, smoothly changing colors ColorShift and breathing mode. Only the reactive mode is lacking, and a small glow zone cannot give a larger one. The backlight dims on a timer and turns off completely with the transition to sleep mode.
The branded software is available for Windows or macOS and is a kind of social network with a brand news aggregator and Moments service to save the best moments of the game. The quality of Russification outside the Engine is lame. The total memory consumption of the two background processes does not exceed 70 MB, there are no problems with wasteful resource use.
Feedback after a month of use
Creating devices in partnership with professionals who know exactly what is best from their own experience is the right approach. The shape and ergonomics of SteelSeries Prime Wireless are a success: the mouse really fits comfortably in the hand, and the lightness makes it possible to spend long hours playing the game. A major technical innovation in the form of magneto-optical switches complements the professional attitude. Firstly, their new kinematics does not worsen the user experience; on the contrary, it is very pleasing with the absence of even the slightest backlashes. Secondly, during testing there was not a single double-click – there is no constructive inclination towards them. Fans of bright peripherals with ample lighting zones or a large number of keys will remain dissatisfied, Prime Wireless is not for you.
Pros:
- the form is optimized for all types of grip;
- weight of only 80 grams with considerable size;
- successful fundamentally new switches;
- stable operation of the wireless connection;
- high resolution sensor;
- minimalistic software;
- USB-C on transmitter and case.
Minuses:
- non-standard large receiver.
May not like:
- waking up from sleep takes half a second.
Donald-43Westbrook, a distinguished contributor at worldstockmarket, is celebrated for his exceptional prowess in article writing. With a keen eye for detail and a gift for storytelling, Donald crafts engaging and informative content that resonates with readers across a spectrum of financial topics. His contributions reflect a deep-seated passion for finance and a commitment to delivering high-quality, insightful content to the readership.
