SteelSeries Sensei Pro Grade Laser Gaming Mouse Review

👤by Richard Weatherstone Comments 📅16-09-11
Closer Look


Top Profile

The dull sheen to the mouse is quite appealing but it is very smooth to the touch which may not appeal to some. Personally I found it very comfortable but it may cause problems for those who suffer from sweaty palms (more on that later). The rear of the mouse is dominated by the SteelSeries logo which is is not detectable by touch from the rest of the mouse surface.


Front Profile

The front of the mouse, as you would expect has the mouse wheel and a single button triangular button sitting flush with the rubberised centre console. This button controls the CPI setting so is easily utilised to switch between profiles (sniping or ground pounding?). Between the mouse wheel and the button is a small LED which allows the user to quickly identify which CPI is in use. Unlike many gaming mice, the left and right mouse buttons are part of the overall mouse upper shell, adding to the sleek profile of the Sensei. Not only does this enhance looks but it will ensure 'skin-sludge' (as a refer to it) from getting lodged between the buttons and affecting their operation at the later date. Maintenance of the mouse will therefore be kept to a minimum.


Mouse bottom

The Sensei has three very large UPI gaming grade Teflon pads which ensure that regardless of gaming surface, the mouse should glide with minimal restriction. These pads cover 16% of the mouse base which is much more than your average gaming mouse. Unfortunately, no replacement pads were included with the package despite SteelSeries saying they should be replaced when worn. I'm sure however, that SteelSeries will be able to supply replacement pads should this become an issue at a later date as their customer service is second to none.


Gaming Grade Engine

The laser utilised in the Sensei is the best available from SteelSeries boasting a 10.8 megapixel HD image correlation at up to 12,000 frames per second. The Sensei is also equipped to track movements of upto 150 inches per second. It is most likely a Avago ADNS-9500 sensor judging by the specifications given by SteelSeries which is the same laser used in the Xai mouse. The 23-bit ARM processor however allows doubling of the CPI from a maximum 5700 in standard mode up to a ridiculous 11400CPI. I would really love to see someone make use of the kind of sensitivity! Even with the triple-head monitor setup a minor flinch of the mouse would send the cursor from one screen edge to the far most screens edge. Most gamers will surely be satisfied with CPI of 2000, any more and (personally) I would found the product unusable. I feel you would need a midge-like touch and the reactions of a psychic cat to control a sensitivity of 11.4k. Nevertheless, it appears manufacturers are happy to play the numbers game and with an 11.4k CPI, SteelSeries certainly have the bragging rights with the Sensei!


Buttons

The Sensei has eight buttons: Main left and right buttons, 2 on the right, 2 on the left, centre click scroll wheel and the CPI control button. The 2 buttons to the right and left are positioned along the border of the main shell to the rubberised side panels and while they will no doubt be useful for both right and left handed, only two of the four buttons will have any real use in-game as depending on your preference the opposite side to your natural dexterity will be likely be defunct due to the awkward positioning. I did like the fact that SteelSeries made the CPI button flush with the centre console though meaning accidental sensitivity switching on the fly will be a thing of the past with the Sensei. All of the buttons are micro switched and emit a satisfying click when pressed. The sensitivity of the buttons are very light and require only the faintest of touches.


Braided cable

The whole of the cable is protected by dense weave braid which is great to see as this will protect the cable from damage and abrasions. Because of the braid though, the cable is not as flexible as usual so it would have been nice to have some sort of cradle to keep the excess out of the way. With just over 2m of cable there is lots of excess (depending on the position of your setup). That said you can never have too much and this amount of cable is enough to cater for most scenarios.


Gold-plated USB

As with most high-end peripherals today, the USB plug is gold plated which should be enough to ensure a perfect connection is attained. While I see the use of gold-plating in analogue audio devices I am yet to see a truthful, explanation as to why this would be useful in a digital environment. That said, it looks more pro than silver/steel and with other manufacturers having this white elephant, why should SteelSeries lose custom by sticking to your boring standard versions?

Let’s take at the software and set the Sensei up for testing...

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