With so many game-accessory manufacturers going above and beyond the bounds of common sense when adding features to gaming mice, it's refreshing at times to see a gaming mouse that was designed with the opposite approach. The SteelSeries Sensei [RAW]($64.90 at Amazon), for example, strips down a complex gaming mouse to its essence, with a simple ambidextrous design, and a feature set that offers straightforward function with just enough customization to let a gamer tweak it to their preferences.

Design and Features
The Sensei [RAW] is the stripped down version of SteelSeries' top-of-the-line Sensei mouse, offering a similar look and feel, but without quite so many bells and whistles. The result is a fairly basic mouse, in the same vein as the Razer Taipan, but not quite as stripped down as the Roccat Lua Tri-Button Gaming Mouse($34.55 at Amazon) with its three-button design. We looked at two models of the Sensei [RAW] during this review, the basic black model, and the "Frost Blue" edition, which is actually white with blue accent lights.

The basic model, the Sensei [RAW], comes in black, and is available with either a rubberized shell on the palmrest and buttons, or a glossy plastic shell with rubberized panels on either side. The "Frost Blue" edition is also available with a glossy top and rubberized sides, but that version comes in white with grey side panels. In either color scheme, the Sensei [RAW] has an ambidextrous design, fitting comfortably in either hand. The Sensei [RAW], in all of its incarnations, measures 1.5 by 2.7 by 4.9 inches (HWD) and weighs 3.2 ounces.

Though we weren't provided with a model utilizing the rubberized finish, I imagine that the improved grip and reduced slickness will be an improvement similar to that seen on the Razer Naga Hex and the Razer Naga Hex League of Legends Collector's Edition($249.00 at Amazon), which was greatly improved by the change from glossy to a rubberized matte finish.

The Sensei [RAW] has the usual right and left mouse buttons, along with a clickable ratcheting scroll wheel, and two buttons on either side, which are programed by default to be Forward and Back browser buttons on the left and Page Up and Page Down on the right. One more button, set just behind the scroll wheel, lets you switch between high and low sensitivity presets.

The mouse connects with a standard USB 2.0 connection, with a 6-foot cable, giving you enough length to plug into the back of a PC tower or snake the cord around a monitor or other components. The basic black model comes with a braided cable, while the Frost Blue edition uses a white plastic-coated cable that matches the white color scheme.

The Sensei [RAW] is outfitted with a laser sensor that allows tracking up to 5670 dpi (SteelSeries prefers to call it CPI for Counts Per Inch), with 1,000 MHz polling and tracking up to 12,000fps. A button just behind the scroll wheel lets you switch from one sensitivity setting to another, and the customization software will manage this further, letting you preset the two settings to your preference. The optical sensor offers a higher DPI than that found in the Roccat Lua, but pales in comparison to the Corsair Vengeance M65 with a maximum DPI of 8,200.

The Sensei [RAW] functions as a plug-and-play device, but SteelSeries also offers SteelSeries Engine, a customization dashboard that lets you adjust the sensitivity, the accent illumination, and reprogram the buttons with customized macro commands. Both the mouse and the SteelSeries Engine software support both Windows (Windows XP/Vista/7/8) and Mac (Mac OS X) operating systems. SteelSeries covers the Sensei [RAW] with a one-year warranty on parts and labor.

Performance
After two weeks of using it for both gaming and my day-to-day work, the Sensei [RAW] proved to be a capable gaming mouse. Whether I was fragging and sniping opponents in Battlefield 4 or editing pictures in Photoshop, the Sensei [RAW] was a competent mouse, with no lag or tracking issues. The mouse glides smoothly on a variety of surfaces, and the buttons have a light enough action that you can click about as fast as your fingers will go.

But what I didn't care for was the glossy exterior. Found on both the basic black and Frost Blue editions, the glossy plastic offers minimal grip to start and gets slick at the slightest hint of moisture. These issues may be alleviated on the version that has the rubberized finish, but on the two units tested for this review, it was a real problem.

The SteelSeries Sensei [RAW] offers simplicity without being simplistic with a stripped down design that still allows customization and a quality sensor that offers solid performance during heated battle. Though I have some gripes about the glossy finish, those sorts of comfort issues can be pretty subjective, so try before you buy. That said, the Editors' Choice Corsair Vengeance M65 offers a better overall experience, even if it's not ambidextrous.

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