LAS VEGAS—Tracking liftoff sounds like something NASA or SpaceX would do, but PC gamers can do it now too, thanks to the new dual-sensor SteelSeries Rival 600 gaming mouse.
Unveiled at CES today, the Rival 600 has a unique dual-sensor system that uses one sensor to track cursor movements while the other detects the precise moment the mouse lifts off the table. According to SteelSeries, this arrangement offers two benefits over traditional single-sensor mice: The sensor can detect mouse "liftoffs" as low as 0.5mm, and once liftoff is detected, the cursor remains at the same point on the screen until you set the mouse back down.
That means no more annoying on-screen jitters as you reposition your mouse, which will especially come in handy while playing a first-person shooter or other game that demands accuracy and requires very precise mouse movements.
The right-handed Rival 600, which is now on sale for $80, includes other features that you'd expect from high-end gaming mice. Just about everything is customizable, from the liftoff distance to the sensitivity of the main 12,000dpi optical sensor.
You can even customize the mouse's weight by adding or subtracting weights in four slots on either sides. The starting weight is 96 grams, and each additional weight—eight are included—adds 4 grams. Because the weights are added to the sides of the mouse, you can use them to alter the center of gravity, rather than just adding heft.
The left and right buttons feature mechanical switches for greater accuracy, and the rest of the mouse is clad in silicone grips that offer a soft touch. As with other SteelSeries mice, the Rival 600 is compatible with the SteelSeries Engine software, which allows you to customize the eight RGB lights, as well as save custom profiles for each game.
At $80, the Rival 600 occupies a crowded corner of the gaming mice market, going head-to-head with other excellent mice, including SteelSeries' own Rival 700. It's a bit more expensive than our overall top pick for gaming mice, the Logitech G Pro, but considerably cheaper than our Editors' Choice for high-end gaming mice, the Razer Mamba.