SteelSeries Sensei Pro review: Intelligent battery management meets high performance
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SteelSeries Sensei Pro Review
While many wireless gaming mice are content with gaming and wired charging, the Sensei Pro takes a different feel with a battery management concept that, while not entirely new, may take the industry in a new direction given its implementation by an esteemed brand like SteelSeries.
In terms of appearance, however, the Sensei Pro barely strays away from the typical symmetrical mouse. Its design is largely functional, with a small logo and an orange scroll wheel being the only concessions to style. There are no strange angles or shapes here, not even RGB lighting.
The standard model is quite large and the prominent central hump can be uncomfortable for certain hands. It took me a little while to get used to it, but once I did I found it quite comfortable, helped by the super smooth finish of the case. Those who want more texture can apply the included grip tape to the side walls, mouse buttons, and even the back buttons.
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Despite its bulky shape, the Sensei Pro is actually very light, weighing just 53g, but feels perfectly solid and sturdy. This attention to build quality extends to the buttons, which operate smoothly and provide satisfying feedback. My only complaint is with the DPI button: it’s placed underneath, a location I usually find impractical when playing games that require frequent menu access and the like. Not only is it underneath, but it’s on the right, meaning right-handers won’t be able to easily reach it with their fingers.
You can customize the Sensei Pro’s inputs using SteelSeries’ GG software. Here you’ll find a remapping feature with plenty of options, including a healthy selection of media and system shortcuts. You can also adjust the DPI from 1K to 65K, with five customizable presets to toggle between. Not only that, but you can also adjust the DPI for the X and Y axes independently, which isn’t something I’ve seen often.
Then there are some features I’ve never seen before. These include click response adjustments between 0 ms and 20 ms, adjustment of mouse movement acceleration using preset graphical curves, and sensor tilt adjustments of 45 degrees in any direction, to adapt to the natural angle of hand movements. And while I’ve seen angle adjustment modes in many other gaming mouse programs, I haven’t seen one with 10 levels of “straightening” like the one here. I’ve also never seen a scroll skip protection feature with such a large threshold range to play with (100ms to 1500ms). Other settings include independent takeoff and landing distance settings, as well as a motion sync switch.
Again, unlike many gaming mice, you can configure Ultra Wideband (UWB) sensor and polling rates separately, each ranging from 125Hz to 8KHz (with 9KHz overpolling). The explanation provided for these settings is clear and detailed, although it is a shame that the 9K overpolling is not explained. In fact, explanations for most GG functions are welcome and go beyond what peripheral software typically provides. It also very easily tells you if you have the Windows Enhanced Pointer Precision setting enabled and offers to disable it to improve performance. The overall layout of GG is clear and easy to navigate too, although I found it a bit annoying that the actual settings section opens in a second window, introducing unnecessary clutter to the desktop.
When gaming, the Sensei Pro is a competent mouse. It glides with supreme smoothness, thanks to its large skates, while the mouse buttons are well lubricated and very tactile. However, they have deeper travel than many others and can be a bit heavy for those who spam very quickly.
The side buttons and center click are fantastic and some of the best I’ve used. The former have pleasantly deep travel, which only makes them more satisfying, while the latter feel like a proper button without the awkwardness that can often ruin other examples. What’s more, I didn’t make any accidental movements when pressing it, even with Scroll Skip Protection disabled. The notch is also perfectly weighted, allowing for controlled single movements and multiple quick movements when necessary.
Not being a professional gamer, I can’t honestly say I noticed any difference in polling and sensor rates above 1K, and I certainly couldn’t discern the advantage of 9K overpolling. What I can tell you is that enabling maximum speeds, as well as maximum sensor performance, drains battery life very quickly; you’ll get about a day’s worth at best. However, dial the survey back to 1K and you’ll get much closer to SteelSeries’ claimed maximum longevity figure of 120 hours.
But this is where the Sensei Pro’s USP comes in, something SteelSeries calls the Infinite Power System. Instead of using a USB cable to play and charge at the same time, it alternates between two batteries: the one for the mouse and the other that charges on top of the UWB station. in fact, it’s not possible, as there’s no USB-C port on the Sensei Pro. The batteries themselves are fairly easy to remove and insert, with a dot to indicate the correct alignment of the pins underneath, and requiring a simple twist to lock them in place under the mouse. I didn’t have any problems with the battery coming loose at any time.
So if you don’t want to resort to wired gaming when you run out of battery, the Sensei Pro fits the bill. It will also cater to those fans of voting rates and deep adjustments. It’s a shame there’s no additional Bluetooth mode (especially at this price), and the relatively loud clicks aren’t for everyone, but in other respects the Sensei Pro is sublime in action – you’ll just have to shell out a lot of cash for the privilege.
SteelSeries Sensei Pro review: Price and availability
- $179.99 / £169.99 (around AU$260)
- Pre-orders available now, release October 13
- Top end of the gaming mouse market
The Sensei Pro costs $179.99/£169.99 (around AU$260) and launches on October 13, although pre-orders are now open. Full-size and mini variants are available, in white or black.
This is very expensive for a wireless gaming mouse. It’s a little less expensive than the Razer Naga V3 Pro, but the Naga has additional Bluetooth support, as well as a host of customizable buttons on the side. And if you want the same “infinite” battery life, it’s compatible with Razer’s HyperFlux V2 wireless charging system (read: a mouse pad that supplies power), although this is an expensive optional extra on top of what is already an expensive indicator.
If you fancy another mouse with an interchangeable battery system, the AngryMiao AM Infinity.97 is a viable alternative. It’s a little less expensive than the Sensei Pro and even lighter than the Sensei Pro (and much lighter than the Naga), weighing just 47g. However, its appearance may not be to every gamer’s taste and we weren’t particularly impressed with its basic software.
SteelSeries Sensei Pro Review: Specifications
Swipe to scroll horizontally
|
Connectivity |
Ultra wide band |
|
Battery life |
120 hours (1K), 32 hours (8K) |
|
Sensor |
TrueMove 42K Pro Sensor |
|
Polling rate |
8KHz (with 9KHz overpolling) |
|
Maximum sensitivity (DPI) |
42,000 (65,000 with DPI overdrive) |
|
Programmable buttons |
6 |
|
Dimensions |
125.6×66.5×38.6mm |
|
Weight |
53g |
Should you buy SteelSeries Sensei Pro?
SteelSeries Sensei Pro Dashboard
Swipe to scroll horizontally
|
Attribute |
Grades |
Score |
|
Design |
High-quality, lightweight construction, but the bulbous hump may deter some players. Also, the DPI button is located in an inconvenient place. |
4/5 |
|
Performance |
Each button feels great, although the clicks are too heavy to easily spam. However, the performance settings are above many rivals. |
4.5/5 |
|
Worth |
It’s about as expensive as gaming mice can get, and many of its features will be overkill for many gamers. |
3/5 |
Buy SteelSeries Sensei Pro if…
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SteelSeries Sensei Pro review: Also consider
How I tested the SteelSeries Sensei Pro
- Tested for several days.
- It is used for gaming, working and general browsing.
- Leveraged its extensive gaming mouse experience
I tested the SteelSeries Sensei Pro for several days, during which time I used it not only for gaming, but also for work and general browsing.
I played games like STALKER 2: Heart of Chernobyl and Counterattack 2the latter of which is a tough test for peripherals given the demands it places on quick, precise movements and clicks.
I’ve been playing PC games for a long time and have used and reviewed a wide variety of gaming mice in that time, from modest budget offerings to expensive, feature-packed pro-level pointers.
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