SteelSeries Sensei Pro Mini review: Small on size, big on performance

SteelSeries Sensei Pro Mini: Review

The Sensei Pro Mini delivers pro-grade wireless performance for those who prefer less, thanks to its next-generation polling technology and relentless power.

It has the same symmetrical shape as its older brother but on a smaller scale. Its size should be suitable for people with smaller hands, allowing them a secure grip around the entire unit. At just 49g, it’s also very lightweight (4g lighter than the standard model), making it easy to manoeuvre.

The side walls have a pronounced webbing that forces you to hold your thumb and ring finger further inward than usual, which some prefer for added security. Grip tape is included in the box if you need more traction, which is entirely possible given the softness of the outer layer. However, the center hump could prove controversial in terms of fit: in my experience, it didn’t sit far enough back in my hand, landing below my knuckles rather than in the middle of my palm.

To customize and modify the Sensei Pro Mini, you can use SteelSeries’ GG peripheral software. Here you can re-bind all six buttons, with a good number of mapping options available, including key inputs and shortcuts for media controls and system actions. You’ll also find some standard performance settings, including DPI adjustments, although the range is larger than what you’ll typically find on other gaming mice (between 1 and 65,000). There are five presets to customize, which you can cycle through using the DPI button under your mouse.

However, in addition to these, there are more advanced settings. You can adjust the click response between 0 ms and 20 ms, and set takeoff and landing distances independently, each ranging from 0.7 to 1.7 (presumably this refers to millimeters, although no unit of measurement is provided). You can also enable a feature called Skip Scroll Protection, which ignores your first scroll unless a second one is performed within a set time after the first. This threshold is adjustable between 100 ms and 1500 ms. Motion Sync and Angle Snapping switches are also here, with the latter featuring a slider with 10 levels to adjust its straightening effect.

That’s not all, however: an additional section allows you to adjust acceleration, with several graphics curve presets available to alter cursor speed relative to movement speed, as well as the mouse sensor angle of 45 degrees either side of center to match the natural angle of your hand movements.