The SteelSeries Rival 700 was one of the mice I have wanted to try for quite some time. I saw it at an event just before it was launched and its specifications impressed me. When SteelSeries let me know one was on the way, I hoped that it wouldn't disappoint and it definitely didn't. The shape of the mouse makes it comfortable for palm, fingertip, and claw-grip usage, allowing almost any user to use it without any fatigue. The contours allow your hand to more readily rest on the mouse, and the material feels nice to the touch. Its buttons all have a nice feel to them and can be re-programmed easily if you want a different layout, and its tactile vibrations work well with those games that support it, and they don't shake the mouse so much as to actually move the cursor.

As expected, the 3360 optical sensor works very well; it is a great sensor, and with a CPI of up to 16,000, it is highly capable, tracking well with no jitters or other issues. It would have been nice to try out the laser sensor too, but I don't actually think it would have added much to this review.

The Rival 700 has been made so that it can be customized to suit the user; LED options and replacement rear fascia and sensor make it a great option for someone who is looking to buy a mouse to last them for as long as possible. The main feature people always mention with the Rival 700 is the OLED screen. I have been wrestling with it in my head the whole time I have used it. I can't deny that it is an awesome little gimmick; the animated gifs are great fun, and when at LAN parties, it can be a giggle if you have a silly imagination. However, it just doesn't add anything at all that is needed. OK, it can show live stats in CS:GO, but so can the TAB key on your keyboard, which doesn't require you to take your eyes off the screen. I love the fact that SteelSeries is trying something new; they are trying to innovate and are trying to push the market in a different direction. I will never rebuke a company for trying something new - without new ideas, nothing would move forward, but I do think this misses the mark somewhat. Having said that, there is just something satisfying about having silly animated gifs on your mouse, but I would have preferred it to be a few dollars cheaper instead of having a screen that will hardly be used after the initial fascination wears off.

Overall, I do think that this mouse is an excellent bit of kit. I think a lot of people will buy into the OLED screen even though I am in two minds about it. Every other feature works as expected or even exceeds expectations; this mouse has everything you need and a lot of features most people won't need. Although it is a little out of some people's price range and somewhat heavy, it definitely is a mouse worth checking out if you are in the market for a new one. I will continue to figure out whether I like the OLED screen or just think it is a useless gimmick, but that makes no difference when it comes to the quality and vast feature set SteelSeries puts on offer here, which is why it is definitely taking away our Editor's Choice Award.
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