Microsoft has a few new accessories on the way for Xbox One and PC gamers. Along with three new Wireless Controllers in Xbox 360-style Grey/Green, hot red Volcano Shadow, and Halo-esque Patrol Tech variants, the gaming company has announced a brand-n...
I’ve used a number of computer mice over the years, from the rudimentary upside-down trackball types of days gone by, to high-tech wireless laser and multitouch mice. They each have had their time in the sun at my desk, but it’s time to say goodbye to all of them now that I’ve found the SteelSeries Rival 700. This top-of-the-line pointing device is better than any I’ve ever used before.
The Rival 700 is a 7-button corded gaming mouse, offering a high-precision PixArt PMW3360 optical sensor, capable of detecting movements at a level of up to 16,000 individual steps in an inch. That means it can be insanely precise, a must for anyone who uses their mouse for creative or gaming applications.
In addition, it can be set at speeds up to 300 inches per second, which means super fast tracking. Again, a necessity for gaming, but also very handy for working on larger, high resolution displays like the 27″ 5K iMac I use on a daily basis. The right-handed ergonomic grip feels great in my hand, and it glides even more smoothly when combined with the SteelSeries QcK prism mouse pad.
In addition to its accuracy and speed, the Rival 700 packs some nifty bells and whistles, including RGB LEDs under the scroll wheel and SteelSeries logo. These can be set to any color in the spectrum, and also programmed to display fading animations, or change colors based on integrations with games which support the SteelSeries Engine. Colors can also be coordinated with other SteelSeries accessories.
There’s also as a low-resolution black and white OLED screen which can be loaded up with a graphic or GIF of your choice – or display game stats in games that support it. It’s also a handy way to display which profile has been loaded if you want. There’s also a tactile feedback motor, which offers a number of programmable sensations, and is smartly designed to move up and down inside the mouse rather than side to side, eliminating any risk of vibration affecting tracking accuracy.
While I didn’t have cause to do so, several of the major components of the Rival 700 can be easily swapped out. The laser module, cover, and cable are all user-replaceable. They even provide an STL file so you can 3D print your own custom nameplate or custom colored insert for the toe of the mouse.
What makes the Rival 700 a great mouse is just how fast, smooth, and precise the hardware is. What elevates it to the upper echelon of mice is the sophistication, quality, and configurability of its software, which is available on both Windows and Mac systems.
With the SteelSeries Engine 3 software, you can program the exact behavior of each of the 7 buttons on the mouse, as well as its scroll wheel. Buttons can be programmed to emulate keys, perform various operating system tasks, or run a macro. In addition, you can fine-tune mouse sensitivity, its rate of acceleration and deceleration, how frequently the mouse is polled for inputs, and even set up angle snapping for situations where you want the mouse to prefer straight line movements to curves. All of these settings can be previewed in real time, and provide the ability to customize the mouse to your exacting preferences.
In addition, all of these settings can be saved together into a configuration template, which can be set to load when an application or game loads. Configs can be duplicated too, so if you have some minor changes you want to make for a specific app, it’s easy to do.
The SteelSeries Rival 700 is crazy good. It’s the smoothest, fastest, and most predictable mouse I’ve ever used, and well worth the $99.99 pricetag if you’re serious about PC gaming or design work.
Hey Xbox One owners! Tired of your old, boring, plain looking consoles? Want to spruce them up a bit? Well, take a look at this list of ten coolest Xbox One skins! These skins will make your consoles and controllers look a thousand times better. And if you don’t find anything you like here, take a look at this giant selection!
Image via: VinylQuoteMe
The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of Frozen, is of course, the hit Disney film, but this cool skin has nothing to do with that. It’s just a cool, frosty, frozen skin. Ever wanted to pretend you’re playing video games in the freezing ice and snow? Well, maybe this skin will help you achieve that. (Though I must say you’re lucky if you haven’t gotten to experience winter lately. It’s pretty brutal where I live.)
Image via: VWAQ
I’ve always loved galaxy prints and designs. They make everything look a hundred times cooler almost instantly. I even once had a pair of galaxy print leggings, which needless to say, was probably a bit extreme of me and a definite fashion faux-paw. Anyway, this galaxy Xbox One skin is not a faux-paw, it’s pure awesomeness.
Image via: ExtremeConsoles
You’ve probably heard of Space Invaders at some point. It was a huge arcade game back in the day, and is now a retro, nostalgic thing that I’m sure lots of hipsters like. I just really like the colors used in this controller skin, it’s so bright and fun. Even if you’re not much a Space Invaders fan, you’ll probably fall in love with this skin just like I did.
Image via: iWoodInc
I know the heading says “real” but before you think about how a skin could possibly be made of real wood, let me put those thoughts to rest. It is indeed not real wood, though it certainly looks real. I really like this simplistic, modern, sleek approach to a skin. It looks like something a classy fancy person would have in their home. It’s probably a bit more sophisticated than the galaxy skin I love so much.
Image via: KOCustomCreationsAU
In case you haven’t been able to see it yet, I’m quite the fan of retro looking stuff. If you comb through any of my other articles, you’ll probably find lots of retro products. There’s just something about the past that’s so much fun to me. I love how the grid on this controller skin looks like the one people used back in the 80s for the background of photos. Those pictures may look cringeworthy now, but this controller decal sure doesn’t.
Image via: VinylQuoteMe
I love gold. Maybe it’s because I’m a poor college student and freelance writer, but gold always seems to be calling me. (It’s because I’m destined to be rich, right? That has to be it.) Joking aside, I like the gold color of this awesome skin, and I think it looks classy and not too tacky.
Image via: VinylQuoteMe
Probably everyone has had some kind of decoration related to the British flag at one point. It’s such a common thing, many of us most likely don’t even think about how it’s kind of strange that so many people like another country’s flag so much. How often do you see the Scottish flag used as decoration? Huh? That’s right, never. Nevertheless, the British flag is great and looks great as an Xbox One skin.
Image via: VWAQ
Relaxing right? Man, just looking at this skin makes me want to book a vacation to Hawaii. (Or play a video game that takes place on some tropical island.) It’s so pretty to look at, probably the prettiest on this list. The bright blue color is beautiful. (Can someone please take me on a vacation?)
Image via: SlingshotCreative
Wow, this holographic skin reminds me of the future. It looks like something we’d see a century from now, when we have flying cars and stuff. (I know that probably won’t happen.) I love how this skin is just plain cool-looking.
Image via: HotwireGraphicsUK
Everyone loves Nintendo, or at least its classic console. Even if you’re an Xbox One owner, there’s a good chance you’ve played an NES game or two. Why not make your Xbox One console look like an NES? I think it would look pretty awesome.
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Nintendo's Joy-Con controllers for the Switch are wonderfully unique, but they might not be ideal for every situation. That's why the $70 Switch Pro Controller exists — it's meant for gamers who need a more traditional-feeling gamepad for title...
The Oculus Rift proved that high-end VR has a place in your home, but so far it's lacked one major feature: motion controls. That's something both the HTC Vive and Sony PlayStation VR offered from the start, and it's gone a long way toward helping th...