Steelseries Prime Wireless

Steelseries Prime Wireless Intro

The usual customization options are available through SteelSeries GG. The Prime Wireless features the newly introduced Prestige OM (optical-magnetic) main button switches, touted for their durability of 100 million clicks. Unlike the Aerox 3 Wireless, the 80 g Prime Wireless has minimal RGB lighting and lacks any holes. It promises over 100 hours of battery life but does not include the Bluetooth functionality seen in the Aerox 3 Wireless. Equipped with the TrueMove Air, it supports up to 18,000 CPI. Completing the Prime line-up of right-handed ergonomic mice, the Prime Wireless joins the Prime and Prime+ as SteelSeries' new wireless flagship. SteelSeries, a peripherals company based in Denmark, was established in 2001.

Specifications

Mouse Dimensions and Measurements

The measurements were gathered with different tools: two decimals were measured with a caliper, and one decimal was taken using a ruler. The term "Front height" refers to the space between the base and the main buttons. The SteelSeries Prime Wireless is included in this table alongside various other ergonomic mice designed for right-handed users. For an extensive list of all the measurements collected, please check out this sheet put together by a respected member of the community.

Mouse Dimensions and Measurements

Die Messungen wurden mit verschiedenen Werkzeugen durchgeführt: zwei Dezimalstellen wurden mit einem Messschieber gemessen, und eine Dezimalstelle wurde mit einem Lineal genommen. Der Begriff "Fronthöhe" bezieht sich auf den Abstand zwischen der Basis und den Haupttasten. Die SteelSeries Prime Wireless ist in dieser Tabelle zusammen mit verschiedenen anderen ergonomischen Mäusen für Rechtshänder enthalten. Für eine umfassende Liste aller gesammelten Messungen, siehe dieses Blatt, das von einem respektierten Mitglied der Community zusammengestellt wurde.

Packaging Contents

Inside the sturdy box, you'll discover a quick start guide, a wireless dongle (USB Type-C), a wireless extender, and a charging cable (USB Type-A to Type-C), all in addition to the mouse.

Weight Performance

The Prime Wireless performs well when compared to various right-handed ergonomic mice, like the ASUS ROG Gladius III Wireless weighing 89 g and the ROCCAT Kone Pro Air at 73 g. Notably, it has a very good weight, especially for its medium size and the absence of externally visible holes. My scale indicates around 80 g (+/- 1 g), which matches the weight provided by SteelSeries exactly.

Cable Performance

The cable is 2 m long. The Prime Wireless can be utilized like a wired mouse, with minimal noticeable difference in handling compared to a true wired mouse. In terms of flexibility, it matches the Aerox 3 Wireless charging cable; it's not as flexible as the cables from the ASUS ROG Gladius III Wireless or Glorious Model O Wireless, but significantly more flexible than the Razer DeathAdder V2 Pro. Although there is no anchor at the mouse-end of the cable, making it possible for the cable to come loose during use, it's unlikely due to how securely it fits. The Prime Wireless features a paracord-like, braided charging cable (USB Type-A to Type-C).

The dongle is quite large, making it less likely to be misplaced. However, using the extender can help attach the dongle securely, which is handy for travel since the mouse doesn’t have a place to store it. By keeping the dongle close to the mouse, the wireless extender ensures a short distance between them. Additionally, the charging cable doubles as an extension cable when paired with the wireless extender.

Foot Design

The indents next to the feet make it simpler to take them off. Consistent CPI is ensured by the ring surrounding the sensor when vertical pressure is applied. Glide is excellent. The feet on the Prime Wireless are made from white-dyed pure PTFE (Teflon).

Shape Design

The main buttons of the Prime Wireless are designed with noticeable comfort grooves, adding to the overall user experience. It's a blend of various designs that results in a shape that feels both familiar and distinct. The back section merges smoothly into the left side, echoing aspects of the Rival 3/Aerox 3. Its bulkier profile is somewhat akin to the VAXEE Outset AX, differing from the EC2's slimmer design. The left side rises significantly, featuring a central hump that slopes down toward both ends, a nod to the EC2 style. In terms of shape, the Prime Wireless displays the narrow front and right-side back flare reminiscent of the Rival 310, while also reflecting the flatter left-side profile found in the ROCCAT Kain series and SteelSeries Rival 310. While it's often referred to as an EC2-type shape, this description doesn’t fully capture the essence of its design.

Getting used to the positioning is essential, as it can be neither good nor bad. The sensor, while not as noticeable as found in the Rival 3/Aerox 3, is still located below the thumb level. On many earlier SteelSeries mice, the sensor's placement is shifted towards the back of the mouse.

The Prime Wireless mouse is quite comfortable for claw grip, as I found it fits well in my hands, which are 19 cm long and 10 cm wide. It suits a variety of hand sizes due to its medium size and moderately pronounced hump. Overall, I’d say it’s mainly designed for palm and claw grip styles.

Sensor Performance

The SteelSeries Prime Wireless features the TrueMove Air, which I think is a tailored version of the PixArt PAW3335. Out of the box, it provides five pre-set CPI levels: 400, 800, 1200, 2400, and 3200. The TrueMove Air boasts impressive specs, allowing for up to 18,000 CPI and a peak tracking speed of 400 IPS, equivalent to 10.16 m/s.

Results presented hereafter may differ from those obtained on earlier firmware versions, as all testing was conducted on the latest firmware.

CPI Discrepancy Factors

I'm testing to see if nominal CPI matches actual CPI. It's essential to remember that the differences in variance can vary from one unit to another, so results may differ for you. Ideally, nominal and actual CPI should have minimal differences, but achieving a perfect match is quite challenging. Several factors can cause discrepancies, such as firmware, the sensor's mounting height not meeting specifications, mouse feet thickness, and the type of mousing surface used. "CPI" stands for counts per inch, which indicates how many counts the mouse registers when moved exactly one inch.

Testing has been conducted using adjusted CPI steps of 400, 800, 1600, and 3100 to address the measured deviation. Overall, the results are below average. The deviation observed is significantly large, inconsistent, and only positively skewed. I've focused my testing on the four most common CPI settings: 400, 800, 1600, and 3200. As you can see,

Motion Delay Management

The G403 serves as the control subject for this test, showcasing a 3366 sensor that exhibits no noticeable smoothing throughout its entire CPI range. It’s important to mention that the G403 is moved first, giving it a slight advantage. The primary focus of this test is to minimize sensor smoothing, which refers to the averaging of motion data over multiple capture frames to reduce jitter—especially at higher CPI values, which unfortunately leads to increased motion delay. The concept of "motion delay" includes all types of sensor lag, but this test will not account for any additional input delay sources. Ultimately, the aim is to achieve the lowest possible smoothing, as accurately measuring motion delay in absolute terms is not feasible; comparisons with a control subject are necessary.

To confirm that there's no smoothing throughout the CPI range, I can see that there are no visible "kinks" in the two xCounts plots. These plots were created at 1600 and 18,000 CPI. First, I’m checking them to get a quick assessment of any potential smoothing.

The behavior often observed with wireless versions of the 3335, where motion latency spikes at the start of movement, is noted here, albeit slightly. There's a small difference in motion delay, about 0.5 ms, when comparing both 1600 and 18,000 CPI. The sensor with reduced motion delay is indicated by the line positioned further left. To assess motion delay, I'm examining xSum plots created at 1600 and 18,000 CPI.

The performance of the Prime Wireless in wireless mode remains consistent. General tracking, SPI timing jitter, and 18,000 CPI still show no signs of smoothing issues, just as they do when wired. Not much changes overall.

I can measure a wireless delay of roughly 1 ms, keeping in mind the motion delay differential in wired mode established above.

Speed-Related Accuracy Variance Explained

When discussing "acceleration," people usually refer to speed-related accuracy variance (SRAV for short). It’s important to note that the mouse itself doesn't inherently have a fixed amount of positive or negative acceleration. Instead, the issue lies in how the cursor moves; it doesn't cover the same distance if the mouse is moved a consistent physical distance at varying speeds. A straightforward way to test this concept is to compare it against a control subject known for its very low SRAV, like the G403. As illustrated in the plot, there is no noticeable displacement between the cursor paths, which verifies that SRAV is indeed very low.

Optimal Mouse Movement Speed

I've only been able to achieve a modest speed of 4.5 m/s, which falls within the stated PCS range and shows no noticeable sensor issues. Perfect Control Speed (or PCS for short) refers to the highest speed at which you can move the mouse and its sensor without any malfunction occurring.

Polling Rate Stability Analysis

I'll be testing polling rate stability for both wired and wireless use, as the Prime Wireless can also function as a regular wired mouse. Considering that, let's dive into the details.

The RGB lighting effects do not impact polling stability, which remains solid across all four polling rates (125/250/500/1000 Hz). Each of these rates appears smooth and reliable.

Testing the polling-rate stability at the endpoint (the USB) has to suffice here, as I'm unable to measure all stages of the entire end-to-end signal chain individually. When it comes to wireless mice, an additional device must be synchronized alongside the wired connection: the wireless dongle/wireless receiver. For wired mice, polling rate stability only involves the connection between the mouse (SPI communication) and the USB.

I'm unable to detect any periodic off-period polls that would suggest a desynchronization drift. If there were any synchronization issues, I would see at least one 2 ms report indicating that something is out of sync. Currently, I'm testing the synchronization of SPI, wireless, and USB communication, as any drift accumulated over time would show up in the reports.

Several off-period polls are introduced after the Prime Wireless has entered sleep mode once. However, this process can be a bit tricky.

All four available polling rates appear completely stable. It's important to note that polling stability remains consistent, regardless of any RGB lighting effects. Running the Prime Wireless at a lower polling rate can help prolong battery life. Currently, I'm testing the overall polling-rate stability of the individual polling rates in wireless mode.

Jitter and Angle Snapping Evaluation

At 10,000 CPI, jitter starts to become noticeable, and by 18,000 CPI, it reaches absurd levels. This aligns with what we expect from a sensor without any smoothing. Moving backward, no jitter was found at 1600 or 3200 CPI. Additionally, there is no sign of angle snapping issues at all. Lastly, the test confirms that there is no movement in the sensor lens. This test helps identify possible problems with angle snapping (non-native straightening of linear motion) and jitter, as well as any sensor lens rattling.

Build Durability

No accidental clicks happen when you slam down the mouse. It's impossible to activate the side buttons by squeezing the sides. There’s no creaking or flexing of the shell when you apply lateral pressure. A minor rattle can be heard from the on/off-switch at the bottom and another unknown spot when shaking the mouse. Overall, the build quality is very solid.

Button Performance

The SteelSeries-branded Prestige OM switches are used in the Prime Wireless, providing medium button stiffness. Lateral button movement is minimized and cannot be easily triggered. The right button feels muted and dull, similar to a tactile switch, while the left button provides satisfying tactile feedback. Button response remains firm, similar to what you’d find on the Prime and Prime+. In terms of pre-travel, both the left and right buttons have a low amount, while post-travel is moderate. Overall, the main buttons on the Prime Wireless range from good to very good.

The Kailh switches (grayish case, red plunger) provide a solid foundation for the side buttons. Actuation is straightforward, as you can easily roll your thumb across them. The placement of the buttons is well thought out, allowing for seamless interaction. Additionally, both pre and post-travel are nearly absent, which leads to a responsive and crisp button feel. Overall, these features come together to create a firm and snappy button experience that is impressively consistent across the entire surface.

At the bottom of the mouse, there’s a straightforward on/off switch that operates effectively. Above that, a tactile switch, which appears unbranded, is utilized for cycling through polling rates by pressing and holding the button followed by another press, allowing you to move from the highest to the lowest rate. To cycle through the CPI steps, you first need to press the button once to enter CPI mode, after which you can continue pressing to scroll through the set CPI steps. However, how this all functions isn’t immediately clear.

Scroll Wheel Performance

The tactile switch used here seems unbranded. For actuation, the middle (scroll wheel) click needs a lot of force. With a height of 12.6 mm, the encoder comes from TTC (black core). Noise levels are lower as well, providing an even better experience compared to the Prime and Prime+. The scroll wheel is very good, and the encoder in the Prime Wireless offers even greater tactility.

Coating Maintenance

In summary, the materials are quite good overall. After cleaning, you’ll notice barely any signs of wear, and it's easy to maintain. However, it does tend to collect fingerprints, dirt, and similar marks quite easily. The grip is satisfactory, but the Prime Wireless features a slightly rougher matte surface throughout.

Disassembly Overview

The datasheet for the MCU, a Nordic nRF52833, can be found here. The main PCB is held in place with four screws and is quite thin. Next to the scroll wheel, there’s an auxiliary PCB that lights up the wheel. The side buttons are mounted on their own PCB, which connects to the main PCB via a ribbon cable and is secured to the top shell. The main button switches are attached to the top shell and connect to the PCB at two points. When comparing the Prime Wireless to the Prime and Prime+, the design has come full circle, resembling the Prime's layout but with an added battery. Notably, the MCU has been moved from the bottom of the PCB. Disassembling the Prime Wireless is fairly straightforward. The main challenge lies in the four Torx T6 screws situated under the three skates. Once those are removed, separating the top and bottom shells becomes easy.

On the Prime Wireless, this functionality remains unused, even though the MCU could support Bluetooth. Previously, this MCU has been utilized on the Aerox 3 Wireless. It's important to highlight this connection.

I'm unable to find any noteworthy flaws regarding the soldering and overall quality of the PCB.

Software Management

To avoid data collection, you can skip creating a SteelSeries account when using SteelSeries GG, allowing you to use Engine without any limitations. If you don't plan to use the "Moments" feature, which allows you to clip great in-game highlights, you won't need to create an account. Upon launching GG for the first time, you'll be prompted to sign up for an account to access Moments. SteelSeries has recently combined Engine into a larger software package known as SteelSeries GG, which currently includes only these two applications. However, it's important to note that while using GG, SteelSeries has the right to gather anonymous data on how users interact with the software, and this data collection is linked to account creation.

Lighting settings are detailed below. Additionally, you can adjust the polling rate (125, 250, 500, or 1000 Hz), and there's a basic acceleration feature along with angle snapping that can be toggled on or off. The CPI can be tweaked from 100 to 18,000 CPI in 100 CPI increments, offering up to five color-coded levels; a color that isn’t user-configurable lights up when you switch CPI steps. Below the button selection, you will find the macro editor, allowing all buttons to be remapped for mouse, keyboard, media, OS, or macro functions. All available options can be accessed on a single page, and the engine functions just as it always has.

The "Illumination Smart Mode" feature helps by turning off the lighting when the mouse isn’t stationary. Moving on, there's the "High-Efficiency Mode," which disables all illumination, lowers the polling rate to 125 Hz, and activates low-power mode for the sensor. However, after testing this mode for latency, I found it disappointing with about 6 ms of motion delay, making it not ideal for gaming. Additionally, there are other settings that deal with wireless features. The "Illumination Dim Timer" allows you to set how long the mouse stays idle before the lights dim, while the "Sleep Timer" determines the time before the mouse goes into sleep mode.

Sure! Here’s a restructured version of your text, starting from the end and moving backward: Despite GG being configured not to auto-run, a single process with a 6 MB footprint mysteriously starts after rebooting the system. This odd behavior requires me to terminate the process before I can launch GG; otherwise, it won't start. However, when I disable GG in the Task Manager, that pesky process doesn’t reappear, allowing GG to launch smoothly again. Upon exiting GG completely, all associated processes are shut down properly, which is expected. When GG is minimized to the system tray, it continues to run two processes with a combined RAM footprint of 64 MB. If GG runs without Engine, it takes up 200 MB of RAM while in the foreground, and this usage stays the same when minimized. If Engine is active, the RAM usage rises to an average of 262 MB, which also doesn't change when minimized. Most importantly, all settings are saved to the on-board memory, meaning the software doesn’t have to be constantly running or installed.

Lighting Control

The lighting can be completely turned off if you prefer no RGB effects. You can also tweak the speed and colors for all effects. In the software, you’ll find three preset lighting modes: Steady (single color), Color Shift, and Multi Color Breathe. The only physical area for RGB lighting on the Prime Wireless is the scroll wheel.

Battery Longevity

The Prime Wireless shows impressive battery performance. After 12 hours of nonstop use with RGB lighting fully on, it only dropped one notch on the battery indicator. This is a stark contrast to the Aerox 3 Wireless, where turning off the RGB lights slashed battery life to under 10 hours. SteelSeries claims the Prime Wireless boasts a battery life exceeding 100 hours, but no specifics are provided about the conditions for this claim. It’s reasonable to think that this figure is based on default settings: 1000 Hz polling rate and RGB lighting on with all power-saving features engaged. In any case, compared to the Aerox 3 Wireless, the Prime Wireless clearly has a significantly better battery performance.

Determining the time needed for sleep mode to kick in is possible within SteelSeries Engine. Instead of having to press a button like on the Aerox 3 or Rival 3 Wireless, the Prime Wireless can be awakened just by moving the mouse.

The battery has a capacity of 550 mAh. During the constant current stage, I measured the charging speed using the included USB Type-A to Type-C charging cable, which is approximately 0.445 A. This value is just below the USB current limit.

Conclusion

The only area where the implementation falls short is CPI deviation, a problem that has persisted in every release using the TrueMove Air sensor. I would really appreciate it if SteelSeries could tackle this issue in the future. When it comes to general tracking, the performance is excellent—the polling rates remain stable, and there's no smoothing throughout the entire CPI range. This means that latency stays minimal regardless of the selected CPI step. Moreover, SteelSeries has effectively managed to control the delay that occurs when moving from a standstill, allowing for minimal latency as soon as you start moving the mouse. The Prime Wireless, like the Aerox 3 Wireless before it, uses SteelSeries' own TrueMove Air sensor, which is a modified version of the PixArt PAW3335. While the 3335 is a powerful sensor, many companies struggle with its implementation. Just recently, the Razer Orochi V2 showcased the sensor's potential when executed correctly, and SteelSeries has performed almost as well with the Prime Wireless. Overall, sensor performance is one of the standout features of the Prime Wireless.

The omission of Bluetooth support is somewhat intriguing, especially since the Prime Wireless uses the same MCU as the Aerox 3 Wireless, which could easily handle it. Despite this, the battery life has seen a significant boost. While the battery status indicator may not be very detailed, I'm confident the Prime Wireless lasts over 50 hours, even with RGB lighting fully on. This is impressive, particularly since the optical switches in the Prime Wireless consume more power. The improved battery life is even more noteworthy when compared to the Aerox 3 Wireless, which had only 250 mAh and lasted about ten hours with RGB lighting on. The Prime Wireless boasts over double that capacity at 550 mAh and has reduced RGB usage for better longevity. Moreover, SteelSeries has made positive changes based on the Aerox 3 Wireless's shortcomings. The Prime Wireless wakes up seamlessly; just moving the mouse is enough, unlike the Aerox 3 Wireless that required a button press first. Charging is incredibly fast, nearing the USB current limit, and the flexible charging cable allows for comfortable usage while charging. The included wireless extender plays a role in maintaining an optimal connection by minimizing the distance between the dongle and the mouse. Now, the wireless performance is impressive, with an isolated wireless delay of around 1 ms, comparable to brands like Logitech, Razer, and ROCCAT, making it highly praiseworthy. Overall, the sensor performance matches this outstanding wireless capability.

The feet have been upgraded compared to the regular Prime, leading to better glide. The scroll wheel, while sharing the same encoder and switch, feels even more responsive on the Prime Wireless than on the Prime and Prime+, offering enhanced tactility and quieter operation, although the wheel click is a bit stiffer. The side buttons shine as the main feature of the Prime Wireless, providing a snappy response with no noticeable pre or post-travel, no matter how hard you squeeze the sides. My copy boasts excellent build quality: the shell feels solid without any flex or creaking, and the side buttons remain unactuated under pressure. Weighing in at 80 g, the Prime Wireless matches the weight of the similarly sized, solid-shell Logitech G Pro Wireless, while also eliminating most of the RGB and any unnecessary holes.

The situation with click latency is somewhat disappointing. While the Prime Wireless makes strides compared to the Prime and Prime+, it still doesn't match the speed of optical switches from Razer and ROCCAT. Since optical switches avoid traditional debouncing, high click latency seems unjustifiable—especially when slam-click prevention could be achieved without extra delay. In fact, the click latency is nearly on par with the Aerox 3 Wireless, which should not be the case. Moving on, the split trigger design is commendable, showing minimal horizontal movement even under stress. However, the main buttons leave much to be desired. My experience with the Prestige OM switches across the Prime, Prime+, and Prime Wireless has been inconsistent, each unit featuring noticeably different main buttons. On the Prime, the right click felt almost like a tactile switch due to its lack of feedback, while the Prime+ had a satisfying left click but a disappointing right one. Ultimately, whether you enjoy solid clicks or not seems to be a matter of chance, which is far from ideal. It’s unfortunate that the main buttons have not received the same attention as other features in our review of the Prime.

During testing, I encountered no problems with SteelSeries Engine, which offers all the key features, though it does come with a significant resource usage. However, I find it quite confusing that Engine is bundled with GG, as GG has no real function for mouse settings. Even though the SteelSeries website suggests otherwise, Engine is no longer available for separate download, which makes it feel like you have no choice but to use GG. Naturally, all configurations are also stored in the on-board memory.

Alright, what's the verdict then? The Prime Wireless definitely earns our Recommend award—it's the top choice among the Prime, Prime+, and Prime Wireless options. It offers a refined and premium experience, despite having only minor flaws. However, this comes with a price tag of $129.99, which is $30 more than the Aerox 3 Wireless. The Aerox 3 is similar in features and even supports Bluetooth. Nonetheless, the Prime Wireless does enhance battery life compared to the Aerox 3 Wireless. So, while I wouldn’t say the Prime Wireless is a bargain, I also don’t think it’s overpriced.