[Gear] SteelSeries Diablo III Mouse and Headset Review

[Ghostbear]

[Gear] SteelSeries Diablo III Mouse and Headset Review

Product: [Gear] SteelSeries Diablo III Mouse and Headset
Platform: PC/MAC
Developer: SteelSeries
MSRP: $69.99 (Mouse) and $119.99 (Headset).
Available: Now
Editor: Jeremy 'Ghostbear' Spurlock

What's Hot: (Headset) Great Sound, very comfortable. (Mouse) Responsive, comfortable shape.
What's Not: (Headset) Little pricey. (Mouse) It's not my Sensei.

So SteelSeries recently sent me a set of their new Diablo 3 products. I decided that they needed to be reviewed together in all their diabolical glory. So let's dive right in and start with the mouse.

I've come to expect solid gear from SteelSeries and they do not disappoint. It fits into your hand comfortably and without too much adjustment. It has slightly textured surface that will ensure that in your frenzy of clicking you will never lose hold of the mouse. All the buttons have a satisfying action to them that I think even the most persnickety of gamers will appreciate. Speaking of mouse buttons, I'd like to talk about the mouse wheel. Typically this is a button that can be problematic to use in the heat of a game session. Not so here, the wheel is wide and with the "evil" textures on it keeping your finger from sliding off and hitting nothing. It also has a very good "bump" in the wheel, so you are always precise when scrolling.

Using the mouse was a great experience, movement was precise and smooth. I never felt like I had to pick up the mouse to keep going, which is always a major negative for me. You can adjust the dpi using the Steel Engine, but if you don't want to mess with that you can just hit the "limiter" button and halve your dpi for more precise maneuvers.

So what makes this mouse a "Diablo" mouse? The visuals mostly, starting with the scroll work all over the mouse, giving it that sort of gothic look that many associate with the game series. The illumination is a low ember of red, really giving the mouse an "evil" look. The logo on the back of the mouse also lights up rounding out its look. The illumination can be tweaked with the accompanying software to be brighter, to pulse or even to light up when you click. Plenty of options and I dare say more than is usual.

Score: 4 out of 5 CoGs


Jeremy says, "My only real complaint is that this mouse isn't the Sensei, which is unfair. It is a solid, great looking, dependable piece of hardware that will carry you through Diablo III and beyond. If you're in the market for a new mouse and are a Diablo fan, you cannot go wrong here. Buy it."


The Diablo III headset is based on the Siberia V2, a headset I am already a fan of. So I was a bit skeptical when I got this headset. What would this one offer over the cheaper and excellent Siberia? I was pleasantly surprised that this headset is more than just a reskinned version of another product.

Let's start with the most important bit, the sound. The headset has 50mm drivers that sound great. I've mentioned before that I am no audiophile, but I can tell you that this headset performed exceptionally well during Battlefield 3 sessions, voice comms, and music. While not a surround sound headset, it did make me feel like I was listening to an intense firefight, every bullet flying past me was clear and distinct. This headset also addressed one of my minor complaints about the Siberia V2, the inability to increase the volume as high as I would like. You can rock or game as loud as you would like. The headset is usb, allowing it to have its own built in sound card. Finally; got it setup the way you like? Take it to a friends house or lan party and you're still good to go. While on the topic of setup, this headset utilizes the SteelEngine that all the other higher end SteelSeries products use. It has a five point equalizer that lets you set your sound any way you like. Like it's predecessor, the Diablo III headset has a retractable mic that inputs great sound.

The leather covered foam ear cups do an excellent job of blocking outside noise, while remaining very comfortable for hours on end. In fact, I would venture to say you could easily (and I did) wear this headset all day and not be bothered. It's light and even when I first put it on I didn't feel like it was trying to crush my head. The build quality is top notch, showing a wonderful attention to detail. Both the mouse and headset have the same braided cable so if having them match is important to you, you're set.

Aesthetically, this headset is a treat, from the metal grating over the ear cups to the glowing "III" logo on the headband it's fun to look at. Like the mouse, this headset has low red lighting around the ear cups that really push the Diablo look. You can also tweak it to pulse slowly, be brighter or ever flash when sound is playing.

Score: 4.5 out of 5 CoGs


Jeremy says, "This is a great sounding headset that is sure to please even the non-Diablo fan. It sounds amazing, looks great and is very comfortable. While I fear it may be out of the price range of some, it is certainly worth the price they are charging. Especially if you want to look the part while defending Sanctuary from the forces of evil."

[Ghostbear]

I will also be giving away the Diablo 3 mouse to a random member who comments on the review. Keep it relevant to the conversation to qualify. You also need to have signed up for a CoG account prior to today.

[resikel]

Nice write up. I really like the look of the mouse.

[violent]

Your review is words. I like Diablo.

[cp#]

That's a pretty pricey mouse! Especially when the Sensei is only $10-20 more. I wouldn't mind winning it, though

[Shjinta]

I was looking at getting that mouse since my Mamba died and Razer won't replace the fucking thing. Would I notice any comfort difference going from a Mamba to this?

[Pale Ale]

Well?

Can you change the LED color like the Warcraft mouse?

[Ghostbear]

Originally Posted by Shjinta

I was looking at getting that mouse since my Mamba died and Razer won't replace the fucking thing. Would I notice any comfort difference going from a Mamba to this?

No, it should be a smooth transition for you.

Originally Posted by Pale Ale

Well?

Can you change the LED color like the Warcraft mouse?

No, it's red only. So that they can maintain the design they were going for.

[violent]

My biggest concern with the headphones was at first glance, there is no visible mic. Now, I know. And now that I know, I want.

[Zero]

Sweet Jeebus that is one sexy ass mouse.

[Narradisall]

The headset sounds pretty good, I can't seem to find one that doesn't feel like it is vice gripping my head to death. I may have to look it up when it comes out.

I'm surprised you say the mouse holds well though, it looks rather untextured and slippery there. The lighting additions seem a bit 'odd' though. What's the weight of it feel like? I have a G5 and although I was skeptical about weight cartridges I must say being able to customise the heft of my mouse was actually nice. I'm assuming this isn't too light, but it's handy to find a nice feel between too light and dragging a rock across the mouse mat.

[Wackman3000]

I think I am with cp on this one. While it looks like a great mouse, when you compare this to the excellent write up you also did for the Sensei, it seems like a worthy investment to put the extra $20 or so towards the more feature packed Sensei.

That said, if they packaged the mouse and headphones together at a nice price I could definitely see it attracting the Diablo fans mostly due to the branding and aesthetics of the designs.

THAT SAID, I would still love to own this mouse myself.

[Ghostbear]

It has a slight texture to it, I never felt like it was slipping. Weight is good too, middle of the road.

[TheSilentDeath]

I've been in the market for a new mouse, mainly since the one that I am using now is showing its age, and since this one is a tad bit cheaper than the sensei I might actually look into this one when I get some money. Great write-up by the way.

[Acidpoptart]

The headset looks gorgeous. Me wants.

Do you know if the mouse is based on an existing model?

[MalReynolds]

Mouse is very nice also when if this game coming out?


Also if your giving away the headset i would like to apply for that

[Karmakin]

I'm actually considering getting the Cataclysm mouse which is on sale locally.

How many buttons are on each side?

[TheKeck]

I'm wondering if I need a new headset. I get a lot of that snowy/white noise that I didn't use to notice before.

[flinxz]

I am looking for a new mouse and possibly a headset and have never done the matching set before. I have had issues with headphones/sets just having too short of a cord. Does the headset have a good bit of cord length to it?

[Ghostbear]

Originally Posted by Acidpoptart

The headset looks gorgeous. Me wants.

Do you know if the mouse is based on an existing model?

The Xai

Originally Posted by Karmakin

I'm actually considering getting the Cataclysm mouse which is on sale locally.

How many buttons are on each side?

Two

Originally Posted by flinxz

I am looking for a new mouse and possibly a headset and have never done the matching set before. I have had issues with headphones/sets just having too short of a cord. Does the headset have a good bit of cord length to it?

It has a USB extender.