SteelSeries Sensei 310  Mouse Review

Reviewed May 20, 2021 at 10:00am
Tested using Methodology v1.0 
SteelSeries Sensei 310
7.4
Office/Multimedia 
8.0
Video Games (FPS) 
8.1
Video Games (MMO) 
7.6
Ultra-Light Gaming 
5.3
Travel 
 0

The SteelSeries Sensei 310 is a great wired gaming mouse. It feels sturdy, has two side buttons on each side, and has a comfortable ambidextrous shape that's ideal for claw grip regardless of hand size, though it's also suitable for a fingertip grip for larger hands or a palm grip for smaller hands. It has good click latency, a good lift-off distance, a wide CPI range, and a set CPI that you can adjust by increments of 100. Unfortunately, it has a fairly stiff rubber cable, and our unit's sensor is somewhat inconsistent, as it undershoots the set CPI more for faster mouse movements than slower ones.

Our Verdict

7.4
Office/Multimedia 

The SteelSeries Sensei 310 is decent for office use. It feels well-built and has an impressive number of programmable buttons. It's best suited for a claw grip, but it's also suitable for smaller hands using a palm grip or larger hands using a fingertip grip. Unfortunately, it's a wired-only mouse, and the scroll wheel lacks L/R tilt buttons and doesn't unlock for free scrolling.

Pros
  • Feels well-built.
  • All buttons are programmable.
Cons
  • Wired-only.
  • Mouse wheel lacks L/R tilt buttons and doesn't unlock for free scrolling.
8.0
Video Games (FPS) 

The SteelSeries Sensei 310 is very good for FPS gaming. It feels sturdy, has good click latency, good mouse feet that glide smoothly on mousepads, and it's ideal for a claw grip for all hand sizes. Unfortunately, the cable is fairly stiff, the lift-off distance isn't as low as on some gaming mice, and the sensor is somewhat inconsistent, undershooting the set CPI more for faster mouse movements than slow ones.

Pros
  • Good click latency.
  • Feels well-built.
  • All buttons are programmable.
Cons
  • Fairly stiff rubber cable.
  • Borderline heavy.
8.1
Video Games (MMO) 

The SteelSeries Sensei 310 is very good for gaming, but it doesn't have as many side buttons as dedicated MMO mice. That said, it does have a pair of buttons on either side, and all the buttons are programmable. It feels well-built and has software compatible with Windows and macOS. It also has a good click latency and lift-off distance. It's ideal for a claw grip for all hand sizes, but it's also suitable for larger hands using a fingertip grip or smaller hands using a palm grip.

Pros
  • Good click latency.
  • Feels well-built.
  • All buttons are programmable.
Cons
  • Not as many side buttons as dedicated MMO mice.
7.6
Ultra-Light Gaming 

The SteelSeries Sensei 310 is good for ultra-light gaming, but it's on the edge of being considered heavy and has a stiff rubber cable. That said, it feels well-built, its feet glide smoothly on mousepads, and it has a comfortable ambidextrous shape that's well-suited for claw grip regardless of hand size. Unfortunately, the unit we tested has a somewhat inconsistent sensor and undershoots the set CPI.

Pros
  • Good click latency.
  • Feels well-built.
  • All buttons are programmable.
Cons
  • Fairly stiff rubber cable.
  • Borderline heavy.
5.3
Travel 

The SteelSeries Sensei 310 is inadequate for travel. It's bulky, so it may not fit in most laptop cases, and it's a wired mouse, which can make it cumbersome in tight spaces like trains, buses, or planes. On the other hand, it feels well-built, has companion software compatible with Windows and macOS, and has onboard memory for settings.

Pros
  • Feels well-built.
Cons
  • Wired-only.
  • Fairly bulky; may not fit in most laptop cases.
  • 7.4
    Office/Multimedia
  • 8.0
    Video Games (FPS)
  • 8.1
    Video Games (MMO)
  • 7.6
    Ultra-Light Gaming
  • 5.3
    Travel
  • Changelog

    1.  Updated May 20, 2021: Review published.
    2.  Updated May 11, 2021: Early access published.
    3.  Updated May 03, 2021: Our testers have started testing this product.
    4.  Updated Apr 28, 2021: The product has arrived in our lab, and our testers will start evaluating it soon.

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    Differences Between Sizes And Variants

    The SteelSeries Sensei 310 gaming mouse has no variants. The SteelSeries Rival 310 is a nearly identical mouse internally, but it has a right-handed ergonomic shape and two side buttons only on the left. You can see the label for our unit here.

    Popular Mouse Comparisons

    The SteelSeries Sensei 310 gaming mouse is marketed towards esports and competitive FPS players. While it offers solid performance, there are many gaming mice within the same price bracket point that are lighter, have more flexible cables, better mouse feet, more consistent sensors, and lower click latency. That said, shape is one of the most important elements when choosing the right gaming mouse, and the Sensei 310's ambidextrous shape is popular among some claw and fingertip grip fans.

    For more options, check out our recommendations for the best mouse, the best wired mouse, and the best gaming mouse.

    SteelSeries Sensei RAW

    The SteelSeries Sensei 310 is an updated version of the SteelSeries Sensei RAW. It has a slightly different shape, feels more sturdy, and has a wider CPI range. On the other hand, the Sensei RAW is lighter, has a lower lift-off distance, and a more consistent sensor. Both mice are ideal for claw grip with any hand size and suitable for larger hands using a fingertip grip, though the Sensei 310 is more suitable for smaller hands using a palm grip.

    SteelSeries Sensei Ten

    The SteelSeries Sensei Ten and the SteelSeries Sensei 310 are great ambidextrous gaming mice with two side buttons on either side. The Sensei Ten is lighter and has better mouse feet, a wider CPI range, a set CPI that's more precisely adjustable, a more consistent sensor, and newer software. It's best suited for a claw or palm grip for nearly all hand sizes. Comparatively, the Sensei 310 has rubberized sides and feels much more comfortable. It's ideal for a claw grip for all hand sizes.

    Razer Viper Mini

    The Razer Viper Mini is a comparable gaming mouse to the SteelSeries Sensei 310. It's much lighter, has a more flexible cable, much lower click latency, and mouse feet that glide more smoothly. Unfortunately, its software is only compatible with Windows. Comparatively, the SteelSeries has two additional side buttons, a wider CPI range, and software compatible with Windows and macOS. The Razer is best-suited for a fingertip grip, while the SteelSeries is best-suited for a claw grip, though both are suitable for other grip types depending on hand size.

    SteelSeries Rival 310

    The SteelSeries Sensei 310 and the SteelSeries Rival 310 are nearly identical, but they differ in shape and how many buttons they have. The Sensei 310 has an ambidextrous shape that's ideal for all hand sizes using claw grip, and it has two side buttons on either side. On the other hand, the Rival 310 has an ergonomic right-handed shape best suited for all hand sizes using a palm grip, but it only has a pair of side buttons on the left. The Rival 310 we tested also had a more consistent sensor, but this may be due to manufacturing tolerances.

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    Test Results

    perceptual testing image
    Sort:
    RATINGS
    Category:
    All
    Design
    Style
    Type
    Standard
    Lighting ColorRGB
    Shape
    Length4.9" (124 mm)
    Height1.6" (40 mm)
    Width2.8" (71 mm)
    Grip Width
    68 mm
    5.5
    Portability
    Volume
    21.18 in³ (347 cm³)
    Cable/Receiver Storing
    No
    Weight
    Maximum Weight With Wire
    128 g
    Maximum Weight Without Wire
    98 g
    Minimum Weight Without Wire
    98 g
    Weight Distribution
    Centered
    Extra Weights
    No
    8.5
    Build Quality
    8.5
    Comfort Of Use
    Right-handed
    No
    Left-handed
    No
    Ambidextrous
    Yes
    Coating
    Matte
    Finger Rest
    No

    If you're interested in a gaming mouse with similar performance but a right-handed shape, check out the Corsair HARPOON RGB PRO.

    Palm Grip: Hand Size Recommendation
    Small Hand
    Yes
    Medium Hand
    Yes
    Large Hand
    No
    X.Large Hand
    No
    Claw Grip: Hand Size Recommendation
    Small Hand
    Yes
    Medium Hand
    Yes
    Large Hand
    Yes
    X.Large Hand
    Yes
    Fingertip Grip: Hand Size Recommendation
    Small Hand
    No
    Medium Hand
    No
    Large Hand
    Yes
    X.Large Hand
    Yes
    0.0
    Wireless Versatility
    Bluetooth
    No
    Receiver
    No
    Battery Type
    No Batteries
    Use When Charging
    No
    On/Off Activation
    None
    Receiver Extender
    No
    Battery IndicatorNo
    7.0
    Cable
    ConnectivityWired
    Cable Length6.6 ft (2.0 m)
    Cable Type
    Rubber
    Permanent Kink
    Yes
    Port Type: Mouse End
    No Port
    Port Type: PC End
    USB
    7.5
    Mouse Feet
    Gliding Experience
    Good
    Material
    PTFE
    Extra Included
    No
    In The Box

    • SteelSeries Sensei 310 gaming mouse
    • User documentation
    Control
    Sensor Specifications
    Sensor Technology
    Optical (LED)
    Sensor Model
    TrueMove 3
    Works On Glass
    No
    Minimum CPI (DPI)
    100 CPI
    Maximum CPI (DPI)
    12,000 CPI
    CPI (DPI) Adjustment Steps
    100 CPI
    CPI (DPI) Variation
    -11%
    Minimum Lift Off Distance
    2.4 mm
    Maximum Polling Rate
    1000 Hz

    The unit we tested has a somewhat inconsistent sensor that undershoots the set CPI more during quicker cursor movements. The polling rate settings are 125Hz, 250Hz, 500Hz, and 1000Hz.

    7.9
    Buttons
    Buttons Activation
    Mechanical
    Total Number Of Buttons
    8
    Number Of Side Buttons
    4
    Number Of Programmable Inputs
    10
    Profile Switching Button
    Yes
    CPI (DPI) Switching Button
    Yes
    Gesture Support
    No
    Mouse Wheel
    Scroll Wheel
    Notched Wheel
    Scroll Wheel Steps
    24 Steps
    Scroll Wheel Tilt
    No
    Thumb Wheel
    No
    Thumb Wheel Steps
    No Thumb Wheel
    Noise
    Click Noise
    Quiet
    7.9
    Click Latency
    Click Latency: Receiver
    N/A
    Click Latency: Bluetooth
    N/A
    Click Latency: Wired
    15 ms
    Operating System And Software
    10
    Compatible Software Option
    Software NameSteelSeries GG
    Software Windows Compatibility
    Yes
    Software macOS Compatibility
    Yes
    Account Needed
    No
    On-Board Memory
    Yes
    CPI (DPI) Adjustment
    Yes
    Polling Rate Adjustment
    Yes
    Profile Configuration
    Yes
    RGB On/Off
    Yes

    If you'd prefer a similarly performing mouse that allows you to make basic RGB lighting and CPI adjustments without companion software, check out the Cooler Master CM110.

    10
    Mouse Compatibility
    Windows CompatibilityFully
    macOS CompatibilityFully