The SteelSeries Sensei RAW is an impressive wired gaming mouse. It feels sturdy and has a true ambidextrous shape with two side buttons on either side. Our unit has a glossy plastic body, but a rubberized variant is also available. Its shape makes it ideal for a claw grip, regardless of hand size, though it's suitable for those with larger hands using a fingertip grip and medium or large hands with a palm grip. It also has good latency, a low lift-off distance, mouse feet that glide well on mousepads. Unfortunately, it has a stiff cable, and you can only adjust the CPI by steps of 90.
Our Verdict
The SteelSeries Sensei RAW is decent for office use. It feels well-built and has a great number of programmable buttons. It's ideal for all hand sizes using a claw grip, but it's also suitable for those with larger hands using a fingertip grip or medium and large-sized hands using a palm grip. Unfortunately, it's a wired-only mouse, and the scroll wheel lacks L/R tilt buttons and doesn't unlock for free scrolling.
- Feels well-built.
- All buttons are programmable.
- Wired-only.
- Mouse wheel lacks L/R tilt buttons and doesn't unlock for free scrolling.
The SteelSeries Sensei RAW is great for FPS gaming. It feels well-built, has good click latency, a low lift-off distance, and mouse feet that glide well on mousepads. It's ideal for a claw grip, regardless of hand size, but it's also suitable for those with larger hands using a fingertip grip and medium or large hands with a palm grip. Unfortunately, it has a stiff cable, and while you can adjust the CPI using the software, it uses an unusual slider, and you can only make adjustments by increments of 90.
- Good click latency.
- Feels well-built.
- All buttons are programmable.
- Fairly lightweight.
- Fairly stiff cable.
The SteelSeries Sensei RAW is great for MMO gaming, but it doesn't have as many side buttons as dedicated MMO mice. Despite this, it feels well-built, has a pair of side buttons on either side, and all buttons are programmable using the companion software. It also has good click latency and a low lift-off distance. It's best suited for claw grip, regardless of hand size, but it's suitable for those with larger hands using a fingertip grip and medium or large hands with a palm grip.
- Good click latency.
- Feels well-built.
- All buttons are programmable.
- Not as many side buttons as dedicated MMO mice.
The SteelSeries Sensei RAW is a very good mouse for ultra-light gaming, but it's heavier than most dedicated ultra-lights and has a fairly stiff cable. That said, it has a good click latency, it feels sturdy, its mouse feet glide well on mousepads, and it has a comfortable, ambidextrous shape ideal for a claw grip for all hand sizes. It's also suitable for a palm grip for medium or large hands or a fingertip grip for larger hands.
- Good click latency.
- Feels well-built.
- Fairly lightweight.
- Fairly stiff cable.
The SteelSeries Sensei RAW is inadequate for travel. It's fairly bulky and likely won't fit into most laptop cases. It's also a wired mouse, which can be cumbersome in tight spaces like trains or planes. On the other hand, it feels well-built and has companion software compatible with Windows and macOS.
- Feels well-built.
- Wired-only.
- Fairly bulky; may not fit in most laptop cases.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
The SteelSeries Sensei RAW is an update of the original SteelSeries Sensei. The unit we tested is the Heat Orange variant, but it's also available in Rubberized Black, Glossy Black, and Frost Blue variants. This mouse was replaced by the next entry in the Sensei series, the SteelSeries Sensei 310. You can see the label for our unit here.
Popular Mouse Comparisons
The SteelSeries Sensei RAW is a stripped-down update of the original SteelSeries Sensei. While it's still marketed broadly towards the esports community, it's also aimed more at everyday gamers than its predecessor. Compared to the original, it lacks some customizability, but it offers an updated sensor and either a rubberized or glossy surface texture. This mouse is now discontinued but remains a niche option for fans of the original Sensei shape.
For more options, check out our recommendations for the best mouse, the best wired mouse, and the best gaming mouse.
The Endgame Gear XM1r and the SteelSeries Sensei RAW have visually similar shapes, but the Endgame Gear is a better gaming mouse overall. It's significantly lighter, has a more flexible cable, better mouse feet, and much lower click latency. The SteelSeries has two additional side buttons on the left, making it a good choice if you're left-handed. It also has a button behind the scroll wheel, which the Endgame Gear lacks, that acts as a dedicated CPI button by default.
The Razer Viper Ultimate is a significantly better gaming mouse than the SteelSeries Sensei RAW. It connects wired or wirelessly with its USB receiver and is much lighter. It also has a wider CPI range, a more precisely adjustable CPI, and better click latency. Unfortunately, its software is only compatible with Windows. On the other hand, the SteelSeries has software compatible with Windows and macOS. The Razer is well-suited for a fingertip grip for larger hands and a claw or palm grip for smaller hands, while the SteelSeries is best suited for a claw grip for all hand sizes.
The SteelSeries Sensei RAW is an earlier version of the SteelSeries Sensei Ten, and the two have nearly identical shapes. The Sensei Ten has a wider CPI range and a set CPI that you can adjust more precisely. On the other hand, the Sensei RAW has a lower lift-off distance. Both mice are ideal for claw grip and suitable for larger hands using a fingertip or palm grip.
The SteelSeries Sensei RAW and the BenQ ZOWIE FK1-B are very good wired gaming mice with similar shapes. The SteelSeries has two additional side buttons on the right, a more flexible cable, a more consistent sensor, a lower lift-off distance, a wider CPI range, and a more adjustable set CPI. It also has companion software for customization. Comparatively, the BenQ has a significantly lower click latency and only four default CPI presets. Both mice are well-suited for a claw or palm grip for almost all hand sizes and a fingertip grip for larger hands.
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