The new SteelSeries Rival 3 Gen 2 is the perfect reminder of the benefits of removable batteries in gaming mice

I made the switch to wireless mice three or four years ago—it took me a while, I know—and since then, I haven’t wanted to turn back. But ever since making the switch, like the close-minded bigot I am, I’d written off mice with removable batteries. They just seemed so old-fashioned, you know? But not according to SteelSeries, which has just released just such a removable battery gaming mouse.

The new iteration of the SteelSeries Rival 3 that I’ve been using for the past few days has me reconsidering my stance. Now I’ve actually been using one and have been forced to consider its benefits, I reckon there’s an argument to be made for gaming mice with removable batteries.

We reviewed the original SteelSeries Rival 3 back in 2021 and found it to be a pretty decent option if you’re on a budget, though not without its issues. That one was powered by removable batteries, and the new one hasn’t deviated in that regard: It’s powered by 1x or 2x AAA batteries, depending on how much weight you feel comfortable adding to it.

There doesn’t seem to be a massive difference between this version and Gen 1, although there are some nice new colour options and apparently some improved battery life. You’re still getting a solid option for a budget price ($59.99 on release), with a snappy 18K DPI sensor, low (1.9 ms) click latency, and up to 450 hours of battery on Bluetooth or up to 200 hours on 2.4 GHz, modes which can be swapped between with the flip of an underside switch.

I’ve been enjoying my time with the mouse for all those reasons, plus its sturdy general build quality, but primarily I’m surprised that I’m not missing the non-removable, rechargeable battery in, say, my Logitech G Pro X Superlight.

Admittedly, that would probably be different if it didn’t support rechargeable batteries, but it does. (Many battery devices do, of course, but some don’t, given the lower voltage of rechargeable batteries.)

Unfortunately, the Rival 3 Gen 2 doesn’t come with rechargeable batteries, just regular single-use AAA ones, but I’m excited to get my hands on some rechargeable ones ASAP. That’s for the same reason that we love the SteelSeries Arctis Nova Pro Wireless headset: because you can charge one set of batteries while the other is in use and just keep swapping back and forth for essentially infinite battery life.

That might seem like a lot of effort, but really it’s just keeping a charging pack plugged in and swapping out the batteries when they’re about to run out. Compared to having to plug my mouse in every few days, I’ll take that—fewer cables, and a mouse that’s always wireless and usable.

None of this is to say the new Rival 3 is worth it for that fact alone—there are plenty of other factors to consider. For those, you’ll have to wait for my full review (watch this space), but for now, I can say at the very least that my previously closed mind is now open to removable batteries in wireless mice.