SteelSeries is about ‘For Glory’ and since 2001, this Danish peripheral developer and designer has been smashing goals as of late. Starting from a mousepad they have grown their empire to what it is today; a fierce competitor in the peripheral business. With an extensive catalogue of mice for the casual and pro-gamer, the ‘Prime’ range has caught the attention of the MKAU office. Let’s take a dive into the SteelSeries Prime Mini Wireless mouse.

True to the name the Prime Mini Wireless looks just like the Prime but… minier. With a sturdy but sleek matte black design, this time the simplisticness of it can be more forgivable due to its sheer size. At only 12cm in length and only 6 cm wide, this little thing slides around on any mouse pad with its 3 smooth gliders underneath. The mouse itself has quite a high arch with the triggers but fits comfortably under my hand due to its size. Each of the two side buttons also aligns perfectly with my thumb making for quick clicking at a split decision. Included is the USB-C Charge cable in quite a decent length so even if you wanted, you can take wireless completely out of the options and run cabled in, the whole time.

It also should be noted here, that SteelSeries Prime Mini Wireless is compatible with Apple, Microsoft, and Xbox, meaning more and more plug-and-play options across multiple platforms with the use of the included USB-C wireless dongle and extension adapter.
Underneath this little beast, you will find a CPI button. The SteelSeries Prime Mini Wireless has a CPI range of up to 18,000 when using the supplied software. Not the highest CPI available, but realistically, no one needs their pointer phasing across the screen like it is Sonic the Hedgehog. For even the E-Sports stars, 18,000 is MORE than reasonable. The underside button, however, does have 5 preset CPI levels represented by colours just in case you do need to change on the fly.

Long presses will also adjust the polling rate on the fly. We love convenience at MKAU, and that button is all about it. There is also a power button, at the push of a slider you can turn off your mouse to say precious battery life when life and your projects seem to idle.

The built-in battery does mean the Prime Mini will need to be charged, however, I was pleasantly surprised that I didn’t need to charge it till 3 days later after many hours long stints at my computer. Not really into wireless mice, I was expecting it to need charging every night. I did really enjoy the neatness of no cable added to my setup, to be honest as well.

Look, I understand the convenience of a wireless mouse won’t be for everyone, but for this reviewer and as a writer, I really enjoyed the freedom it gave me. As a gamer, the possibility of it running flat at a crucial moment could be a possible deterrent.
Just like its brothers in the ‘Prime’ collection, you will notice functionality-wise is that the frontal trigger buttons are very clicky and tactile. These triggers are loud. While people like me enjoy that as I already run a mechanical keyboard and I am naturally loud by nature, others will definitely be deterred by this. This sound is due to their different designed switches (MO switches) underneath that act more like a springboard than a button. These feel very responsive, even as you go wireless, something I didn’t particularly expect as most wireless products tend to feel sluggish off the power cable.

The SteelSeries GG software (easily accessed from the website) means I can program my mouse to meet all my needs; whether it be for everyday home office or gaming immersion. Here, you can map out 4 buttons and the scroll wheel’s functionality, macros, and a complete must for mice, your CPI levels. Fabulously, you can further tweak your CPI, essentially, the speed of your mouse, by adjusting the acceleration, deceleration, and polling rates. The polling rate reaches 1000Hz, meaning your inputs are processed in a jiffy if your rig is up to it. I have reviewed a lot of peripherals but it needs to be said that SteelSeries has built some of the most user-friendly and functional software to pair with their devices.

I was thoroughly impressed with the SteelSeries Prime Mini Wireless. For such a small mouse, I received a decent amount of battery life and was surprised by its responsiveness. While probably not my go-to choice for any intense gaming sessions, as a home office device it was small, convenient, and simple to use with the SteelSeries GG software. Cable-free never felt so easy.

Written by: Stacey