Don’t Buy SteelSeries Products
Gaming General
Hiya Players! I’ve done my best to avoid ranting so far on PVS, but today I feel the need to discuss something that players should be aware of: Steelseries products are garbage. Let’s sit down, and I’ll tell you of Tale of Two Peripherals.
First, let’s focus on the first product that I came into possession of: A Steelseries World of Warcraft MMO Gaming Mouse. I got this mouse for free from a Best Buy promotion at the launch of World of Warcraft: Cataclysm by being one of the the idiots standing out in the cold when it was released. Sara, the best girlfriend ever, was there as well and also received a mouse. As pretty as the packaging was, it was kind of a pain using it when we first got it because the software is just so freaking bad. The proprietary firmware and plugins by SteelSeries for Warcraft were sloppy, taking me nearly 2 hours to get the side buttons working to be even remotely useful playing World of Warcraft. I don’t think Sara ever even bothered, since rouges just stab stuff.
Within four months of using it the paint on my mouse started wearing off, showing what can only be described as green corrosion where the paint used to be. The mouse looked horrendous. In addition, the buttons started sticking (or not working at all). I also wasn’t happy with the side buttons at all, as they were simply clunky and overall uncomfortable to use. Though Sara didn’t experience the ‘corrosion’ until close to a year, she started having button problems around the 8 month mark. Within a year I ended up having to get a new mouse, a fantastic little Razer Naga, and never looked back. Sara also got a Razer Naga, though not until more recently (she has more resilience than I do). We didn’t bother trying to get replacements from SteelSeries for the mice since we got them for free.
The second encounter I had with SteelSeries came a few months after getting the Gaming Mouse (before the problems became really bad) when I received the SteelSeries Merc Stealth Keyboard as a Christmas gift. I was actually thankful for this at first since it was seen as a huge upgrade from the cheap Dell keyboard I was using – I was naive and very wrong. Now truth be told this isn’t designed to be the ideal keyboard for MMOs, which is where I spend most of my time, but a keyboard with this price tag should be good none-the-less for basic keyboard functions. Within 6 months the Ctrl key, which as a healer in WoW was my main modifier key and used quite often, stopped working. I contacted SteelSeries on the matter and they said that it was my fault because I ‘used it too much’ and there was nothing they were willing to do. Needless to say I was furious. After a few escalations, they said if I send them the keyboard (on my dime) and include payment for them to send me a new one, they could do just that. The total would be an additional $45 for a replacement keyboard. That is ludicrous given the short time since purchase! The best alternative they could ‘offer’ me was a $50 credit towards another SteelSeries purchase. IT should go without saying that I never used it and will never purchase another SteelSeries product. Regrettably I’ve been forced to ‘make due’ with this keyboard for the time being. Recently the spacebar rarely works (which when doing Jumping Puzzles in Guild Wars 2 makes them almost impossible). I’ll need to replace this keyboard in the very near future (suggestions?), even if it means digging out the old Dell one again.
Summation:
I got a free SteelSeries mouse that was useless within a year. Sara got a free SteelSeries mouse that lasted (barely) over a year. I was given a SteelSeries keyboard a gift that the buttons stopped working within 6 months. SteelSeries wanted to charge me an additional $45 to get a replacement, regardless of what their warranty clearly says should be covered. Considering the price of these pieces of gear are often around or above the $100 mark, they should be coming with a warranty that gives them at least a lifespan of two years – This shouldn’t be effected by how much the item is used during that time if used as intended. SteelSeries has proven to me that they make inferior hardware that breaks in a short period of time, and their customer service is rude and doesn’t support their products. I’m pretty sure that’s all that a company has to go on.
So those are my stories and woes of this wretched company. I’ve been very happy with my Razer Naga, and it still looks as new as it did the day it game out of the box – Even with my excessive usage.
So I’m looking for a new keyboard, perhaps another Razer product, but really whatever is best (and not SteelSeries). What do you guys suggest? Also let me know what companies you’ve had similar problems with, or your opinions on SteelSeries. Let me know in the comments below!
I been using corsair M90 its pretty good. I don’t use it for mmo tho I’m sure you could with its 10 buttons. Little heavy but does the job well. First person shooters would love it with its Sniper button. Tho I recommend it for big hands more than short. Some button can be tricky to reach.
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