SteelSeries confirms early production batch of Rival 310 mice have adhesive issues

Last week, Briony shared an update on the SteelSeries Rival 310 mouse after nine months of use. While the initial review was very positive, it seems that the Rival 310 has not stood the test of time, as 9 months on, the mouse is falling apart. SteelSeries has been in touch since the update went live, confirming that an early production batch of the 310 does suffer from adhesive issues.

Being a tech reviewer can often be a thankless task. In some cases, a box can arrive just a few days before a product launch, which does lead to plenty of weekend work and long hours. While KitGuru will always ensure that we give a solid review within a short time frame, long term durability and reliability can only be addressed at a much later date.

Our peripherals' reviewer Briony Hannam analysed the SteelSeries Rival 310 back in October 2017 and her initial impressions were very positive. The mouse performed admirably and she praised both the sensor and comfort levels over long periods of gaming duty. She scored it 8 out of 10 – and it walked away with our worth buying award.

After the review was published, she handed the mouse over to her boyfriend who then proceeded to use it daily. As it is a £60 mouse, you would expect good long term durability. Unfortunately over time, the glue behind the rubber grips began to ooze out and the grips started to peel off. There is also an issue with the mouse switches double clicking on a regular basis. KitGuru is here first and foremost to deliver honest buying advice to our readers, so we made the decision to put out a follow-up story, which you can read HERE.

After ‘Briony's horror story' went live, we were contacted by SteelSeries, with a rep speaking directly on the phone with Briony. During that conversation, we were told that there was indeed a problem with the adhesive on the side panels of some Rival 310 mice. Briony's Rival 310 serial number (6243330004201700098) seems to have fallen within the range of mice affected.

Our SteelSeries contact explained that during production, partner ‘3M' admitted to some adhesive falling outside of recommended specifications. Several enthusiast gamers commented on the KitGuruTech YouTube channel to concur that the issue has occurred on their mice too. According to SteelSeries, this issue should only affect an early production batch of the mice. As we publish today, we are still waiting for a range of serial numbers so that customers can check if their unit could be affected.

We have asked SteelSeries how it plans to rectify the situation with those experiencing the same problems as Briony. We were told that replacement side grips will be offered with better adhesive. Rival 310 owners will need to clean the old glue off, and then stick on their new rubber grips with fully functioning 3M adhesive.

In the most recent production runs of the Rival 310, SteelSeries has also changed the structure of the grooves in the rubber grips. This design change should hold the panels in place better. With this in mind, it looks like recent buyers won't experience issues with rubber grips peeling off.

We asked once more about the ‘double click' issues that Briony's sample has been experiencing. Currently, SteelSeries is unsure if the issue is software-related or mechanical in nature. However, the company is looking into it and it seems likely that this is a more isolated problem.

Issues with products do crop up from time to time, but the real test is how a company deals with it. SteelSeries will be looking to resolve these adhesive issues on a customer to customer basis, so anyone experiencing similar issues within the warranty period should be able to contact customer support and have things taken care of.

We are still expecting a few more details from SteelSeries later this week. Once that comes through, we will be sure to update this article.

KitGuru Says: So far, SteelSeries seems to be taking steps to rectify the situation for affected Rival 310 buyers. We are still awaiting final details, but we should have more to share later this week. 

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