The fictional world of Fallout may be a dirt-ridden junk heap, but that doesn’t mean your PC gear has to be. For the debut of Fallout 4, Steelseries has released a Fallout 4 set of PC accessories, including the Siberia V3 headset, the Rival 300 mouse, and the QcK mousepad, all marked with the bright yellow and blue Vault 111 theme. I’ve spent hundreds of hours with them each as I’ve trekked my way through the Commonwealth, and have a few observations you may want to read before purchasing your own. Read on!
Aesthetically the series is stunning; the colors are vibrant and stand out from several rooms away. The mouse features a lit Vault 111 logo, which offsets my rainbow back-lit Tesoro Lobera nicely (it can also be customized to any color the user’s heart desires). Since my gaming PC is hooked up to my HDTV, I use a footstool as a stand for my keyboard and mouse. As such, it’s difficult to find a mousepad that will fit. The Vault 111 mousepad however stretches over the entire surface, a rare bonus for me. It’s smooth and friction-free, which along with the flawless precision of the mouse makes for frustration-free combat in high pressure situations. After over 350 hours of gameplay, the edges of the mousepad have resisted fraying, I’m impressive feat given the constant contact with my arms and wrists. The mouse has six configurable buttons; I have not used them extensively but they are very accessible with regards to hand position. Many game mice are too bulky for my smaller hands but the design is slim enough that despite my severe joint issues, I have not experienced cramping. The surface is also very pleasant to the touch, almost like velvet. Despite the unconventional surface I use for the mouse and mousepad, I’ve had no drag or other performance issues affecting my game.
The headphones I’m especially pleased with, as they are light, comfortably padded, and affected with a spring-y flexibility that eliminates the enormous pressure I’ve experienced with other sets. Whereas I can generally wear most headsets for about an hour, I’ve been able to extend that to three pain-free with the the Steelseries Siberia V3. I appreciate the retractable microphone, which glides into a safe position back into the headset when not in use, and can also be easily muted.
The mousepad is prone to stains but responds well to spot cleaning with a touch of water and soap and heavy pressure with paper towels for quick drying. Sadly, it is not cat-proof, as my Ragdoll, Nuka, as jumped off it several times and caused large snags on the surface. That one’s on my cat, though. He’s been jealous of the time I spent playing Fallout 4. Not on my cat though are the deep stains that have set into the mouse’s textured sideplates. The top plate and the wheel are fine but within ten days of first using the mouse, the siding became marred with a nasty green-yellow color where it came in contact with my thumb, ring finger, and pinky. I’m not sure what caused the stains, as I’ve taken care to wash my hands each time before settling in to use my computer, but they will not wash off with any of the cleansers I’ve gently applied. While the burnished aesthetic somewhat matches the post apocalyptic Fallout theme, I’m disappointed. The headphones have gone mostly unscathed, perhaps because I use them the least, but there is a tiny edge of green that suggests the discoloration is from body oils. The bright blue and yellow color scheme is lovely but does not hide the wear and tear of the life of a rough and tumble (and sometimes messy) PC gamer very well.
Verdict? Come for the Fallout, stay for the fantastic quality: this is a beautiful set of accessories from Steelseries and you will not have to sacrifice performance to enjoy them. You may need to keep them away from your cats, spray the mousepad with some Scotch Guard, and take three showers a day, but bottom line, this is a stellar set of equipment that will serve your gaming needs well long after the colors have been stained or faded.
