Sunday, September 28, 2008

Microsoft SideWinder Gaming Mouse

Microsoft SideWinder Gaming Mouse

Microsoft SideWinder Gaming Mouse
















Elevate your skills with the revolutionary Microsoft SideWinder Mouse designed to provide you with unprecedented performance, handling, and adaptability. Customize your mouse with every game you play using advanced software and adjustable accessories. Use the first ever LCD display on a gaming mouse for macro recording and DPI settings to reduce on-screen interference during gameplay.

Customer Review: Great Mouse 4.5 out 5

Ive done a lot research and trial and error with other mice, and this is the one that fit my hand and budget. I was a little skeptical at first thinking that Microsoft made a peace of crap and slapped their name on it but the mouse really performs. Prior to this I was using the Razer Diamond Back, and the right click had died on that one so I purchased the Razer (Lechnis?) and found that it was just to small and the left side buttons were to awkward to push consistently, and the right side buttons were next to impossible to use.

When I first used the Sidewinder I was instantly at home with its Ergos, it fit very well in my hand (big mitts) and the side buttons were very accesable. Being built with stainless steel components I have doubts in its ability to take a punishment. The weight system is very nice as well allowing for lots of customization in weight distribution.

I didn't give it a perfect 5 because of the mouse feet. They have 3 different types of mouse feet that claim to have different menueverability along the mouse pad surface but they all seemed very much the same with a very plastic like feel. They also seemed to collect depris easily. However if you can keep them clean the feet aren't really a problem.

Customer Review: Sturdy, solid software, for big hands, a winner!

I have pretty big hands, and the Logitech mice have always been great for me in most respects, except that I *never* used the DPI switching on the fly. I would like to remap those keys to a 'cruise up' and 'cruise down', which worked really well.

The problem is, that occasionally the mouse would 'reset' itself to a lower DPI, and I'd be mid-game trying to get it back. I'd have to go map the key to "increase sensitivity", then go back into the game and play again. It was truly annoying, and it is the single reason I won't buy another Logitech mouse.

I saw Microsoft's Sidewinder mouse and I took a chance on it -- it looked reasonable, and being the owner of several Microsoft Keyboards over the years, I don't have any problem with their hardware quality. This mouse is no exception.

The plastic may seem flimsy, but feeling the scroll wheel tells you the internals of it are reasonably well made. It has solid mouse buttons and they are comfortable for a larger hand like mine (it's not a HUGE hand, but big). The macro keys are something I rarely use because if you play competitively, you have to take out the 'cheats' in games. But all in all, it's a really great mouse.

The SOFTWARE. It's great. The scroll wheel (if you use it in applications rather than games) can increase scrolling speed the faster you scroll with the software. It's quite brilliant. The detents in the scroll make it exceptionally good for gaming, as you know if you switch weapons easily -- you feel it in the wheel. My hand has never accidentally hit the DPI switch -- not once. And if your hand does, it's a quick switch back and you can view the LCD to tell you exactly what you're sitting at as well.

All in all, if you're tired of Logitech's poor software and key remapping, you have large hands, and you want a good gaming mouse -- this is the one for you. Again, I never switch DPI on ANY mouse I've ever owned (and I've owned a lot) so if you play like that... you'll find the Sidewinder a welcome choice.

By the way, the Sidewinder X5 is not worth it -- this mouse has more features and seems better to me, so save your $30 or whatever and buy this mouse. Amazon shipping and support never fails me.

Microsoft SideWinder Gaming Mouse

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