Sidewinders
Sideways with the Sidewinders
A horrific series of events following the end of Icrontic's EXPO '09 has left me a mouse full of battery acid and a mouse that refuses to work despite all the slamming in the world. After a few days of using my first Logitech optical mouse I finally got one of the mice to work consistently until it started to sound like there was a bug becoming extremely agitated inside of it. Luckily there was no such bug; however, there was one mad battery that in order to show its angst to me was pouring battery acid into my mouse.
Needless to say these events bring the topic to the forefront. Some quick questioning about people's preferences on mice and having my brother in law laugh at a few of my preliminary choices I “manned up†and decided to search out the Microsoft Sidewinder x6 keyboard and Sidewinder x8 mouse. Why the pair? Up until this point I have been using two sets of Logitech EX110s, for approximately 3 years, for my main computer and a spare to use on the other machines in the house due to their normally fingerless nature. The EX110 is a multimedia wireless keyboard and mouse package with an optical mouse and basic function media keyboard.
Now to the quick. I found both the x6 and x8 locally at Fry's Electronics. Lucky for me and my timing I was able to procure the keyboard on sale and use an old co-workers employee discount on the mouse
MSRP -Cost w/o Tax
Sidewinder x6 $79.95-$59.95
Sidewinder x8 $99.95- $74.99
This pricing puts it into the realm of Logitech's G9, MSRP $99.99, and the Razer Mamba, MSRP $129.99.
Features
Sidewinder x6:
• Switchable Keypad
• Two-Color Adjustable Back Lighting Dial
• Macro Keys
• Mode Switching
• Cruise Control
• In-Game Macro Record Button
• Device Stage
• Automatic Profile Switching
• WASD Gaming Keys
• Media Keys
• 3 Year Limited Warranty
Sidewinder x8:
• 2.4GHz Wireless Connection
• BlueTrack Technology
• Play and Charge
• Twelve buttons-Seven Programmable
• Scroll Wheel With Tilt
• Full-Speed USB Reporting
• Device Stage
• Vertical Side Buttons
• LCD Display
• Quick Launch Button
• DPI Switching
• Replaceable Mouse Feet
• Macro Record
• 3 Year Limited Warranty
The first impressions from the outside of the packaging is disheartening because the flimsy feel of the boxes on both the x6 and x8. The x6's box can be felt flexing and shifting while holding it along the edge, which left me wondering if the keyboard could possibly get damaged in a retail store. The same feelings were present while walking around with the x8 in my hand because I could feel the packaging shifting ever so slightly as my arm swayed. Those these dismays were quickly expelled once the outside packaging was removed from both products.
The outside casing for the mouse took some force to remove the tab holding it around the plastic casing. Once the cardboard was taken off I realized how strong and stiff the plastic used was and that the cardboard is more of a buffer for the product instead of part of the packaging. The keyboard box took cutting a few pieces of tape before I easily slid the inner box for the keyboard out and saw why the edges of the box felt so flimsy, they were filled with folded cardboard. This acted as a crush zone for the outside box to help prevent any damage to the inner stronger box. The inside box felt wholesome and strong, as though it could take some decent abuse all over without compromising the structure or the creamy filling inside.
The x8 comes with one rechargeable battery (2100 mAh), 2 sets of different replacement feet for the mouse, one charging station/2.4 GHz receiver with USB and charging cable attached, Intellipoint software, and the standard manual and warranty information. The x6 comes with the main keyboard with attached USB cable, removable number pad, and Intellitype software.
After everything was opened and the full contents laid out to view I was thoroughly satisfied and slightly impressed with the appearance, quality, and feel of all items present. The two things that surprised me were the magnetic sides of the keyboard so the macro/number pad was held more secure and also wanted to jump at the keyboard when it got close. The other is the fact that the charge cable for the mouse simply wraps around the replacement feet container instead of some manner of retraction. This second item bothered me as I was winding the cord back in because I could easily see someone pulling hard and it breaks the cable internally, rips the cable free from the base, or rips the charge head off the cable.
From there it was a short hop, skip, and an install to get the keyboard and mouse installed and usable. The only input required from the user on the install is to select the product from a list so the software can be correctly configured, would be nice if the software was auto-sensing on the devices given the price tag but that is simply a convenience factor. Since there is some chance of error in the install they allow the device model to be changed inside of both sets of software incase upgrades or incorrect installation. Getting both devices physically installed is easier because they are both USB plug and play. The hardest part was getting the mouse charging cable the correct length so it would not stop the mouse from its journeys to all four corners of the mouse pad. Quick tip for the brash and illiterate: The rechargeable battery's negative terminal is where you classically find the positive terminal.
The macro system is user friendly and simple to understand. Both devices allow for recording of macros as well as creating your own within the Intelli software or importing them from an outside source. Within a few minutes of using the keyboard I had a few macros set up to launch tabs and windows in Firefox along with launching all of my Folding@Home clients and Rivatuner. The mouse also allows for program specific button assignments. Initially, the list of programs to build button assignments is small but as more applications are launched the list grows or you can simply add which ever piece of software to the list that you wish.
The mouse is currently the item I am spending the most time tweaking, primarily because of the memorization of program shortcut keys(keyboard if shortcuts if you did not catch that), also because from default most users will want to adjust a few settings to match their appeals. Strangely the first adjustment I made was the sidescroll featuring on the scrollwheel. The default is slow and causes whatever you are looking at to chop and jump, a few bumps up to half the maximum speed got things moving at a reasonable and fluid pace. The next item on the to do list was the correct order of dpis for the quick dpi change buttons. The defaults are 500-1000-4000. The 500 dpi setting is designed for standard use but is horrible if the screen resolution gives you anything bigger than a dime, a quick bump to 1500 resolved that. The next two settings have been fairly locked in at 2000 and 3000 respectively, both are playable in games or in general use if you want to flick your wrist and shoot across 3000 pixels. Currently the dpi buttons are second to use only by the left mouse button.
A horrific series of events following the end of Icrontic's EXPO '09 has left me a mouse full of battery acid and a mouse that refuses to work despite all the slamming in the world. After a few days of using my first Logitech optical mouse I finally got one of the mice to work consistently until it started to sound like there was a bug becoming extremely agitated inside of it. Luckily there was no such bug; however, there was one mad battery that in order to show its angst to me was pouring battery acid into my mouse.
Needless to say these events bring the topic to the forefront. Some quick questioning about people's preferences on mice and having my brother in law laugh at a few of my preliminary choices I “manned up†and decided to search out the Microsoft Sidewinder x6 keyboard and Sidewinder x8 mouse. Why the pair? Up until this point I have been using two sets of Logitech EX110s, for approximately 3 years, for my main computer and a spare to use on the other machines in the house due to their normally fingerless nature. The EX110 is a multimedia wireless keyboard and mouse package with an optical mouse and basic function media keyboard.
Now to the quick. I found both the x6 and x8 locally at Fry's Electronics. Lucky for me and my timing I was able to procure the keyboard on sale and use an old co-workers employee discount on the mouse
MSRP -Cost w/o Tax
Sidewinder x6 $79.95-$59.95
Sidewinder x8 $99.95- $74.99
This pricing puts it into the realm of Logitech's G9, MSRP $99.99, and the Razer Mamba, MSRP $129.99.
Features
Sidewinder x6:
• Switchable Keypad
• Two-Color Adjustable Back Lighting Dial
• Macro Keys
• Mode Switching
• Cruise Control
• In-Game Macro Record Button
• Device Stage
• Automatic Profile Switching
• WASD Gaming Keys
• Media Keys
• 3 Year Limited Warranty
Sidewinder x8:
• 2.4GHz Wireless Connection
• BlueTrack Technology
• Play and Charge
• Twelve buttons-Seven Programmable
• Scroll Wheel With Tilt
• Full-Speed USB Reporting
• Device Stage
• Vertical Side Buttons
• LCD Display
• Quick Launch Button
• DPI Switching
• Replaceable Mouse Feet
• Macro Record
• 3 Year Limited Warranty
The first impressions from the outside of the packaging is disheartening because the flimsy feel of the boxes on both the x6 and x8. The x6's box can be felt flexing and shifting while holding it along the edge, which left me wondering if the keyboard could possibly get damaged in a retail store. The same feelings were present while walking around with the x8 in my hand because I could feel the packaging shifting ever so slightly as my arm swayed. Those these dismays were quickly expelled once the outside packaging was removed from both products.
The outside casing for the mouse took some force to remove the tab holding it around the plastic casing. Once the cardboard was taken off I realized how strong and stiff the plastic used was and that the cardboard is more of a buffer for the product instead of part of the packaging. The keyboard box took cutting a few pieces of tape before I easily slid the inner box for the keyboard out and saw why the edges of the box felt so flimsy, they were filled with folded cardboard. This acted as a crush zone for the outside box to help prevent any damage to the inner stronger box. The inside box felt wholesome and strong, as though it could take some decent abuse all over without compromising the structure or the creamy filling inside.
The x8 comes with one rechargeable battery (2100 mAh), 2 sets of different replacement feet for the mouse, one charging station/2.4 GHz receiver with USB and charging cable attached, Intellipoint software, and the standard manual and warranty information. The x6 comes with the main keyboard with attached USB cable, removable number pad, and Intellitype software.
After everything was opened and the full contents laid out to view I was thoroughly satisfied and slightly impressed with the appearance, quality, and feel of all items present. The two things that surprised me were the magnetic sides of the keyboard so the macro/number pad was held more secure and also wanted to jump at the keyboard when it got close. The other is the fact that the charge cable for the mouse simply wraps around the replacement feet container instead of some manner of retraction. This second item bothered me as I was winding the cord back in because I could easily see someone pulling hard and it breaks the cable internally, rips the cable free from the base, or rips the charge head off the cable.
From there it was a short hop, skip, and an install to get the keyboard and mouse installed and usable. The only input required from the user on the install is to select the product from a list so the software can be correctly configured, would be nice if the software was auto-sensing on the devices given the price tag but that is simply a convenience factor. Since there is some chance of error in the install they allow the device model to be changed inside of both sets of software incase upgrades or incorrect installation. Getting both devices physically installed is easier because they are both USB plug and play. The hardest part was getting the mouse charging cable the correct length so it would not stop the mouse from its journeys to all four corners of the mouse pad. Quick tip for the brash and illiterate: The rechargeable battery's negative terminal is where you classically find the positive terminal.
The macro system is user friendly and simple to understand. Both devices allow for recording of macros as well as creating your own within the Intelli software or importing them from an outside source. Within a few minutes of using the keyboard I had a few macros set up to launch tabs and windows in Firefox along with launching all of my Folding@Home clients and Rivatuner. The mouse also allows for program specific button assignments. Initially, the list of programs to build button assignments is small but as more applications are launched the list grows or you can simply add which ever piece of software to the list that you wish.
The mouse is currently the item I am spending the most time tweaking, primarily because of the memorization of program shortcut keys(keyboard if shortcuts if you did not catch that), also because from default most users will want to adjust a few settings to match their appeals. Strangely the first adjustment I made was the sidescroll featuring on the scrollwheel. The default is slow and causes whatever you are looking at to chop and jump, a few bumps up to half the maximum speed got things moving at a reasonable and fluid pace. The next item on the to do list was the correct order of dpis for the quick dpi change buttons. The defaults are 500-1000-4000. The 500 dpi setting is designed for standard use but is horrible if the screen resolution gives you anything bigger than a dime, a quick bump to 1500 resolved that. The next two settings have been fairly locked in at 2000 and 3000 respectively, both are playable in games or in general use if you want to flick your wrist and shoot across 3000 pixels. Currently the dpi buttons are second to use only by the left mouse button.
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