Full Review
Features and Design One feature that is new to mice is the LCD display that shows what the switchable DPI is set to, and it has a red backlight to make it visible at all times. For example, if you set it to 800, you’ll see a little “800” on the LCD. There are also red LED “ground effects” at the back of the mouse - for lack of a better word. The DPI switching buttons are right behind the mouse wheel. Rather than having just two buttons to increase or decrease it, there are three separate buttons – one for each available DPI setting. The default sensitivities are 400, 800 and 2000, but you can customize them to whatever setting you want. Like the Logitech G5 and G9, you can customize the weight of the SideWinder with little weights. Press a button on the bottom of the mouse and a little tray ejects from the side that holds three weights. Microsoft gives you 35g of weights to play around with, including three 10g weights and one 5g weight. The weights are stored in a slick case that also holds two alternate sets of mouse feet. If you don’t like the way the mouse glides, you can swap out the feet. The case is also very heavy, and is designed to act as a cable anchor.
We’ll admit it: When we first saw pictures of the new SideWinder mouse from Microsoft, we laughed. Are they serious? With its weird silver buttons sticking out and funky v-shaped body, we thought it looked odd and way too bizarre to be any good. As it turns out we were wrong, but we’re getting ahead of ourselves.
The SideWinder’s shape is certainly unique. Its shell is rounded for comfort with a V-shape where it meets the palm, and there’s an indentation for your thumb. The most unique feature is the “forward” and “back” buttons, which stick out from the side and are made of metal.
Some may gripe that the SideWinder only goes up to 2000dpi, but we think it’s more than adequate.
The SideWinder has a little tray slides that lets you customize the mouse’s weight.
There is also a macro button in a hard-to-reach (by design) area of the mouse in front of the forward and back buttons. And finally, there’s a Quick Launch button at the back of the mouse underneath where your palm rests. All in all the SideWinder has an astonishing 10 buttons.
The included software is the standard Microsoft Intellipoint, with some new screens thrown that are specific to this mouse.
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by diablos010 on June 17, 2008:
“Very uncomfortable mouse, only positive thing about this mouse is the 2 side buttons which was a nice change. Other then that, yes very uncomfortable, ALL BUTTONS ARE NOT CUSTOMIZABLE, only 5 are, thats right, only 5, so forget all those nice extra buttons...” More...