Microsoft Sidewinder Gaming Mouse

Manufacturer: Microsoft Corp. Part number: HKA-00001

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$54.99 - $79.99 at 13 online stores

CNET Editor rating:
4.0 stars Excellent
Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 7 reviews

Oct 2007

More product information:: Editors' review; User reviews; Specifications; Manufacturer info

Bottom Line:: Microsoft took almost every popular feature of various high-end gaming mice and wrapped it into one highly customizable product. The design could use a little refinement, but otherwise the new Sidewinder Gaming Mouse would be a worthy addition to your PC gaming arsenal.

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CNET editors' review

Microsoft Sidewinder Gaming Mouse

price range: $54.99 - $79.99

Reviewed by: Rich Brown
Reviewed on: 10/04/2007
Released on: 10/01/2007

The good: Tons of hardware and software customizability; accessories box doubles as a cable management system.

The bad: Design needs some softening; superfluous LCD screen adds cost; dedicated hot button not customizable.

The bottom line: Microsoft took almost every popular feature of various high-end gaming mice and wrapped it into one highly customizable product. The design could use a little refinement, but otherwise the new Sidewinder Gaming Mouse would be a worthy addition to your PC gaming arsenal.

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In designing its new Sidewinder Gaming Mouse, we imagine Microsoft's product designers going over the features of the Logitech G5 and the Razer DeathAdder and asking "what else can we cram in there?" For a suggested price of $80, the Sidewinder delivers all of the complexity hardcore gamers demand in their mice, plus it goes a few steps farther. Some of those new features are useful, some less so, but anyone willing to dig in to what this mouse has to offer will find something to like. We have a few criticisms about its design, and overall we still prefer Logitech's G5 Laser Mouse, but this Sidewinder is a formidable competitor, largely because it offers more hardware customization out of the box than any mouse to date.

Like most high-end gaming mice, the Microsoft Sidewinder is a wired, USB 2.0 device with a 2,000dpi sensor and a customizable weight kit. With only one 5-gram weight and three 10-gram weights, you don't get as much granularity as with Logitech's weights, but Microsoft trumps Logitech in its concept for the case in which you store the unused weights. In addition to holding the weights, the small black accessory also contains two different kinds of mouse feet (which we'll get to), but it also doubles as a cable wrangler. You can feed the mouse cable through the case for the purposes of controlling the slack. The case is heavy enough that it stays put on your desk, and this actually provides a fairly handy service, in that you don't have to reposition your mouse to deal with extra cord flopping around.

As for the feet, Microsoft includes three different sets of feet that you can pop into the bottom of the Sidewinder: Teflon, half Teflon, and plastic. The idea is that you can customize the glide of the mouse depending on the surface you use it on. Like the weights, having a sensitive-enough feel to want to swap out your feet is probably the domain of only the most hardcore gamers (or those who want to create that appearance). Still, we can imagine that if you have a weird mouse pad or play on an uncommon surface that you might benefit from a new material on the bottom.

We suspect more gamers will make use of the customizable laser sensitivity. Like Logitech, Microsoft includes hard buttons on the mouse for swapping between different sensitivities on the fly. The default settings are 400dpi, 800dpi, and 2,000dpi, although you can use Microsoft's Intellipoint software to change the defaults to anything from 200 to 2,000dpi.

For button customization, you get five buttons (of the Sidewinder's 10 total) to reassign as you see fit, the two main buttons, the scroll wheel button, and two thumb-side buttons. Microsoft also includes an easy-to-program QuickTurn feature, for setting one button to automatically spin you around in a game, as well as a dedicated macro button on the mouse itself for assigning various commands without switching out of a game.

Less useful is the built-in LCD and the dedicated Games Explorer button. The LCD can tell you what dpi setting you're on, and it also has prompts for the steps involved in making a macro, but none of that information is exactly critical, and it can be found elsewhere (the feel of the mouse, the manual, etc.). And the Games Explorer button, positioned inconveniently under your palm, feels like it's there more to highlight one of Vista's minor features (the Games Explorer folder, complete with parental controls). XP users are more practically served, as under the older version of Windows, the Games Explorer button opens Intellipoint. Even better would be if you could customize it however you wanted.

Finally, we like what Microsoft has done with the shape of the mouse body itself, especially the pinkie-finger ledge on the right side of the mouse that offers support for that extra digit. We wonder if a button on that area would have been possible? What we don't like are the nubby thumb buttons, which don't let your thumb move naturally between them, and require too much distinct pressure. We also wish the bulge for your palm was a bit gentler, as it's so big that it seems to reduce the strength of your grip.

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User reviews

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Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 7 reviews
My rating: 0 stars

Showing opinion 1 to 7 out of 7

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9 stars

Very good gaming toy

by yourmomsbox on November 27, 2007

Pros: accessories and customization

Cons: lack of software

Summary: Very good gaming mouse, I have used it with a few FPS and like what I see so far. I have large hands so the mouse was very comfortable to ...

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Summary: Very good gaming mouse, I have used it with a few FPS and like what I see so far. I have large hands so the mouse was very comfortable to me ( I have seen some reviews that people complained about this ) My wife ( small hands ) used the mouse and liked the features that were available to her for navigating the web, nothing was ever said about the size of the mouse.
The only thing I have issue with, and i feel Microsoft will address in further updates is, a lack of software and gaming profiles ( no software is included. you must download the driver from Microsoft ) but all and all I'm impressed with the functions, especially the " DPI on the fly " function that lets you switch from Three preset, settings ( default is 2000, 800 and 400, but they are customizable ) nothing like playing Battlefield 2 and switching to 2000 dpi and being able to spin the tank turant around at light speed. And this sure beats the heck out of the wireless mouse I was using that would inevitably need its batteries changed right in the middle of a game. for gaming USB is the only way to go, and the case keeps the wire nice and tidy for you....price is the only other issue I have with this, but do like i did, and hide the bill from your wife and or girlfriend.

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1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
9 stars

Quick response weighted great size customizable buttons

by gkrebbs on September 18, 2008

Pros: All in all it is a great gaming mouse with adjustable weights, good feel in the hand, customizable buttons, and very quick, it was the best I could find.

Cons: Unclear why two of the supposed customizable buttons are there. The 400 dpi selection is redundant Who will use it? The lighted spot on left side that tells you what dpi you are using is dumb You can see that on the buttons that change the dpi .

Summary: See Above comments

Summary: See Above comments
9 stars

First mouse I had ever apreciated

by aloyolac on April 30, 2008

Pros: extra butons, ergonomic

Cons: none found yet

Summary: I got this mouse to play World of Warcraft. Those two extra buttons are a big help to active any ability when fighting. Personally I assigned the trinkets.
Beside that
...

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Summary: I got this mouse to play World of Warcraft. Those two extra buttons are a big help to active any ability when fighting. Personally I assigned the trinkets.
Beside that I don?t think the dpi changing system would help me in any way. At least I could use those 3 other buttons for something else.
it have another button in the logo. I wish I could launch WoW with that button, but instead it launch the game folder.
The design is cool, but, again, that is not the most important to me. I neither use the little "toolbox" that came with it.
Im very happy with it, but I would not pay more than $40 for it. I got it for $19.99 because the package was a little damage, but the product was in perfect condition.

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8 stars

One powerful mouse and lightning quick

by jasojase on March 9, 2008

Pros: Weight is great, laser is precise and fast, full customization

Cons: Size is slight too big on the palm; mouse wheel could be faster and more tactile

Summary: I bought this open box special at one of those big electronic stores where the employees don't know much about electronics. After reading about it on CNet I decided ...

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Summary: I bought this open box special at one of those big electronic stores where the employees don't know much about electronics. After reading about it on CNet I decided to buy the discounted mouse. I just bought a Logitech G5 and love it as well but the Sidewinder feels like a more serious piece of equipment for gaming. The weights add a solid balance to the feel and the laser is amazingly precise. I say the Sidewinder is equal with the G5 in performance, but the G5 is more comfy on the palm and wrist.

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9 stars

Large hand? this ones for you!

by akklaxon on November 21, 2007

Pros: Wonderfull! smooth and cleen, I have a large hands and it fits very well.

Cons: On a solid wood desk it can foul the feet very easly and can be very hard to keep cleen. But a $6 laser mouse pad cleard that up.

Summary: I play loads of High-end FPS's i need a mouse that can keep up with me. I also have large hands and get tired of half my hand dragging ...

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Summary: I play loads of High-end FPS's i need a mouse that can keep up with me. I also have large hands and get tired of half my hand dragging on the desk. The mouse solved that wonderfully.

I did note that none of the three choices of the feet would prevent fouling on my solid cherry desk. I went and got an 11"X9" mouse pad that is paper thin and designed for Laser mice. that solved all my problem.

One slight issues is the side buttons can seem slightly hard to get to and press, usually only happens after a long day and i am tired.

I strongly recommend this for any one with big hands and is tired of palm/pinky drag.

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0 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
9 stars

A perfectly designed gaming mouse

by btsclan on August 25, 2007

Pros: perfect ergonomics, amazing interface, first lcd screen on gaming mouse

Cons: a little large, not wireless

Summary: This gaming mouse is by far the best mouse I have seen period. The human factors and ergonomics are superb and feels amazing in hand. The options such as easy ...

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Summary: This gaming mouse is by far the best mouse I have seen period. The human factors and ergonomics are superb and feels amazing in hand. The options such as easy to use DPI buttons as well as the first LCD screen on a mouse are amazing. It also has easy macro record option buttons for easy macro recording. Overal this mouse is by far one of the best mice I have seen come out of the Microsoft Hardware Design studios. I suggest you go find one and all you need to do is put your hand on it and you will fall in love.

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0 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
4 stars

VERY Average Gaming Mouse!

by harrythehorse on January 14, 2008

Pros: Relatively cheap

Cons: Feels like a toy.

Summary: Very disappointing. The Logitech G9 is light years ahead for gaming, in my view.

Check out the User reviews for both at newegg.com (30% of users rate Sidewinder as "

...

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Summary: Very disappointing. The Logitech G9 is light years ahead for gaming, in my view.

Check out the User reviews for both at newegg.com (30% of users rate Sidewinder as "excellent". 81% of users rate G9 as excellent)

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0 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.

Showing opinion 1 to 7 out of 7

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Specifications

Manufacturer: Microsoft Corp.
Part number: HKA-00001
Description: 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.

General
Device Type Mouse
Form Factor External
Width 3 in
Depth 5.1 in
Input Device
Connectivity Technology Wired
Interface USB
Movement Detection Technology Laser
Buttons Qty 5
Movement Resolution 2000 dpi
Performance 7080 fps
Features Switchable resolution, LCD screen

Expansion / Connectivity
Interfaces 1 x USB - 4 pin USB Type A
Miscellaneous
Cables Included 1 x USB cable

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Microsoft Sidewinder Gaming Mouse

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