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Hardware Microsoft Sidewinder Mouse

Discussion in 'Article Discussion' started by Tim S, 14 Oct 2007.

  1. LeMaltor

    LeMaltor >^_^

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    I would find a minute of mouse lag annoying!
     
  2. timbro

    timbro What's a Dremel?

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    I come to this site all the time and enjoy the articles and pictures. But i have one gripe with this article.

    First of all i wouldn't touch this mouse with a 10 foot pole because of shape of the mouse just to show that i am not biased. But I stopped reading the article after this paragraph,

    "To me whether a mouse is wired or not has never really mattered, but given the increasing trend for wireless devices and rechargeable Li-Ion batteries it does seem a little odd. I’ll also go on the record and say that, in my opinion, input lag is a mostly invented phenomena with modern technology. I’ve used a range of wired and wireless mice, including the Logitech G7 at home and input lag has never been something I’ve noticed."

    Comments like this make make me wonder if the write has done any research on the difference between corded/cordless mice. When Microsoft said that hardcore gamers prefer corded mice this is completely true and without fabrication. Obviously if the majority of hardcore gamers wanted a wireless mouse they would have made one. Am i missing something? And hardcore gamers doesn't mean hardcore WOW players either. 99% of hardcore FPS gamers would choose a corded mouse over an equivalent wireless mouse any day.
     
  3. Bluephoenix

    Bluephoenix Spoon? What spoon?

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    as a side, can we expect a review of the G9 and the new Saitek Cyborg Gaming Mouse?


    both are in the same category as the sidewinder, and are different enough to warrant a look imo
     
  4. legoman666

    legoman666 Beat to fit, paint to match.

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    a) it looks stupid
    b) all of the features sound retarded
    c) removable weights are quite possibly the most stupid gimmick idea i've heard of
    d) it looks stupid

    I'll stick with my mx1000.
     
  5. will.

    will. A motorbike of jealousy!

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    Dpi adjustment is actually pretty useful. I like sniping in DoD and now, TF2. While running to my location I make the mouse super twitchy, how I like it. When I'm sniping though, I tone it down a bit so that I can be more precise and smooth while still have enough twitch to catch those annoying scouts.

    Also, even though I don't have a mouse with weights, I would quite like my Razer Copperhead to be a tad heavier, but I'm too vein to go sticking blu tack to it :p
     
  6. mrplow

    mrplow obey the fist!!

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    As the only person to actually think this thing looks hella cool, do I win it?

    Tim has my address. Thanks!
     
  7. Naberius

    Naberius What's a Dremel?

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    I have to agree, the adjustment is very useful when using weapons such as a long range rifle, allows far more precise movements, but it also means i can swap to a more useful sensitivity when i'm working close range without adjusting game settings.
     
  8. cyrilthefish

    cyrilthefish What's a Dremel?

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    As a huge fan of the old MS Sidewinder range (got a gamepad + joystick still in use here) i must come out to say this is the single most ugliest mouse i've seen in years :eeek:

    And it really hurts me to say that too, as while MS software can be iffy, their hardware add-ons up untill now have allways been faultless, i'm a big fan...
    but this mouse? just yuck...

    I just can't see why they've released this... it seems the complete antithesis to everything they've done in the past, ergonomics and usability gone out of the window in favour of 'perceived' retro design...

    MS, if you're reading this, please FIRE anyone involved and go back to what the old sidewinder range was please.
     
  9. Bluephoenix

    Bluephoenix Spoon? What spoon?

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    +1

    :hehe::hehe::hehe:
     
  10. Goty

    Goty Minimodder

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    I personally agree with the assessment of the fact that wireless lag is a load of crap. I've been using a wireless mouse since the first days of the MX700 and I've never noticed ANY lag in ANY game or other application, and before anyone says that I must not be the type of user or gamer that would notice lag, let me just say that I've been playing first person shooters competitively since the later days of Tribes (even to the point of being ranked 8th in the world in the Ultra Renegades mod according to the CLQ).
     
  11. IanW

    IanW Grumpy Old Git

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    I'd say another very good reason for having a cabled mouse is that the wireless ones generally only have a choice of 2 or 3 channels.
    What if you went to a LAN party and the guys either side had the same wireless mouse as you did? No free channel for you!
     
  12. CardJoe

    CardJoe Freelance Journalist

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    Now thats a good point. I'm very much enjoying the feedback ont he whole wired/wireless issue as well, it's very interesting.

    As for the idea that all hardcore gamers would choose a wired mouse, that's certainly likely but its my opinion that most gamers wouldn't actually be able to notice the differend. I know there are people who can and there are those who prefer the feel (there are other complaints too about the battery and the channels, which I do agree with), but generally I think it is more of a style thing and wanting to look like a pro gamer or be able to willy-wave on that issue. It's similar to football boots - the new nike ones with improved designs etc are great, sure, but it doesn't make the older designs bad, just as with wired/wireless mice. Just because wired guarentees no lag and is used by all the the prominent gamers, doesn't mean that wireless is laggy - I've never noticed anything in the lag area.

    As for the laser always on setting, that's something I'd always suggest in a good wireless mouse because with the laser powering down there's going to be obvious lag. I use a G7 and it's set to have the laser power-down after a minute, which is a fine balance for me because never when I'm gaming is my hand still for that long, especially in the eyes of a sensitvie laser like that. I get about a day or twos of gaming out of a single LI-Ion battery and the mouse comes with two rechargeable ones.
     
  13. Hugo

    Hugo Ex-TrustedReviews Staff

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    Sorry, I have this at home. I am the only person in the entire office that likes it.

    I also have had a PS3 since March, enough said...
     
  14. yakyb

    yakyb i hate the person above me

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    afaic weights are very useful in mice
    Dpi adjustment is almost essential now with games containing multiple control methods (throw it down for sniping up for tank control etc etc)
     
  15. Mister_X

    Mister_X Chaotic Neutral

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    I actually like this mouse, got to have a go with it at a Microsoft seminar i was at the other week. Solid feel , side buttons are good, much better to use than Razer's IMO. At first glance i thought it was ugly ( and to a degree i still do) but the feel and use of it are fine. I personally think Microsoft's hardware has always been top notch, I still use a sidewinder joystick.
    I'm getting one. Fed up with the rubberised coating wearing off my Razer plasma.
     
  16. Mister_X

    Mister_X Chaotic Neutral

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    Oh and to throw my 2p worth into the mix, I'd never use a wireless mouse on my gaming PC, not for any lag issues, only for the never having to worry about battery life.
     
  17. Major

    Major Guest


    You have no idea what you are on about. :duh:

    I have owned the G7 for nearly a year, and there is 0% lag on that mouse what so ever, and I am a gamer, so I know what lag is.

    If you don't beleive me, buy one, and about battery life, you get 2 batteries, so you will never run out of charge, ever.
     
  18. CardJoe

    CardJoe Freelance Journalist

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    Yeah, I used to have the same "OMG LAG!" thought about wireless mice, but the G7 won me over. It's an awesome mouse.
     
  19. Hugo

    Hugo Ex-TrustedReviews Staff

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    Moreover, unless you're playing SupCom LANs with a 2 hour turtle-up time (which then leads to a several week match) you are never going to run out of batteries within a normal match.
     
  20. knuck

    knuck Hate your face

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    Well... we might have a problem here.

    Both sides think they are right when they aren't. They are not because they don't know how the other person use their mouse. Some people play with a lot of acceleration, others have the 'enhance pointer precision' box checked and some have smoothing options enabled in games. With all those variables, a player using a wired mouse CAN have huge mouse lag while another person without these options enabled could have a more responsive wireless mouse.


    I personnally play without smoothing, no windows precision enhancing crap and no acceleration and if you plug a wireless mouse and ask me to play , i WILL feel the lag. I don't care how uber-pro anyone think they are, nobody here has a universal answer good for everyone. It's all a matter of settings and personnal preferences


    EDIT: Add the vsync as a possible variable ;)
     
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