Microsoft SideWinder X8 Wireless Mouse Review

Operating System: Windows XP / Vista
Connection Port: USB
Connection: USB or 2.4GHZ wireless
Image Processing: 13,000fps
Resolution: 250 - 4,000dpi
Response Rate: 500 reports/second
Weights: No
Warranty: 3 years
RRP: TBA

Review By: NAG Magazine (April 2009)

IT’S A FACT: WIRELESS mice aren’t good gaming mice. Poor connections can result in lag time between when you move the mouse or click the buttons and when the action happens on the screen. Even minute bits of lag can cause immense frustration. Another major drawback of wireless mice is battery life. Nothing can be more devastating than having your mouse ‘die‘ in the middle of an intense firefight and having to rummage through your desk looking for a fresh set of batteries - or even worse: having to give up and wait an hour while the mouse recharges in its cradle.

Microsoft’s latest SideWinder mouse, the X8, aims to solve these problems, and after a couple of weeks of play testing, we can gladly say that they’ve hit the mark.

The X8’s wireless receiver operates at 2.4GHz and is completely lag free. The sensor uses Microsoft’s new BlueTrack technology, which they claim will work “on virtually any surface – from a granite kitchen countertop to the living room carpet.” We can attest that the mouse does indeed track on just about any surface we put it on, though we can hardly recommend playing Call of Duty on a shag-pile mouse pad. We got the best performance by placing the mouse directly on the desktop without any mouse pad. The sensitivity has been improved as well, now supporting DPI settings from 250 to 4,000.

To combat the problem of dead batteries, Microsoft includes a play-and-charge cable, similar to the one used with the Xbox 360 wireless controller. Conveniently tucked away on the wireless receiver, the recharge cable can be quickly connected to the mouse via a magnetic clip when the battery starts to run low. An indicator on the X8’s LCD warns you before the battery goes completely flat. Microsoft claims 30 hours of battery life on a single charge, and in a little more than two weeks of constant work and gaming use, we only had to recharge the battery once, seeming to support the claim.

The styling and feel of the X8 are similar to its predecessors: it’s a large mouse that fills your entire hand; it sports a large, comfortable metal scroll wheel, three DPI adjustment buttons, macro recording features, a Games Explorer button and an LCD screen. The biggest design change is the side buttons, which are now set up more like a rocker switch for the right thumb, rather than two individual buttons. This is a fantastic mouse, and worth the upgrade – particularly if you’re a SideWinder fan.