Cool Yule rating: 4 stars $79.95
Price:
Description: This is not a mouse for the timid. The SideWinder is designed as a gaming mouse, and as such, has a bevy of features unnecessary for the casual computer user. That being said, despite many of us falling into the category of “casual users”, there’s still much to like about this mouse.
First off, the mouse is a great size. While considered large by most standards, those who tested it reported a comfortable feel for even those with small- to midsized hands. The click wheel is perfect, the best I’ve ever used. The three buttons behind the click wheel adjust dpi resolution. Other than the click-wheel, the two stacked, cylindrical metal buttons on the left, found by the thumb, are useful in everyday tasks. For example, when scrolling the Internet, the bottom button can be used as the “back” command in your browser, while the upper button acts as “forward”. This may sound trivial, but once you’ve gotten used to these features, you won’t want to go without them.
Of course, this mouse is designed for gaming. As such, the SideWinder performs admirably. All the buttons can be customized (save for dpi), and weights can be added or removed to create a heavier or lighter mouse (some games rely on quick mouse movements, others rely on having a more solid mouse). While this is a great investment for someone looking to get the most out of gaming, the mouse is completely unnecessary for mundane tasks such as playing Spider Solitaire or reading news stories on Network World. That said, if you’re looking for a mouse to exceed your expectations in your gaming endeavors, check this one out.
