Microsoft Hardware Products

I needed a new mouse and I wanted to try something different. Usually a mouse being wireless would be enough to turn me away. I am an avid gamer and previous experience had turned me sour on the idea.

Wireless technolgy and gaming has in the past been a poor mix. Intereferance with the receiver, hardware lag, and the inevitable issues associated with battery use would place a wireless user at a disadvantage. Some of the ideas incorporated into the X8 convinced me to give them another try. This mouse comes with a magnetic charging cable that should eliminate or at least offer a fallback solution for battery issues and the new tracking technology Microsoft is using promised the tracking precision of wired mice.

Lets start with the specs:

1. 2.4 GHz Wireless connection.
2. It uses the new BlueTrack Technology which allows image processing of 13,000 frames per second.
3. You can also use the play-and-charge cable to keep on playing. This extra wire was my primary reason for giving wireless another try. A safety net to offset the battery use.
4. Twelve Buttons – Seven of them are programmable (five programmable buttons, plus left/right tilt wheel)
5. Scroll Wheel with Tilt
6. Microsoft says that you can get up to 30 hours of active use on a single charge.
7. Full-speed, 500 Hz USB reporting
8. LCD Display to view DPI settings
9. Replaceable Mouse Feet
10. Record macros while in game with the dedicated button.

The mouse communicates to the computer via a usb connected RF receiver, the black puck in the image above. It's actually a cylindrical box which contains extra mouse feet that are supposed to vary the amount of traction you get on your preferred gaming surface. The receiver also has as a track around it which lets you wrap the magnetic charging cable up when it's not in use. The mouse communicates to the RF receiver by a 2.4 GHz signal which makes interference very difficult, especially given how close you can place the puck to the mouse. I haven't had any issues so far with this set up. There has been no interference from my router or mobile phone which are the only items that could really interfere with it in my computer room.

There is even an On/Off switch to conserve batteries. Battery life seems pretty good, real world usage for me has been almost a day on a single charge and the magnetic cable lets you play while charging so that time can be extended. Charging the battery back to full usually takes a couple hours, the cable doesn't annoy or get in the way while you are doing it , but if you find it does then you can always just swap a battery out for another AAA, I never bother.(it takes 1)

Using the SideWinder X8

The software allows you to set per application settings, so when a program is launched, the macro buttons change with it. Useful when going from web browsing to playing a game. Buttons can be set to run commands or launch applications. Under the scroll wheel are three DPI switching buttons They are nicely positioned for easier access compared to some other mice I have used and I really like the side buttons . I can roll my thumb easily from one to the other. I find the mouse comfortable but I have quite large hands so YMMV. The LCD on the side shows what DPI mode the mouse is in and the battery charge level too which is convenient

X8 Performance

Microsoft's BlueTrack laser technology, it's not just a gimmick , it works. I tested on a few surfaces that my previous mouse wouldn't track on and it worked. The X8 is able to be used on wide variety of surfaces. Wood, glossy plastic, carpet,  I haven't had much trouble with anything. The tracking works on most unconventional surfaces accurately enough for desktop use. Having said that I did notice some choppiness in the tracking of high speed motions.

The polling rate, while not as good as other gaming mice at present is pretty good for the DPI settings available.  The accuracy and response is excellent. As a die hard "wired mouse" user I am really impressed. It really does have a fast enough response to be indistinguishable from a wired mouse while gaming.

Over all I'd recommend it.

Pros -

• Bluetrack is great, it works on odd textures very well.
• The bulk and solidness of the mouse is very nice for people with larger hands.
• The macro system is intuitive
• Button placement
• The play and charge cord is awesome

Cons -

• Choppy in high speed tracking situations.
• Nearly unusable at one bar of battery life.
• Requires a powered USB port.
• May be too big for many people.
• Red LEDs intermixed with the blue , choose a colour.

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