I am glad I purchased this although it is not without it's flaws, so I'll try to go into detail as much as possible so you can decide it it's for you.
Pros:
-This mouse is very comfortable to use for long periods of time.
-Very smooth, glides easily on a cloth pad I am now using (on hard pad it was actually hard to control).
-Good scroll wheel. It has indentations, not too noisy, and it is flat instead of rounded so it's easier to click. And the click is more like a normal button instead of the soft feel that many scroll wheels exhibit.
-Lift-off distance is good. I measured about 2.4-2.5 mm liftoff (the thickness of two CDs). This was on both a hard pad and a cloth pad. I have had no problems personally with that distance but you should measure what you currently have to see if you would have problems getting used to that. However there is a caveat with liftoff that I cover in the cons.
-On-the-fly sensitivity in the form of three specific buttons, and the active one lights up. These three points are adjustable in software.
-Light and easy to hold when you do reposition it.
Cons:
-I think the side buttons, while well thought out, might not be convenient enough to use. You will probably have to reach a little to get to the one on your thumb side, but it's not too bad. The one on the other side however will probably not get used much.
-Coarse sensitivity adjustments in software (400,800,1000,1600,2000) to assign to the three buttons. In practice this is very minor.
-No rubber texture on anything, if you like that (I only mention it in case it wasn't clear from the pictures, it's not really a con for me)
-While lift-off was OK, there seems to be a slight issue with the placement of the sensor in the mouse, it is not straight above the hole but on an angle. Since it is on an angle, when you lift the mouse off the pad the cursor will move slightly to the left. So if you are holding on to a target, and you want to reposition the mouse, it will move off the target. During actual use this has not been a problem for me but most other mice have the sensor straight above the hole so moving straight up and down does not translate to movement. To get an idea, it is like when you lifted an old ball mouse off the pad, and the ball dropped down causing a slight movement of the cursor.
So I personally like this mouse and I will probably use it a long time. I have not had experience with other Sidewinder mice nor any Razer products so I can't compare it, but I personally preferred it to the MX518 although that is just due to the size of the Logitech mouse, I'm not used to larger asymmetrical designs. At this price I think the X3 is a great choice. Microsoft SideWinder X3 Mouse
I'll start off with this: The Microsoft X3 Gaming Mouse is not the Perfect gaming mouse.
Why then did I give it 5 stars? I give it 5 stars because it is excellent at being what it claims to be, a great gaming mouse at a budget price.
Major Pros:
+ Very comfortable for the hand, even after long gaming sessions
+ Has enough buttons to be relatively useful without being overboard
+ DPI switching buttons are easy to use while also being out of the way during normal use
+ Can be used without much discomfort for browsing and day to day use
+ Scroll wheel is neither overpowering nor underwhelming
+ Recessed side button means that even if you aren't use to an extra button you don't hit it accidentally
+ (Only for the left-handed) It is ambidextrous. Can be used with either hand comfortably. Makes it a great option for left-handed gamers or households who desire a higher-tech multi-person use mouse for a mix of right and left-handed people
Cons:
- Side button being recessed can be strange to hit, one has to change their grip slightly
- DPI switching settings are not customizable (although for beginning gamers I believe the pre-sets are perfect)
- It doesn't look "ferocious", call me crazy but I think even a budget gaming mouse should have some sense of aggressive style
Conclusions:
The X3 fits the needs and wants of so many beginning gamers and advanced mice users while cutting down on kitschy or cliche extras. The pros of the mouse include its comfort, usability, sturdiness, longevity, and versatility while its few cons consist mostly of minor gripes which are superfluous when one considers the X3's price. If the X3 does not suit your needs then perhaps it is not the mouse's fault as much as it yous for not investing a little more. A rational person doesn't buy a cheap sub-compact then complain about the lack of a third row or a top speed under 150 mph (or kph for that matter). The same goes for this mouse, it is a Great Gaming mouse in at its budget, there is no doubt of that in my mind.
i like ambidextrous mice (seems more natural to me) and is the reason i bought this one. i was VERY dissapointed that the DPI buttons are not programmable. i'm not a gamer and don't really need to change DPI on the fly and would like to have been able to reassign the DPI buttons. - Mouse - Wired Mouse - Sidewinder - Gaming Mice'
Detail Products
Detail Reviews
Click here for more information
