Microsoft SideWinder X6 Keyboard and SideWinder X5 Mouse Released

[malware]

Today at the Games Convention in Leipzig, Germany, Microsoft Hardware debuted the SideWinder X6 Keyboard - the most versatile gaming keyboard on the market with the first-ever switchable key pad that can be attached to the left or right side of the keyboard for ultimate flexibility. To round out the SideWinder line, the Hardware team is also announcing the SideWinder X5 Mouse, a fast, powerful gaming mouse designed to give mainstream gamers a competitive edge.




The switchable key pad makes the SideWinder X6 Keyboard ideal for gaming as well as productivity, as the key pad functions as a standard num pad in normal keyboard mode, but becomes a programmable macro pad in game mode. Complementing the unique versatility of the keyboard are features specifically designed for gaming, including the capacity to store up to 90 macros per game and backlighting that helps users get immersed in the game.

"We know that consumers don't want to pull out and set up a second keyboard for a gaming session, so we created a device that was perfect for both gaming and regular computer use," said Kevin Flick, user researcher for Microsoft Hardware. "With the switchable key pad, gamers will have a fantastic, customizable experience whether they're playing their favorite game or creating Microsoft Office PowerPoint presentations."

Powerful Versatility
The SideWinder X6 Keyboard's switchable key pad allows gamers to program up to 90 macros per game with the help of a set of dedicated macro keys as well as a fully programmable key pad. With mode switching, gamers can instantly go from Microsoft Office Excel to their favorite game - and place the macro pad on whichever side they prefer for gaming. The X6 also offers the following features to take advantage of its adaptability:

• Mode switching lets gamers manually toggle the keyboard from standard mode to either of two gaming modes. LEDs show the selected mode.
• Automatic profile switching detects the application that is running and applies the custom profile.

Designed for Gaming
The SideWinder X6 Keyboard is more than a standard keyboard with a few extra bells and whistles - it was built from the ground up with gamers in mind, to give them an edge up on their competition. To complement its versatility, the keyboard has the following additional features to produce the ultimate gaming package:

• New Cruise Control feature continues an action without having to hold down the key or keys assigned to the action. Gamers can use Cruise Control with up to four keys at a time.
• In-game macro record button lets gamers record any sequence of keystrokes - even standard chat messages. Macros are stored on the PC hard drive and can be easily shared.
• WASD gaming keys, the most commonly used keys for gamers, have front-face lighting for enhanced visibility.
• Quick-Launch key gives one-touch access to Windows Vista Games Explorer, allowing gamers to quickly see the games in their PC's game library.

Get Immersed
Gamers enjoy a heightened experience when adsorbed in the gaming world. Research shows many gamers like to dim the lights, and the X6's two-color adjustable backlighting helps set the mood to achieve total immersion. The red backlighting indicates standard keys that are not programmable, while the amber color indicates custom-programmable macro keys in game mode that can be tuned to the gamers' preference. The X6 also includes full media keys and volume and backlighting control dials to fine-tune the gaming experience.

SideWinder X5 Mouse
Today, Microsoft also announced the SideWinder X5 Mouse, a fast, powerful gaming mouse designed to give mainstream gamers a competitive edge. The nine-button gaming mouse is designed for handling with vertical side buttons, adjustable sensitivity switching up to 2,000 DPI, five customizable buttons, and a Quick-Launch button that instantly launches the Windows Vista Games Explorer.

SideWinder: It's Only the Beginning
The SideWinder X6 Keyboard is the first keyboard to join the popular SideWinder family of gaming products. Established in 1995 and revived in 2007, the SideWinder line is known for its top-notch PC gaming peripherals, including mice, game pads, joysticks and steering wheels.

Pricing and Availability
The SideWinder X6 Keyboard and SideWinder X5 Mouse will be widely available in September 2008 for an estimated retail price of $79.95 (U.S.) and $59.95 (U.S.), respectively.3 The products are available now for pre-sale on Amazon.com and will ship in September when they are widely released. The SideWinder X6 Keyboard and SideWinder X5 Mouse will be backed by a worldwide three-year limited hardware warranty from Microsoft Corp.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site

 

[caleb]

Mouse design is clearly a copy of Logitech G9.

Microsoft was never good at these.
I remember intelli mouse which quality was close to 2e products.
Recently I played on some normal MS keyboard that locked itself up while I tried to run/strafe/hold a grenade/press forward.

On mouse you can debate which is better suited for you but keyboard ?!

The only aspects of a good keyboard is half height buttons (between laptop flat and PC high) so you dont need to stress your wrist to be able to press high buttons.
Softness of buttons - so it doesnt give a 'typing machine' feeling.
And already mentioned working with 3+ buttons pressed at once.

Been playing on Benq A800 for over 4 years now and it still works flawlessly.
My ideal would be some additional control buttons for volume control overall this is the best keyboard I played/worked on.

PS.Detachable Num Pad lol.........

 

[thebeephaha]

Except the original sidewinder mouse came out first I believe.

 

[xvi]

I'm using the original Sidewinder mouse now. I'm a fan of Logitech's hardware (as I am typing on a G15), but the Microsoft Sidewinder had just as good specs for a much cheaper price. I found both the Sidewinder and the G9 to be a bit uncomfortable (as I was switching from a MX700 [same body as G5/G7]), but I quickly got used to it.

I disagree that the Sidewinder Mouse was a copy of the G9. If you see and get to hold them both, they're a bit different. Yes, both of them are black, five button mice with DPI adjustments. Yes, both have weight trays. Many mice are starting to fit that description. It's more of a consumer desire that the manufacturers have to live up to than "copying".

It's like LED backlight keyboards. Saitek, I believe, was the first popular brand to do this. Many of the knockoff brands started doing the same. As demand grew for LCD backlight keyboards, Razer, Logitech and now Microsoft are here answering that call. It was the same story with "media buttons" and it's going to be the same story with macro buttons. It's not so much copying and more just the standard.
I used to be happy when scroll wheels became the standard (let alone having a THIRD button I could click). Now, I absolutely can not live with any mouse with less than the standard five buttons. I couldn't imagine life without my media buttons to manage my music without having to alt-tab out of World of Warcraft. I never imagined I could IM from a small LCD attached to my keyboard. Given time, luxury becomes a standard.

Recently I played on some normal MS keyboard that locked itself up while I tried to run/strafe/hold a grenade/press forward.

I would imagine your Microsoft keyboard used a PS/2 port and the BenQ you're using now is USB. You can press three buttons at a time on any keyboard, just not any three buttons. Ctrl+Alt+Del for example works on any keyboard while other combinations may not (Up, Down and left or right for example). The three buttons you're talking about are most likely a limitation of the PS/2 port's design, not the keyboard.

Afterall, the PS/2 port was designed in 1987. I don't think they were too concerned with the keyboard being able to run/strafe/hold a grenade/press forward.

[quote="caleb]PS.Detachable Num Pad lol.........[/quote]
I couldn't agree more. I don't see a use for that.


Edit: Found this in an older news article. The detachable number pad suddenly makes more sense. (..but it's still silly)

 

[Selene]

and the Sidewinder is oh anout 2x the size, has no changable rubber grips, the weights load in the side, not the bottom, humm other than its black its not the same at all.

 

[Selene]

I'm using the original Sidewinder mouse now. I'm a fan of Logitech's hardware (as I am typing on a G15), but the Microsoft Sidewinder had just as good specs for a much cheaper price. I found both the Sidewinder and the G9 to be a bit uncomfortable (as I was switching from a MX700 [same body as G5/G7]), but I quickly got used to it.



I would imagine your Microsoft keyboard used a PS/2 port and the BenQ you're using now is USB. You can press three buttons at a time on any keyboard, just not any three buttons. Ctrl+Alt+Del for example works on any keyboard while other combinations may not (Up, Down and left or right for example). The three buttons you're talking about are most likely a limitation of the PS/2 port's design, not the keyboard.

Afterall, the PS/2 port was designed in 1987. I don't think they were too concerned with the keyboard being able to run/strafe/hold a grenade/press forward.

I use the G5/G15 combo(for gaming) and love it, I also use the G7 on my 2nd PC for easy web surfing.

 

[xvi]

I use the G5/G15 combo(for gaming) and love it, I also use the G7 on my 2nd PC for easy web surfing.

I've heard some bad stuff about the G7 with it being wireless and all. Lack of weight adjustment, intermittent signal loss, bad battery life.. Did you notice any of that?

and the Sidewinder is oh anout 2x the size, has no changable rubber grips, the weights load in the side, not the bottom, humm other than its black its not the same at all.

Yeah. The G9 is a bit small. It wasn't too bad, but it did seem a bit short (especially with the wide grip). I'm sort of a half palm, half finger sort of guy. Full palmers may not like the G9. If I full palm like I do when web surfing, I reach just below the top of the Sidewinder (my first middle finger joint resting on the wheel).

(Sorry for spamming with images)

 

[Selene]

the wirelss part of the G7 is not a problem at all works great.
Your right it does not have weights, but the battery makes it feel about the same as i have my G5 set to, so not a problem 4x17g and 4x4.5g is about the same as the battery in the G7.

The only doew side to the G7 is battery life, its probly gives a good 8 hours of use, then it needs to be changed, but sence its got 2, one is always being charged, but i do ended up changing it 1 time a day with light use.

 

[EastCoasthandle]

Yeah, the sidewinder and G9 are nothing a like and I found it to be way to flat, small and short for my hand. One thing I found myself disliking most is a flat, short mouse. The sidewinder is the only mouse that is long enough for my hand. It's hump isn't as tall as the MX1000 but I've gotten use to that by now.

I posted about this a while back, here.

 

[Selene]

Sigh, the MX1000 was IMO the best mouse ever, to bad they dont make them any more, I had thought about getting 1 off Ebay when mine died, but I realy do like the G5/G7 but its still no MX1000.

 

[PCpraiser100]

I've heard some bad stuff about the G7 with it being wireless and all. Lack of weight adjustment, intermittent signal loss, bad battery life.. Did you notice any of that?



Yeah. The G9 is a bit small. It wasn't too bad, but it did seem a bit short (especially with the wide grip). I'm sort of a half palm, half finger sort of guy. Full palmers may not like the G9. If I full palm like I do when web surfing, I reach just below the top of the Sidewinder (my first middle finger joint resting on the wheel).

(Sorry for spamming with images)

I love my Sidewinder mouse, I'm not sure if the G9 is better but I have been mostly at the top of the kill list in COD4 thanks to it. I had a G3, but it broke down in 1 month after the warranty, it was a not bad mouse. The Sidewinder is so good and comfortable I decided to tell my brother about it and now we're both pwning the competition. Sure it may be heavy because of the weights, but it works for me with muscle memory in time. I was pro in about a week or two once I got used to its ergonomics and weight. I find this mouse excellent in COD4, Team Fortress 2, and Crysis with its DPI switching. BTW Selene is so right the MX1k is the best mouse, however on the wireless side. I prefer the Cyborg.

 

[AsRock]

Mouse design is clearly a copy of Logitech G9.

Microsoft was never good at these.
I remember intelli mouse which quality was close to 2e products.
Recently I played on some normal MS keyboard that locked itself up while I tried to run/strafe/hold a grenade/press forward.

On mouse you can debate which is better suited for you but keyboard ?!

The only aspects of a good keyboard is half height buttons (between laptop flat and PC high) so you dont need to stress your wrist to be able to press high buttons.
Softness of buttons - so it doesnt give a 'typing machine' feeling.
And already mentioned working with 3+ buttons pressed at once.

Been playing on Benq A800 for over 4 years now and it still works flawlessly.
My ideal would be some additional control buttons for volume control overall this is the best keyboard I played/worked on.

PS.Detachable Num Pad lol.........

Well most of there circuit boards in MS mouses are Logitech in fact a hell load of brands are.

Anyways mouse looks kinda cool but as always right handed . i'm still after one thats better than the Diamondback lol.

EDIT:
i do like that mouse lol. But with those side buttons as they are it's likley push into the parm of your hand but that's only ok if your hand fits well.

 

[caleb]

I would imagine your Microsoft keyboard used a PS/2 port and the BenQ you're using now is USB. You can press three buttons at a time on any keyboard, just not any three buttons. Ctrl+Alt+Del for example works on any keyboard while other combinations may not (Up, Down and left or right for example). The three buttons you're talking about are most likely a limitation of the PS/2 port's design, not the keyboard.

Afterall, the PS/2 port was designed in 1987. I don't think they were too concerned with the keyboard being able to run/strafe/hold a grenade/press forward.

Hey
Yeah on second look they are indeed diffrent but the copy subject was my first impression on the image posted.

About they keyboard. The BenQ is actually a PS2 keyboard and im 90% sure that the Microsoft was USB. I will check what model it was. Ive encountered this problem quite a long time before (when I bought that BenQ) with the cheapest logitech keyboard there was only there you couldnt even press strafe/walk/shift.

 

[xvi]

About they keyboard. The BenQ is actually a PS2 keyboard and im 90% sure that the Microsoft was USB.

Hmm. I suppose it would be the controller then. The keys are sort of on a grid.
The way I understand it, pressing escape would send a signal similar to "Row 1, Column 1". Holding down something on the same row would give "Row 1, Row 3, Column 1". Hold down a third button on a column, same row (keep in mind, three buttons), it would give "Row 1, Row 3, Column 1, Column 2". It wouldn't be able to tell if you're holding down three or four buttons. Complicate it more, three buttons, different row, different column.. "Row 1, Row 2, Row 3, Column 1, Column 2", then your three buttons become anywhere from a possible three to six buttons.

Come to think of it, PS/2 was serial.

 

[wiak]

I've heard some bad stuff about the G7 with it being wireless and all. Lack of weight adjustment, intermittent signal loss, bad battery life.. Did you notice any of that?



Yeah. The G9 is a bit small. It wasn't too bad, but it did seem a bit short (especially with the wide grip). I'm sort of a half palm, half finger sort of guy. Full palmers may not like the G9. If I full palm like I do when web surfing, I reach just below the top of the Sidewinder (my first middle finger joint resting on the wheel).

(Sorry for spamming with images)

the G9 can bigger
it supports diffrent grips
and people say G9 loooks ugly, X5 looks damn ugly if you compare the two, the G9 looks like design pirce and X5 looks like shit

 

[AsRock]

the G9 can bigger
it supports diffrent grips
and people say G9 loooks ugly, X5 looks damn ugly if you compare the two, the G9 looks like design pirce and X5 looks like shit

Well i have never liked any thing that looked melted which is were every thing has been going. you do get the one one which to me looks sharper than the other. How ever the G5 looks like a better fit for me as with every thing you cannot please everyone and after all if my hands on i'm not going see it anyways lol. To me a mouse should not be about looks but after feel which is were most fail.

 

[caleb]

Heya


Well I used to have the G5 but it gave me trouble with DPI buttons which never worked firmly and the surface worn out very quickly if you compare it to MX series.

It is true g9 is a completly diffrent mouse. I used to let my hand rest on the g5 but I noticed that I use my fingers to aim anyway so I decided to go with G9 and yeah it felt strange at start I used the 'fat' grip and then tried the smaller one which was really too small as first impression.
Right now Im just using the smaller grip for more than 3-4 months and yeah this mouse is diffrent and needs some getting used to but watch how you play.. if you aim with fingers then you will quickly get used to this shape.
G9 is damn fast mouse, G5 gave me the OK felling but this is perfect performance.

It still carries the surface quality issue G5 had on its buttonts which is kinda sad for almost 100e product that has the expieriences of MX series which sufrace material was very good in durability. After less than 6months you can see that the LMB is worn out a bit - kinda looks like a laptop keyboard after some time.

(Logitech actually sent me the G9 for the faulty G5 free of charge and I didnt have to send the G5 back just its plug)