IMICE V8 is a gaming mouse. Peripherals Computer mouse x8

21.09.2021

Specifications

Number of buttons: 12 (7 programmable) * Sensor type: optical with laser illumination * Sensor resolution: 400 to 3200 dpi * Reading speed: up to 13000 fps * Maximum speed: 140 cm / sec * Maximum acceleration: 20g * Interface: radio 2.4 GHz, USB * Dimensions: 125x78x46 mm * Price: 2800 RUB

At the end of last year, in the article “ Mouse Race"(" Igromania "№12" 2008) we told you about six of the most interesting gaming mice - and even handed out awards to the best representatives of this family. Almost half a year passed, and manufacturers began to slowly change their running rodents. Microsoft- she replaced the criticized by us SideWinder X5 Mouse more perfect SideWinder X8 BlueTrack... The new mouse features increased positioning accuracy, support for high-speed interfaces and an impressive battery life - on a single charge it can last up to 30 hours in active game mode.

Toy tank

However, technology is technology, and ergonomics are sometimes much more important. The body of the mouse came out not very comfortable: it can only be right-handed, and right-handed with large hands - most people find the X8 too bulky. There are seven programmable keys, but two of them are not supported by most games, the other two are located right under the thumb and are pressed all the time, and one more was placed so far away that it is almost impossible to use it.

The promised programmable buttons, although conveniently located - just under the thumb - do not bring much relief. In theory, the mouse has seven programmable keys, but most games do not support even half of them (like tilting the wheel). As a result, we have only three really working soft keys, one of which is inconvenient to reach. But even the predecessor of the X8, the X5, had five such buttons, and they still lacked them.

To compensate for these shortcomings, according to the authors' idea, an improved system of macros should be - programmed combinations of movements and clicks, recorded in the memory of the mouse itself and then called up by pressing a special button. In general, it is convenient, and it is very simple to write macros themselves, but ... whatever one may say, macros are not very popular thing, and most gamers do not use them.

Of the advantages of ergonomics, it is worth noting the cunning mouse skin - the entire body is covered with a special rubberized plastic, on which even a sweaty hand does not slip. And the body shape of the X8 is quite comfortable - if you are lucky and your hand is the right size, it will be pleasant to hold it. The sole of the mouse is removable, it is easy to wash and can be replaced at any time. The back is also removable, for fans and maniacs even special "replaceable panels" with images of logos of programs and heroes of games are sold.

Accuracy is the courtesy of snipers

Microsoft is seriously puzzled by the problem of inaccurate positioning, which practically sunk the company's first gaming mice. The X8 with self-determination is much better - it actually tested the improved positioning system BlueTrack... Unlike its older sisters (and most competitors), this mouse is capable of working on almost any surface, including carpets and knees: it photographs the area below it at a speed of up to 13,000 frames per second and performs all the necessary calculations with its own small processor. The mouse brain is also used for memorizing and processing macros (and does not load the computer processor with this trifle) - that is why so much attention has been paid to macros.

The mouse can work in three sensitivity modes: 500, 1000 and 4000. You can switch between them right during the game, without getting into the game settings, for this there are special keys on the case. It is difficult to make a mistake with the mode - not only will the necessary button be highlighted, but also on a special display they will write what you just configured. A damn handy thing, actually: in the game, I used the default 1000 mode and switched to 4000 to shoot some foe with a sniper rifle.

In situations where millisecond lag becomes a matter of life and death, for greater positioning accuracy, it is better to use a high-speed USB connection rather than a radio channel. Just be sure to check the mode of your USB ports.

The strongest survives?

SideWinder X8 operates at 2.4 GHz. It is not alone: unfortunately, most other wireless mice operate at the same frequency (or adjacent to it), and this creates certain problems. If you have only one computer in your room, the X8 will feel like the king of the universe and everyone will be fine. But as soon as some other mouse appears in its field of vision (and it does not matter to which computer this mouse is assigned), a real struggle for a place in the sun begins. Winning, I must admit, the brainchild of Microsoft - in the same room with her, my poor VX Revolution disconnected in half an hour six times, until I finally smashed the laptops to different corners.

* * *

Microsoft continues to conquer the gaming mouse market. With varying degrees of success - each new rodent is larger than the previous one, but it is stuffed with more and more interesting technologies. The latest model has got its own brain, an excellent positioning system and built-in memory, and it can work as much as 30 hours of "active play" on a single charge (and today this is perhaps the best result of mouse performance), but it still looks like a toy tank and can be controlled it can only be real heroes.

Of course, gamers in these times are literally courted by the manufacturers of gaming mice. Indeed, avid gamers are willing to pay for their addictions even in times of crisis. And Microsoft quite rightly decided to gain a foothold in this market with Trademark SideWinder, restored not so long ago. Devices under this brand appeared many years before the Xbox, but then their release was discontinued in order to concentrate efforts on the Microsoft game console. After rebranding, the X8 has become the second version of the SideWinder mouse, but it looks very similar to the first model. The exterior style can be called rather modest, and the surface is also "Spartan". Before us is an unassuming hard plastic, not the most pleasant to the touch. An odd choice these days, when gamers have been trained to use more sophisticated mice. The SideWinder X8 is aimed at right-handers, as well as gamers with a large hand. The body of the mouse is more about resting the hand on the surface, rather than an aggressive grip with two fingers. Overall, opinions are divided over the ergonomics of the SideWinder X8. Some people like the mouse, some don't. Try it before you buy.

Click on the picture to enlarge.

On the other hand, the mice are top-end, as intended. The sliding legs of the mouse are removable, and there are two more sets with different friction in the kit. To some, this amount may seem excessive, but gamers love this kind of attention to their addictions. In fact, interchangeable feet are important for adjusting the sliding of the mouse on certain surfaces, such as nylon or Teflon, when they have a tangible effect on the mouse. The cogwheel is military-style with a metallic finish and audible clicks. In general, it proved to be perfect in games, delighting in accuracy and ease of operation. Two additional buttons on the left are conveniently located, their functions can be freely controlled. There is also a "Macro" key for calling / recording settings for a specific game. Behind the wheel, you can find three keys that allow you to change the resolution between the default values of 4000, 1000 and 500 cpi, which seemed to us not the best. Fortunately, you can choose to switch between the desired values in the driver. There is also the pinnacle of technology: a small LCD display showing the selected resolution and battery / battery level.

Click on the picture to enlarge.

Even more interesting, you can disconnect the cable from the mouse. It looks like the gaming mice makers want to change the established opinion in the gaming community. Looking at the mouse Razer Mamba Microsoft decided to ditch the wire too. Some gamers will be hostile to this decision, but we reiterate that modern communication technologies at the 2.4 GHz frequency can get rid of the delays, which the proponents of "wires" cite as the main argument. And the absence of a wire increases the positioning accuracy, which is also good. The only thing that can happen is that the battery may run out during an intense match. Microsoft has considered this question too: just plug in the cable and then you can return to the game. The battery life is approximately ten hours. The cable itself is pleasantly thin, it does not particularly hinder movement, and the connection is carried out magnetically: it itself "snaps" into the groove, it is worth bringing the cable plug to the appropriate place in the front of the mouse. And the cable mount is powerful enough. Overall, the idea is great. However, the round receiver takes up as much space on the table as a mouse itself. Alternatively, you can wrap the cable around the receiver to keep the extra length out of the way. On the other hand, winding is done by hand, and a certain amount of care must be taken. This solution may seem tedious to some, but it is well executed and quite functional. How interesting is such a system? Decide for yourself, but we liked this solution more than Razer.

BlueTrack sensor

Click on the picture to enlarge.

The X8 has another special feature: the sensor has been replaced by a BlueTrack model with 4000 cpi (count per inch). This technology provides perfect contact with any type of surface. Of course, you can argue if BlueTrack is needed for gamers who polish their rugs three times a day? In any case, now the gamer can no longer rub his favorite rug to a shine.

It's time to talk about the possibility of changing the sliding surface, namely the legs. You will receive one set of four legs installed and two spare ones. The approach seemed too extreme to us. You have to be either a scrupulous and meticulous gamer picking up your accessories, or a hardcore pro trying to squeeze the last millisecond out of your reaction. Most gamers just like to play, and they do not pay attention to the nuances. They might like the idea of moving the mouse from the mat to any surface other than glass. To its credit, BlueTrack works well. We've already tested mice Explorer and Explorer mini with BlueTrack technology, where they explained the principle of operation, so here we will only briefly recall it.

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To ensure better recognition of any surface, Microsoft went "against the stream" by eliminating the use of a laser. Instead of projecting a coherent and concentrated beam of light, the mouse projects a relatively wide, bright circle of blue emitted from the diode. The idea itself is very simple. A wider beam illuminates more of the surface, so a larger sensor can analyze more information. In addition, the focusing system, also developed by Microsoft, guarantees an even distribution of the intensity of the emitted light flux.

According to Microsoft, cyan was chosen because it provides better contrast and higher resolution. The luminous flux illuminating the surface is very intense, which makes it possible to better discern the structure of a surface with a relief, for example, a carpet. Another advantage: the blue beam is less sensitive to dust than a laser, which reacts very painfully to any contamination of the optics. As a result, Microsoft redesigned the CMOS sensor to be larger and more responsive to incoming light. Otherwise, we got traditional optical technology with a resolution of 4000 cpi. This level of resolution already seems excessive to us. In any case, Microsoft was able to release a mouse with a sensor at the level of the Razer models or Nova Slider X600 which we recently tested. Personally, I have chosen three resolution modes: 3000, 1500 and 800 cpi. The fastest mode is good for quick reactions in shooters. The second mode is convenient for viewing, for example, a map, while the third mode allows you to conveniently perform sniper shots.

There is something familiar about this mouse shape. It is not surprising. The Chinese took a little bit of everything - from one mouse they took the shape of the main buttons, from the other the shape of a wheel, etc. We glued everything together on the popular mouse shape, slightly finished the design making it a little more aggressive or something. We did not forget to add RGB backlighting that illuminates not only the mouse, but also its logo resembling a dragon, in the end we got the iMICE V8 gaming mouse with a good price tag. The manufacturer is the iestone company specializing in the production of mice. What a gaming mouse it is! - you will say indignantly. To do this, you will have to look under the cat, an autopsy will show which components the mouse is assembled from and is worthy of being called a game one.

The mouse came in a tight box that closes with magnets; it will be useful to store some small things on the farm.

Complete set: mouse, instruction, driver on disk.

In real life, the mouse seems completely different, not like the one in the pictures. Lots of indentations give the mouse an aggressive look, but in fact, dirt will collect in the pits. The pits are wide, you can clean with a toothpick and walk with a brush. The shape of the mouse is quite standard. For comparison, I put a popular mouse, which is 10 years old, or even more, from Microsoft.

The monitored mouse is slightly wider and higher, and the sharp shape of the main buttons does not affect the functionality of the mouse, in general, the shape of the mouse is for an amateur. The first hour of the game was not familiar and after a week I was almost used to it. The mouse is suitable for both left-handers and right-handers.

It is inconvenient to just lift the mouse, the side walls are smooth, and with a weight of 60 grams, I personally slip a little and have to squeeze my fingers. The packaging says that the mouse is additionally weighted by 60 grams, you can remove this weight only if you disassemble the mouse completely, but more on that later.

Gray plastic lacquered, black plastic covered with soft touch, I have a cheap mouse, which I used for a long time and for 5 years the soft touch has not been erased. I think there will be no problems here either.
The main buttons do not play or rattle, they have a light and clear click, they are pressed with a slight slight effort, and I like it. What kind of mikriki can you see when disassembling the mouse.
The side buttons are large, the thumb easily finds them, when the buttons are pressed, they are recessed into the mouse body by almost 3 mm, for me it's a lot I'm used to a short stroke.

But the wheel is easy to scroll, but it does not rotate by itself and is almost inaudible. There is a decorative rubber shell on top of the wheel, it looks good.

The backlit mouse from the inside looks very nice, when you press the DPI selection button, the backlight changes only four of them.

Specifications:

* Typy: Wired Mouse
* Buttons: 6 buttons with scroll wheel.
* The Max DPI: 4000 DPI.
* Ajustable DPI Switch: 250-4000DPI
* Top master control chip: The top game chip AVAGO3050, senstitive reaction, up to 4000DPI four speed, adjustable rate of return in the game with ease, ease.
* Software CD - Specail Driver with Macro custom: Colorful breathing light emitting modes can be arbitrarily set optionally, game, cool two not mistake, you can customize four file DPI, Light color, fire key, return rate of senio powerful feature set, the game mouse functions into full play.
* Ergonomically designed, long-term use without fatigue
* Intelligent connectivity, no need to code, plug & play (Or install a mouse V8 driver softwave to setting up the function.)
* Switch Life: 20 million cycle
* Compatible for Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 10, ME, 2000 and Mac OS ... or latest

The product page says that the mouse has an AVAGO 3050 sensor, and a very long service life of the keys. On the box itself, as in the instructions, there is not a word about this, nor what type of sensor, nor what mikriki are. When connected for the first time, the mouse turned on immediately without installing additional drivers. You can work on the desktop - there are no complaints here, but I did not manage to customize the mouse for myself in games, the mouse behaved very unpredictably. Sometimes the sensitivity is normal, then the response becomes very sharp, and even the program that came with the mouse did not help me set up the mouse, that is, DPI changes everything seems to be good, but the control was incomprehensible.

The program is proprietary and allows you to customize the mouse for yourself:

Key setting- you can assign other actions to almost all keys except the left main one. There are six keys in total. Two modes A and B can be configured.

Report rate setting- port polling purity from 125 to 1000.

DPI Setting- here you can choose how many modes there will be from 1 to 4. Each mode can be assigned its own DP.I It is impossible to change the color and during switching the color of the selected mode lights up, it is very convenient to see whether the mode is correctly selected or not. As I understand it, the sensor works in the mode up to 2500 DPI, then it is overclocked by software.

DPI Effect- here you can choose how the mouse backlight will work, you can set a 5% glow - you won't hit the eyes in the dark. You can set one constant color or smooth color transitions.

Advanced Setting- you can set the mouse sensitivity, scrolling speed, double-click speed.

Macro Setting- recording macros. I tried it - it works. In my life I don't use them, so I just fluently pressed the keys, the program works.

Cable length 1 m 50 cm, protected by a nylon sheath. The USB connector is simple, nothing special, no cover, but stylized under the arm. The cable remembers its shape, I'm used to a soft cable, but this one doesn't bother me much, it's a matter of habit.

The legs of the mouse are two small and one large. I can't tell what material, but it gets scratched, so it's better to use a cloth mat. I have an old rug from A4TECH X7. Has served me faithfully for at least four years, was washed before the review, over time the surface has changed. The mice do not slide so easily, the Chinese gaming mouse V8 is no exception, there are no problems in games, it's just that now the stop becomes sharp. Perhaps the weight of the mouse also contributes to this.

The sensor is covered by a metal plate with the manufacturer's engraving, as well as the V8 and Gaming Mouse models. Below is the serial number of the mouse, quality control I thought. But after looking at screenshots in other stores, I saw the same number everywhere.

Since I was unable to customize the mouse for myself, even with the included software. Then I did not regret the "Teflon" legs, tore them off without regret. I disassembled the mouse quite easily, the whole body consists of 7 elements, I did not remove everything.

Well, now the most interesting thing: under the main buttons there are mikriki from HUANO black mikriki noname. The encoder on the wheel is marked H-13.

Well, and most importantly, the sensor from AVAGO A3050, above the sensor there was a peeled-off soft tape in four corners, there were four RGB LEDs, which interfered with the sensor's surface reading, since it was not closed.

The HT82F553 controller controls everything, it is he who remembers all the settings.

In general, the board and components on it are assembled neatly, there was no need to clean up the soldering clean.
The original opinion about the mouse was spoiled by the indistinct operation of the sensor. After identifying the reason for this work, I decided to close the sensor. I removed the black tape right away, using a 3D pen I made a rectangular cover that covered the red LED, lens and sensor from RGB LED light.

After assembling the mouse, I immediately checked its work in the game, then everything fell into place. The main test took place in the game Battlefield 3. Now the game is much better. Sensitivity does not jump, everything goes smoothly. The only downside is that I have to change DPI in sniper mode and in an airplane, while I am looking for one DPI mode so as not to constantly switch DPI.

As they say, find 5 differences.

The search for the HT82F553 controller brought me to a SVEN gaming mouse, the Chinese took the shell of the program by adding DPI software from 2500 to 4000, even here the Chinese did not come up with something new and just slightly changed it.

My opinion. It is inconvenient to lift the mouse, it glides on the lacquered plastic, partly due to the additional weight of 60 grams. Dirt will be packed in deep pits, well, it's not a problem to clean, the pits are wide with a toothpick and a couple of minutes of relaxation and everything is clean. A big disadvantage is that the cable does not have a screen against interference in the form of a foil or mesh, but there is a ferrite ring against interference, I checked a hard surface under the rubber protection.

Those who like the shape of the mouse can take it as a game. Customizable backlighting is also a plus, you won't be able to turn it off completely, but you can set the 5% mode, it won't hit your eyes. Good components and a sensor, software for customization and the fact that the mouse remembers the settings is a big plus.
I have no complaints about the workmanship and build quality, there is only one minus left for me - these are the pits, I will deal with the settings and adjusting the mouse for myself for some time.

The mouse is not perfect, but for its price it is quite suitable as an entry-level gaming mouse.

The product is provided for writing a review by the store. The review is published in accordance with clause 18 of the Site Rules.

I plan to buy +6 Add to favourites I liked the review +36 +40

Introduction Traditionally, gaming mice have a wired interface - this is due to the fact that, in the opinion of most players, wireless communication is not capable of providing sufficient responsiveness to mouse movement, and this can negatively affect some dynamic games, for example, in online shooters. Manufacturers, in turn, were in no hurry to dissuade players, so until recently there were no wireless mice positioned as gaming - at best they promised the possibility of a full-fledged game, but in "purely gaming" series mice were only wired.

However, at the beginning of the year, the situation changed: first, Razer introduced the Razer Mamba wireless gaming model, and then Microsoft released the Sidewinder X8 mouse, which we will consider in today's review.

But first, I should make a little clarification and note that, in addition to the potential problem with delayed response, wireless mice have another one. Namely, the increase in the weight of the mouse due to the need to place a power supply in its housing. Of course, some people like rather heavy mice, but in general it is more convenient to use light mice for games. And if in expensive gaming mice a set of weights is provided that allows you to change the weight from minimum to solid, then in wireless there is always a "weight" - in the form of a battery or a battery.

Appearance and equipment

The mouse comes in a blister pack, which is enclosed in a red cardboard frame. As a matter of fact, the appearance, design and dimensions of the package are no different from that of the Sidewinder X5 mouse. At the end of the box, the main characteristics of the product are listed:

Resolution from 250 to 4000 dpi (BlueTrack technology);
Optical sensor reading speed - 13000 frames / s;
Maximum acceleration - 75g;
Maximum speed - 3 m / s;
Play time without recharging - up to 30 hours.

The characteristics, as we can see, are quite promising.

Inside the box, in addition to the mouse itself, there is a radio receiver, it is also a charger, a Ni-MH battery produced by GP Industrial, AA format and with a capacity of 2100 mAh, as well as an envelope with instructions and a disk with drivers.

Apart from the similarities in packaging, the Sidewinder X5 and X8 are generally very similar in appearance to each other.

Like the X5, the X8 has an asymmetrical shape, formed by a combination of straight and arched lines. The case material is plastic, pleasant to the touch.

However, there are a number of differences. The first thing that catches the eye is the aluminum scroll wheel with the possibility of horizontal scrolling (swinging left and right), which was not the case with the X5. In addition, the side buttons of the X8 are silver and quadrangular - recall that the X5 had round and black ones. Next to the usual buttons there is another, narrow and long one, designed for recording macros "on the fly". On the same side, just above the buttons, there is a small screen, on which the battery charge level is displayed immediately after switching on. In addition to it, it can show the current resolution of the optical sensor or signal about the macro recording mode.

As well as on the X5, on the top surface there are three buttons for adjusting the resolution of the optical sensor and a button for calling up the mouse settings menu, the only difference is that in the X8 they have a red backlight.

The front of the mouse has a small cutout with a red backlight that lights up when the mouse is turned on. Its purpose is not only decorative, but also quite utilitarian - when the battery charge decreases, the color changes from red to orange.

On the bottom of the mouse, in addition to four small removable feet, there is a slide switch, a battery compartment, an optical sensor with blue LED backlighting and a group of three contacts for connecting a charger.

Readers have probably already noticed the very bright blue LED used in the mouse to illuminate the surface under the sensor. In fact, this is one of the new technologies promoted by Microsoft - the BlueTrack technology, which we will talk about separately a little later.

Receiver, aka charger

Since the mouse is wireless, it requires a receiver to communicate with the computer. It is a washer with a diameter of about 80 mm and a thickness of about 27 mm, connected with a USB cable to the system unit. The range of stable communication between the mouse and the receiver is about ten meters, which is in line with the manufacturer's promises.

In addition to performing its direct function, the receiver also serves as a charger for the battery installed in the mouse.

Charging is quite simple: for this, a cable is provided, wound in the middle of the receiver and equipped with a connector with contacts and a magnet, which easily attaches to the corresponding contacts on the bottom of the mouse.

It should be noted that the result is a very convenient design: if your mouse is unexpectedly discharged during the game, then you can charge the battery without interrupting the game process, since the wire is long and thin enough and does not create inconvenience, that is, in fact, in at this point you will be using the X8 like a normal wired mouse.

The manufacturer recommends recharging the battery within 5 minutes after each hour of operation, while the charging time for a fully discharged battery is about three hours. The operating time from a fully charged battery until it is completely discharged is about thirty hours.

The capabilities of this device are not limited only to the function of the receiver and charger - it is also a box for replaceable mouse legs. Having removed the top cover from the receiver, you can see the compartment where they are actually located - two sets of interchangeable legs, white and gray, with different degrees of slip resistance, which allows you to more flexibly customize the mouse for yourself.

BlueTrack technology

Recently, most expensive mice use infrared laser illumination, which provides excellent contrast and sensitivity. In contrast, the Sidewinder X8 does not have an infrared or laser - in this model, the surface of the rug is illuminated by a blue LED. This is one of three key elements of BlueTrack technology:

new chip with improved algorithms for calculating displacement;
large sensor matrix and large light spot created by the LED;
blue backlight color.

We have no questions on the first point - the new one is so new, we still cannot verify this statement, however, we have no reason not to trust the manufacturer.

With the second point, everything is also more or less clear: the optical mouse sensor has a very large lens, and the light spot from the LED at a distance of 5 cm from a flat surface has a diameter of about 4 cm.In addition, the LED has a very high brightness - look at it when it is turned on I strongly advise against mice, because after such a procedure, the vision returns to normal for a few minutes.

But the last point raises questions. Why exactly blue light, what is it about it? It is not without reason that optical mice use red or infrared illumination with a wavelength of 625-660 nm and 800-1000 nm, respectively. Take a look at the spectral response graph of a typical silicon optical sensor:

Obviously, since the maximum sensitivity of the sensor lies in the region of 950 nm (this is the infrared range), then it is most effective to use infrared illumination - with the same radiation power, we will receive the maximum signal from the sensor. Red illumination requires more than one and a half times to increase the brightness of the glow to obtain the same signal, and the blue one ... Blue is a wavelength of 400-450 nm, that is, the sensitivity of the sensor to it is three (sic!) Times less, than infrared radiation.

In other words, if we take one sensor and two LEDs of different colors, then to obtain the same brightness of the picture, the blue LED should be three times brighter than the infrared one. With a corresponding difference in energy consumption.

Of course, one could notice that blue color gives better spatial resolution due to a shorter wavelength - but this is essential in microscopes, the sensor of a computer mouse, in any case, does not see anything on a nanometer scale. And this improvement itself is doubtful even in theory - we are comparing the blue LED with the infrared laser used in other expensive mice, which gives a narrow beam of monochromatic light, which means that it provides better image contrast.

Thus, we do not see any objective technical reasons for making a blue LED - moreover, it is clearly inferior to red LEDs and, moreover, infrared lasers in energy efficiency due to the low sensitivity of silicon sensors to blue.

So we can only assume that the use of a blue LED was primarily due to marketing reasons - "not to do it like everyone else" - but the engineers had only to find a compromise between the need to put a very bright LED (otherwise the sensitivity of the sensor will not be enough!) And the retention of energy consumption mice within reasonable limits. It is likely that the sensor matrix also had to be increased precisely for the sake of increasing its overall sensitivity.

For the sake of fairness, it should be noted that, in fact, we have no complaints about the work of optics. The mouse was tested on various surfaces, in particular, glass, mirror, polished light and dark (black) wood, paper, fabric with a pattern, a screen with a monitor on ... But we still could not find a surface that caused the mouse cursor would not move or move with noticeable jerks. Therefore, we cannot make any claims to the operation of the mouse, although we do not believe that the blue color of the LED helped it in any way.

Software

Included with the mouse is a disk with the IntelliPoint version 6.3 program, which is already familiar to us and to all owners of Microsoft manipulators. It is designed to work with almost all Microsoft mice, you only need to select the desired device model during installation.

The program provides ample opportunities for assigning functions to any mouse button, both for the entire system as a whole, and when working in specific applications.

One of the most relevant features for a gaming mouse is, of course, the ability to record keyboard macros.

To record a macro, you will need to click the "New" button, select the name of the macro, and then you can start recording it from the keyboard by pressing the keys in the sequence you need. After you finish recording, you can adjust the hold time for each key and the delay between presses. If you need to record the sequence of clicks of the mouse buttons, and not the keyboard, then you will have to use a special menu and select the desired actions in it.

In our review of the Sidewinder X5 mouse, we complained about the inability to record macros while playing. In X8, this has been fixed, now in order to record a macro "on the fly", you will need to press a narrow side button, after which an icon will light up on the mouse screen indicating the macro recording mode. Now you just have to select the button to which the macro will be assigned, and then enter the keystroke combination and press the record button again. As a result, a new macro will be recorded, which you can use at any time. You can edit it later, if necessary, by running IntelliPoint. All new macros recorded with the button are named starting with "Macro 00001".

In addition to recording macros and changing button functions, the program allows you to adjust the resolution of the optical sensor, which is very useful, since by default using the buttons on the mouse, the resolution can be set to 500, 1000 or 4000 dpi, which, it should be noted, is not very convenient, since 500 and 1000 dpi, for example, may seem too small for shooters, and 4000 dpi is too much if, for example, you prefer high-precision weapons, in the spirit of a sniper rifle with powerful optics. It is noteworthy that these settings are saved in the memory of the mouse, therefore, by connecting it to another computer, you do not have to install IntelliPoint to re-set the desired parameters.

If necessary, the program can be automatically updated, for this you need to activate the corresponding function.

In general, the program has a fairly well thought-out interface, without any significant drawbacks.

General impressions

As we already said, there is a perception that wireless mice are not very suitable for gaming due to the fact that the wireless interface is not able to provide instant information about the movement of the mouse. This is partly due to the fact that the first wireless mice were indeed somewhat slow, and, moreover, with a short range. Modern wireless mice are devoid of such a problem, but since they are not formally gaming mice, one should not expect high performance from them in games. By my own example, I can notice that, say, Logitech MX Revolution, one of the best wireless mice, completely suits me both in everyday work and in most games - but it is no longer very convenient for her to play dynamic network shooters, the mouse seems to be slow and inert.

With Sidewinder X8, I did not find such a problem: playing, say, Counter Strike was very convenient for me, I did not notice any problems with the reaction to mouse movement, and the ability to "on the fly" change the resolution is very relevant when changing weapons. Perhaps these are purely subjective impressions, but I repeat once again, I did not notice any problems related to the wireless interface.

The situation is somewhat worse with the weight of the mouse. It is generally not the lightest on its own, and the NiMH battery adds about 30 grams more weight. Let me remind you that for the same Logitech G9, with the help of weights, the weight can be increased by a maximum of 28 grams, while without weights, the G9 is noticeably lighter than the X8. However, to me personally, the X8 did not seem particularly heavy, but for those who like lighter mice, it is better to take a closer look at other models. Microsoft, on the other hand, should consider releasing a mouse with a lighter lithium-ion battery.

As for the removable legs, I personally could not decide which ones are more convenient for me: more slippery or, on the contrary, less. Here, however, a lot depends on personal preferences, and to someone three sets of legs will seem far from superfluous.

Separately, I would like to note the possibility of charging the battery, as they say, "without leaving the checkout", that is, without stopping work. And if your battery suddenly runs out during the most intense moment of the game, you just need to attach a wire from the charger to the mouse and you can continue the game. The wire is quite thin and long, so it will not cause any strong inconvenience.

The quality of the plastic is quite high, it is pleasant to the touch, and the hand does not slip on it. Unless a somewhat unusual shape of the case may cause you some inconvenience, but they are only temporary. However, if you have the opportunity to try out the mouse before purchasing, then it is better to do so - who knows if you can get used to the Sidewinder X8's large enough body or not.

The location of the buttons on the case is very convenient, it is easy to press them, and it is almost impossible to accidentally hook them.

There are no complaints about the work of optics, as we have already written. The mouse works great on almost any surface, in any case, we could not find one with which it could not cope.

The cursor responds perfectly to sudden movements, we did not manage to get its breakdown.

The mouse itself is suitable not only for games, but also for everyday work, and the lack of a wire in this case is just an additional plus.

There are no complaints about the operation of the software, but I would like to be able to record all settings and macros directly into the memory of the mouse, and not just the resolution of the optical sensor.

Conclusion

We can definitely say that Microsoft has managed to make a good wireless gaming mouse, devoid of significant drawbacks.

The obvious advantages of Sidewinder X8 are the absence of a wire, convenient battery charging, the ability to change the resolution and record macros on the fly, an unpretentious sensor capable of working on almost any surface with a maximum resolution of 4000 dpi, and three sets of interchangeable legs.

The disadvantages are the rather large weight of the mouse, which is a natural price to pay for the absence of a wired interface and an easily replaceable Ni-MH battery, a large, somewhat unusual shape, and the lack of the ability to record macros into the built-in memory of the mouse.

But in general, the advantages of the mouse clearly outweigh the disadvantages. It is worth noting, however, that the manufacturer did not seem to have any technical need to use a blue LED as an optical sensor backlight. However, there are no complaints about the work of optics directly, so if you like this color, then why not? True, the amount for the Sidewinder X8 will have to pay a very considerable amount.

Check availability and cost of Microsoft Sidewinder X8