Review: Microsoft SideWinder X8 Gaming Mouse

In this review we’ll be looking at the SideWinder X8 gaming mouse in this review. In the past we’ve looked at the original SideWinder with its very cool metal buttons and scroll wheel, as well as the SideWinder X5, an affordable take on the original. The SideWinder X8 tweaks the design of the X5 while going wireless and moving from a 2000dpi sensor to 4000dpi. The X8 also jumps up to $80, which is the highest price for a SideWinder so far.

On the exterior the X8 is almost the same as the SideWinder and the X5 so be sure to check back to those reviews for comments on the shape of the mouse, the fit in the gamer’s hand, the contours of the design, and button placement. The X8 is very similar to the previous two, but some changes were made and we now have a more angular mouse than in the past. The X8 uses a 10-button design like the original (the X5 has nine) with the layout being: two primary buttons, the scroll wheel, three sensitivity buttons below the scroll wheel, one in the palm rest, forward and back buttons on the side, and a macro-record buttons in front of those two. This seems like a lot, but all you will really need to rely on during gaming are the two primaries, the wheel, and forward/back so you generally will just be tracking five. The X8 also has had its LCD restored so users can one again see what dpi setting they are running (4000, 1000, and 500, by default). The feet are replaceable and two extra sets made of materials with slightly different textures (some are slicker than others) are included, hidden away in the wireless transmitter. Swapping sets takes just a few second per foot.