Back in the day, shopping for gaming peripherals meant sifting through a ton of Microsoft's SideWinder products to find what you needed. Everything from SideWinder controllers, to joysticks, to force-feedback steering wheels lined hardware stores; to say that they dominated the market would be spot...

I used to own one of the original sidewinder x5s many moons ago, so was looking forward to receiving this one. However, I have to confess to disappointment upon opening the box and finding the new "improved" version within.

Microsoft has been making gaming gear for a while now and they have been getting pretty good at it. Microsoft's first serious gaming mouse was the SideWinder , which came after a collaboration with Razer to produce the Habu .

The perfect complement to the X6, or just another mousing also-ran?

Supplier: Microsoft Brand: Microsoft Website: www.microsoft.com RRP: R629.00 Star Rating: 4/5 Review By: NAG Magazine (January 2009) MICROSOFT'S NEW X5 SIDEWINDER mouse is actually a downgrade from the original SideWinder gaming mouse.

The previous Sidewinder had the who's who of gaming mouse features. It had optional weights, an LCD readout to display DPI changes, interchangeable feet... the list goes on. The X5 uses the same basic design – though it is much comfier now – and strips out a lot of those shiny extras.

Haven't had a single problem with this mouse, perfect size for a teen - adult hand with enough buttons to bind all sorts of goodies to! Although I did have trouble binding a key to the thumb button and having the same key work on ventrilo, it did work eventually though.

After a number of gaming mice emanating from Microsoft intent on claiming the higher priced end of the gaming market, the SideWinder X5 is the first attempt at cracking the budget end of the mouse buying public.

Moisture resistant coating; constantly smooth movement

Bulky frame not for everyone; feels a little lightweight

When we last looked at Microsoft's revitalization of the Sidewinder peripheral line, we weren't very impressed. Though the mouse was...

Smooth accurate movement; Fully customizable feel and functionality; Adjustable DPI that's quick to access; Comfortable to use

Needs features of original SideWinder; Software still shares problems with old SideWinder

Microsoft's new SideWinder X5 Mouse is a stripped-down version of last year's SideWinder Gaming Mouse . Where the original model was a packed-to-the-gills gaming powerhouse, the X5 feels flimsy and expensive for the AU$99.95 Microsoft wants you to spend.

Improved sculpt; Moisture-resistant coating

Competing Logitech mouse offers more mouse for the buck; Lacks heft