Microsoft Sidewinder X6 Gaming Keyboard with USB Port
by Microsoft
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Our Price: $89.99 Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours Category: CE See more product details |
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Customers in the UK,
Buy this product at amazon.co.uk
for British Pounds
Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Microsoft Sidewinder X6 Gaming Keyboard with USB Port
Customer Review: My best keyboard in a long, long time
Summary: 5 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
To state that I am impressed with this keyboard would be almost an understatement. I've been using a Microsoft Digital Media Pro Keyboard for the past couple of years and I was very happy with it and, I thought I was going to give this one to one of my gaming little sons but... it looks like I'm keeping it for myself and I'm ordering a second one for him.
I am going to state what impressed me or disappointed me as a lite gamer but a relatively heavy keyboard user. Everything else, it's probably available in the official product description or in other reviews.
+ Quality build:
Unlike what another review states, this is a well-built, well designed keyboard. The plastic does not feel 'cheap'. On the contrary. In addition, the keyboard is so heavy, it 'sticks' to the desk and it would hardly moved when accidentally bumped.
+ Switchable and REMOVABLE numeric keypad:
Taking off the keypad is as easy as pulling it. It's kept attached to the main body via a couple of strong magnets so it's easy to remove but, once it's attached it will stick to the body.
+ Excellent for typing:
Bing a touch typist I hereby testify that this is a GREAT keyboard. It's not as quiet as the one I am now abandoning (see above) but a little more click does not bother me.
+ A large number of easy-to-program macro keys:
There are 12 (2 * 6) dedicated macro keys on the left side plus 18 keys on the numeric keypad which COULD be assigned to single-key macros, adding up to 30. Multiply that by the 3 easy to switch 'profiles' and there's a total of 90 single-key macros.
A rough 'draft' of a macro can be done by simply performing the task while in 'record' mode. Then, the IntelliType Pro utility allows for refinements and adjustments. I was able to build a rather complex macro within minutes of trying one for the very first time.
+ Macros aren't for gaming only
The macro that I just built is not for game-playing. It's for business use and it's saving me lots of dumb keystrokes and therefore a lot of time.
+ Not as many unneeded keys
It's probably just me but I never use those dedicated keys that would start 'mail', take you to the 'pictures' folder or maybe open a browser. This does have the 'calculator' button and the speaker volume and the play/stop/skip keys but all others are missing. I feel that this is a pretty good compromise.
= Backlighting is cool but, why not blue or green?
I do appreciate the fact that the macro-assignable keys have a yellow backlight vs the the red for everything else but I wish that other color choices were available.
- The numeric keypad feels like it's about to break
As I mentioned already, it's held onto the main body with magnets. I am not used to my new keyboard yet so, every time I am moving it around, it feels like the right section is about to break.
- It can't be raised
The only serious issue is its lacking those little legs that would allow me to raise the keyboard a little. I thought I was going to miss it more but, it seems, I'm getting used to it already. However, not everyone may feel that way.
Overall, this is an easy 5-star. I am NOT a Microsoft fan but this Microsoft keyboard is a keeper.
Customer Review: Does It Work For Non-Gamers? A Big Yes.
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm going to say right out that I'm not a heavy gamer. I do play occasional games, but plenty of other reviewers have covered the pros and cons of this keyboard for game use; what I haven't seen are a lot of reviews for general use.
When I recently built a new computer, I decided to treat myself to a back-lit keyboard. I write quite a bit at night, don't like keeping my office lights on, and, while I can touch type, I do need to be able to see function keys, the number pad, music controls etc,. The sidewinder is on the (rather short) list of keyboards that have this feature.
But while I bought it for the backlighting, I'm keeping it because as a keyboard on ANY terms, it's great. Key action has just the right resistance and clickiness; it feels great and is never annoying. Travel is less than any other keyboard I have, though more than a laptop, and the keys don't stick up annoyingly far; they are flatter than other desktop keyboards I've worked with. The action is also firm and not spongy at all: stroke feels positive and reminds you that you are using a well-built keyboard. So for me, it's an "A" in ergonomics.
As for the unique features, the back-lighting is great, and fully adjustable from off to bright-but-not-obnoxious. Some folks have complained that you can't change the color, but I personally like red, and find color changing keyboards a bit gimmicky (and just one more thing that can go wrong). The vertical row of six keys on the left are fully programmable using the Microsoft software (download only, strangely - if you don't have a fast connection you'll be waiting a while as it isn't included on a CD). Each can hold two macros (you switch from one set to another with a small switch at their base) and they are lit in yellow-orange to make them easy to delineate quickly. There are also three different keyboard profiles that you can set up and select based on use. I find ALL of these features useful, even when not gaming, particularly the programmable macro keys.
So overall, if you're looking for a nice looking keyboard with great action (really - I like the action on this keyboard more than ANY other keyboard I've ever had, and I've had a few), think back-lighting would be useful, and, like I, find the occasional delays and connection problems associated with wireless desktop sets an irritant, I'd urge you to give the Sidewinder a shot. For me, the gaming capabilities are just a great bonus to a wonderful keyboard.
Highly Recommended.
Customer Review: Not Just For Gamers
Summary: 5 Stars
Customer review from the Amazon Vine™ Program (What's this?)
I play my games on the PlayStation 3 80GB so that is not what drew me to the X6. What I needed was an illuminated keyboard to use with my Toshiba Satellite X205-S9349 17-inch Laptop (Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T7100, 2 GB RAM, 240 GB Hard DRive, HD SuperMulti DVD Drive, Vista Premium) while surfing in bed. My laptop weighs a TON, its a desktop replacement so anytime surfing with it in your lap leaves painful memories. So, I like to surf in bed (think of it as replacing reading a book in bed) with it next to me. Having an illuminated keyboard makes it much easier. Even with my laptop in my lap I sometimes struggle to find a key sometimes because I surf usually at night. Not anymore. The X6 is a nice sized keyboard with well spaced, full stroke keys. It seems well built and its cool how the numeric keyboard detaches and is held on with a magnet. Years ago I dropped a hundred bucks on a Adesso ILLUMINATED MULTIMEDIA KEYBOARD BLUE ELECTRO-LUMINESCENT PS/2 ( EL-9805PB ) which to my dismay upon receiving turned out to have half stroke, small keys like an older laptop. The X6 is great because of the detachable keypad, illuminated keys that are springy and don't feel cheap and it also has multimedia controls on it to control your default media player which in my case is iTunes. I know if I want to get back into gaming on the computer I am hooked up with the seemingly limitless customization options the X6 has. Great keyboard that is a must for anyone that who can't see their keys in the dark.
EDIT: Still going strong over 2 years later. A couple of the letters have smeared, but there has been other issue. Keys still spring like day one. I have used this daily so it has gotten plenty of use since day one. Great product!
Customer Review: Macro keys and volume knob For teh win!!
Summary: 5 Stars
This is my first gaming keyboard, and I like it overall.
Pros:
*Macro keys: I love this feature. They are easy to program. You just press the "macro record" key, select a macro key, and then hit whatever key combo you need. Press the record key again and you're done. I have used this for various things, including:
*Remapping W, A, S, D to the keypad (I'm left handed). Some games don't let you use the arrow keys.
*Making multi-key combos into a single keypress (I use Shift+space to read through my Google reader from the oldest to the newest.
*Volume knob: This is wonderful too. The thing that annoys me most about video games is that once it's running, you can no longer adjust the Windows volume level. If I turned it down while on the web, I had to exit the game to turn it on again.
*The keypad is removable: yes, you can move it from side to side, but you can also get it out of the way completely if you don't need it.
*The cruise control button is also nice (and it may help with those people having the "Ctrl+W+R" problem).
*Good solid construction overall.
Cons:
*Like others have mentioned, the keys have been rearranged some. I have definitely found myself pressing "~" at odd times.
*The backlight (which can be turned off) makes the keyboard hard to look at when the lights are on. As I am not in the habit of gaming in the dark, this stays off most of the time.
*The knob for the volume seems a little flimsy. I'm not sure how it will hold up in the long run.
*You are supposed to install the software before plugging in the keyboard. This could be problematic if you don't already have a keyboard.
Final thoughts:
This is a solid keyboard, and I like it a lot. Until I found this one in the store, it never occurred to me that there were keyboards with macro keys (for a reasonable price). I am very happy with this purchase.
Customer Review: Finally
Summary: 5 Stars
Finally I have a keyboard that I can work with! You sly dogs. You hid it with the gaming stuff. I forgive you. The fact that I can (permanently) leave off the keypad and then light up the keyboard to what these tired eyes need is just almost too much to ask for! The size is just right for my keyboard desk. The light wheel, which by the way is way neat, controls my lighting needs while surfing the net. (Stay home and save gas.) My volume wheel, which pleasantly surprised me, did control my Asus Xonar D2X sound card. Now there is no need to reach all the way across my desk to adjust my volume for different applications. The wrist rest, with much egg on my face, does workout just fine, especially after I slipped a slim,long strip of packing cardboard under it from the box it was held captive in. (and here I thought, with no legs, it was doomed for the band saw for re-modification) Some say the wheels may look dumb but look at it this way... when the volume or lighting changes on you suddenly and it is imperative that you don't disturb the baby, sleeping mother-in-law, or killer your not too friendly T-Rex look a like dog, having a button to smash with a finger doing 100 MPH can cause all of the metacarpal heads of your finger to converge into your elbow with no guarantee that the key won't just fly off (in slow motion) The wheel is a good thing. :)
I might point out that I am "more mature" in age than most and my typing skills are nothing to brag about. Right now I have a band aid on my right index finger but I have little difficulty with tactile agility on these well placed keys. I don't type for a living, so memorizing key position is not an issue. I don't game, so the special options are not going to be used. But, by golly, I finally have a keyboard that I can work with!