Last summer I needed a new mouse, being a bit of a keen gamer I decide to go for something designed specifically for gaming. The gaming peripheral market isn't huge in the UK, but there's enough of a choice to merit significant pondering and in the end I pipped for the Saitek Cyborg Mouse (pictured above), after all on paper it looks fantastically impressive:
- Adjustable mouse size extends or contracts to suit any size of hand or grip
- Adjustable Scroll Wheel – changes click strength of scroll wheel
- Programmable, 4-way, low profile hat switch
- 2 additional programmable buttons
- 3200dpi for increased precision
Flashy, no? No. The problem is that despite the sexy specs the mouse is crippled in several ways.
Firstly there was the software, which didn't work out of the box, briefly worked after one update before returning to non-functional status and finally being fixed by yet another update. Even when it worked the software wasn't very good, the UI for the profiler looked like it had been designed in a highschool visual basic lesson - basically not very impressive.
Next there's the form factor. As you can see from the pic above it's a bit of an ugly bastard, and sadly that ugliness translates into poor ergonomics. The length of the mouse is adjustable (and is adjusted by a moderately cool electric motor mechanism - if you're easily amused) - this is supposed to allow the mouse to accommodate all hand sizes, but it doesn't. The problem arises with the side buttons, the mouse has the two extra 4+5 side buttons most mice have as standard now, on the cyborg these are located on the weird cornery bit under the cyborg logo on the unit - that's right the grey portion on there are the actual buttons, the one resting under the logo fits fairly comfortably under the thumb, but the one along the jutting out bit is awkward as mother fucking fuck, rather than pressing it you are required to perform a weird forward-pushing action with your thumb that feels weird and unbalances your grip, which is a dumb way to have things. The side is also home to a 4 way hat switch (roughly under the cyborg logo) plus an additional no 6 button which rests on the extreme edge of the weird fin-like extension on the base of the mouse. The first issue with these buttons is that Windows doesn't natively recognise them, which means you have to use the shitty software to macro functions to them for them to do anything, the second is that they're pretty uselessly placed. The hat switch is placed in such a position that no matter how I adjust the length on the unit either my thumb is awkwardly placed to reach it or if I get it in a position where I can reach it then my index and middle fingers end up too far up the mouse for comfortable clicking of the primary mouse buttons - yet another pain in the proverbial arse. The fin button is also poorly placed, if the fin had been about half as jutty-out it might've worked, but as it is it's just ass.
Added to the irritation this mouse has caused me the noise of the mouse wheel is harsh, noisy and grating.
And the final straw: The mouse stopper responding properly to Mouse-1 clicks, a minor irritation in everyday use, but when you're gaming, particularly online, and your fire button is acting up, that can be the difference between winning and losing - and that's bullshit. It actually developed a new trick the week prior to its replacement - interpreting single clicks as double clicks.
The fucker had to go.
Firstly there was the software, which didn't work out of the box, briefly worked after one update before returning to non-functional status and finally being fixed by yet another update. Even when it worked the software wasn't very good, the UI for the profiler looked like it had been designed in a highschool visual basic lesson - basically not very impressive.
Next there's the form factor. As you can see from the pic above it's a bit of an ugly bastard, and sadly that ugliness translates into poor ergonomics. The length of the mouse is adjustable (and is adjusted by a moderately cool electric motor mechanism - if you're easily amused) - this is supposed to allow the mouse to accommodate all hand sizes, but it doesn't. The problem arises with the side buttons, the mouse has the two extra 4+5 side buttons most mice have as standard now, on the cyborg these are located on the weird cornery bit under the cyborg logo on the unit - that's right the grey portion on there are the actual buttons, the one resting under the logo fits fairly comfortably under the thumb, but the one along the jutting out bit is awkward as mother fucking fuck, rather than pressing it you are required to perform a weird forward-pushing action with your thumb that feels weird and unbalances your grip, which is a dumb way to have things. The side is also home to a 4 way hat switch (roughly under the cyborg logo) plus an additional no 6 button which rests on the extreme edge of the weird fin-like extension on the base of the mouse. The first issue with these buttons is that Windows doesn't natively recognise them, which means you have to use the shitty software to macro functions to them for them to do anything, the second is that they're pretty uselessly placed. The hat switch is placed in such a position that no matter how I adjust the length on the unit either my thumb is awkwardly placed to reach it or if I get it in a position where I can reach it then my index and middle fingers end up too far up the mouse for comfortable clicking of the primary mouse buttons - yet another pain in the proverbial arse. The fin button is also poorly placed, if the fin had been about half as jutty-out it might've worked, but as it is it's just ass.
Added to the irritation this mouse has caused me the noise of the mouse wheel is harsh, noisy and grating.
And the final straw: The mouse stopper responding properly to Mouse-1 clicks, a minor irritation in everyday use, but when you're gaming, particularly online, and your fire button is acting up, that can be the difference between winning and losing - and that's bullshit. It actually developed a new trick the week prior to its replacement - interpreting single clicks as double clicks.
The fucker had to go.
Enter the replacement, the Razer DeathAdder! Much to my embarrassment and shame I had been advised to get a Razer product over the Saitek prior to purchasing the Saitek and ignored the advice - to my cost. The DeathAdder is a much simpler design, and far more ergonomic. The Razer techs have obviously focused on designing and producing a product that gets everything it does right rather than piling on ultimately useless gimmicks that hinder rather than enhance the units playability. Here we have a standard 5 button mouse (with wheel) with adjustable dpi up to 1800 - this is a lower max dpi than the Cyborg, but faster than I actually use a mouse at anyway - so more than adequate for my needs. Probably the most important factor here is that the thing is comfortable - it sits well in the hand and all the buttons are easily reachable without having to do thumb gymnastics.
Completely irrelevant but pretty cool anyway - the logo on the back slowly strobes :D
I guess the moral of this story is to canvas opinions rather than allowing flashy specs to sway you.
freedoms_stain, out.
Completely irrelevant but pretty cool anyway - the logo on the back slowly strobes :D
I guess the moral of this story is to canvas opinions rather than allowing flashy specs to sway you.
freedoms_stain, out.
1 comment:
Alex, I actually got a Microsoft Sidewinder mouse, and I've got to say, I really love it. I think they got the ergonomics just right on this one.
Anyway, are you still using your old email address? Wa going to add you on MSN, but I wasn't sure whether you're still using it or not
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