Some of you may recall that I had two major issues with the Sidewinder X8 in my review. I promised I’d post an update once I’d gotten a spare unit and tried some things out. Well, here you go! The good news is that the primary problem has been solved. The bad news: the spare unit has a different problem.
The dealbreaker for me with the X8 was that the tracking was bad. It skipped around and I couldn’t make it stop with any combinations of settings. Fortunately, that seems to have been an issue not with the mouse, but with the mousepad I was using. Commenters in the review noted that Bluetrack mice have had issues with cloth mousepads. Really, now — raise your hand if you have a cloth mousepad. It’s okay, nobody can see you. I bet a bunch of you do. I like cloth mousepads — they’re soft, they don’t accrue grime, and they make no noise at all when you drag the mouse over them. I don’t want to use some weird hard mousepad or a slab of marble just because my mouse is finicky! Fortunately, I find that a nice big hardcover book works very well as a temporary mousepad for review purposes.
Still, it’s a major boost for the X8: my primary concern has been nullified for the most part, so you guys can rest easy if you already ordered one. The other concern, however, was the scroll wheel, and buddy the one on this replacement unit is even worse. Actually, it feels a lot more tightly fastened than the first one I got, but this one only works if you go fast. If I go one notch at a time, it just doesn’t work. You can imagine how frustrating that would be in a game, where swapping weapons is often done with precise spins of the wheel. I’ve tested several configurations and reinstalled the driver as well. 0 for 2, then.
So my recommendation for the X8 is raised from “not at all” to “give it a try.” Seriously, though. Microsoft. You need to get some QA on these scroll wheels, these two feel totally different and neither one works right.
Update: Wait, I’ve just removed the Intellipoint driver and the wheel works correctly again. Come on.
“Wait, I’ve just removed the Intellipoint driver and the wheel works correctly again. Come on.”
Yup’. My sentiments exactly.
Wait, so the scroll wheel works fine now?
it works without the driver? wtf. microsoft hardware are sure awesome. well maybe a software update will fix it.
The scroll wheel worked as soon as the mouse was working as a “generic” mouse with no special drivers. Guess we know where that problem lies, huh?
Now I don’t really know what to think about it…
I wanted to get a new mouse – comfortable, quick and precise. I have MS Wireless Laser 6000 – comfortable, lag is visible but not very intense, no prediction and … interpolation that persists until I decrease sensitivity in Windows by 2-3 ticks.
I like cloth pads – they’re comfortable and offer good tracking for many mice (Everglide Titan here). This mouse would force me to switch to a solid one.
Can you tell if X8 has “prediction”? I’d prefer mouse that goes where I point it to without guessing if I want to draw a straight line.
Other options are Roccat Kone (specs say only 1.65m/s) and Razer Mamba (some said that the cursor refuses to stay in place and it has acceleration problems).
I didn’t experience any prediction or correction. I’m going to have the mamba to review any day now, I’ll make sure to show any issues it may have.
re: the scrolling issue. This is the result of the 2.4GHz connection conflicting with other MS 2.4GHz devices, as I’ve discovered. If you have one plugged in, try unplugging it and the scrolling should be fine. MS is fixing this issue as we speak with a software upgrade.
Really? I had two to test, and only one showed the problem. I tested them one by one in the same situation. Thanks for the info though.
I have the same problem with my X8 scroll wheel. I installed the latest mouse driver, Intellipoint 6.31, but the problem remains. Funny thing, if I go back to Intellipoint 6.2, which I used for my original sidewinder, my X8 works great, except that now I cannot use/customize the two side buttons and the three top dpi buttons. Could it be because I also have a wireless MS keyboard that may be conflicting with my X8 at 2.4GHz?
I tried using my mouse wheel with and without the software and it works flawelessly without any issues.
Yeah, no problem with the scroll wheel other then being a little slippery but as its worn in its actually not that bad.
And I have a black cloth mouse pad and my tracking is fine.
What mousepad do you have? I’m wondering because I got this mouse and returned it the next day because I thought It didn’t work with cloth, And I hated the grinding on my ExactMat Pad, so I just got a Steelseries QCK to work with my old OCZ Equalizer. I’m kind of regretting taking it back though.
Yes, I’m afraid you made a mistake getting rid of it. If you remove the god-awful microsoft feet, and stick good quality teflon feet on it, from everglide, or whatever, it no longer rattles and scrapes and is totally awesome, I use a hard mat too, the SteelSeries SP, and with the SteelSeries teflon feet, this mouse is in-f’ing-credible.
None of the complaints you mention occured with my unit, however the scroll wheel is definately garbage. They should have just robbed logitechs chutch wheel because that would have made this the greatest mouse as opposed to a great mouse.
lol clutch*
Review fails. Reviewer fails. I’m a semi-pro gamer, bought an X8 not expecting great things (I normally use Razer mice, previous was a diamondback, previous to that was a copperhead), and I was astounded. I prefer it to my Razer mice in almost every way, except beauty. The X8 is a fantastic mouse, period. I can always tell imediately when I’m using a wired or a wireless mouse, but I cannot with this. I installed the intellipoint drivers supplied with the mouse, I’m using a SteelSeries SP pro pad, and I have no issues whatsoever, the wheel is perfect, better even than my old Logi G5, and the tracking unbelievable, as one would expect from a 4000dpi mouse. Don’t hesitate people, Microsoft have hit the nail on the head with this one. If you use a hard mouse mat, get rid of the Microsoft feet, yes, even the interchangeable ones, this is a disastrous feature, they are not held in tightly enough and rattle horribly on hard mats. Stick a high quality set of teflon feet on it, and enjoy one of the finest mice in recent years. Foxy out…
Sorry Mr. Fox, but my mouse has exhibited all the characteristics listed in the review. In fact, I found this review because I was trying to find solutions to why my $70 mouse tracks like an 80 year old on valium. Oh and the wheel notches engage and disengage at random too.
I have been using G5 for some time but recently switched to Microsoft Sidewinder X8. No because of reviews or recommendations but after randevous in local shop. At the same moment I placed my palm on this mouse I knew this is the one! Unfortunately after a few days problems started. The feet of Sidewinder X8 wear our in very short time leaving me with horrible tracking experience. You may not notice it inspecting the feet but I in the end turned out they are faulty. Searching for ultimate solution I encounter SteelSeries pads, selecting SP version. Believe me, this was one of best choices! Assuming that included SteelSeries mouse feet are attached to horrible Sidewinder’s feet. Expensive but awesome solution! Perfect movements with up to 4000 dpi resolution, almost-no-froction gliding! Jonathan Fox is right.
Wanna be happy? Get X8, romove its feet, use SteelSeries SP, S&S or SX.
I just bought one and is a great wireless gaming mouse man, everything works perfect. It is way better from the Logitech G7.
The only think that i do not like so much it is the software part. The X8 software interface is pretty poor and basic unfortunately
at least it works. with the logitech setpoint on my laptop, it completely messed up my config when I installed it. I’m actually quite fond of intellipoint it does what it needs to do. the only thing i’d like is more granularity for the dpi switches (not that big of a deal though) currently loving my x6/x8 combo, btw (although i had to ditch my cloth xtrac pad [which i loved] for a steel series s&s that’s in the mail currently, using paper taped to desk right now)
Not sure what others are talking about but I tried a SS QCK cloth, ALLSOP cloth and a SS glass the cursor skipped very profusely, no matter the settings, placement of puck, wired or not, adjusted height of mouse and even forced 500mhz polling on the mouse(which was reporting default 125mhz, yet claims 500mhz)
A SteelSeries 4D worked perfectly, as did the floor, wall, fake wood grain, some crappy hard grain WoW pad buddy uses.
Other complaint was my right front mouse foot has the screw sticking out farther than the rest so it would teeter on three feet, also made that foot rattle back and forth in a noticeable fashion. Took a knife to the back of the foot and took off the numbering plus a little bit more and it works. Very crappy foot design, very high friction, bad contact as the pads are not even flat they wear on the edges of the outside and the inside dot area.(thank you SS for the included teflon feet with the pad).
My scroll wheel is decent and has no problems. Was a bit stiff but soon loosened up. Scroll wheel button is another matter. What a slave to press it. Gotten used to it but to start I bet I was scrolling 25% of the time I went to click it, now its about 2% of the time.
For the money a person could do better, but for me the wireless system with the charging station, macro programing, thumb buttons stacked vertically, over shadow the few flaws.
Now its to bad the X6 and its Num pad did not use the same wireless hub and charge station!
I also own the following mice
Logitech G3, G5 & G9,
Razer Copperhead & DeathAdder,
NZXT Avatar,
Roccat Kone.
Before i got the X8, i was using most of the time the Kone and few times the DeathAdder.
I didn’t expect the X8 to be THAT GOOD, being wireless and made by MS and all …
THOUGH
1) All should know that it ’s true that the X8 is very bad with cloth mats !
I tryed it with the SteelSeries QcK+ (all the other mice i own WORK PERFECTLY FINE with this mat), it was almost unusable, WTF bluetrack my ass, what good is to be able to track on granite and other crazy surfaces if it can’t track on a surface that is THE FAVORITE OF ALMOST ALL USERS ?
2) I have to say ALSO that the supplied feet are horrible ! All 3 pares of them ! Tottaly USELESS !
They make SO MUCH noise against hard mats THEY ALMOST DROVE ME CRAZY and if that wasn’t enough, on the SteelSeries SP they make the mouse “jitter”, at first i thought “Oh well MS, WHAT DID I EXPECT ? Another lemon …”.
Fortunately SteelSeries SP had 5 teflon feet included in the package, i changed the MS feet and fitted the ones from SteelSeries SP and ALL IS PERFECT now !
I have been talking to Devin over the last few days through email and we are having the same problems although with my steelpad cloth mouse mat it works. I have had to remove the mouse drivers also to get the scroll wheel working.
What I have found though is if you install the drivers and set all the DPI’s etc and what you want the buttons to do then remove the drivers the mouse will remember the settings.
Mouse works 100% fine now, just waiting on an updated Intellipoint driver update. I am still glad I bought the mouse and it’s great in games and desktop programs now. I can’t really fault the mouse apart from the drivers but as in the past MS have always been quick off the ball to fix problems with their drivers and hardware for their keyboards and mice.
After a major ten hour TF2 session last night the x8 has broken on me. In two places of all things!
First the scroll wheels silver ring has come loose from its hub. The ring actually flops from left to center not even attached to the hub any longer. It can scroll right fine but to scroll left the wheel has to travel all the way to the edge before it will engage.
Secondly, the right mouse button is now at half/third the click pressure of the left mouse button. Very light pressure is all that is needed to activate it. The click feel is incredibly faint.
Needless to say I am very disappointed that it has such build quality problems. As compared to my mx518 that has lasted several years.
Will be returned for another and see how long it will last.
if its allways conected to charge cable the mouse will still have 4000DPI? or it loses quality Thanks!
I recently bought an X8 and find that after about 20 minutes used wirelessly, the scroll wheel has drift (i.e. if I scroll up, it will often continue to scroll up after I have stopped scrolling). It never has this problem when connected to the charger.
I also have a Logitech Cordless Desktop Wave keyboard. Perhaps that is interfering?
Does anyone else have similar problems?
I have some questions on the functionality of it the MS (Indian, of course) tech support has been unable to answer. #1, the most important feature to me is a single double-click button (ex, the A4Tech mice X2 button – I have 2 A4Tech mice, but they have recently died on me and unfortunately, A4Tech no longer sells in the US), and #2, what material are the changeable feet? I would prefer to get a mouse that has teflon feet (so they don’t wear down as fast – tried the MouseDotz pads and they suck).
I don’t understand why it is so difficult for a company to develop a mouse with the most common and common sense features – wireless, rechargeable, durable feet, laser, and a simple double-click button. I just don’t see that that is asking too much.
Anyone know of a mouse that has these features that I’ve just overlooked?
Thanks much!