I’ve been using an A4Tech 3XFire mouse for about 2 years or so, give or take a few weeks and I’ve never thought I’d consider replacing it because it’s given me the features any gamer can ask for. Customizable side buttons, a 2xFire button, a button to scroll through your DPI resolutions and a sleek body. I always thought that when it breaks I’d be replacing it with something along it’s product-line. Microsoft proved me wrong.

Microsoft debuts the revival of their SideWinder? line its first gaming mouse built from the ground up. If anyone can remember their controllers before Saitek, arguably MS?s best competition in the field, entered the fray, MS?s SideWinder products, controllers, steering wheels, joysticks were above average, providing basic functionality and a few added quirks. MS changed that age-old perception with the release of a fully customizable gaming mouse.

Here?s a quick list of new features:

o Quick Turn ? a performance-enhancing macro built right into the software that allows a convenient way for users to check their perimeter at any angle with a simple click.
o Perfect weight ?MS has outfitted the SideWinder Mouse with a weight cartridge system that comes in four weights (up to 30 grams) so gamers can customize the weight of the mouse to their preference.
o Swappable feet– Just as the mouse?s weight, you can choose from three sets of feet to match gameplay preference and the surface you are using.
o Multiple DPI settings. Toggle between low-, medium-, and high-sensitivity settings with a press of a button. The 2,000-DPI laser engine delivers split-second response time.

MS’s SideWinder Mouse was created any gamer?s needs, providing tuning tools to fully customize your gear and a snazzy design that?ll make transformers junkies drool in envy. Being the first mouse to wear the SideWinder title, MS made sure that it would be more than a gaming mouse — it’s a gaming system. The following features have been added to make it the ultimate gaming package:

o LCD – Keep track of gaming actions, current DPI level, etc without missing a beat.
o Cable management system ? A feature usually found on laptop mice, MS incorporated a unique design that offers the feel of a wireless mouse with the connection speed of a wired mouse. The cable management system doubles as a storage compartment for extra weights and feet.
o Quick-Launch – The Quick-Launch button is MS?s expression of the integration of software and hardware. When the Quick-Launch button is pressed from within Windows Vista, it will bring up the Windows Vista Games Explorer so gamers can instantly see the games available in their PC’s game library.

The SideWinder Mouse allows gamers to create a fully customized gaming system by letting them record their own macros by tying a sequence of actions into one press of a button. Ergonomics were not left out with the sleek black design allowing hours of comfortable play. Features include the following:

o 2 vertical side buttons — The alignment allows gamers to feel exactly which button they’re pressing, although it maybe confusing at first to someone who?s been using horizontal side buttons for the past year.
o A wide, metal scroll wheel ? Unlike other mice, MS made the wheel wider to provide better grip for scrolling and the metal finish adds a sense of elegance.
o Balanced weight — The SideWinder Mouse was designed with gamers in mind thus it provides a well balanced design that allows for quick and precise movement, necessary during gaming action.

The Sidewinder Mouse ships in October for a price of 79 USD making it top my current wish list.

Here’s a few more pictures: