Razer Diamondback Plasma Limited Edition - Ice Blue Review

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(More customer reviews)I'm not a gamer.

I bought this mouse for ergo reasons. And because I spend enough of my life at the computer that there's no reason to have anything other than the hottest equipment.

I switched from the Logitech MX-510, the other hot gamer's mouse series. They're functionally very similar, but the Razer Diamondback has been far superior (for me) in practice! Here's the breakdown:

Razer Diamondback pros:
- Better ergo I: Smaller size that fits more naturally in your palm, in better "at rest" position, than the Logitech. (At least for my desk and my hand.)
- Better ergo II: Also, the way your fingers rest on the (slip-proof) main mouse buttons is more relaxed. In particular, it feels like I'm easily using my whole finger. The Logitech in comparison was awkward, felt like I was using only part of my finger, or never quite was settled right.
- More buttons, or at least more buttons available for reasonable use.
- Left and Right side buttons much more comfortable to click.
- More programmable? At least in practice, more easily programmable, so I did customie more.
- Great driver and control panel applet to set options for the mouse. This really helped me get more use out of it.
- Nice work on software details; e.g. "on-the-fly sensitivity" adjustment, without going back to Control Panel, just with controls on the mouse.

Logitech MX-510 pros:
- The Logitech has two buttons, one each above and below the scroll wheel, that mean "keep scrolling in that direction." So you roll the wheel in one direction, and when your finger hits the end of the roll, you can just move to the button right there to say "keep going." Nice. I'll miss that. (But I've already adjusted the scroll speed conveniently several times on the Razer to where I'll miss it less; I never (or at most once?) adjusted the scroll speed on the Logitech.)

These kinds of choices can be very personal. But in my experience, you couldn't get me to go back to the Logitech now.

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Product Description:
After its launch 6 months ago at the World Cyber Games 2004 in San Francisco and sweeping every major gaming industry award including Hardware of the Year 2004 (Gamespot), Editor's Choice (PC Gamer), Editor's Choice (Computer Gaming World) and more than 200 positive reviews and awards worldwide, Razer is launching the new Razer Diamondback Plasma - Limited Edition. Featuring the world's first infrared sensor for demanding gamers, the Infrared Optical Engine Powered by Razer Precision provides the same top notch gaming performance that gamers have come to associate with the Razer Diamondback. Utilising a tracking engine that is invisible to the naked eye, the Razer Diamondback Plasma - Limited Edition can't get any cooler with its ice blue glow!High speed motion detection, up to 40ips and 15gButtons - 7 physical buttons optimized for gaming response and independently programmable Non-slip side rails and new ergonomic ambidextrous design Zero acoustic Teflon feet for smooth motion over any surface Gold plated USB connector for maximum conductivity Size -5.04 length x 2.5 width x 1.54 height 7 foot, lightweight, non-tangle cord Comes with custom designed Razer Diamondback Lan-Pack for storage

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Logitech MX 510 Performance Optical Gaming Mouse (Red) Review

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(More customer reviews)I ordered this mouse from Amazon.com last week and it arrived the day after it shipped along with another item. They just keep getting faster and faster! Now, about the product itself. I am very picky on mice and, since I've never owned a Logitech mouse of my own, was really hesitant to purchase this model. I was really spoiled by my Intellimouse Explorer optical (one of the earliest models) and wasn't looking forward to upgrading, but since the mouse was dying I had no choice. The current generation of Intellimouse Explorers weren't getting such rave reviews and I also wasn't ready to jump into wireless mice just yet, since I feel the technology there isn't advanced enough for daily gaming (though, in the case of the MX1000, I could be wrong)

After weighing this mouse (the red version, the blue was more expensive for some reason) against the MX1000, the price difference and incredible reviews won me over, so I bought the MX510. After nearly a week's worth of use, here are my impressions.

1. The MX510 is both easier to move and more accurate than my previous mouse. It moves effortlessly around the screen and my hand never gets fatigued. This mouse is not only suited for gaming, but excellent for any task that requires LOTS of mouse activity, like graphics editing for example.

2. I actually thought I would never use the two cruise control buttons, but I find them very useful. It is true that the top cruise control button is high up, and you may need to reach a bit further to get to it, but with my hands (which aren't all that large) I don't find it problematic at all.

3. The Quick Switch Program Selector is nice, but I find ALT+TAB to be faster. However, like all buttons on this mouse, the MouseWare drivers from Logitech allow you to map this button to just about any task you like, so if you don't want to use the default setting I'm sure you could think of a more useful action for this button.

4. Forward and Back buttons are easier to reach and click easier than my old Intellimouse.

5. Unlike some people here, I found the sculpt of this mouse to be very form-fitting to my hand (if you're right handed!) I believe the people having problems with that are those with either really large or really small hands, and thus can't be helped.

6. The only cavet I've found is the scroll wheel, which does not scroll quite as smoothly nor click quite as easily as my previous mouse. I'm hoping that, as time wears on, it will get "worn in" and function more to my liking. It works fine, just takes more effort. I can live with it.

I would recommend this mouse to anyone looking for a high-performance, comfortable mouse. This is probably the best non-cordless model being produced today. Great job Logitech!

P.S. be sure to get the latest MouseWare drivers from logitech.com, the ones on the CD are outdated. As of this writing the latest are 9.80.

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Product Description:
Logitech has raised the bar on mouse precision, performance, and beauty... again! The Logitech MX510 features an improved version of our already-amazing MX Optical Engine that combines high resolution with high frame rates to deliver the best in mouse performance. This revolutionary 800-dpi sensor now captures an incredible 5.8 megapixels every second and is able to track up to 15 G's of acceleration. So you get instant response to your fastest movements, with no lag. Plus, a collection of advanced features will streamline frequent tasks like scrolling through long documents, switching between applications, and navigating the web. And with a beautiful holographic red finish, you'll enjoy the MX510's looks almost as much as its performance. Includes MX510 Performance Optical Mouse, CD with MouseWare software, Quick start guide, USB to PS/2 adapterWorks at a range of up to 10 feet (3 meters)

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Razer Exactmat with Exactrest Gaming Mouse Pad & Wrist Rest--Black Review

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(More customer reviews)This is the first mousepad i've ever owned that cost more than $8 and it is well worth it. i use it with a logitech g9 mouse and it is very nice. i thought i'd be using the speed side of this pad but i have come to find that my mouse feels much smoother on the control side and is also quieter. some have said that this is big, really big. yeah i guess so, but i have a relatively compact corner desk and it still fits just perfectly on it. i don't use the included wrist pad. i hate those things. i threw this one on the floor and now my cat likes to sit on it so it serves a purpose elsewhere. overall, this is very nice and seems to be built very tough. get it.

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Razer Exactmat with Exactrest Gaming Mouse Pad & Wrist Rest--Black

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Saitek P990 Dual Analog Game Pad Review

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(More customer reviews)This is the new improved version of the p880, which got lots of great reviews on Amazon. I've now played with this for a couple of hours and I'm EXTREMELY happy with it! It is perfect in every way! First, the gamepad is much bigger than the two logitech gamepads they had at circuit city. I like that, cuz my hands are large. The smaller gamepads are like they're made for little kids. Anyway, p990 is also lightweight. It has a cool blue light so you can see the buttons in the dark. It's bright, but it doesn't distract me while I'm playing games. I like the shape of the gamepad and the arrangement of all the buttons and controls. There is nothing to improve, as far as I'm concerned. Everything works great. I like very much that there are 6 buttons on top. This is great for fighting games like Mortal Kombat. There are two buttons on each shoulder. I read that's good for sports games, such as football and basketball. So there's a grand total of 10 buttons. Both of the dual analog joysticks were PERFECTLY calibrated right out of the box. I didn't have to adjust anything. All I did was plug in the joystick in the USB port and turn on my PC. It was automatically detected and installed. Only thing I did was check out the buttons in the joystick control panel to see how they worked and to see everything was perfect. The analog joysticks worked very well in several different 3D driving and flying games I tried. I was satisfied with them. This is great. Now I have both analog & digital control all in one unit. A software CD is included, but I didn't bother trying to use it yet. I also didn't try using the button that's supposed to load configurations for first person shooter games. The right side analog joystick is labeled "mouse look." I guess I'll update this review after I've tried an FPS with this gamepad. I wouldn't hestitate to buy it. It's incredible! It's a million times better than my old gravis gamepad pro.

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Product Description:
1-BUTTON INSTANT CONFIGURATION OF GAME PAD S CONTROLS FOR THE PERFECT SETUP OF FIRST-PERSON SHOOTER GAMES ERGONOMIC CONTROLS WITH SOFT-TOUCH HANDLES INCREASE GRIP & COMFORT ADVANCED PROGRAMMING PROVIDED BY SAITEKSMART TECHNOLOGY SOFTWARE

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Saitek Eclipse II Keyboard (PK02AU) Review

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(More customer reviews)Highly recommended, and the price on Amazon is more reasonable than many brick & mortar stores too. This keyboard has wonderful keys that are neither too springy nor too soft, great for typing, and great for games too. It's a pretty sturdy piece of kit too, and requires no extra drivers. So, of course it's main 'selling factor' is that it offers three different illumination colors - blue, red, and purple - and these can be dimmed or brightened. Worth noting is that the areas around the keys and the keys themselves are lit, so perfect for a darker environment. I like the blue color best, but that's probably the darkest, but I still find it's illuminated adequately. The purple color really shines though, and there's side strips that light up your desktop too. Very blingin'? Yes, for sure. Overkill? Perhaps, but I don't think this keyboard looks too tacky, in fact I've found it super useful to have a comfortable and durable keyboard for those late night gaming sessions.

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Product Description:
True-Vu Key Illumination In 3 Colors Blue Red & Purple 104-Key Keyboard Features Patented Blue Led Key Illumination & Backlighting Zero-Slope Design & Adjustable Wrist Rest For Ergonomic Comfort Features Plug-&-Play Design With Usb Connector Variable Lighting Levels Compatible With Windows98/Se/Me/2000/Xp Silver & Black Finish Features Black Keys With Laser-Cut Lettering

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Saitek ST290 Programmable Joystick with Throttle Review

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(More customer reviews)There are few games I play that require a joystick. I love playing flight sims but am typically more attracted to other types of computer games that seldom require them, so when I hooked up with my old buddies on "Aces High 2" I needed a decent, working joystick to replace my old Gravis Blackhawk analog stick that stopped working on my PC years ago. I drove down to the local ubiquitous low-cost super store (you know it's name) and this was the *only* joystick that they had in stock. This made me a bit nervous as I like to browse through any potential gaming-related hardware I purchase for my computer, but the price was right (under $20) and my experience in the past with Saitek products hasn't been bad. Ultimately I'm pleased with the purchase and despite a few shortcomings this has been a reliable and sturdy joystick.

The joystick itself is, as pictured, largely comprised of hard black plastic mounted on a spring base. There are 6 programmable buttons, a POV hat switch, and an adjustable hand rest to give you a more comfortable grip. At the bottom is your throttle adjust, basically a large plastic flap, and the stick itself can be twisted left or right to act as one's rudder. There's also a clear, blue plastic piece on the top that lights up, but serves no other purpose but for looks. Neat-O.

I have two problems with the stick. The first revolves around the throttle control. This may be more due to the setup of my desk...I have no place to hold the joystick but on my lap and that presents a throttle problem of its own. Its positioning on the tail end of the stick makes it tricky for me to cut throttle in mid flight since leaning forward to hit buttons on the keyboard will usually push the thing back up. Bad idea when you're making a dive bombing run or an approach for landing. My second issue has to do with the style of the stick's rudder. Dogfights are fast paced and intense affairs and usually involve a lot of frenetic jinking and weaving, and lots of use of the rudder. The rudder turns well and responds fine but the problem is that when yawing left you're liable to accidentally push a button with the area of your palm nearest the thumb. Depending on what you've programmed into that area of the joystick this can have disasterous results in a pitched dogfight, and not something that reprogramming buttons is going to fix.

Still this joystick has been well worth the meager investment involved and has proven itself of great value to me. Definitely a must-buy for anyone looking for a good, solid starter joystick.

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Product Description:
Radical design and styling to provide gamers precision and style. 3-position Handle Adjustment fits all hand sizes. Adjustable Palm Rest and central level throttle for left- or right-handed gaming.

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Microsoft SideWinder Gaming Mouse Review

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(More customer reviews)This mouse is not perfect but I would have given it a 4.5 so I upgraded it to a 5.

For my large hands this mouse feels just right. It moves well on my nylon mat that I use for a pad and I have tried it on a hardwood desktop with good results. The mouse has very good yaw and pitch movement and it is easy to adjust dpi setting on the fly.

It has a quick turn feature that works very well in first person shooters. you assign one of the buttons for quick turn around and as your playing if you want to check who's behind you click the button and you turn 180 degree's. If you need to change your direction fast because you can see your out numbered ahead it comes in mighty handy.

The top buttons have a good responsive click to them and I had no problem with learning the over and under side buttons, which I perfer over my old Logitec MX518 foward and aft configuration.

The weight of this mouse without adding extra weights feels about the same as the MX518. I choose to add 5 grams of weight to it and perfer it that way.

The mouse wheel has a micro feeling touch and a little too light for my taste, but I got use to it fairly quickly. The one feature I think would have made this a great mouse would to have put side push switching on the wheel for adjusting look around corners.

I think this mouse is well constructed and will hold up for a long while.

If you running windows/vista than it has two other buttons that bring up the game file and macro changing, useful but not really must have feature.

All in all a confident and very good gaming mouse.

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Product Description:
Elevate your skills with the revolutionary Microsoft SideWinder Mouse designed to provide you with unprecedented performance, handling, and adaptability. Customize your mouse with every game you play

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Logitech MX 518 High Performance Optical Gaming Mouse (Metal) Review

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(More customer reviews)Those of you who have read my G5 review might be surprised that I bought an MX518 instead of a G5. I'm pretty high on the G5, and rather sad about breaking it, but I was curious about the MX518, if for no other reason than it is the standard by which the G5 is so often compared.

I've been using the new mouse for about a week and it's hard to distinguish performance-wise from a G5. But there are some differences worth mentioning.

What I Miss About the G5 -

Separate X and Y axis sensitivity settings - this feature was only available in SetPoint's Game Mode but did give me some flexibility in opening up the horizontal sensitivity for close-in sweeping without sacrificing vertical precision.

Adjustable weights - My G5 as described in my review weighs 140g; the MX518 weighs 105g. The weight module on the G5 makes the entire difference. I've noticed the difference, but have adjusted without too much trouble.

Sensitivity Indicator - Occasionally I'd lose track of the mouse sensitivity and had to look at the G5's LED indicator, which in some cases was easier than wiggling the mouse.

What I Like Better About the MX518 -

Two thumb buttons which I've set for raising and lowering sensitivity a la user.xml customization similar to what I did on my G5. Their location is still a bit high.

BTW, the SetPoint software will detect the MX518 and append user.xml with default settings for the MX518. This is cool as it allows one to switch back (or use in parallel) to a G5 without losing any customization.

Toss-Ups -

The size and shape of the MX518 and G5 are identical, however my G5 had a slightly rougher texture both on its' topside and its' gripping surfaces. The MX518 is more slippery in both areas, so those who tend to rely on palm friction for grip might prefer a G5. I tend to use my thumb and pinky to hold the mouse, so it's not as noticeable.

Conclusion -

The G5 was the best mouse I ever owned, but the MX518 is an acceptable and more cost-effective replacement.

Public Service Announcement - How to "Deep Hack" your MX518 --

The SetPoint utility keeps its' configuration info in a file called user.xml (I forget the path, but it's stored in the Documents and Settings directory on XP). Editing the file itself is not difficult - because it's XML, any text editor will do. It's WHEN one edits that's important. SetPoint guards against accidental changes or deletions by rebuilding the user.xml file when it exits. So you have to do the following:

1)Close SetPoint, either from the system tray or going into the task manager.
2)Copy user.xml to user.xml.orig or whatever suffix you use to save an archival copy.
3)Edit user.xml, by copying and pasting the tags for the normal "increase sensitivity" button to button 4. For the MX518, I also copy and paste the normal "decrease sensitivity" button tags to button 5. If like me you want to use it for games that you've set up for SetPoint's "game mode", you'll also have to change the section in user.xml dealing with game mode. Otherwise, the change will fail as soon as you run the game.
4)Delete last_user.xml.
5)Open SetPoint. In my case, I logged out of XP then logged back in to reload SetPoint.

The end result is that outside of game mode, both the standard increase / decreasesensitivity buttons and the thumb buttons can change the mouse sensitivity. In game mode, only the thumb buttons can change the mouse sensitivity. This is because game mode has a different XML syntax than default mode. Conceivably this technique can be used to arbitrarily reprogram all of the buttons. Make sure you backup user.xml before charging in!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Logitech MX 518 High Performance Optical Gaming Mouse (Metal)

Product Description:
If youre going to play at the highest level, you need a mouse that gives you an edge. The Logitech MX 518 Gaming-Grade Optical Mouse does exactly that with its ultra-high resolution, 1600-dpi MX Optical Engine that delivers lightning-fast response and mirror-smooth tracking. The MX 518s advantages dont stop there. You get instant, on-the-fly sensitivity adjustment that lets you switch effortlessly from pixel-precise targeting to fast-twitch acceleration, without any software. And the contoured grip ensures peak performance and comfort, even during the most intense gaming sessions.

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Logitech Cordless Rumblepad 2 with Vibration Feedback (Black) Review

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(More customer reviews)I had this unit for about a month, used it to play Half Life, and Need for Speed 2 Underground. Outstanding performance in both cases. I'm running a dell p4 2.GHz 512mb WinXP Pro SP2. Easy installation, no problems of any kind so far. The original batteries are still going strong. Hope this review is helpful.

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Product Description:
MODEL- 963326 VENDOR- LOGITECH INC. FEATURES- Cordless Rumblepad 2 2.4GHz Cordless Dual Analog Sticks Mac PC USB Vibration Feedback. Experience the freedom and eliminate the clutter with the Logitech Cordless Rumblepad 2. Logitech developed 2.4 GHz Cordless Freedom technology specifically for gaming -- 30 feet of freedom with no lag! With its two vibration feedback motors you will experience every turn bump dip and crash. And it feels great in your hands with its familiar button layout and all the controls you need to dominate. Includes Cordless Rumblepad 2 2.4 GHz wireless receiver 2 AA batteries User documentation and Gaming software.* 2.4 GHz cordless performance with 30-foot range High-speed data transfer for precise control with no lag.* 100 hours of battery life Proprietary power management for longer battery life* Dual vibration feedback motorsFeel all the hits crashes explosions andmany more effects.* Familiar button layout 10 programmable action buttons plus Mode and Vibration selectors and8-way D-pad.* Analog control Two analog sticks give you a performance edge with smooth 360-degree control.* Software includedCustomize buttons download game profiles assign shift-button andmore.* Quality constructionAs if you would expect anything else from Logitech.-- SPECIFICATIONs --------------------------------------CONNECTOR- USB portREQUIRES - PC with Pentium processor or compatible 64 MB RAM 20 MB of available hard disk space CD-ROM drive USB port Windows 98 2000 Me or XPMacintosh with USB port Mac OS 9 or Mac OS 10.x or higher

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