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Microsoft Sidewinder X6 Gaming keyboard with 90 programmable macro keys and a detachable number pad. Expert Rating. Pros Detachable number pad, 90 programmable macro keys, media controls, short keys make for a fast typing experience, cool cruise control system. Cons No USB ports, no stands on the base. Bottom Line A pretty impressive gaming keyboard; for macro freaks, the 90 programmable keys should prove very enticing and the host of controls combined with the detachable number pad make for a very flexible unit.
Would you buy this? Yes 3. Join the newsletter! Sign in with LinkedIn Sign in with Facebook. Show Comments. Security Watch. Best NBN Plans. On the bottom of the keyboard is a plastic angled wrist rest with the Microsoft logo on the lower right of this rest. From the top of the keyboard is the USB cable which runs about six feet in length.
But as Billy Mays says: but wait! On each side of the SideWinder X6 is a connector area for attaching the Switchable key pad. This Switchable key pad can be attached to the right side or left side of the main keyboard and functions as either a standard key pad or as a Macro pad in gaming mode.
The pad stays attached via magnets and being inserted into said port. Flipping the keyboard over we see that it is primarily grey with four rubberized feet to keep the SideWinder X6 from sliding around during game play or regularly use. Unlike other keyboards, which have flip down legs, there is no mechanism to raise the back end of the keyboard off the desk to provide a steeper keyboard angle.
I personally prefer to have my keyboard with this slight elevation. Microsoft also marks the W key with two dots, so the gamer can find the WASD area by feeling thus not taking their eyes off the game screen.
Additionally, the side Macro buttons have a similar single marking dot of every other Macro key. During game mode, the Macro keys turn amber. This is helpful for those gamers who prefer to play with the lights off. Unlike other gaming keyboards such as ones from Razer and Logitech, the SideWinder X6 does not have side USB ports for attaching additional peripherals. Although this is not a required feature many gamers have grown used to this option on their keyboards.
Installation, Testing and Comparison:. Microsoft recommends installing the included SideWinder X6 drivers and software before initially plugging it into your PC.
Otherwise most of the special keys and Macros are not going to function. With the keyboard software is installed, it can be accessed from either the Control Panel keyboard section or from a desktop icon. From within the software you can easily customize the plethora of Macros, adjust media key functions and disable certain keys such as the dreaded Microsoft key. Just be careful how you arrange your Macros, there is nothing worse than being in a FPS and hitting the wrong button during a tense gunfight.
Since there are thirty Macro buttons on the physical keyboard and you can use up to three profiles that leaves over 90 Macros in total to work with. Of course programming Macros for specific games is not possible from within the control panel, so Microsoft has included a Macro record button.
With this button you can record game specific Macros. Simply press the Macro record button and then choose a Macro key. Record your Macro and then hit the record button to finish. It is really quite simple. Adjusting the backlight on the keyboard is done via the Lighting Dial and can change the background from off to a deep ominous red.
For testing I used the following setup. Game play is definitely improved with a large bank of Macros that can be deployed. Having the right Macros ready can make the difference between a quick kill and instant death.
Of course having Macros also increases the risk of hitting the wrong one and double jumping when you meant to duck behind cover. As a keyboard the SideWinder requires shallower key presses more similar to a laptop keyboard than a standard desktop one. While the back-lighting is intense there is little to no light leakage at any location on the keyboard where you would not expect it.
The use of a dial also helps you tune the lighting to your specific needs without destroying your room ambiance. Key characters are well lit and easy to find in complete darkness and retain their usual key shapes. For those who want to use the numeric keypad on the left side of the main keyboard, the Sidewinder features two magnetic points on both left and right sides with a proprietary docking port to attach the numeric keypad to.
The lack of height adjustment also gives the keyboard bad marks since height adjustment via retractable feet should have been easy enough to integrate into the design. The lack of a detachable wrist-rest means users with reduced desk sizes will also need to occupy a sizable portion of their desk even when not resting their wrists.
Expect to clean the Siderwinder X6 from fingerprints, pet hair, dust particles on a repeated basis. Maybe Microsoft should have included a cleaning cloth to counter this or stuck to a matte finish instead.
The left side of the keyboard features a column of macro keys ready for your custom macro assignment and light up brightly with an amber glow while the main keyboard keys light up red. When the numeric keypad is switched to macro mode it uses the same amber glow, when the numeric keypad is used without the macro function the keys light up red, making number entering tasks or accessing an individual macro key a breeze in the dark.
The Sidewinder X6 is built with a strong black plastic frame and no detachable parts which means it should rarely if ever have any parts that fall off. The Sidewinder X6 purrs like a kitten when in use and while not as silent as the Logitech Illuminated or the Reclusa, it is as silent as a gamer might want it. The lack of retractable feet also reduce any chance that the feet might be snapped off in the middle of a gaming match and possibly the only issue we could foresee is that the keypad might stop functioning with repeated hot-swaps between the left and right side of the main keyboard even though the docking port has magnetic tips to help guide the connectors together and the connector itself appears fairly robust.
Compared to the Reclusa keyboard, the Sidewinder X6 sports small, notebook-like keys with a lower profile. Depending on your preference you might find typing easier on the Reclusa since the individual keys are easily distinguishable and accommodate bigger fingers.
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