Internet User's Delight, Gamer's NIGHTMARE!
Written: Sep 12 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Cool red glow, never cleaning those tiny rollers again.
Cons: Scroll wheel too fast for games. Sporadic movement in games.
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| mshantar's Full Review: Microsoft Intelli Explorer (B75-00001) Mouse |
One of the most unchanged computer devices, in terms of technology, has been the mouse. Over the past 25 years it has really only scene ergonomics enhancements until now. The Microsoft Intellimouse Explorer jumps ahead of the pack having NO moving parts whatsoever. Never having to clean the mouse rollers again sounds like a dream come true, but there are some issues with this device worthy of noting.
First the good. This mouse is very easy to install. Both PS/2 (With adapter) and USB require simply plugging them into the back of your machine. I have used it both ways and found really no difference. Microsoft does claim a higher DPI with USB usage, but it was undetectable to me. The software has some great customizing features for the 5 buttons that adorn this mouse.
The shape easily fits in your hand, but the extra buttons on the side take a little getting used to. They could use some redesigning to make for a more natural feel. And these extra buttons don’t work with most games, particularly anything that predates this device.
Another high point to this device is the ability to use it on any surface you can image. Gone are the days of MC Escher mouse pads. I have used it on carpet, my pants, even my dog with no real issues to date. And never having to clean the mouse’s innards means ultra reliable, consistent performance.
However, I find the biggest problem with this mouse being the sporadic mouse movement in games. Particularly first person shooters become uncontrollable at high speeds. I really thought I would have an edge during LAN party shoot outs, but this mouse got me fragged more times than I can count. Microsoft even admits that using this device with quick movements will cause imprecise mouse action.
To make things even worse for gamers, the scrolling wheel
is very loose and sloppy. This wheel, though perfect for web scrolling, is not suited for scrolling through weapons in games. You will miss the gun you are looking for every time. As I stated earlier, the allure of extra buttons will quickly fizzle when you realize they don’t work with 90% of the games out there. As game developers progress, we will see there use come into play. For now, they make life easier back on the desktop.
Overall this is a great device with breakthrough technology. One must remember that it’s the first generation of such devices and years from now it will be perfected. If you plan to use this mouse strictly in for Windows and Internet, I highly recommend it. If you are looking for a better gaming mouse, I would personally check out Logitech’s Ball-Less mouse as it is even newer the Microsoft’s and works much better for games.
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
mshantar
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Member: Shelly Baxter
Location: Yorba Linda, CA
Reviews written: 8
Trusted by: 1 member
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