3Dconnexion SpaceNavigator SE (Standard Edition) 3D Navigation Device USB ( 3DX-700028 )

by 3Dconnexion

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 3 x 3 x 2 inches ; 1.1 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000LB7G00
• Item model number: 3DX-700028
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (70 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank:
  • #3 in Electronics > Computers & Add-Ons > Computer Accessories > Keyboards, Mice & Input Devices > Trackballs
• Date first available at Amazon.com: July 7, 2004

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

From the Manufacturer

Let a 3D mouse empower your Design A true 3D mouse, SpaceNavigator represents a great leap forward in price and performance for controller technology. Unlike a conventional mouse that confines movement to a flat plane, the SpaceNavigator 3D mouse makes it much easier to control 3D models and scenes. By gently pushing, pulling, tilting or sliding the SpaceNavigator’s pressure sensitive controller cap users simultaneously move objects with six degrees of freedom. By varying the amount of pressure on the cap users can easily accelerate or decelerate actions with precision.

The Perfect Companion for 3D applications. Unique pressure sensing technology makes the 3D mouse a virtual extension of a user’s body—and the perfect companion for today’s most popular 3D applications, including SolidWorks, Autodesk Inventor, Autodesk 3ds Max, Adobe Photoshop CS3 Extended, ArchiCAD, and many more.

An Indispensable Asset
"I've been a user since 1998. I find your products are an indispensable asset in doing my job easier and quicker and with less repetitive stress. If you work on a CAD system, do yourself a big favour and get one of these products." Dana Fiorucci Senior Design Engineer

Why use a SpaceNavigator 3D mouse?
The key advantage of a SpaceNavigator over a mouse and keyboard is the ease of performing intricate adjustments to camera views and models without repeatedly stopping to change direction, zoom, or rotate. With a SpaceNavigator you can do all three at once while simultaneously using the mouse to access commands and tools.

Heavy for precision.
A heavy (479 grams) brushed stainless steel base keeps the SpaceNavigator stationary and provides a stable platform for the spring-mounted pressure sensitive controller cap.

Convenience.

• Universal compatibility: Works with all your favorite 3D applications--on Windows, Mac, or Linux.
• Affordable precision: Step up to advanced 3D technology--at a price that’s comparable with many 2D mice.
• Space saving: The small footprint of SpaceNavigator 3D mouse conserves space. Your work area remains uncluttered, even if you’re also using a conventional mouse.

Product Description

3Dconnexion SpaceNavigator SE (Standard Edition) 3D Navigation Device USB ( 3DX-700028 )

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is a job specific tool, April 29, 2008

By 

M. St Louis (Austin, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: 3Dconnexion SpaceNavigator SE (Standard Edition) 3D Navigation Device USB ( 3DX-700028 ) (Personal Computers)

1st make sure you read all other reviews. They all have pertinent information. I'm a mechanical product developer for the aerospace industry. Using Solidworks for 3D modeling and Mastercam for programming CNC machining centers, I find the Space Navigator priceless. I do own the Space Pilot, and the Space Traveller and the Space Navigator. All are worthy of their intended capability. So if you need to design/model intriquete parts where you need to explore inside cavities to confirm interaction of mating parts, this is the tool that does make it easier and faster than any other tool in the CAD industry. If you want to play with one for anything other serious CAD modeling, buy the cheapest one and get it out of your system. There's no need for this device unless you're needing 3D solid model control. As far as the differing prices, I'm equally satisfied with my $59 Navigator as I am with my $499 Space Pilot. If you need this tool and don't need the customizable features, spend the $50+.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Revolutionary, Must-Have 3D Device for Architecture and More, September 15, 2008

By 

Karl (Bozeman, MT USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: 3Dconnexion SpaceNavigator SE (Standard Edition) 3D Navigation Device USB ( 3DX-700028 ) (Personal Computers)

Anyone doing 3D modeling, particularly in architecture, really has to have one of these devices if their software supports it.

The SpaceNavigator supports several products that I use on a daily basis: Graphisoft ArchiCAD, Abvent Artlantis Studio, Google SketchUp and Google Earth. [Right-handed user assumed here...] It is placed to the left of the keyboard, so that you have you right hand still on your mouse. It is not a selection device, but a navigation device.

Navigating in 3D in many 3D applications is a jerky process - smooth pan, rotate, etc followed by moving your mouse to a new position (causing a pause in the action) and start moving again.

With the SpaceNavigator, movement is fluid and (if you change the preferences to high speed) - fast (and fun)!

The SpaceNavigator can be set up to work in your model in either a fly-through mode or in 'object' mode. I prefer 'object' mode. If I am looking at a building, the movement of my hand on the SpaceNavigator is identical to if I was holding a physical model of that building in my hand. If I rotate away from me, the building rotates away. Push to the left, the building pans to the left. Lift on the knob, the building rises on the screen. Etc. Extremely intuitive and slightly immersive.

In ArchiCAD or Artlantis, I can work much faster than with mouse alone... and in perspective mode, so the views are more realistic. I can instantly get to the back side of the building, looking up at the fascia to deal with a rafter issue there, for example.

I'm a heavy user of keyboard shortcuts, and do not find that it interferes at all with that, as suggested by another reviewer. The device is immediately to the left of my Cap Lock key, so it is milliseconds to get my hand back over the keyboard.

With clients, there is almost no need to generate animations (movies) since you can move accurately and fluidly in OpenGL to walk through a building in real time. But, even for animations, the SpaceNavigator lets you quickly set up camera positions.

Google Earth is pretty fun with it, too - again, completely fluid navigation, vs the move, pause, jerk kind of navigation achieved with a mouse.

Note that this review is on the SE page, but applies to the PE model as well. The license is the only thing I hate about this thing. The SE and PE models are identical, differing only in their license details. The SE is for non-commercial work, the PE for commercial (for profit). You can 'upgrade' an SE to a PE on the manufacturer web site - although it is cheaper to buy a PE here at Amazon in the first place.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Product, January 14, 2010

By 

R. Damian (Palo Alto, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: 3Dconnexion SpaceNavigator SE (Standard Edition) 3D Navigation Device USB ( 3DX-700028 ) (Personal Computers)

Purchased Space Navigator through Amazon and use it daily with Blender 3D and Adobe Inventor. If you use hotkeys for 3D modeling routines (and you should), you need this. Even if just used for simple rotation, translation and scaling, it is a time saver. I use it in addition to a digital tablet. It is not replacement for a mouse but will increase your productivity by concentrating a bunch of functions into one device.
Pros:
Big time saver (after you get used to it).
Did not slow my computer (with Inventor and Blender and Google Earth).
Excellent customer service - failed unit was quickly replaced, no questions asked.
Cons:
Heavy if you carry it around in a bag with other items (like a digital tablet).
A little fragile - mine failed after about 5 months possibly from note being stored in a case. I now store mine in the plastic bubble case it came in.
Make sure that the application you want to use it with has a driver, some are not supported (POVRay, Rhino3d).