Customer Reviews

Microsoft SideWinder X4 Keyboard

5 star:		(61)
4 star:		(38)
3 star:		(13)
2 star:		(9)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

The Microsoft Sidewinder X4 keyboard is a fantastic keyboard and so far the best keyboard I have ever owned.

Pros:
- The keyboard has an amazing blood red back light and looks really good in the dark. You can choose from three different lighting settings as well as turn it off.
- There are six macro keys and you can program them to any key combination you want using either the included Microsoft Intellitype software or by pressing the record button for on-the-fly programming. There are also three different profiles to separately store the macros for the buttons allowing for 6x3 = 18 different macros.
- Keys feel good to type on and keyboard can be inclined using latches on the back.
- Anti-Ghosting technology. I haven't tested pressing 26 keys at once (cause I only have ten fingers lol) but this keyboard certainly lives up to its promise of registering 10+ keys at once.

Cons:
- Hand rest cannot be removed but I have no problem with that. It actually feels comfortable to both game as well as type on.
- Media keys only work for Windows Media Player which is what I primarily use. This may annoy those who rely on a different default media player.

Conclusion: The Sidewinder X4 is awesome. I highly recommend it to both gamers and those looking for a really good keyboard.

I work in a dark room at night, while my spouse sleeps. Occasionally I need to hit a letter, function, number or some special key like "[". Being the poor typist that I am, this usually requires either trial and error or worse turning the light on enough for me to read the keys. The older I get, the more light is required to actually see the keys.

My search was for a well built backlit keyboard to help prevent my need for any other light source. There is another model the Microsoft Sidewinder X6 that seemed interesting, however on a search this model was available for pre-order and seemed interesting.

My need is not as a gamer, just a sometimes past bedtime typer. This keyboard comes with software from Microsoft and on the USB cable over the USB connector there is a piece of cardboard that says to install the software CD first. When opening the box, the CD wasn't noticed by me. However it was there. It installs Microsoft Intellitype. Which seems to do something for my PC, what I have no idea.

After software install on Windows XP, my old keyboard was unplugged and this new keyboard was put in. It has worked out very well. The color is a solid red, and it is easy on the eyes. This is an extended 102 / 103 key keyboard (it has some extra keys). There is a non-detachable numeric pad. There is also a non-detachable hand rest.

While the hand rest is comfortable, it would have been nice to have it removable. Space is an issue in the area of my keyboard, and the hand rest uses about 1/3 of the keyboard surface area.

The black for most of the keyboard is glossy, the hand rest is matte and has a textured feel. All keys are lit, with the exception of the space bar. The space bar isn't hard to find even in the dark as its a large area flanked by lit keys.

Only the tops of the keys glow, there is no light leakage on the sides of the keys or on the base of the keyboard. A choice of color would have been nice. Red isn't bad, I'd have preferred blue.

Some keyboards have a key to orient your hand for touch typists (usually a physical bump on the letter "J" if I recall correctly). This allows you to orient yourself to the QWERTY keyboard without looking. Unfortunately all keys are the same, and you must learn by use which key is where.

This keyboard is a bit louder than other keyboards. I do not much care for the noise. During long periods of typing, my thumbs seem to get a bit sensitive to the space bar. Overall when typing longish posts (like this review) my fingers get more tired on this keyboard than on my very old basic dell keyboard.

There are 6 keys labeled S1-S6 along the left side. Additionally there is a menu key on the lower right of the main keyboard close to the space bar. These are non-standard keys. What the S keys do I have no idea, the menu key seems to work like the right click button. Unfortunately hitting it a 2nd time doesn't undo the right click (it doesn't take down the menu).

There are also multi-media keys, for play / pause, skip fast forward, sound up and sound down also mute. There is a key that changes a light from one of 3 positions, I suspect its related to the game capability of this keyboard. There is also a key to set the light intensity. There are 3 levels of light plus and off, you change from one to the other by repeatedly hitting the light button. A final non-standard button is the calculator button, which launches the Microsoft calculator.

Overall it is a well made keyboard, a detachable hand rest would have been nice. My hope is over time the sensitivity to the space bar will decrease. Most of the extra keys are useless to me. I do really appreciate how well lit this is, and how there seems to be no bleed through of light between the keys.

I'm happy. Amazon sold this at a lower price than it is listed at today. Today it is listed at $59.99, my price was $45.10. For $45.10 this was a very good purchase in my opinion. With any luck as this device becomes a bit more mature the price will settle down.

Can't say I've noticed some of the problems that ElectroDragon mentioned (but I also don't use a KVM switch). I've only had the keyboard for a couple days but I'll list the pros and cons that I've noticed so far as a student and FPS fan.

Pros:

1.) Keys feel great while gaming/casual typing. Now key feel preference is very person specific, I know people who love mechanical keys and hate "laptop style" keyboards and vice versa. Personally I like the feel of the keys, it's a perfect middle ground for me between typing out the occasional paper and casual gaming. It does feel a bit better while gaming than if you're purely looking to type up novels, but overall I prefer it to the Logitech DiNovo Edge I had previously (laptop style keys, which was quieter but mushier). The keys feel solid even when pressing down on edges or corners, the fluid motion is the same no matter where on the key you hit.

2.) Simplicity/Design. Great keyboard that has everything I want and not all the wild non-sense that I don't (My old Logitech Elite seemed to believe I needed 10 media and email keys). Looks good too, nice clean lines and edges. With a nice weight to it, this keyboard appears to have excellent build quality. Time will tell of course (3 Year warranty though whooo!).

3.) Terminator color backlight. Can't say I see any pinkness in the backlighting. With all the lights on in the room it does look more orange than red (But then why would I need backlit keys), but at night with minimal light it looks killer. Terminator red.

4.) Software. I was wary about the software after reading some initial reviews, but so far haven't had any problems. It is simple and does the job. Doesn't even have to run in the background like Logitech software does. Just open the utility, set your settings, close it and you're good to go.

5.) Misc. The addition of a calculator button is handy; really wish I had this while taking my Accounting and Finance classes (Balance sheets and excel arrrrghhh). Textured wrist pad: prefer this to the slick or metal ones I've had in the past, feels better under my palm. The 26key Anti-Ghosting function is nifty (this requires the software fyi) but not the reason I bought they keyboard initially. Even while playing MW2 or BFBC2 I've never run into ghosting problems with my other keyboards so that wasn't really a prerequisite but is obviously nice to have.

Cons:

1.) OMG fingerprints. Pretty minimal gripe but I'm not sure why keyboard makers insist on having shiny keyboards....my DiNovo was the same way. Looks cool out of the box I guess, but after about an hour or two you'll easily start to build up a nice collection of fingerprints. Would really prefer to have the whole thing in flat black!

2.) Wrist-pad. It isn't removable. Not a big deal since I wouldn't take it off if I could, but some people might not like that decision by Microsoft.

3.) Macro-keys mess with my mind a bit. Being used to a normal keyboard, the macros keys to the left have thrown off my mind a little bit. In my peripheral vision (like in 40yo virgin) my mind thinks the macro keys are the: TAB, CAPS, and SHIFT column at times. So today I've found myself being shifted over occasionally while I being typing. Probably just take getting used to but figure I'd mention it.

4.) WMP key. Now truthfully, I never use these media keys. Out of habit I almost always open programs and applications without keyboard shortcuts. This keyboard/software however only allows Windows Media Player to open by default when you hit it. Sort of dumb, but continues the Microsoft tradition of: favoring their programs over anything the customer might want to assign.

So that's all I can think of right now. Certainly nothing glaringly bad about this keyboard in anyway, but it also won't blow your mind. If you're looking for a great gaming keyboard that feels perfectly fine to also type on, then get the X4. Plus the backlight is something different than the usual Blue or White you'll normally see. You might find the features of the X6 to be a bit over the top too. Does what I want perfectly and I'm happy with that!

I have always used Microsoft hardware when it comes to keyboards and mice. I have used Logitech's, Dell's, and even the Mac Aluminum keyboard, but I think I am in love with the Sidewinder X4. My previous keyboard was a Microsoft Digital Media Pro keyboard, and while that keyboard was great, it was a bit hard to use for gaming and it was huge compared to the x4.

Pros:
-Price, for $50-$60, there are very few keyboard that provides the functionality that the x4 does, and the coolest thing of all lights for the keys.
-It is quieter than most keyboards. Trust me there are louder ones than this, my old one being one of those.
-Has macro buttons with 3 programmable sets for each of those buttons, and an auto mode that detects which set of macros the active application uses.
-Backlit keys. They have 4 modes, high/medium/low/off.
-Very sturdy/heavy build which is good compared to most keyboards I have used.
-Has media keys.
-They keyboard looks awesome with the backlight on or off.

Cons:
-It does not have the my music, my pictures, my documents, etc. keys that my old media pro had. However, you can program the macro keys to launch a program, so I have one of those set to launch winamp. There is calculator hot key which I do use from time to time, so at least they did not take that out.
-When the keyboard is hit with bright light while the backlight is on, the characters on the keys appear pinkish, but it is not that much of an issue.
-"F" keys are a bit narrow, but once you spend a week or two with the keyboard, you won't mind it.
-This only have 1 Windows key instead of 2 like most others. It took some getting used to using the left windows key instead of the right.

Someone mentioned earlier that the media keys only work in WMP, but if you do like I did and initiate Winamp, Winamp will assume control of the media keys and WMP will not pop up. So this issue is all a matter of which application has priority at the time. The arm rest is made out of a rough textured plastic, but it is actually a bit comfortable. Granted it is not leather/vinyl/rubber like some keyboards have, but again this is a budget gaming keyboard. What is interesting about the keys is that they have notches for the W and the macro keys, not just for the Numpad 5, F, and J like all other keyboards do. This will help a gamer find where the WASD area is without having to look at the keyboard.

All in all, if you are looking for a backlit keyboard, or a nice gaming keyboard, and don't want to trade your body parts for one, the Sidewinder X4 is probably the best option out there.

I'll compare this keyboard to the Logitech G110 since both are targeted at the gaming community. I realize that a better comparison might have been with the Sidewinder X6 (which is priced closer to the G110), but I only have the X4 and the G110 at hand. Please interpret/extrapolate this comparison as appropriate.

Ergonomics and Construction:
======================

The keys are well spaced, and have a nice "feel" to them, except that the space bar key is clackier than my G110. The construction is also fairly solid and is close to that of the Logitech.

However:

A major problem for me is the palm rest which is both narrower and steeper. This makes for an unnatural and fatiguing typing experience.

In addition, the Esc key is really tiny. I was surprised at how often I needed to use this key, and it was upsetting to end up hitting the larger and juicier bank selection key instead.

Programming:
==========
You can set the programmable keys to run a macro, to launch an application, to start a web page, to open a file, to execute a keystroke, or one of several preprogrammed actions (such as find text within a document, print, paste, etc.)

The interface is simple, and even macros are easy to configure. What's really cool about the macro wizard is the ability to click mouse keys, to set time delays between key presses (up to 1000 seconds), and to hold a key down for a given number of milliseconds (again up to 1000 secs).

Comparison with the Logitech G110:
============================
1. There's no way to disable the Windows key from within a game. This is extremely useful for little children (and occasionally me).

2. The backlight color cannot be changed. It is a nice orange - though I prefer blue - and can be set at three levels of intensity or turned off altogether.

3. You still get customizable keys with a default profile, and automatic profiles per application/game. However, you only get 6 programmable keys. These keys are nicely placed though, have dimples on alternate keys, and should be more than sufficient - especially, since you have 3 banks, effectively giving you 18 programmable keys.

4. There are no audio headphone/headset options as with the G110. No USB port either.

Conclusion:
=========

Overall, this is a very capable keyboard and a bargain at this price point.

However, the biggest knock I have against it is its wrist pad - which I simply cannot get used to. Even more annoying is the fact that I can't simply replace the wristpad as it's fused to the body.

Ergonomics are an individual/personal experience - and your experience might differ significantly from mine. As a result, I'd highly recommend road testing this keyboard before you decide.

Happy Typing!
~Damodar

Until recently I have been using a Microsoft Natural 4000 keyboard. That is until I spilled an extra large Dunkin Donuts coffee on it.

I wamted a backlit keyboard as my office is a man cave, subdued lighting with 2 tiffany lamps that are on dimmer switches. So I like to work late at night in low light conditions. That being said I am always trying to find the right keys when typing on the keyboard, so I have to turn up the lights to be able to see the keys! I looked at several keyboards and finally decided on this keyboard due to the Microsoft standard hight quality build and excellent implementation of the backlighting feature. I am not a gamer so special key assignments were not important to me.

I use a 4 port kvm switch to control up to 4 computers, and Windows XP computers work find with the Sidewinder X4 snd s KVM switch, but I have confirmed what has already been reported; that this keyboard will not work with Windows 7 through a kvm switch. It will not recognize the keyboard and will not do anything, period! This is a shame.

The key combination to switch between computers works, so my work around is to use a usb a - usb b extension cable to use with the keyboard any time I am working with Windows 7. I use the key combination to switch to the Windows 7 computer then disconnect the keyboard from the kvm switch and connect to the usb extension cable. Then when I am done working on the Windows 7 computer I will switch my keyboard back to the kvm switch and switch to a non-Windows 7 computer to continue my work on the next computer. I love this keyboard too much to go back to a non-backlit keyboard!

I previously had a saitek eclipse 3 which was utter junk after the first 6 months, this replaced it. I love it. The palm rest is not removable but I don't mind, removable rests tend to break easily. The keys are in the middle of laptop scissor keys and regular keys. They keys are not quiet, but not loud, it's a nice clicking noise. The F keys esc, print screen, scroll lock and pause buttons are miniaturized and I like that, since they are not used often. You can disable the caps lock and numlock keys, along with the S keys, win key, calculator, media keys, and shortcut key. You can even reassign them to launch a program or macro's.

Only the letters of the keys light up, hopefully the letters and paint won't rub off, like they usually do for all illuminated keyboards.

I got iTunes working with the media keys, seems to be an issue with the driver ([...]), I got a work around, see my review comments.

Cons: Only red color, 3 levels of brightness and off. Seems like the highest setting is just right, the lower settings are too dim most of the time.

Edit: New IntelliType Pro 8.0 drivers are released, you can get them off of [...].

They seem to fix the media keys issue with iTunes, but iTunes still needs to be running for music to start playing. You can still use the scripts found in my comments below so iTunes starts and plays music when the play button is pressed.

OK, I type a LOT. This is my primary keyboard, used every day for hours. That's no excuse for the black coating on the top to wear off, exposing the backlighting. Not what I expected from Microsoft (dummy!). Good keyboards have molded-in letters, these are just painted on.

Beware.

I was in the market for a new keyboard and narrowed it to the Microsoft Sidewinder X4 and the Logitech G110. Both are nice keyboards but I ended up keeping the X4 . I'm a college student so the only this keyboard gets some action with the essay mashing, accounting homework, and SC2.

Backlit Keys:
The keys are well lit, not super lit like the Logitech Illuminated Keyboard but decently lit enough so that you can read the keys in the dark. The backlit keys have 4 settings: max normal minimum and off. The maximum setting gives you a nice warm Red, but the other settings tend to look like a cool Red or a warm pink. I always keep mine on the max setting because it just looks nicer like that. The Logitech G110 allowed you to change the colors around from red to blue to purple, anywhere in that color spectrum. The only problem with the Logitech G110 is that the backlit keys were so dim, even in complete darkness they were not bright enough for me.

Keyboard:
I've always been a Logitech person and I really like laptop style keys. When I decided I wanted a gaming keyboard the only one that had laptop type keys was the Razer Lycosa. I tried it out in a B&M store and didn't really like the feedback of the keys (it wasn't bouncy enough). Prior to buying this keyboard, I tried out the Logitech G110. It felt okay, the keys didn't have decent feedback either but it was better than the Lycosa. The thing that bugged me the most about the G110 was the amount of macro keys. This was just a personal thing for me, I couldn't really adjust to position of where the normal keyboard was and kept hitting the macros or caps lock.

Now on to the Microsoft X6. The feedback is good, not super strong like a mechanical keyboard but decent enough for me not to complain about it. I have decent wpm while typing and it works great for typing up essays and number punching in accounting. Gaming is decent as well, I'm pushing all the right keys. The macros are low profile and for the most part don't get in my way when im trying to write an essay. Though I've had problems with programing the macros, let's just say that the on the fly macro programming is a bit sluggish. The software isn't as developed as Logitech's is but it still works adequately enough during gaming. I set a few macros in sc2. For example S1 hotkeys my command center builds an scv and selects all the idle ones. It's pretty handy when you're playing sc2 and it'd probably be even handier with MMOs and what I'm hoping for Diablo 3 sometime in this lifetime. The only thing I don't like about this keyboard is how LOUD it is. Since I'm used to Logitech & laptop keys, this keyboard just hella loud, it might be the way I type but i wouldn't' be so sure about that.

Asides from the software and loud keys, I would recommend this keyboard to anyone who wants a backlit keyboard and/or does a little gaming on the hand. It's perfect for a college student who's on a budget. This keyboard imo performs well for the price and is the best bang for the buck in the price range.

The back lighting is great... better than most I have tried or seen. The worse thing is the compact design of the keyboard... everything is so small I been using it for about a year and still hit the wrong keys lol.... you will need to disable the caplock if your fingers are as big as mine