Microsoft Intros New Sidewinder Peripherals

Microsoft targets gamers with new entries in its resurrected Sidewinder line of peripherals: the Sidewinder X6 keyboard and X5 gaming mouse.

At the Leipzig Games Convention in Germany, Microsoft has introduced its new Sidewinder X6 gaming keyboard and Sidewinder X5 gaming mouse, hoping to appeal to serious gamers and everyday computer users. The peripherals represent Microsoft’s latest foray into gaming hardware, and new entries in the company’s resurrected Sidewinder line, which it originally launched in 1995 but killed in 2003.

“We know that consumers don’t want to pull out and set up a second keyboard for a gaming session, so we created a device that was perfect for both gaming and regular computer use,” said Microsoft user researcher Kevin Flick, in a statement.

The Sidewinder X6 keyboard features a switchable keypad that can function as both a standard number pad and a programmable macro pad in game mode. The keyboard enables players to record up to 90 macros per game using dedicated macro keys; the keypad can also be moved to either the right or left side of the keyboard.

The Sidewinder X6 keyboard also supports a “cruise control” feature that will automatically hold down up to four keys at a time to let players stay in the action without creating an early case of carpal tunnel syndrome. The WASD keys (often used for navigation) also feature front-facing lighting, and a quick-launch key automatically opens the Windows Vista Game Explorer. The Sidewinder X6 keyboard should be available in September for a suggested rice of $79.95.

Microsoft has also unveiled the Sidewinder X5 mouse, a 2,000 dpi pointing device with nine buttons (five are customizable), and (again) a quick launch button that jumps right to Windows Vista’s Game Explorer. Expect to see it in September for $59.95.