Saitek Cyborg Mouse

I bought a Saitek Cyborg mouse over the weekend. I'd have to say that honestly, I got it just so I could witness first-hand the mouse's gadgetry. It's a trick/gadget mouse, to say the least.

(image from Saitek's website)

The main feature (as far as the gadgetry goes at least) is the ability to lengthen or shorten the mouse. Not only can you lengthen/shorten it, but this happens via 2 motors inside the mouse. They could have just made it manually adjustable, but they went all out with cool/geek factor there.

From first hand experience with the Cyborg mouse, I'd have to say it's a "no" as far as a keeper. The main (possibly only) downfall that solidified its place as a non-keeper to me was the position of the Hat or POV switch on the side. It's exactly where any normal person's thumb would rest on this mouse. So basically if you use your thumb to move the mouse, instead you're going to find yourself pressing one of the many directions that the POV switch can be moved instead, with moving the mouse being a side effect. I can't keep track of how many times I pushed some button there instead of moving the mouse. It didn't really matter because I didn't have those buttons programmed to do anything, but still. When you are just trying to move the mouse you don't want to accidentally press buttons that aren't normally there by accident.

The main two mouse buttons are very different feeling. I haven't ever felt mouse buttons quite like them. They have hardly any range of motion at all, and the click is very soft feeling, and you almost wonder if you really clicked anything or not, with screen feedback of something opening or an action happening being your guide mostly. The best way to describe the button feel is a mis-click or half-pushed mouse button that you aren't sure actually took or not until you see the action you were trying to perform happen (or not). That feature isn't too difficult to get used to, and the buttons feel ok after you use them for a few minutes and you get the hang of how they feel.

The scroll wheel of the mouse is nice. It has a feature on the bottom of the mouse, a switch, that lets you set 3 different "friction" settings for the scroll wheel. Setting 1 is easy scrolling, and setting 3 is more clickly, positional scrolling. If you free-wheel through webpages a lot, you'll want setting 1. If you are in an FPS and don't want to scroll too far, you may want setting 2 or 3. 3 is very stiff/clicky, while 1 is very loose/light/easy to scroll. 2 is a good midrange and most could probably leave it on 2 or even 1 as setting 1 does offer enough "click" and feel to let you know when you've scrolled a line or so.

Using the scroll wheel as a button works well also. I find that the scroll wheel click easily and doesn't force the use to put extra pressure on that section of the mouse just to get a normal click out of it.

There's also a button on the "shelf" where your thumb rests. This is an odd placement, and like the hat/POV switch, one that probably isn't needed, or should have been placed somewhere else. It's too easy to press accidentally.

The side buttons (forward/back is default use) are odd as well. Forward is more straight in front of your thumb instead of on the side of the mouse. Back is fairly normal in position, being more or less right beside your thumb for easy clicking. However the two buttons are attached, so it's more of a toggling switch than two seperate buttons. Sliding your thumb forward and pushing with the tip of your thumb will press the Forward button, while a normal press to the side will give you "back". It could be gotten used to, but is definitely different than standard, normal mice or from any other gaming mice I've tried.

Finally, the motorised feature. This is really cool, for about 10 minutes. After you set a size though, you're not going to do it anymore because you've just custom fit the mouse and there's no reason to set the size anymore.

My biggest gripe with the mouse size adjustment is that you have to install software specifically to adjust the mouse size. You don't have to install software for anything else if you don't want to, although it would be advised for the POV switch. There's no option (that I could find) to adjust the mouse size on the mouse itself, without the software. This is kind of ridiculous I think, because you'll only do this once or twice ever, to get the mouse fitted to your hand. Then you won't need the software anymore. The only up side to it is that if everyone in your family liked the mouse, you could have them all use it and adjust it to the size they need. I didn't see a Profiles option that saved mouse size per individual however, so you'd have to just remember what millimeter setting you had it on for yourself and adjust it accordingly when it was your turn to use the mouse again.

The mouse has the typical 3 DPI settings on it that are switch adjustable, and optional software adjustment of the DPI also. Nothing too special there, as most new gaming mice (Logitech G9, Razer Lachesis, etc) have this feature and high DPI also.

Saitek I believe tried to pull too much out of the hat with this mouse. It's really cool looking, has some gimmicky features to show off, but in the end you won't find yourself using them, or only useing them initially and then never again. They could really have made it a great mouse by taking out the POV switch and taking out the shelf button, and also improving the ergonomics where the thumb goes. The overall feel of the mouse is really hurt by the POV switch and thumb shelf shape, as I have smaller fingers and my thumb was completely cramped and uncomfortable while using this mouse, no matter how I held it. The only useable way for me was to set the size all the way closed (or shut, however you want to look at it) and put my thumb way ahead of the POV switch so that I would minimize the times I pressed it accidentally instead of just moving the mouse.

Rating - 4/10.