Microsoft Sidewinder X4 Gaming Keyboard

Review: Microsoft Sidewinder X4 Gaming Keyboard

Conclusion

Software:
The driver for this keyboard is something you very rarely have to use, unless you use the macro buttons a lot. But when you do need to use the driver, it’s actually quite good. It has an easy to use system and no silly colour schemes or anything like it, it’s literally just a driver. Simplicity is always better than fancy colour schemes and branding left, right and centre.

Conclusion:
Overall, this is a brilliant keyboard! There’s the little niggle with the drivers and media functions, but that could easily be fixed by Microsoft. It has a very sleek and modern appearance and just looks stunning. Although the glossy parts do mark quite easily, the backlighting also looks stunning at night! Macro buttons are good, and work very well.

Pros:
Red backlighting
Sleek and modern design
Comfortable palm rest
Works well in games (anti-ghosting and fully backlit)
Good value for money (£49.99 RRO, but can pick up for £35.)

Cons:
Play/pause driver issue
Only red backlighting
They got rid of the “knobs” from their previous Sidewinder keyboard

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I got one myself :)

Is this your first review btw Matty? If so then not bad!

The keyboard does indeed have a nice feel to it but for me I'd rather the keys were slightly more silent. I love my red though so I don't mind the red LEDs as the only colour although I would like it to be brighter but I guess the brightness is just about right. It only lights up the actual key itself though and not in between the keys so that could be a pro for some and con for others. I see you haven't taken any pictures in the dark so I'll include one for people that want to see how it is.

Didn't realise my keyboard had that many fingerprints :( My camera makes the glows a bit too bright though.

All in all I'd pretty much agree with your review. The anti ghosting is pretty important for FPS gamers though I've heard as they need to somehow jump, croutch strafe and whatever else at the same time, I'm no FPS gamer myself so I'm not sure how important it is.

I haven't used the macro keys so can't comment on it either.

I've got one major thing I don't like about the keyboard though, it doesn't seem to be responsive until the BIOS fully boots so I cannot press ‘Del’ and get into BIOS with this keyboard, odd.. No biggie though.