A4Tech X-718 Gaming Mouse

Intro

A4Tech has been associated with peripherals that cater to mainstream users for a long time. The X-718 is A4Tech's foray into the gaming mouse market.

Review

I've recently gotten the X-718 by A4 Tech. Incorporating a 2000dpi sensor and a dedicated button for changing dpi, will it be able to stand up against the more well-known gaming mouse?

The specifications of the A4Tech X-718, according to A4Tech's website, are as follows:

• Mouse Dimension : 4.6L x 2.5W x 1.3H in
• Package Contents: A4tech X-718 MouseSMART-x7 Driver(CD)USB or PS2 mouse port
• Three-year limited warranty

The X-718 comes in a box that bears a striking resemblance to Razer's packaging. The features of the X-718 are splashed on virtually every side of the box. A proprietary mouse testing program from A4Tech, miceJUDGE, is also advertised on one side. On the box, the X-718 is claimed to have scored 95 marks in the miceJUDGE program.

Opening the box, I find the X-718 mouse neatly packaged in a plastic packing, along with a driver CD and a USB-to-PS2 converter.

However, I noticed a discrepancy between the box and the website.

The box states a warranty period of 24 months (two years). However, A4Tech's website states that the X-718 has 3 years of limited warranty. It would be good if A4Tech can clear up the confusion.

The X-718 is not larger than your standard mouse in terms of size, but in terms of looks, it is far from any ordinary mouse.

"X7" and the A4Tech logo are emblazoned on the blue, plastic surface of the X-718. The finishing gives the interesting visual effect of the surface being bumpy. Two metallic looking strips run the length of the mouse.

The scroll wheel is found in it's usual position, with the DPI adjustment button just below it.

Turning the mouse over, I found 4 smooth teflon 'feet' at the four corners, and 2 feet on either side of the sensor, making a total of 6 feet. I also found that the label specified, among other things, the different colour codes for different DPI settings.

Unlike Razer's golden plated USB connector, a standard USB plug is used here.

Plugging in the mouse, the optical sensor lights up in the usual red colour. The LED beneath the scrollwheel also comes to life. Pressing the DPI button, the colour of the LED changes in tune to the DPI mode, as specified on the bottom of the mouse (see above). In 2000 DPI mode, the LED flashes between yellow and red constantly. I found this cool.

The X-718 is ergonomically designed. The contours of the mouse have been tailored to comfortably fit a normal hand, making it comfortable even after using it to play games for several hours. Note the sides of the mouse, which have been designed such that the thumb and last finger can grasp the sides comfortably.

The scroll wheel is smooth and accurate. The DPI button doesn't really take time getting used to although its position is below the scroll wheel, requiring one to either bend one's middle or index finger to press it, but otherwise well placed since it isn't used very often.

The DPI adjustment button works perfectly fine without drivers (another + point), but I was curious to see what additional programmes they offered in the cd.

CD Programmes

I installed the drivers and the miceJUDGE programme onto my computer. However, while using miceJUDGE, the testing kept stopping after awhile.

The main configuration panel allows you to assign which button does what. There is an entire army of functions to choose from, including two special ones called "NetJump" and "LuckyJump", which I haven't explored yet(I'll add it in another time).The double-click speed can be found here. The option to reverse the button configuration for left-hand usage is also found here, but as we found earlier, this mouse seems designed for right-hand use only. For some reason, the sensitivity controls are not located here.

Notice the X7-Jump button? This lead me to a separate configuration window.

HereI found the previously missing software sensitivity control. A unique function to create your own keystrokes can also be found here, for gamers to assign functions such as reload, switch weapon, etc.

There are two different modes for recording your keystrokes. The first mode allows you to hold down the assigned button for repeated 'spamming' of the keystroke, while the second mode activates the keystroke only once. Even if the user decides to hold the button down, the action will not be repeated for the second mode. For the first mode, you can record your keystrokes separately, while the second mode requires you to record the desired keystrokes all at once in the desired order.

I tested the X-718 in various games, ranging from first-person shooters such as Counter-Strike: 1.6 to real time strategy games likeAOE II. I felt that the X-718 to be very responsive and accurate in 2000dpi mode. Turning down the sensitivity using the DPI button was a nice and convenient thing to have. However, turning down the sensitivity using this method also sacrifices DPI and thus accuracy. Although the vast majority of users would prefer to see A4Tech implement such on-the-fly senstitivity adjustment in software instead, I'm perfectly happy about it. More importantly,it would be great of A4 Tech to provide finer steps between different levels of sensitivity. The dpi change on-the-fly, once a gamer is accustomed to his range, can be a really useful feature especially in First Person Shooters. Some weapons require finer aiming while some require one to navigate the cross-hair fast. Switching dpi as you switch your weapon can help once you get used to your customized range of control.

Conclusion

The X-718 is indeed a solid gaming mouse.

In 2000DPI mode, it was responsive and accurate.The driver software is also a well done piece of work, providing many functions and much customisability. On-the-fly DPI adjustment with a dedicated button is also a nice feature, although its large jumps in sensitivity somewhat negate its purpose.

To wrap up, the A4Tech X-718 is certainly a mouse not to be overlooked in favour of more expensive gaming mice. Its performance is good, and considering that its retail price is only around SGD$40, it probably gives the best value of any 2000DPI gaming mouse around.

EDIT: I bought this mouse for $29 only! So Razer, eat that! :D

ATi Crossfire Xpress 3200 (RD580) Chipset

ATI's new chipset RD480 will be called Crossfire Xpress 3200. The 3200 number is there because the chipset features 32 lanes for dual PCIe 16X graphic cards. Motherboard manufacturers are making these boards as we speak and there should be some retail boards at launch time. The boards are scheduled for a double jeopardy launch with the new graphic chip R580, known as Radeon X1900XTX. If all goes well, we should see both of these products on 24th of January.

Source: The Inquirer

Creative Fatal1ty 2020 Mouse

Creative, a worldwide leader in digital entertainment products and the
creator of Sound Blaster®, today announced the Fatal1ty 2020 Mouse, the gaming
mouse co-developed for competitive PC gaming with professional gamer Johnathan
“Fatal1ty” Wendel. The Creative Fatal1ty 2020 Mouse will be available in early
2006 for an estimated street price of $69.99. It will be demonstrated from
Thursday, January 5 through Sunday, January 8 at the Consumer Electronics Show
in Las Vegas, NV in the Creative exhibit #30742 in the South Hall of the Las
Vegas Convention Center.



“With the Fatal1ty 2020 Mouse, I hope to help gamers fulfill their dreams of
competing at the professional level. But if they think they can beat me, they
should know that I’ll be using this mouse too,” said Johnathan ‘Fatal1ty’ Wendel.
“I had a vision of a mouse designed specifically for gaming, with every feature
I would need to compete at the highest level. The Fatal1ty 2020 Mouse, which I
designed with Creative, realizes my vision and provides me the edge I need as a
champion.”



“We joined forces with Fatal1ty to develop the ultimate gaming arsenal when we
co-designed the Fatal1ty 2020 Mouse. We incorporate a cutting-edge G-Weight™
system and we set a new standard with 2400cpi to provide a competitive
advantage,” said Brad Anderson, director of product marketing for Creative. “Now
we’re unleashing this mouse to the public so that anyone who wants to beat
Fatal1ty can emulate his gaming rig with the Fatal1ty 2020 Mouse and our Sound
Blaster X-Fi Fatal1ty FPS sound card.”



Every detail of the Fatal1ty 2020 Mouse, from the overall design and ergonomics
to the technical specifications, has been developed in consultation with
Johnathan “Fatal1ty” Wendel, the world’s best first-person-shooter gamer. The
Fatal1ty 2020 Mouse has been designed with a completely new chassis and a host
of features to give gamers a shot at playing like the best PC gamers in the
world.

• The 2400cpi HD-Optix laser engine offers up to 6X the resolution of
standard optical mice, and the 5.8 megapixel sensor report rate allows it to
work flawlessly on virtually any surface and to track up to 15G’s of
acceleration, to guarantee that even the shortest or widest hand and arm
movements are tracked with the utmost precision;

• The custom G-Weight modular weight system allows users to replace weight
modules in a central chamber that is easily accessible from the top of the
chassis, providing a superior center of balance for the mouse. Five weight
modules are included with the mouse, ranging from Light Caliber for extra
agility and endurance, to Heavy Caliber for extra precision and sniping;

• Rapid-Res™ One-Click Hardware CPI resolution change button allows the user to
instantly change between 400, 800 and 1600 CPI with the touch of a button, and
includes a color LED readout for instant visual representation of the current
resolution;

• Exclusive SpeedWire™ zero-oxygen copper wiring and tangle-proof coating and a
gold-plated USB plug enable the fastest signal transfer to the PC;

• Zero-resistance Teflon™ feet provide smooth performance on any surface;

• An ultra-comfortable mouse chassis, rubberized grip points, a premium red and
black finish, and an illuminated “Fatal1ty” symbol ensures that the Creative
Fatal1ty 2020 Mouse looks as deadly as the performance it delivers.



Creative will also release the Fatal1ty 1010 Mouse for casual gamers, featuring
a 1600 CPI HD-Optix Engine in early 2006 for an estimated street price of
US$49.99.

NVIDIA Unveils GeForce Go 7800, 7600 & 7400

NVIDIA Corporation (Nasdaq: NVDA) today introduced three new graphics
processing units (GPUs)—the NVIDIA GeForce Go 7800, GeForce Go 7600, and GeForce
Go 7400 GPUs—bringing cutting-edge 3D, high-definition, home theatre–quality
video and advanced power management to the notebook market.



These three additional GeForce Go 7 Series GPUs are included in tier one OEM
notebooks launching at or shortly after CES. OEM design wins, based on the
newest Intel Centrino mobile platform, include: ASUS, Acer, Gateway, LG,
Samsung, SONY, and others. In addition, NVIDIA GeForce Go 7-series GPUs were
selected to drive the video and graphics in the first notebook computer to
integrate the new HD DVD media standard, the Toshiba Qosmio audio-video notebook
PC.



Those new notebooks that have been launched will be on display at CES this year,
from January 5-8 at the NVIDIA booth, located in booth number 36200 in the South
Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.



“Over the last year, NVIDIA has led the market for high performance GPUs for
enthusiast notebooks,” stated Dr. Jon Peddie, President of Tiburon, CA-based Jon
Peddie Research, the market research firm that tracks GPU chips. “We are now
seeing this performance per watt efficiency driving GeForce Go 7 GPUs deeper
into all segments of the notebook market, especially with the latest platforms
from Intel and AMD.”



Based on and following up on the extremely successful architecture as the
award-winning NVIDIA GeForce Go 7800 GTX GPU, the new GeForce Go 7800, Go 7600,
and Go 7400 GPUs feature a completely redesigned architecture that delivers a
number of groundbreaking achievements, including:

• Next-generation NVIDIA HD PureVideo™ technology, which lets users
  experience home theater–quality HD video on the notebook PC—key to the
  exciting new HD-DVD and Blu-Ray HD formats.


• Brand new programmable shader architecture, delivering twice the shading
  horsepower of the previous generation of notebook


• Support for the latest games and applications with DirectX 9.0 Shader
  Model 3.0 and film quality high dynamic range (HDR) lighting, the must-have
  feature for developers delivering more realism to real-time gaming


• Designed to provide top-tier support for the upcoming Microsoft® Windows®
  Vista OS


• NVIDIA PowerMizer® technology, with advanced power management features
  that enable the dramatic performance enhancements in the same power budget as
  the previous generation of GPUs. With reduced power consumption and less heat
  generation, this results in cooler and smaller notebooks with increased
  battery life

These new notebook GPUs leverage the superior performance per watt efficiency
of the GeForce Go 7 Series architecture, delivering superior performance in
graphics and high definition video support at their respective notebook
segments:

• The GeForce Go 7800 delivers enthusiast-level graphics and video
  performance for slimmer notebooks with significantly reduced power.


• The GeForce Go 7600 provides the perfect balance of graphics and video
  performance for slim multimedia notebooks.


• The GeForce Go 7400 creates the no-compromise mobile notebook, a small,
  thin, highly portable notebook, equipped with the latest graphics and
  high-definition video support.

Source: NVIDIA

Dell XPS 600 Renegade w/ Quad SLI Technology

NVIDIA Corporation took its acclaimed SLI technology to a new level today by
introducing support for the industry's first ever Quad SLI-certified PC.
Delivering the most extreme high definition gaming experience available on the
PC, Quad SLI features four of NVIDIA's flagship GeForce® 7800 GTX GPUs with an
NVIDIA nForce®4 SLI X16 motherboard. This revolutionary technology was
introduced today on the forthcoming Dell XPS 600 Renegade, as part of a keynote
presentation by Michael Dell at CES in Las Vegas, NV.

John Medica, senior vice president, Product Group at Dell, stated: "Our
demonstration of the first Quad SLI PC with NVIDIA is a major technology
innovation, that when combined with the Dell XPS 600 Renegade and the new Dell
30-inch flat panel makes true high definition gaming a reality."

NVIDIA Quad SLI technology allows consumers to:

• Run today's hottest games at extreme high definition (HD)
  resolutions-including an unbelievable 2560x1600 -- at silky smooth frame rates


• Crank up their image quality with 32x antialiasing and 16x anisotropic
  filtering


• Maximize their shader and texture settings for a truly immersive gaming
  experience

"Today's demonstration of the new Dell XPS 600 Renegade with our Quad SLI
technology takes gaming to new levels," said Dan Vivoli, executive vice
president of marketing at NVIDIA. "The ability to run today's hottest titles in
extreme HD resolutions with all the eye candy turned on is absolutely amazing.
Strap yourself in, because you are in for the ride of your life."

In addition, NVIDIA announced that Dell will be shipping the award-winning
NVIDIA GeForce 7800 GTX 512 in the Dell XPS 600 PC.

As part of this technology demonstration, the Dell XPS 600 Renegade Quad SLI
PC will be on display in the Dell booth (South Hall # 36521) and NVIDIA booth
(South Hall #36200) at CES 2006, January 5-8th, at the Las Vegas Convention
Center.

XPS 600 Renegade: Extreme Gaming

With the limited-edition XPS 600 Renegade(TM), Dell aims to extend its
investment and category leadership in its line of high-performance desktop
systems. The XPS system is expected to be the first to support two new NVIDIA
GeForce® 7800 SLI graphics cards, which can link four graphics processors to
speed up overall video performance or draw images with intense realism. The
system also features Dell's first overclocked and factory-set 4.26 GHz Intel®
Extreme Edition dual-core processor. Overclocking is designed to increase the
processor speed beyond mainstream usage to deliver over-the-top performance
critical to extreme gamers. Dell's implementation of the processor is supported
by the expertise of specially trained XPS technicians.

During his address, Mr. Dell was joined on stage by Richard Garriott,
executive producer of NCsoft, and Jen-Hsun Huang, president and CEO of NVIDIA.
Mr. Garriott demonstrated NCsoft's next-generation online game, Auto Assault.
Mr. Huang unveiled NVIDIA's new quad SLI technology and explained how the
graphics technology in PCs can outperform gaming consoles over time.

Each limited-edition XPS 600 Renegade will be custom painted by Mike Lavallee
of Killer Paint, known worldwide for his detailed artwork on cars and
motorcycles. Dell expects to provide pricing and ship the limited-edition XPS
600 Renegade in the U.S. in the spring of 2006.

Source:
NVIDIA