May 2005 High-end Gaming PC Buyer's Guide - Page 6

Mouse: Logitech MX1000 Cordless Mouse

Cost: $53
Months on list: 4
Price Change: -$2

Here at SE we are firm believers that a good mouse and keyboard combo can either make or break an otherwise excellent gaming system. A quality mouse controller should be transparent to the user and not a bottleneck in the way one communicates with a computer. The Logitech MX1000 Cordless laser mouse is our current favorite, and is the first model to feature a laser rather than an optical sensor. This means it can track to a much finer precision and is not restricted to only a few surfaces.

A highly efficient mouse, the MX1000 features a tilt scroll wheel and a total of 8 programmable buttons. With a built-in lithium-ion battery that can be recharged through its base station, there is no need to keep tabs on your current supply of AA batteries. The MX1000 also delivers a lot of value for the money, and at around $53, this is certainly a great buy for our high-end system.

Make sure you have a proper mousing surface with an optical mouse. Although the laser sensor improves tracking, you will still have the best luck on darker non-solid color surfaces, especially checkered or rough patterns, and specialized mouse pads from fUnc, Ratpadz, or Everglide are a good bet.

Keyboard: Microsoft Natural Multimedia Keyboard OEM

Cost: $21
Months on list: 18
Price Change: +$1

Here at SE we have been using split design keyboards for years, and with good reason. Split design keyboards are much more comfortable and ergonomic than standard keyboards, as they allow your hands to rest in their natural curved position while typing. The only viable and economic choice for natural style keyboards has long been Microsoft, and the result has been a recommendation for the Natural Multimedia Keyboard. An OEM version of the keyboard can be found for about $21 online with an accompanying hardware purchase.

Some would rather use a standard keyboard, and for that we recommend the updated Microsoft Digital Media Pro Keyboard. It has all the same functions and features as the basic Microsoft Multimedia keyboard it replaced, but adds a few new wrinkles such as a zoom slider, additional customizable buttons and an eye-catching design. It's only priced a few dollars higher than the Multimedia Natural Keyboard, and is a solid choice for those with more conventional tastes.