MS' "Ghost Buster" SideWinder X4 Gaming Keyboard is Strangely Affordable

Following on the heels of their mild mannered Arc Keyboard, Microsoft launches a similar snoozer keyboard with the SideWinder X4 gaming keyboard. This luxury model has got it all, we're talking A through Z as well as 1 through 9. All these come standard, but the X4 edition even packs the oft misunderstood zero for no extra charge. Additional keys are included for the working types like = and *, but underneath all that pizazz it's really just a plain old keyboard.

Seriously though, this gaming focused SideWinder series has quite a few gaming features that might move you to replace your old one. Its all black keys have adjustable levels of back-lighting for night play (and having a cool accessory to impress friends). There's 6 programmable macro keys which can be programmed to function independently or as part of a key profile. These profiles can be set to favor certain applications and when they are active the keyboard software will automatically switch. With this, mappings for Excel can be different than mappings for BF2142. The other anti-ghosting feature is starting to become popular. The SideWinder X4 is built for games that require several keys to function and be pressed simultaneously. Up to 26 keys can be pressed and transmitted at the same time. Last time we checked there are more fingers, toes and noses that come standard on most model humans, so we aren't certain how one can hit more than 10 at a time, but hey, who are we to argue with MS. The SideWinder X4 should be hitting shelves in March for the reasonable fee of $59 dollars.