| Ultimate Mac Gaming Mouse and Pad Reviewed by: Michael Flaminio Review Date: 03.02.01 Manufacturer: Razor Manufacturer: fUnc Industries MSRP: $99 MSRP: $20 |
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This year Apple gave Mac gamers a big boost when it announced two new upgrades to its high-end desktop line. The company announced faster Power Mac G4 computer running up to 733 MHz and most recently, the addition of nVidia's new graphics accelerator to its price lists.
The faster processor speeds add much-needed horsepower to Apple's computers, while the addition of the new GeForce3 graphic accelerator put the PowerMacs on the bleeding edge of 3D graphics. While Macs users have more or less held their own against PC gamers, the new hardware will help push Mac users out of the average mainstream performance into the more bleeding edge powerhouse arena.
Now that Mac users have the latest in gaming performance, what else is left? Where performance leaves off, technique can pick up.
Insanely Great Mac reviewed a pair of high-end
products designed to get the most out of gaming. Sought after by the big-time gamers,
Mac users too can take advantage of these products to get that extra edge. Boomslang 2000
The first product is the Boomslang 2000 from Razor. The Boomslang 2000 is ultimate is gaming mice. Available for around $99, it would have to take a dedicated gamer to buy such a mouse. Yes, we thought that it was overkill to buy a dedicated mouse for gaming, but our tune quickly changed.
The Boomslang 2000 is a ball mouse that is super sensitive. It has two large button on the top, two on the side and a scroll wheel/button. The two large top buttons can be pushed anywhere on its surface for consistent results. Many mice tend to have a sweet spot for the best click. The Boomslang 2000 will give you an equal hit every time, regardless of how or where you press the button. The Boomslang 2000 is also ideally weighted and formed to fit either the left or right hand perfectly. The extra weight at the base plus its wider design helps to keep it steady without extra effort. At the heart of the Boomslang 2000, however, is its extreme sensitivity. The mouse features over three times the dpi sensitivity over conventional mice. Rather than moving the mouse in broad swipes across the mouse pad, the Boomslang 2000 responds quickly to short strokes.
Being both sensitive and accurate, the mouse is ideal for gaming as it can make your characters stop on a virtual dime. Because it's a ball mouse, it's also able to offer a little feedback on your input as the ball slowly rolls around. It's a common misconception that optical mice are more accurate than ball mice. In many cases this is true, but compared to the Boomslang 2000, optical mice are nowhere near as accurate or quick on the draw.
The Mac Connection
The Boomslang 2000 does not offer Mac support, however, it can be configured using programs like USB Overdrive. Without Mac OS support, Mac users lose out an many of the neat configurations, but its basic movement and button functions are fully supported. Razor hinted at adding Mac support for other products, but they haven't offered many details. I found the Boomslang 2000 to work best in fast moving games like Quake Arena. Fast, steady movements can mean the difference between being the frag'er or frag'ee. Some users may even like to use the Boomslang for everyday Mac use. Personally, I like using optical mice for general use, but head to the Boomslang 2000 for gaming.
Putting on Pads
Once you've set up your ultimate gaming mouse, you'll now need an ultimate mouse pad. It shouldn't be surprising that not all mouse pads are created equal. Everything from size, texture to material can effect how your mouse operates. Fabric pads can cause rapid build up of debris inside the mouse, while poor tracking surfaces can cause you to waste plenty of mousing effort. Generally with ball mice, you need a little texture to ensure the ball can grip the surface, while optical mice tend to work best on smooth surfaces that have neither too much or too little of a pattern. For a long time I was a fan of the 3M Mousing Surface pads. They have pretty much the best surface for all types of mice, except I found the 3M pads to be short on real estate and after a while started to curl up on me.
When I started looking for a new pad, I found the sUrface1030 from fUnc Industries. This is a nifty product that offers something for both ball and optical mice users. The surface is made of space-age plastics and is framed in a sturdy rubbery base. The pad is pretty large (10"x8.5") and does not move around on me at all. The pad features two sides, one smooth, which is ideal for optical mice and the other more textured, ideal for ball mice. The plastic surface has just the right balance of texture for mouse traction and also smoothness for limited friction. The sUrface1030 also comes with a cord clip that can help keep your mouse cord from holding you back or getting in the way.
Bottom Line
While these products are offering premium performance at a premium price, they are arguably the best of the best. Even their packaging hints at their elite nature. Both the Boomslang 2000 and sUrface1030 ship in heavy-duty metal containers with plenty of custom fitted foam packing. While the products are not for everyone, they are a necessity for serious Mac gamers.
The sUrface1030 ships in two versions with a different color for the rubber base. The pad ships in black or bright orange and retails for $20. It is only available at a limited number of locations.. The Boomslang 2000 has a suggested retail price of $99 and can be found at a number of retailers for between $89 and $99.
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