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my alltime favorite razer boomslang 2000 recently gave in after years of abuse :-) i decided that i wouldn't settle for nothing less and had to try buying a new one off ebay as i believe they kinda went outta business.

upon receiving the "new" mouse it didn't really seem new to me. seemed like a "refurbished" item. after numerous calls & e-mails with response that is sure to go nowhere i'm about to give up.

to make things short i was looking into the LOGITECH MOUSEMAN DUAL OPTICAL or the MICROSOFT INTELLIMOUSE EXPLORER.

i've never used an optical mouse for gaming so i don't know if it'll cause problems. i have this tendency to slightly lift the mouse (whenevr i run outta mousepad space) and return it to the center. correct me if i'm wrong, but i've heard that lifting an optical mouse makes the cursor jump all over screen.

anyway, id like to try one of the 2 optical mice mentioned above. i like the feel of the logitech one but almost everyone i know uses an intellimouse explorer.

any suggestions??? (main use is for gaming)

The MicroSoft mouse is great. I have been using once since they first came out and love it. Also the warrenty service on them is second to none. If it ever acts up you just call MS and within a few days a new one shows up at your door. Works good in all the FPS games that I play and I really like the programable buttons and feel of the mouse.

thanks.. what about using them on an "everglide" mousepad?? any problems there??

I also highly recommend the MS Explorer Optical. Great for games. HOWEVER it's important that you DO NOT use Pointer Acceleration (the acceleration setting in Mouse settings in Control Panel that can be set to low, medium or high).

If it's enabled, optical mice generally get confused in FPS games and a sudden turn can make you point straight up.

Usually not a big problem anymore since most modern games compensate for this, and also most serious gamers don't use acceleration. Acceleration usually throws off your game in FPS games because the mouse moves LOGARITHMICALLY faster the faster you move it instead of in proportion to the amount you move it. Lousy for games and I don't particularly like in on the desktop either. It's only useful on a desktop if you use a very slow mouse speed.

And no, optical mice don't work properly on Everglide pads unless they've changed the pad design in the last couple of years. They work on just about any surface except 3D textured surfaces (like the Everglide - guess the shadows in the cracks throws it off) or a glass surface. Bare desktop works great but you'll wear out the desktop surface. I use the old caselogic black cloth mousepad. Designs don't bother them either.

I use mine on a Ratzpad which I think is almost the same thing as the Everglide Pad. It feels great almost like it is on rollers.

thanks for the input guys.. but now that confuses me. i'm pretty sure the everglide and the ratpadz are very similar in terms of the design and texture they have on it's surface.

anybody here use the LOGITECH??? reason is, almost every review i've read on the "net" recommends the logitech over the intellimouse especially for gaming but for overall recommendations, it goes to the intellimouse.

oh well, maybe the best i can do is buy both, try it on my mousepad and keep the one that works the best for me.

I have an everglide giganta (blue) and I also have a q3 attack pad (black) and my explorer works great. Just do as FP said and make sure acceleration is off or if it's on (mine is) have it on low or it'll get _really_ screwy in games.

I love the explorer, with a hand big like mine it fits comfortably. And it glides over the everglide like nothin'. I really hate goin' to friends houses that have ball mice and regular pads, it just seems to have soo much drag.

As much as I like the feel and functionality of the explorers they die like lemmings in NZ....

Right now you can grab one of These ibm's from best buy...just as sensitive as the explorers but a better shape tho they do have one less button.

oh and everglide vs. Ratpadz

everglide=smaller and slightly slicker smaller texturing.

ratpadz=much larger overall and more texture to it.

They must have redesigned the Everglide pad. My Explorer wouldn't work on my old one.

I have 2 Logitech cordless opticals that are great (3 buttons w wheel), great in the games I play too but as FP said, no mouse acceleration and forget about shiney surfaces like your everglide. Although a mousepad isn't essential with optical mice, I'm use to them and they provide a good surface.
I got both of mine here and although they're refurbished, they arrived here looking like new, no problems whatsoever. That same mouse elsewhere is now about $75 so for $25 (now), you can't go wrong IMO.

Originally posted by FlyingPenguin
They must have redesigned the Everglide pad. My Explorer wouldn't work on my old one.

Didn't they redesign the explorer so that the newer ones have a higher refresh-rate?

I have a Intellimouse EX. 3.0 WORKS GREAT! I love it. great mouse.

Yes, and make sure you get the latest version. it usually says on the box/mouse.

hmmmmmm. although i really liked the weight and feel of the LOGITECH, i think i'll go ahead and try out the INTELLIMOUSE.

can't go wrong with MICROSOFT right ???? :-)

Originally posted by RaT

can't go wrong with MICROSOFT right ???? :-)

*opens mouth*


*closes mouth*

[thinks]nah....too easy...[/thinks]