An excellent mouse design, unfortunately plagued by poor software.

We recently reviewed SteelSeries' Ikari Laser mouse and Everglide's DKT keyboard, both of which can be considered minimalist hardware peripherals (the DKT especially).The Ikari has only five programmable buttons compared to the Razer Lachesis' seven and the Logitech G9's nine. The difference is slight, relatively speaking. Relative specifically to Saitek's last and final product, the Cyborg mouse.

Ending the Cyborg series of hardware peripherals, this one is a doozie. Arriving with a whopping 11 buttons, 10 of which are programmable and 1 function that switches between 3 different settings, and a three-tiered switch on the underbelly, the Cyborg is the ultimate in playing without a keyboard. There are so many buttons and little gadgets on this thing that it really begs me to write, in extensive detail, about it all.

The coolest part about the mouse is one of two things, both equally awe-inspiring and comical. The first is that the scroll wheel, when scrolling down (towards yourself) gives off a faint metallic click, which is very audible and is the first product in the Cyborg series that really gives a gritty, Terminator feel. At first it seems like a fun little addition, but with more and more use, it felt better and better to scroll. Sadly, it only makes this sound when scrolling one way.

The second is the adjustable bottom half of the mouse. Saitek spared no expense, so don't expect to see the mouse require pushing or pulling on it to adjust the size. Two built-in motors will move the bottom half of the mouse to match your specifications. The process in which it occurs, however, is a spectacle to behold, which is why we have a video of it here for you.

But let us not forget some of the other unique features, starting with the 11 buttons. One could easily ask why? Why would anyone, anywhere, at any time need so many buttons on a mouse? Fear not, for explanations are easy to find. Placement is the most important part, and with the exception of one button, they are all finely placed for action.

Utilizing the power of the thumb, the Cyborg gives functionality to use up to 11 different actions with the thumb alone, knowing full well it's prowess over the ordinary fingers in all things save typing. And swordplay, perhaps. Three standard mouse buttons exist, and are numbered 4-6 though the 6th requires the drivers to function, as Windows does not register more than five mouse buttons. 4 & 5 function as the back and forward buttons, respectively.

The other four buttons, or eight possible functions, stem from a D-pad like area under the four button. This D-pad allows eight programmable actions by hitting one or two buttons simultaneously, all of which work both with single commands or macros. It also only functions when drivers are installed.

Sadly, like the previously tested Cyborg keyboard, the mouse's drivers are unsophisticated and wretched. After enough time sitting at it and mulling over the manual, it's usable, but barely. Thankfully the included software to change DPI and mouse size settings use a separate program, which is very easy to use and very concise.

However, because the DPI settings are changed through the software, it cannot be changed quickly during play. In fact, the only way to amend this during play is to pick up the mouse, turn it over and flick the switch on the bottom to one of three settings. It doesn't change the DPI settings at all; it only changes the sensitivity of the laser, which is also customizable through the drivers.