Review of Sandio 3D Game O2 Mouse

Sandio Game O2: The Good, the Bad, and the Bottom Line

The Game O2 is easy to use once you get the hang of your finger placement, and the ergonomic wrist rest makes it very comfortable. The mouse can be used as a regular scroll mouse when you're not using it to play games.

The mouse driver lets you customize your mouse for any game or program. This gives you the flexibility to use keyboard shortcuts beyond gaming. You could set up a set of mouse shortcuts for Photoshop, for example.

The Bad

The Game O2 does not come with Macintosh drivers, even though many of the game titles it supports are also available for Macs.

The mouse and joysticks on the Game O2 seem to be simple translations of one key for each motion. It does not allow you combine motions. You can't zoom while tilting or rotate while panning, for example.

It's a little challenging to reach the small thumb-level buttons on the left side of the mouse.

Left-handers should be wary. Although you can flip the controls for left handed use, those thumb-level buttons are even harder to press with pinky or ring fingers.

This is a good mouse for Windows gamers who use one of the forty supported applications. It's comfortable and intuitive, and there's a lot of room for customization. It won't take up extra room on your desktop, like a joystick or other dongle, and it works well as a regular mouse when it's not being used for a game.

Although the Game O2 does a good job navigating Google Earth and Google SketchUp, Logitech's SpaceNavigator offers more precise control, Mac support, and a cheaper price tag. The Game O2 is still a better value for Windows gamers who want Google Earth navigation and game control in a single device.

The Sandio Game O2 mouse can be purchased from Sandio for $79. As is customary, I was sent a sample product from the manufacture for review.