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geekhack Community => Input Devices => Topic started by: Tactile on Thu, 06 August 2015, 15:48:35

Title: Does anyone know if these IE 3 mice are legit?
Post by: Tactile on Thu, 06 August 2015, 15:48:35
I thought these were long out of production...

http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Intellimouse-Explorer-Gaming-Package/dp/B000GOUE7O/
Title: Re: Does anyone know if these IE 3 mice are legit?
Post by: user 18 on Thu, 06 August 2015, 15:53:23
I thought these were long out of production...

http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Intellimouse-Explorer-Gaming-Package/dp/B000GOUE7O/

It's possible that it's new old stock or similar. A review on the page says it's fake though.
Title: Re: Does anyone know if these IE 3 mice are legit?
Post by: Lurch on Thu, 06 August 2015, 15:53:35
Oh my... I sure hope they are legit! I would snag one.
Title: Re: Does anyone know if these IE 3 mice are legit?
Post by: platypus on Thu, 06 August 2015, 16:10:06
You can get legit IME 3s on Aliexpress, these are probably good. Even if not, amazon's return policy is pretty great.
Title: Re: Does anyone know if these IE 3 mice are legit?
Post by: Axollott on Thu, 06 August 2015, 16:15:25
Doesn't Steelseries have a line of mice inspired in the IE?
Title: Re: Does anyone know if these IE 3 mice are legit?
Post by: Computer-Lab in Basement on Thu, 06 August 2015, 16:18:47
Doesn't Steelseries have a line of mice inspired in the IE?

the Rival maybe?
Title: Re: Does anyone know if these IE 3 mice are legit?
Post by: Axollott on Thu, 06 August 2015, 16:20:55
Doesn't Steelseries have a line of mice inspired in the IE?

the Rival maybe?
Maybe I'm wrong but being a newer mouse I'm thinking it would be a better buy than a many years old sensor.
Title: Re: Does anyone know if these IE 3 mice are legit?
Post by: platypus on Thu, 06 August 2015, 16:22:52
No. The rival is a terrible implementation of the Pixart/Avago 3310.

The MS mice use an old stmicroelectronics sensor which is very usable when you use the usb tweak to get them running at 500hz.

Closest modern mouse I'd say is the Zowie EC1-A, but the zowie is slightly smaller and slightly different shape.
Title: Re: Does anyone know if these IE 3 mice are legit?
Post by: Leslieann on Thu, 06 August 2015, 20:29:48
Supposedly they re-issued them about 8 years ago, and made some minor changes.

However...
It's long been known that China has been cloning MS mice for decades, some seeming to have even come from the original factory molds. Some clones are perfect in every way, except a cheaper, more fragile cord. Unless they are side by side, it's often impossible to tell a difference. I can't say if they are real or not, but I would be very cautious paying that much for such an old mouse.

Don't forget, people tend to have rose tinted glasses when looking back, this mouse may have been great for the era, but (at least some) newer mice are probably better.
Title: Re: Does anyone know if these IE 3 mice are legit?
Post by: digi on Thu, 06 August 2015, 20:43:42
Get a Zowie EC1, I'm the biggest Zowie fanboy now.
Title: Re: Does anyone know if these IE 3 mice are legit?
Post by: SeanyC on Sun, 16 August 2015, 10:52:33
The rival is a terrible implementation of the Pixart/Avago 3310.

Is there data to back this up? I've seen this said a couple times on various forums, but I haven't seen a good explanation.
Title: Re: Does anyone know if these IE 3 mice are legit?
Post by: 7Teku on Sat, 22 August 2015, 21:03:38
The rival is a terrible implementation of the Pixart/Avago 3310.

Is there data to back this up? I've seen this said a couple times on various forums, but I haven't seen a good explanation.
I don't remember. If there is, it's probably on OC.net. But regardless of that answer, it makes no difference whether or not it has a good or bad implementation of the 3310. People will be better with worse sensors and worse with the best sensors. It's more or less the user and the shape of the mouse that makes the difference, not the sensor or implementation.
Title: Re: Does anyone know if these IE 3 mice are legit?
Post by: dgneo on Tue, 01 September 2015, 07:44:45
Doesn't Steelseries have a line of mice inspired in the IE?

They did quite a ways back, but they don't make them anymore. They're on ebay currently, however I believe all of these are Chinese clones unfortunately.

Tactile, this one looks to be genuine OEM (has the Microsoft reflective sticker), and its in pretty damn good condition for only $17 shipped: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mouse-Grey-OEM-Genuine-Microsoft-IntelliMouse-Explorer-3-0a-Optical-/121745335395?hash=item1c58966463