3Dconnexion 3DX-700028 Silver/Black 2 Buttons USB Optical SpaceNavigator SE - Retail

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It take a while to get used to it. After that its great :)

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I've had one of these for a while now and use it mainly for 3ds max, as well as other 3D software here and there (though mostly 3ds). The ability to navigate with one hand and manipulate objects with the other was a revelation that I will never part from :)I'm buying a second one now for the sole reason that my first one got smashed while moving, though that doesn't say anything about it's durability (hint: should last you as long as USB is supported) only that it had part of a very heavy couch land on the small box I had it in... and it wasn't my fault, I swear!Overall a very well designed & built little tool that will, if you can afford this convenience, speed up your workflow immensely. Highly recommended!One last thing I'd like to note is that I did NOT experience any FPS hit unlike another reviewer, so your mileage may vary depending on your specs. This review was modfied by poster @ 03-24-11 08:52 AM

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First off i want to make clear that this isnt what i'd call a "3d mouse" because it doesnt move your cursor around. It is more of a 6 axis joystick. Also its not for the average person, only 3d artists, designers, and engineers working with 3d applications like solidworks, catia, 3ds max, maya, etc... Reason being is because it doesnt have driver support for most applications so it wont do anything at all when you try to move the controller around.Im a product designer using this thing in Solidworks, Rhino, and Sketchup. What i like about it is it allows you to create  quick, smooth, and accurate camera moves around your scene without having to tap shift, alt, ctrl, middle mouse click and all that nonsense which is inconsistent between programs.This is really useful for fine tuning your camera location as well when it comes time to render the scene.Another plus is the 2 programmable macro keys on the sides, although the one on the left side is a tad difficult to reach. It changes user settings seamlessly between programs and saves different presets for different programs. Disadvantages would be the high price although this thing is pretty well built. you can get a VERY nice laser mouse from logitech or razer for the same price. Dont forget to price match since NCIX does that now which is pretty cool.I find that my FPS can get a little choppy when i have certain tools active in Solidworks and even Rhino, i blame this on my slightly older video card tho. another flaw i can think of is that in rhino and solidworks, the camera can be set to rotate relative to view to take full advantage of the controllers 6 axis. In sketchup the roll axis is disabled because the camera rotates around the world axis. its a small inconsistency that'll make you try and rotate the stick in sketchup before realizing "oh yeah i cant do that in sketchup". this of course isnt a big deal and its not really the fault of 3dconnexion. Last flaw is the lack of driver support for non-3d apps. It works in photoshop but not in illustrator or any other 2d program. i would love to be able to use it in illustrator since i use that program quite a bit. Also this thing would be fun to use as a joystick in games, i dont see why it cant come with a few joystick drivers just for fun.Well thats about it. I would highly recommend it for anyone using 3d applications.

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I bought one of these for two reasons:1. I mainly develop 3D software and I plan to support this device in the next software version.2. I do part-time modelling in 3DS Max for video game design.The unit is very heavy with a foam anti-slip base, so there is no worry about it moving on you when you are using it.The 3D mouse supports a full range of motion with pan, tilt, roll, truck, pedestal, and zoom. This is accomplished with multiple degrees of freedom: up/down, forward/backward, left/right, plus rotate and tilt.It is very sensitive and only requires a slight movement to get the software's camera moving. In 3DS Max you can very quickly navigate a scene and fly around much quicker than using the regular mouse.The bundled 3D Mouse Control Panel and 3D Mouse Home software is well written and includes tutorials, tests, and configuration areas.Some software even supports this device without installing the bundled 3D Mouse software using the standard Windows HID and RAW input device systems.I highly recommend this device for anyone using 3D software for CAD, GIS, Modelling. Along with the regular mouse, this adds powerful navigation functionality. Check the supported software page on the 3D Connexion web site to see if your favourite program is supported.