Sidewinder Joystick (USB)
*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated 2026-06-07. Price and availability subject to change.
Bottom line: The Sidewinder Joystick (USB) is a niche pick — read recent reviews before buying in the joysticks & game port category, priced around $52.29, rated 3.2★ across 31 verified Amazon reviews. Read recent reviews carefully before committing.
Power your game with eight action buttons. Use the precision throttle with 60 degrees of throw. Grip the advanced design for comfort and contro. Plug in and take-off in seconds. Compatible with Windows 98SE, Me, 2000 Professional, XP Home and Professional
SpecPicks Verdict
SpecPicks classifies Microsoft Sidewinder Joystick (USB) as a niche pick — read recent reviews before buying in the joysticks & game port category, based on 31 verified Amazon reviews and our ranking model that weights rating × review-volume × price-fit. Microsoft's positioning sits within the broader category mid-tier. Use the Compare tool to put it side-by-side with two or three close alternatives before clicking through to Amazon.
Common buyer scenarios for joysticks & game port of this kind: matching it to an existing build, replacing a failing part, or upgrading from a previous-generation equivalent. Check the spec table below against your current setup — particularly socket / form-factor / power-rating fields — and confirm compatibility on the Amazon listing before purchase. Prices, stock, and Prime eligibility update directly from Amazon's catalog and may have moved since this page was last verified.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- ✓ Power your game with eight action buttons
- ✓ Backed by Microsoft's warranty and support channels
- ✓ Ships via Amazon with Prime eligibility and the standard returns policy
Cons
- ✗ Below-average customer rating — read recent reviews before buying
- ✗ Limited review volume so far — fewer data points on long-term reliability
- ✗ Confirm socket / form-factor / power-rating compatibility against your build before ordering
- ✗ Price, stock, and Prime eligibility update from Amazon and may have changed since this page was last verified
Key Features
- Power your game with eight action buttons
- Use the precision throttle with 60 degrees of throw
- Grip the advanced design for comfort and contro
- Plug in and take-off in seconds
- Compatible with Windows 98SE, Me, 2000 Professional, XP Home and Professional
Full Specifications
| Brand | Microsoft |
|---|---|
| Color | Black |
| Model Name | RM |
| Connectivity | USB |
| Model Number | E13-00001 |
| Power Source | Corded Electric |
| Button Quantity | 8 |
| Controller Type | Joystick |
| Item Dimensions | 9.4 x 7.1 x 6.7 inches |
| Hardware Platform | pc |
| Compatible Devices | Windows |
| Additional Features | Ergonomic |
| Warranty Description | 1 year warranty |
| Connectivity Technology | USB |
Ready to buy?
Microsoft Sidewinder Joystick (USB) is available on Amazon with Prime shipping and the full Amazon returns policy. SpecPicks earns a small commission on qualifying purchases — thank you for supporting independent review work.
*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated 2026-06-07. Price and availability subject to change.
Related Joysticks & Game Port
More guides & deep dives from the SpecPicks archive
Browse all articles & guides →- Emulation Hardware in 2026: FPGA, Software, and Cart-Reader Ecosystems
- How to Build a Windows 98 Retro PC in 2026
- Best 1440p Gaming GPUs in 2026
- RTX 4070 Super vs RX 7800 XT — Which to Buy in 2026
- Best Retro Handhelds in 2026 — From $35 to $500
- Best Budget Gaming PC Build 2026 — ~$1,000 ($800 on Sale)
- The Complete Voodoo5 5500 AGP Driver Guide (2026 Edition)
More reviews from the SpecPicks archive
Browse all reviews →- Best Gaming Monitor for PS5 & High-Refresh PC Gaming (2026)
- Running a Local LLM on a Raspberry Pi 5 With llama.cpp: Real tok/s on 1B-8B Models
- Cloudflare CEO: The Web's Future Is 'Pay to Crawl' as Bots Overtake Humans
- Best Mouse Pad for FPS and MOBA Esports Players (2026)
- Best Gaming Mouse Pad for FPS Esports (2026)
- RTX 5080 vs RTX 5070: Which Blackwell GPU Should You Buy in 2026?
- Why You Shouldn't Leave Model Selection on Default in Copilot, Gemini, and Other AI Tools
- Ideogram 4.0 Open Weights: Native 2K Image Gen on a 12GB GPU
- Orange Pi 5 Plus vs Raspberry Pi 5: The Honest Head-to-Head (2026)
- Best Budget SSD for a Steam Library: NVMe vs SATA Game Load Times
- Best GPU for Training CNNs at Home in 2026: The RTX 3060 12GB Case
- Best Upgrades to Revive an Old Gaming PC in 2026: 5 Picks
- Llama.cpp Console Released: What Changes for Local LLM Operators on a 12GB GPU
- AMD RX 9070 XT Hits All-Time Low $629 in Amazon Lightning Sale
- Best CPU Cooler for AM5 and LGA1700 Overclocking (2026)
- Running Qwen3.6 35B A3B at 80 tok/s on a 12GB GPU: The MTP Setup Guide
- ChatGPT Now Saves Dossiers About You: Build a Private Local LLM Box
- Best SSD for a Local AI / LLM Workstation in 2026
- Qwen3 MTP on a Single RTX 3060 12GB: What the New Benchmark Numbers Actually Mean
- After the Mythos Cyber-Ops Report, Why Run AI on an Air-Gapped Local Box
- AI-Driven Sound Blaster Driver Recovery on Win98 in 2026
- Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W Powers a Privacy-First Ring-Camera Alternative
- 1-Trillion-Param LLM on 768GB of Optane vs a 12GB RTX 3060: What's Practical
- Ryzen 7 5800X vs Ryzen 7 5700X for Gaming and Local AI: Which Wins?