Gaming mouse pad round up

A good gaming mouse can improve your PC gaming even more when its paired with a good gaming mouse pad -- also called a mouse mat or 'gaming surface', as some manufacturers like to call them.

Gaming mouse pads provide a smooth, reliable, precise surface for optical and laser gaming mice. A gaming mouse pad probably won't improve your frag rate or make you better player, but it does make for a more overall pleasurable computing and gaming experience. Once you've had a good gaming mouse pad under your mouse, anything else just doesn't feel as good.

A good gaming surface costs anywhere from $15 to as much as $60, with an average price around the $30-$40 range. Fortunately, shopping for a gaming mouse mat is relatively easy, and we haven't met one yet that we didn't like. You mainly just need to decide on the type of surface you prefer, how much desk space you have, and whether or not portability is important. Consider the following:

Size: Most gaming surfaces are pretty large, so you don't have to worry about running off the mat. If desk space is tight, smaller mats are available, although many mats are very thin and will have minimal impact on desk space.
Thickness: Many gaming mats are ultra thin to create a nearly seamless surface with your desktop. Some are thicker for greater durability.
Material: Gaming mouse mats are mostly made from cloth, plastic, rubber, or any combination thereof. Hard plastics are easier to clean if you spill a drink on them.
Texture: Some gaming surfaces are as smooth as glass, although many are textured to varying degrees. There isn't really any particular advantage to either. It's just a matter of personal preference. Be sure to announce your preference loudly to your friends, as in "I like it rough!"
Portability: Most of us probably don't travel with our mouse mats, but if you do, consider how you travel when deciding on which mat will be easiest to transport. Large, rigid mouse mats slide nicely into a briefcase, for example, whereas cloth or rubber mats can be rolled up.

I've personally tried out every mouse mat in this round up, although not every one has its own full-fledged review. However, I like all of them for various reasons. One thing I've learned from experimenting with different gaming surfaces is that I generally prefer thin, rigid, coated plastics with a rough texture. Personal favorites include the SteelSeries 9HD, SteelSeries 4D, and the Razer Sphex.

Gaming mouse mat round up

(from least to most expensive)

Razer Sphex ($15)

The Sphex is a paper-thin 'skin' you adhere to your desktop to create a seamless, textured mousing surface. The Sphex performs like a champ and won't hurt your wallet.

Full review: Razer Sphex

Material:
Ultra-thin adhesive plastic

Texture: Rough

Size:
320 x 230mm
(12.6" x 9")

Razer Kabuto ($20)

The multi-purpose Kabuto is the only surface in this roundup aimed specifically at Laptop gamers. The Kabuto features a thin rubber underside and a soft cloth surface side. The cloth side also doubles as a screen protector you can sandwich between your laptop screen and keyboard for travel. You can also use the cloth side of the Kabuto to wipe dust off your screen.

Full review: Razer Kabuto

Material:
Soft cloth

Texture:
Smooth cloth

Size:
280mm x 195mm x 1.2mm
(11" x 7.6" x .05")

SteelSeries 4D ($25)

The 4D is smaller than its siblings at 10 by 11 inches. Like the SP series, the 4D comes with a separate rubber mat you can place underneath it to eliminate slipping.

The 4D is also 'reversible' so you effectively get two types of mousing surface -- one smooth and one textured -- in one.

Material:
Hard plastic

Texture:
Smooth or rough (reversible)

Size:
280 x 254 x 1mm
(11" x 10" x .04")

SteelSeries 9HD ($35)

The 9HD is a rigid, plastic, textured surface that is designed to enhance reflected light from optical and laser sensors. It has been a consistent favorite of ours.

Full review: SteelSeries 9HD

Material:
Plastic

Texture: Rough

Size:
270 x 320 x 2mm
(10.7" x 12.7" x .08")

SteelSeries 5L ($40)

The 5L series surface is very large, measuring 15"x11" and 0.2" thick. The 5L is a rigid, plastic mouse mat with a thick, soft, and smooth cloth covering. It is responsive with just a hint of cushioning, and it feels good under your mouse and your hand.

Material:
Cloth over hard plastic

Texture:
Smooth

Size:
381 x 280 x 5mm
(15" x 11" x 0.2")

SteelSeries SP series ($40)

The SP series is hard plastic construction that comes with a separate rubber mat you can place underneath it to avoid slipping. It also features a slightly more 'stylish' design on its surface.

Material:
Rigid plastic

Texture:
Smooth

Size:
320 x 270 x 3mm
(12.6" x 10.6" x .1")

Razer Megasoma ($50)

The Megasoma is made from a nearly translucent, thick and tough silicon rubber overlaid with a rough texture. The Megasoma can easily be rolled up and taken with you, and it even comes with a hard plastic carrying case for travel.

Full Review: Razer Megasoma

Material:
Silicon rubber

Texture: Rough

Size:
350 x 230 x 2mm
(13.8"x 9" x .08")

SteelSeries SX ($60)

The SteelSeries puts the heavy metal in your mousing. The SX surface is made of fiber-polished aluminum with an anodized oxide coating, and it features a rubber base to "absorb noise" (for you noisy mousers) and vibrations. It's also very heavy, and could probably double as a murder weapon in a nerd-oriented remake of Hasbro's CLUE.

Material:
Coated aluminum

Texture: Smooth

Size:
320 x 270 x 2mm (12.6" x 10.6" x .08")