There were very rare times in my life where I had come close to finding wonderful mousepads: fast, flat, and large enough for me. Some that were fast…that did not seem to force me to drag my mouse around…were not large enough and I would run out of mousepad before the cursor would get to where I wanted it to go.
For this review I am using a Logitech MX400 Performance Laser Mouse. (It is my inexpensive default mouse of choice.)
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15 x 11 inches
0.2 inches thick
After removing the mousepad from the packaging I was very surprised to find that it is stiff and flat. (I expected it to be as flexible as a piece of cloth.)
It has five different layers:
the bottom layer has small, soft, non-slip rubber elements…
the next layer is a hard, plastic compound to hold the shape of the mousepad…
the middle layer is soft rubber foam, to soften the experience of the mousepad…
plastic-coated cloth is on top of that…
followed by a thin plastic coating.
And, boy, is this mousepad fast! ‘Nuff said…it’s fast…very fast.
Though most other mousepads I’ve used don’t seem to have enough area, this one seems to be more than twice the width I need. I’m not complaining…
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Next I tried the SteelSeries SX.
It’s considered to be a “medium-sized” mousepad: 12.6 x 10.6 x 0.08 inches…
The rubber base absorbs noise and vibrations, and it’s made of fiber polished aluminum with an anodized oxide coating.
After removing this one from it’s packaging, I had that “Christmassy-like” feeling as I grunted with joy. This mousepad is metal, and the bottom is rubber. I imagine it will always be much slicker and faster than the 5L.
A polishing cloth is provided…and what appears to be feet that you can add to the bottom of a mouse (so it will slide better).
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The SteelSeries 4D measures 11 x 10 inches with a thickness of 0.04 inches, and is double-sided for low and high sensitivity gamers. It’s compatible with an optical, laser, and ball mouse.
A non-slip rubber base…as thin as netting (membrane thin, if you will)…is provided. Also included are feet that are attachable to a mouse.
When I opened the package, the thinness caught me off-guard…I wasn’t prepared for it to be “so much of nothing”.
I was worried that, because of its dimensions, there wouldn’t be enough mousepad for me to like…but I do: I have yet to run out of real estate.
And, it’s speedy side is just as fast as…if not faster than…the SX.
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There are many options in the QcK line…
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SteelSeries iron.lady QcK (pink)
SteelSeries iron.lady QcK heavy (white)
SteelSeries iron.lady QcK highlights:
– M-sized cloth mouse pad
– 11.6 x 8.3 x 0.08 inches
The iron.lady QcK is made of a high quality cloth material, providing a precise and consistent glide…The mouse pad is available in pink and white and features iron.lady branding.
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SteelSeries QcK mass highlights:
– M-sized cloth mouse pad
– Heavy thickness eliminates uneven surfaces
– 11.2 x 12.6 x 0.2 inches
SteelSeries QcK mass is a super thick mouse pad made of a high quality cloth material…
…This mouse pad features extremely heavy thickness which results in a very unique feeling. While the mouse pad is much more soft and comfortable to touch, the height is also fairly massive…Other mouse pads from SteelSeries are very thin, aiming to provide a high quality gaming surface, as close as possible to level of the tabletop it’s used on.
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The SteelSeries QcK-line of mousepads are made of high quality cloth material, providing a precise and consistent glide. All mousepads feature a specially designed non-slip rubber base which prevents the pads from sliding, no matter what surface the mousepad is placed on.
SteelSeries QcK mini highlights:
– S-sized cloth mouse pad
– 9.8 x 8.3 inches, thickness 0.08 inches
SteelSeries QcK heavy highlights:
– XXL-sized cloth mouse pad
– Heavy thickness eliminates uneven surfaces
– 17.7 x 15.7 inches, thickness 023 inches
SteelSeries QcK+ highlights:
– XXL-sized cloth mouse pad
– 17.7 x 15.7 inches, thickness 0.08 inches
SteelSeries QcK highlights:
– M-sized cloth mouse pad
– 12.6 x 11.2 inches, thickness 0.08 inches
The mousepad I tried measures 12.5 by 10.5 inches (the “basic” model). It, literally, is a cloth: I unrolled it from its packaging.
I had greatly lowered my expectations for this model…and I was wrong. I had planned on telling you about experiencing drag between the mouse and the mousepad, but I cannot: if there is any, I don’t notice it.
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Before you purchase a mousepad…of course…consider the size of the area you plan to use it. If you plan on taking the mousepad with you from place to place, it will need to fit in a bad (backpack, portfolio, etcetera).