Introduction

Most of our readers are out for every last little bit of processing power, speed and precision they can get out of their system but what about your mouse and your gaming experience. It's probably the number one thing left out of the equation. I mean you have your box tricked with windows and fans and neons, glowing keyboard, huge monitor, and an overclock high enough to give you a nosebleed but what is stopping you from getting that last kill. It could be something as simple as your mousepad.

Everyone has read other reviews and knows that most reviewers just pit one pad against another or just a desk but we are throwing the whole lot into one big virtual-hideout roundup.

I'm going to take these things through the ringer and do my best to describe the “feel” of each of these pads because no one pad is right for everyone, there is no winner. Some people might like a super slippery surface with little to no resistance. Some might like a little bit of resistance to make those precise movements but not get tired, and some might choose to fight the friction in order to get right to that last pixel to make the head shot.

No one can tell you what you like but I'm up for the challenge of providing you with the product information that no other reviewer has done to date.

So lets start by taking a look at my current setup to give you a better idea of what is going to gauge the tracking performance and smoothness of movement for these beasts.

I'm currently using a Logitech MX500 mouse using the newest Logitech 9.791 drivers. Now these drivers unfortunately have some issues I'd like to address. They have mouse acceleration enabled that you cant disable unless you edit the registry. They also don't run at 800dpi like advertised unless you edit the registry so by following the guide here so we can get you back to the basics. Also another good feature included in the drivers is the ability to change the refresh rate of your mouse to 200hz by using the PS2 adapter and enabling the option in the mouseware software. USB hinders the refresh rate at 125hz which means the sampling rate being sent to your operating system is robbing your game from that mouse input to get you on that last little pixel. You can also do a quick google search for PS2 rate adjuster plus which allows you to do this for any mouse running PS2 in Win9x or Win2K/XP.

I'm going to describe the surfaces based on the resistance while moving the mouse, comfort, pad stability, durability, cleaning, visual aspect, price, and my personal opinion on each pad. I'll try to relay the overall feel of the pad and who might be in the market for that particular pad based on their needs. Let's get started!

func1030

• 10" wide x 8" depth x 1/8" thick
• Unit comes with black trim and black surface.
• Rubber base provides grip so that the surface will not slip.
• Double-sided mousing surface provides choice for texture of surface
• Innovative mouse clip.
• Low profile edges to prevent mouse wire snags.
• Works with optical mice as well as conventional ball mouse.
• Comes in an embossed metallic carrying case! What attention to detail.

I was going from my second func 1030 surface in about a year to the pads that are being reviewed. Most list it as a tried and true but I have definitely put this through the durability test so I know how well it stands up. When you first receive your func1030 it arrives in a shiny silver tin case provided it doesn't have any dents in it from shipping. The case has some nice foam padding in there and comes with a mouse cord clip so you can keep that mouse cord out of the way although an aftermarket one tends to do a little better.

Resistance

On the smooth side of the pad there is very little resistance while moving around and if you are using the rough side for your optical mouse all your doing is rubbing away your mouse feet as I noticed no difference in tracking between either side. The func surface is definitely for very smooth as the resistance isn't very noticeable. There isn't any noticeable feeling of the texture on the smooth side of the surface so there isn't any gritty feeling while moving across the surface.

Comfort

I find the func1030 surface to be very comfortable. The pad itself doesn't have a high edge which wears your arm raw or provides too much pressure on your arm or hand. You won't notice any irritation of the base of the palm or arm from moving or resting your arm on the pad as the surface is a smooth plastic without a hard grain for the surface texture. The mouse clip does a pretty good job of keeping it out of the way but I found using an aftermarket product much better at keeping it out of the way. I also never found my arm or wrist being irritated by the rubber edging where the base extends up to hold the pad in place. Despite the func pad having slightly smaller dimensions using a medium sensitivity I didn't really notice very many times while picking the mouse up and resetting it.

Durability

After such extended use there is an actual worn spot towards the center however there is no dip in the pad but the surface still tracks correctly with no confusion when over that area of the pad. There are also some hairline scratches throughout the center area I would assume from normal use or grinding in of dirt because my fingernails don't make contact with the pad. The plastic is very hard for the thickness and it takes a lot of pressure from a sharp object to make any sizable scratch. While moving this thing around to lan parties the sexy tin case that it comes with definitely comes in handy and helps protect your investment so you use it. Upon scratching it with a lot of pressure from a screwdriver it did leave a small mark but there was no tracking issue or noticeable snag or for that matter you couldn't notice it at all while moving over it.

Here you can see the small scratch even though it's blurry.

Pad Stability

The rubber base does moderately well of keeping the pad in place but if the desk surface is dirty and you sit the pad on it you will notice slippage until you wash the rubber base. I found the best way to stop this or any plastic pad from slipping was the use of duct tape on the corners so I stuck with that instead of constantly cleaning the base.

Duct tape is your friend.

Cleaning

There is no cleaning information listed on the func web site but as with most plastic pads all you need to do it is either take some kind of household cleaner and wipe it down. After extended periods of use I like to take it to the sink and wash it down with some dish soap on both the plastic pad and rubber base. Just wipe dry and your set.

Visual

As you can see I have the all black func pad. You can never go wrong with black and even though I don't favor orange it doesn't throw off the coolness in the logo. Its low profile gives it a sleek sexy look. The mouse cord holder looks okay but doesn't flatter the pad very much. It's just a low profile sleek looking pad and with the slight outward curved rubber area on the base it adds a nice touch. Although not fond of the orange on the logo it is a nice cool looking logo that plugs your new sexy product.

Pricerange

You can purchase a func1030 from www.frozencpu.com for $19.99USD.

Editor's Opinion

The func1030 was one of the first mousing surfaces to really boom on the market after everglide first started releasing mousepads designed for gamers. It's a very smooth surface and on the smooth side of the pad you cannot feel any grit out of the texture while moving. Despite it being a slightly smaller pad if you are a medium to high sensitivity user it's definitely a good and long lasting surface for your playing style. The best thing to keep that surface intact and gliding smooth if that's your preference is some teflon tape or some mouse wax. You can keep your investment safe when carrying it in around by hanging on to that tin case. This could be just the pad for you and it's been working out for others for quite a long time so take some consideration to it. It still stands out for a reason.

Everglide Giganta

• 9 1/2" High
• 11 1/2" Wide
• 1/4" Deep

Beastly isn't it.		Beveled edges!		Grip that desk.

One of the older surfaces that Everglide has put out but a favorite to many. At first glace it's a very aggressive looking pad with a unique sloped beveled edge. The pad is shaped so that the base of your hand near your wrist can rest on the table and not on the pad. You'll definitely give off a beastly message with this thing sitting next to your keyboard.

Resistance

The Giganta is one of the premier surfaces put on the market from Everglide and is basically just one well engineered large slab of plastic. The “grain” is a rather coarse texture which provides an odd amount of resistance considering it's a plastic surface. It has more resistance than both the smooth and rough side of the func1030 but it stills feels like a gliding plastic surface and maintains its consistency rather on. No one section of the pad is coarser than it should be so the texture doesn't have any imperfections.

Comfort

Sitting the base of your palm in the nice little cutaway is definitely a comfortable feeling with you hand resting on that smooth beveled slope. Even though the pad is 1/4” high when resting on that slope it doesn't feel like your breaking your wrist just to be able to grip your mouse. The only bad part about the shape that I noticed was when my mouse would go to the lower corners of the pad and try to return to the center I would bump the base of my palm against the corner stopping me dead in my tracks. Since it has that nice slope you shouldn't notice too much pressure on the base of your palm or wrist when using it for long periods of time but it is a slight issue because of it being so high. The grain of the texture is rather coarse so some people could notice an irritation if their hands aren't well....very many. So if your a frail little boy or girl be careful not to irritate the side of your hand with this thing.

Pad Stability

This thing sits like it looks, a beast! I noticed no slipping at all once there is just a mild amount of pressure put on it. The 5 pads on the bottom definitely do what they were designed to do where many other pads are at fault. It took a lot of side to side pressure of me just pushing on the pad with my hand to get it to slip only about 3 or 4 centimeters.

Durability

The plastic composition that makes the pad up has a surprisingly soft feel to it. I speculate you would see more wear on this pad then on a func1030 surface. Upon scratching it with a screwdriver I noticed a much deeper grove in the pad which was more noticeable when sliding over it with a mouse. Overall its going to last a while but for the price you won't break the bank purchasing a new one if you get some scratches on it.

I don't really think its possible to snap your pad in half unless you were to enter it as an event in the world's strongest man competition. Upon scratching it with a lot of pressure with a screwdriver it did leave a sizeable mark. Because of all the crevices in the texture I didn't notice it at all while moving over it and no tracking issues arouse Due to the plastic compound not being really hard it can get scratched easier than the other pads but don't let that fool you. It took a lot of pressure to make a scratch and this is what it looked like.

Small and hard to see. It's there but doesn't cause any problems.

Cleaning

Unfortunately no cleaning information was listed on the official web site like many of the other pads. All you need to do is take some kind of household cleaner and wipe it down but with this one you might need to scrub a bit to get dirt out of the crevices if any gets compounded down in there. After extended periods of use I like to take it to the sink and wash it down with some dish soap on both the plastic pad and rubber feet. Just wipe dry and your set.

Visual Aspect

Like I mentioned earlier its definitely a beast. It has a very different and aggressive styling surrounding it and black is always a cool color. The logo is a good size and stands out quite well and the color scheme doesn't throw off the beast factor.

Pricerange

You can purchase the Everglide Giganta on sale for $12.00USD from www.directron.com

Editor's Opinion

The pad is a really good value for the price. The resistance is a bit different compared to most plastic pads out but its still a smooth feeling plastic pad despite the coarse grainy feel. The smooth beveled edge is very comfortable but the pad is tailored to medium to high sensitivity users because if you move to the far corners on the lower section of the pad you'll run out of room and while moving back to the center I caught my hand consistently. So if you use a higher sensitivity in your games and pretty much keep your hand and arm in one place while gaming this is for you. Not too much resistance and accurate enough to not miss those rail shots when using higher sensitivities.

Xtrac Ripper

• Size – 11” X 17”
• Thickness - 1/8".
• Surface – Smooth cloth - extremely flexible
• Pattern – Large Hexagons with random dot configuration to ensure precise control
• Backing – Sure Grip rubber
• Durability – Extremely durable if properly taken care of.

Trippy and big.		1200 dpi pattern.		Sure grip rubber baby.

The Xtrac line of pads is definitely starting to make its mark. The hexagonal and random dot pattern is definitely an eye catcher and since their pattern runs at 1200dpi your optical mouse isn't going to have any trouble getting confused by the texture pattern. This is their large cloth pad and it definitely carves it niche in the cloth market. It's got a different feel for a cloth pad has a gummy feeling when you apply pressure to it almost like a gel pad that barely flexes but don't let that get too carried away.

Resistance

This is the first of our cloths to be reviewed and I was definitely impressed with how far cloth mousepads have come. I was used to crappy cloth mousepads that either fray or get little fuzzy balls on them and that isn't the case for this new generation designed for gamers. The cloth surface is a very smooth surface and offers a good amount of resistance that was a welcome change. The feeling was very consistent and smoother than you would think for a cloth surface, nothing like the gummy excuses for a mousepad you'd get when you go to wal-mart. Despite its rating you don't have to lift weights to be able to use your new pad.

Comfort

The cloth surface is very smooth to the touch and while moving your hand across the surface you won't notice any sticky sensation with a clammy hand like you might notice with some plastic pads. I noticed no irritation of the hand moving my mouse around the pad and the side of my palm and fingers touching the pad despite the quick movements. Just don't stare at the pattern for too long or you might go blind.

Pad Stability

I never noticed any slippage during games although when moving the mouse across the pad with some pressure its resistance is based on the mouse feet pushing into the pad and you will notice some stretching on the edges of the pad as you get closer to it.

Durability

The cloth fiber that makes up the ripper is very strong and leaves no room for fraying or even snags. I scratched on of the edges with a screwdriver with a lot of pressure and still didn't have a snag or a cut in the pad or even a mark showing I did it.

Cleaning

The information on the web site states that all you have to do is wash with regular dish soap under running water. The only downside to cleaning is you have to wait on your pad to dry out before you can use it. Feel free to use a modded hairdryer, just don't overdue it.

Visual Aspect

The hexagonal pattern is a very trippy looking surface and definitely makes the pad stand out compared to a plain colored mousepad with a logo. Based on the 11x17 size and the crazy pattern it definitely looks like something that is there for a reason other than checking some llama's aol email. You either love it or hate it so choose for yourself. I liked the pattern so I'll mark it down as being cool.

Pricerange

You can purchase the Xtrac Ripper for $12.99USD at www.directron.com

Editor's Opinion

An incredible price for a great cloth pad. It has quite a bit of resistance and the 11x17 gives you plenty of mousing surface to play with. There was never a tracking issue so that 1200dpi pattern is definitely doing its job. If you are medium sensitivity user and want some resistance you won't run out of room. If you are wanting to go to a low sensitivity then you might need to adjust the mouse pitch in your game because when you crank the sensitivity down you run out of room top to bottom but have plenty side to side when tracking. This is definitely a good high quality contender in the cloth market.

Xtrac Hammer

• Size – 11” X 17”
• Thickness - Credit card thin.
• Surface – Hard plastic, slightly textured to provide some feedback
• Pattern – Hexagonal with random dot configuration to ensure precise control
• Backing – Sure Grip II ultra thin rubber compound
• Durability – Extremely durable if properly taken care of.

Big and blue.

The hammer uses the same dimensions and dot pattern as the ripper with a blue shade to the mousepad. It is a very thin plastic pad which would be a good transition for you desk users that don't want to switch to a thick mousepad. It has a unique texture on the surface that feels almost like a surfboard with some wax on it. This is the premier plastic surface used on all their plastic pads in their lineup.

Resistance

The surface of the Hammer is truly unique compared to the rest on the market right now. The Hammer has a texture all its own which to describe it best would be to say it has a weird organic feeling when moving the mouse across it. The texture if you could imagine seems almost like some kind of slime like pattern with no noticeable crevices like the pattern of textures we are used to. So the Hammer seems much smoother than most of the pads but in actuality I noticed it to be almost identical to the func when it comes to resistance. It could just be that crazy texture that feel when moving around!

Comfort

If you are a desk user and wanting to move to using a surface designed specifically for gaming this may be a good transition for you. The thing is very thin and you will never have any wrist cramping if you don't already using your desk and due to its thin profile your wrist won't have any issue from pressure of a skyscraper of a mousepad. Due to that smooth organic feeling surface you shouldn't notice any irritation at all while moving your hand frantically over it. If your one of the clammy palmed gamers out there like myself I never noticed any sticking of the side of my palm while gaming with this big boy. This issue happens to a lot of people so don't think I'm some 400 pound slob sitting behind my computer sweating like an asian child in a Nike factory.

Pad Stability

At first I was really curious if this thing was going to stay put considering it being so thin but it did the trick. It only took the slightest amount of pressure to keep this thing in place. If your moving around a book or using your desk as well a desk its going to get moved a couple inches but it isn't something that will plague you during actual computer use. So to sum it up the pad stays put when it really counts but when stuff is getting moved around in your little space make sure to watch your pad cause all it takes is for it to hang over and edge and get a fair amount of pressure to crease it but having that thin profile can make it a risk worth taking.

Durability

The plastic on this surface seems like it's in there for the long. The surface seems as hard as all the other plastic pads even though it's super-thin and the only drawback is that same thin design. Once again the only reason this thing gets lower markings is its primary feature, its thin. If your moving this around and trip or sit it down at a lan and sit your monitor on it your going to have a major crease so be careful. Xtrac should've shipped this lightweight with a sexy little tin case with padding like func and complete the whole package. I tried to scratch it with a screwdriver with a lot of pressure and since it is so thin and the rubber was so thin it was very difficult. You couldn't even tell it was there and it barely went down into the pad. Just be careful not to bend it cause scratches aren't a big deal with this thing

Cleaning

Manufacturers Cleaning Instructions:
For cleaning the surface of the XTrac HAMMER;, most common household glass gleaners will work. To clean the Sure Grip II backing, simply run under a stream of faucet water. Make sure not to fold it or bend it too much as you will ruin your new XTrac HAMMER optical mouse pad.

Xtrac has gotten the easy cleaning thing down. There is virtually nowhere for the dirt to go cause there aren't any large crevices in the pads texture for dirt to get ground down into and most dirt is easily swept off. If it does get greasy from food or your Cheeto addiction simply follow the instructions and wipe it down with some kind of cleaner or take it to the sink and use some dish soap again. It's definitely one of the easiest pads to clean cause there is no separating of any parts and not a lot of scrubbing going on to get the dirt out of the textures cracks. The only thing you need to watch out for is bending or creasing your clean pad.

Visual Aspect

The Hammer still sports the trippy hexagonal pattern as the ripper but perhaps due to it being on this plastic surface it doesn't stand out as much as it does on the Ripper. Having a blue color for this pattern is somewhat of an attractive change to the white color but I think a darker color blue would've made it seem more aggressive than the light blue color and would give this pad a more edgy look like its brother. The logo also doesn't scream at you as much as it does on the Ripper so it's not drawing too much attention either.

Pricerange

You can purchase the Xtrac Hammer for $16.99USD at www.directron.com

Editor's Opinion

I really like the things that Hammer touches on for the plastic pad market. It's one of the largest plastic pads on the market and for someone looking for more space that still wants a super smooth gliding feel and doesn't want to switch over to a cloth surface you are going to jump all over this one. The low profile will make it a great transition for people who are comfortable using a desk but have perhaps started to burn holes in wood from moving around so much or their favorite desk surface now has a huge scratch getting in the way of their gaming. So if your in love with the gliding sensation of a plastic pad and you want to go to a lower sensitivity or you just want plenty of mouse room to fight all over the place without having to pick your mouse up and reset then this seems to be your mate.

Everglide DKT

• Officially Licensed by Brian "Destrukt" Flander!
• 14" High
• 17" Wide
• 4.3mm Deep
• Surface: Cloth
• Backing: Non-skid Rubber

Big and down to business.	Rubber backing doing it's job.

This is the first jumbo-sized pads we are taking a look at and it definitely takes on the role as a "desk-eater!" It's also one of the few pads on the market right now that is endorsed by a professional gamer so lets see if this really stands up to what they are talking about or if its just got a name stamped on it to bring in some $$$.

Resistance

The DKT pad is the smoothest cloth pad we have in our roundup and it seems to blur the line between the plastic and cloth world a bit. The pad is exceptionally smooth like a plastic pad while traveling but if you start to take the pressure off it stops quickly. It seems to glide as well as our slippery surfaces such as the func and the Xtrac Hammer but provides you with less "glide slop" which is what people tend to try and get away with while switching to a cloth surface. This is definitely a hybrid choice so if you are undecided as to which extreme you want to go to the DKT might be something you will want to give a shot.

Comfort

The DKT is covered in a very smooth, silky, strong fibered cloth which is extremely smooth to the touch. You won't notice any irritation from moving around on the pad at all. As a matter of fact you might even get aroused as this thing feels like something your girlfriend should be wearing instead of something sitting on your desk (for comic value only). The padding is very soft so when pressure is applied on the edge of the pad it absorbs that angular pressure very well and is very accommodating to your wrist of the base of your palm if your fighting down near the edges of the pad. The pad itself wont flex inward when pressure is applied while moving the mouse so your wrist shouldn't feel cramped while "plowing" your mouse feet deep down in the pad. This is on of the first pads that we are reviewing that actually allows for you to place almost all of your arm on it and it definitely feels like the lazy boy of mousepads when lounging around on it.

Pad Stability

The DKT sits like a bulldog....it's not going anywhere. While mousing no gummy or stretchy feeling throughout the pad can be felt. You can force this thing in one direction with a ton of force and it will just barely creep across the desk, no sudden movements and catches. This pad doesn't even need a stability rating because its huge and it stays in place. It simply doesn't budge!

Durability

The DKT gives off this smooth silky feeling but don't let that rub you the wrong way. The pattern in the cloth is very tightly knit and firm and even with the soft edges on a cloth pad there was no fraying. I scratched a flathead screwdriver across it as hard as a could and there was no cut or snag. I couldn't even tell that I had scratched the damn thing! This combined with it well...being a cloth pad you simply just roll the thing up and take it where ever. It is pretty worry free, just don't spill anything on it or else you have to clean it and wait on it to dry.

Cleaning

There is no cleaning information listed on the web site but its a cloth pad the cleaning is the same for pretty much any cloth surface. Just wash it with regular dish soap under running water, give it a little scrubbing with your hand and your done. Only downside again with these sexy cloth pads is you have to wait on them to dry. I suggest using a hairdryer on a lower heat setting to speed it along.

Visual Aspect

Big, black and burly. Just like the inmate you don't want to run into in prison. The DKT is pretty beastly looking just due to sheer size and the DKT logo with the little counter-terrorist silhouette claims it as being a licensed product by a pro gamer of CS fame. The everglide logo is pretty sleek in the lower right hand corner. With both the logos positioned just right it doesn't seem like this thing is a racecar or is too junked up by logos thrown all over the place. The pad is definitely beastly and looks like it is there for a reason other than taking up what's left of your desk.

Pricerange

You can purchase the Xtrac Hammer for $12.95USD at www.frozencpu.com

Editor's Opinion

I was definitely very surprised when I first laid this thing down on my desk and started to check it out. I couldn't believe that a cloth pad felt this smooth to the touch and the mouse traveled so effortlessly across the surface. This definitely is the offspring of some big beastly cloth pad and some little petite plastic cutey. The pad seemed to be the perfect mesh between both worlds and I loved the fact that it kept the "glide slop" to a minimum and stopped right when you wanted it too. This pad is a true hybrid that people that favor either plastic or cloth should sit down and give a try. You have tons of mousing surface so crank the sensitivity down and you still wont run out of room and if you want to keep your higher sensitivities then just game all over the place and enjoy the sheer size of this thing.

FatPAD

• Officially Licensed by fatal1ty
• 14" High
• 17.5" Wide
• 5mm Deep
• Black Cloth
• White silkscreen logo

The need for real estate.	Grippin' yo desk!

Yet another pad licensed by one of holiest of holy. Fatal1ty swears by cloth pads and we all know he's got enough gaming experience and hours under his belt to have earned his opinion. So he set out to have a design of his own to fit the bill for his competition needs and this is devil child that got dropped from his design-womb. So lets take a closer look and see what makes this pad tick.

Resistance

The fatPAD is what you would expect out of a cloth pad but with more of what you would expect. Generally when someone thinks of a cloth pad they think there is no gliding and it only moves when you apply enough pressure on the mouse. Well the fatpad has some gliding sensation like the DKT does but sticks in position at a much quicker rate. It has a more solid feeling of resistance much like the Ripper but it's much more tactful. This pad leaves little room for "glide slop" so its only going to go where you make it which can eliminate many of those missed shots. This does great at getting the job done but your sacrificing a little ease of use while gaming.

On a side note the silkscreen logo provides a smidge more resistance while mousing over it so watch out for that upper right corner!

Comfort

This is another one of those pads that's so big your going to rest half of your arm on it. The edges are cushy but a bit more solid than the DKT. I still didn't notice an issue with the edges putting annoying pressure on any spot of my arm. The cloth is a rough textile and you could possibly notice a bit of irritation from rubbing your hand on it during a frantic gaming session but you really have to be going for hours before this would be an issue.

Pad Stability

Basically this things stays put just like the DKT. There is no special formula or mousepad put in a wind-tunnel or anything that makes this and the DKT stay put. They are just big and rubber and even with dirt on the bottom it doesn't move. Applying supreme 1337 He-man like strength pushing this from the center of the pad to either side would only make it creep along, no sudden movements and catches.

Durability

Right off the bat you can tell that the fiber seems very coarse and rigid and seems very durable. Once again a cloth pad can be rolled up so you really don't have to worry to much about damaging it during your mad dash to the lan you and your buddies threw together at the last minute. I took a sharp flathead screwdriver and drug it across the pad and just like the DKT, no mark and no cut in the pad. You might be asking why I'm not showing a picture for the scratch test. Well if there is not any visible damage on the pad why show you a picture of the corner? The silkscreen logo has stood up quite well but I have a feeling that due to that little difference in resistance while mousing over it that it will break away after a certain amount of time.

The cloth pads have really come a long way and despite no special description or engineering jargon on fatal1ty's web site it still holds up under pretty gruesome conditions.

Cleaning

Following suit with the detail that I think many manufacturers web sites should contain, there is no cleaning information listed. I really wish this wouldn't get overlooked because if someone is going to front a decent sized chunk of $$$ people want information on how to protect their investment. My recommended cleaning is just like the other cloth pads. Just wash it with regular dish soap under running water, give it a little scrubbing with your hand and your done. Only downside again with these sexy cloth pads is you have to wait on them to dry. I suggest using a hairdryer on a lower heat setting to speed it along.

Visual Aspect

Another big black burly pad. Say that 5 times fast! It's big, sits squarely and eats your f%#$ing desk. Black is always sexy and the silkscreen logo is simple and stands out. Nothing super fancy just sleek, plain and tasteful. Plus it strikes fear into people at lan parties. ;)

Pricerange

You can purchase the fatPAD for $12.95USD from www.fatal1ty.com

Editor's Opinion

I was very impressed with the fatPad considering very little was said about it on the web site to draw you in. It's just a big pad that gets the job done! They didn't need fancy wind tunnels and super modulated bio-processed plastic compounds or anything "state of the art" thrown in your face to draw you in and explain their engineering prowess. Just some good old fashioned attention to some cloth and some rubber. The fatPAD is simply the best basic cloth pad. It offers a great amount of resistance to get you to where you want to go and stick. It's meant to be efficient not to be "lazy boy" comfortable or the best of both worlds.

Of course not all of us are out their for super gaming skillz. We might just want a comfortable, fun, and semi-competitive gaming experience or to simply get used to the slippery pads and enjoy the comfort and gaming precision. The fatPad is great for low sensitivity users because you have to have your sensitivity turned down as low as it can go before you'll end up running out of room and have to reset your mouse. It's great for medium and high sensitivity users because you have tons of real estate. You can game all over the pad and not have to pick up your mouse and start back at ground zero!

Having a huge pad that has the features you may be looking for combined with cloth pads being very portable and low in cost could make this the perfect pad for your selected tastes.

RatpadzGS

• 9" High
• 11.5" Wide
• 7mm Thick
• Deskgrip; structure with 9 countersunk polyurethane feet.
• Ultraslick; surface texture.
• Heat branded mirror finish logo.

Front w/cutout.	Da Booty!

The RatpadzGS is another unique surface that is added to our roundup. Before getting a hold of all these my idea of the plastic and cloth was just 2 different types of surfaces .Plastic which is super slippery and cloth which is very tactful with a lot of resistance. Boy I've definitely been proven wrong and this is the case for the RatpadzGS. This isn't a slippery plastic mousepad its the "cream" of the crop. It should have its own title like plastic, cloth, and CREAM! Another interesting thing about it is the texture isn't recessed down in the pad, it comes out of the pad. The plastic texture is raised off a flat sheet instead of having crevices go in the sheet of plastic. So lets have a closer look into the new incarnation from one of the mousing surface pioneers!

Resistance

Once again a pad that surprised me in this category. It doesn't feel like a super slippery plastic sheet of ice! There is a "creamy" feeling as you glide your mouse across the surface similar to the "organic" feeling with the Xtrac Hammer. When moving across this "creamy" surface you can feel the texture through the mouse but it's not as coarse as the feeling when moving across the Everglide Giganta. The "creamy" feeling also carries over to how much resistance is added. It's well "creamy!" If you have ever touched a waxxxed a surfboard before that's similar to what it feels like. A lightly waxxxed surfboard moving a mouse over it. When you move the mouse across it it glides with mild ease which allows you more control much like a cloth pad. The pad is very good at eliminating any glide slop which is a welcome change in my eyes when it comes down to the plastic market.

Comfort

Another pad that pays attention to detail. I found the sloped wrist cutout to be rather intuitive compared to the cutout on the Everglide Giganta. It's just a mild slope which gives you plenty of room to rest the base of your wrist on the desk and the edge of the pad. The rounded edges are another great feature and although resting on the edge isn't as comfortable as resting on the smooth beveled cutout of the Giganta it takes off what could be some painful pressure from a hard, sharp plastic edge. Once again no annoying corners to catch your wrist on when moving your mouse back to the center of the pad.So all in all the cutout does it's job rather well. I didn't notice any irritation of the hand while moving across the surface but if you drag your pinky finger or part of your hand when gaming you will notice added resistance because of your pinky almost griping the surface instead of sliding.

Pad Stability

This pad doesn't move! It could partially be because of my desk but on a kitchen floor and counter-top I got the same results. The Deskgrip structure and polyurethane feet do a great job of keeping it in place as long as a smidge of pressure is applied. The feet were surrounded by a ring of plastic courtesy of their Deskgrip design which should prevent any of your pressure grippers from getting knocked off during transportation keeping your pad in shape to grip like it's supposed to. I pushed with my hand from the center towards each side and it didn't budge at all. As a matter of fact it forced some crap to fall off my desk because it shook the whole damn thing. Even when I put the pad feet down on some ashes from my friend Marlboro Blend No. 27 it didn't add anything different to the equation. RatpadzGS = doesn't F#$%ing move!

Durability

I was really impressed with the RatpadzGS although I was worried about receiving it slightly warped because they list on the official web site that if it arrives slightly warped just put it on an edge and bend it back. But of course the guys at www.frozencpu.com always do a great job and it arrived in perfect condition. Despite the feeling of the seaming "creamy" the actual plastic compound is extremely hard. In order to try and make a small scratch on the surface I literally had to put some extreme pressure on the screwdriver to even get it to start a scratch. This means that in a worst case scenario of something getting pushed around your desk and scratching your new mousepad it will take some serious accident to screw up your new pad. One of the things I noticed was with most of the pads so far there isn't a tracking issue after making this scratch and you can even tell it is there because of the textures surface being raised off the plastic slab. So durability wise this pad is a good investment if it fits your desired style of gaming.

Cleaning

How do I clean my Ratpadz; Mousing Surface?
Simply use warm soapy water or a glass cleaner like Windex or 409, is our suggestion. You can use more stringent cleaners but it is possible that they will wear the printing off the surface if it is a logo pad. We no longer suggest putting the RatpadzGS in the dishwasher. Although if you must, we highly suggest you do not use any heated cycles. We also suggest cleaning your mouse often to ensure proper tracking. If you feel as though you mouse is SLIDING on the pad and the ball is not gripping, this is highly likely because the surface is dirty or the mouse is dirty. Also might not be a bad idea to dry it off before you use it again. Optic mice of course will not have this issue.

As you can see it's great when a product web site actually has some pertinent information regarding their products. Basic cleaning methods which keeps it simple. Of course don't forget to scrub it down with a sponge and some dish soap if it ends up getting really grimy or you spill like some lasagna on it like I did last night. Although it discourages against washing in the dishwasher I don't think you should worry about drying it with a hairdryer really quick since it doesn't put out as much heat as a big ass dishwasher does and you can get back to you gaming faster instead of waiting on it to air dry. Once again a good pad for getting your cleaning done fast and you don't have to worry about screwing up your new pad and no separating of parts or additional bases and such to clean.

Visual Aspect

The RatpadzGS is another good lookin' black pad. It seems like people are figuring out what works and not going with crazy orange and purple like the older func1030 and sticking to what seems to be everyone's taste. It has a nice semi-gloss going on with the surface and the heat stamped logo its gonna keep it's reflective properties and remain almost mirror like until, if it all, the logo starts to wear down. It's also nice with the rounded edges because it appears more like its a "gaming extension" of your desk instead of just some square thing sitting on your desk. Overall it seems really sexy to me and from it's sales it seems to have the visual styling to keep it a viable option for people.

Pricerange

You can purchase the RatpadzGS for $11.95USD from www.frozencpu.com

Editor's Opinion

The RatpadzGS is a tried and true mousing surface and has had even greater engineering accomplishments with their newest updates to a good design. This pad is great for someone that wants a plastic pad ,doesn't want to go cloth and still wants that tactful feeling fir getting your mouse to stop on a dime. Although the sizing dimensions are larger than average there isn't really any difference in usable surface because of the sloped cutout cause like other pads you cant move around with your mouse hanging off the edge. This makes the RatpadzGS a pad that is more suitable for medium to high sensitivities users that want some stopping power. So once again another pad to meet the standard sizing and not eat your entire desk and give you a more competitive gaming surface without much glide slop. The rounded edges and slight wrist cutout is another good feature that is gonna cut down on some of your fatigue for your gaming marathons. Packaged with the comfort of a really strong pad you know its gonna stick around for a while so it's a great investment if it fits your tastes.

Everglide Ricochet 2.52

• 300mm Wide
• 240mm High
• 2.52mm Thick
• DUO-Precision surface.
• Non-slip rubber feet.

Nice padded box but no metal tin.	Comes with manual and certificate of authenticity.	Surface in its glory.	Little rubber feet.

One of Everglide's newest spawns is the Ricochet 2.52. This pad is definitely unique and they pay a good amount of detail to what it ships with. Each pad comes with a certificate of authenticity to make sure it's not some slop someone is faking and selling on ebay. It has 2 sides which caters well towards people still clunking around with a ball mouse but we are gonna concentrate more on the optical side as we have with all the dual surface pads before. So lets see how much attention to detail is really in this puppy and how well it stands up!

Resistance

This plastic pad is another slippery sheet of ice like the plastic market holds so dearly. The surface struck me as being very similar or an improvement on the func1030 yet it isn't quite that slippery. You can feel a small amount of the texture while mousing around but it isn't nearly as noticeable as the giganta and not nearly as coarse. The pad surprisingly isn't too "sloppy" perhaps because of having a mildly rough texture feeling while moving across. But glide-slop is always going to be an issue with plastic pads so this comparably is a little bit better than the func1030 or the Xtrac Hammer.

Comfort

This pad definitely isn't the lazy boy of the bunch but it has a couple of things that you yourself can do to improve it so it's just right. The pad has a very low profile so another great pad you can just forget about annoying pressure from a high edge and just get your game on. The DUO-precision surface has rubber feet on both sides of the pad which means they get in the way as you are mousing around or you can rub your wrist on them as they stick up about another 2.5mm. You can remove these rather easily with your fingernail or a knife by prying them up so you won't have the problem of running into those feet but you have to commit to using that one side of the surface. With the low profile and having those annoying feet removed from the side of your choice it makes for some pretty smooth gaming. The rating solely comes down because you do have to "mod" your mousepad to get it comfy but it's nice that you don't have to have another base to clean. You have a good amount of mousing surface to use especially if you take of those nasty feet and if your a medium to high sensitivity user this is another great pad for you to consider.

Pad Stability

This pad did ok on the stability test. Just ok. I noticed with a mild amount of force I could slide it around quite easily on the desk. In a heated multiplayer fiasco it didn't move even with me bumping into those rubber feet on the edge which I once again urge you to remove. It is important to note that it wasn't moving while gaming but part of having a good long lasting pad is all rolled into one and I feel that it's lacking a bit because people do move stuff around on their desk and do things other than game all the time so you need to be careful moving it around.

Durability

Don't let this thin little plastic pad fool you it's pretty burly. The plastic compound appears to be really hard compared the the thinner plastic surfaces of the func1030 and the Xtrac Hammer. It simply doesn't flex so your not going to have to worry about breaking your new pad! The rubber feet will most likely come off at some point or another if you move it around a lot or it say slides off your desk and gets pushed back on. So you only have to worry about you feet coming off so keep some epoxy handy just in case. Upon scratching it with a screwdriver it did leave a sizeable mark however all these pads have had no negative effect of tracking or of the mouse feet snagging while going over it and you can even tell its their when sliding on top of it.

A small scratch but still alive and kickin'.

This pad seems like it's going to be in for the long haul and due to it's hard compound it's not going to wear that bad, so your money could be well spent here. Keeping the box around to transport it to lans could be a good idea as well.

Cleaning

At first I was getting discouraged about no cleaning information being listed on the web site while awaiting this pad but to my surprise in the box there was a maintenance pamphlet included that tells you their recommended cleaning methods. Here is what they have listed:

A convenient little guide with enough plugs in there to make Microsoft look like they have nothing branded!

Introduction:
Each Everglide Ricochet 2.52 has been designed, engineered and manufactured to stringent quality requirements. However, you may find that over time, your gaming performance may be reduced if steps are not taken to maintain the Everglide Ricochet 2.52 to keep it keen and mean. If you experience inconsistencies in your mousing performance or precision, this could be due to residue building up on the Everglide Ricochet 2.52. This can be remedied immediately with no loss to your gaming performance.

Steps:

1. Wipe off any surface residue with a lint free cloth to ensure that any residue is removed from the DUO-precision™ surfaces.
2. For stubborn residue, use a slightly damp lint free cloth to wipe the surfaces with in a gentle clockwise or counter-clockwise motion.
3. If you experience slippages with the Everglide Ricochet 2.52, this is likely due to dust or dirt buildup on the non-slip feet. Use a slightly damp lint free cloth to gently wipe each of the non-slip feet.

Some pretty good information and it's nice that they listed it but once again household cleaners do the trick just fine for a quick wipe down. Scrubbing it down with dish soap always seems to work great just be careful not to break of those little rubber feet so naturally that makes it a little more difficult to clean.

Visual Aspect

Yet another sexy black pad. Black just plain works! The outer white trim is a nice touch and the logo stands out great on that black background. The edges have a smooth glossy finished plastic that adds a nice touch and allows the rubber feet to stick to the pad but of course your going to remove those on the side of the pad you plan to use. YOUR GOING TO REMOVE THEM DAMNIT!@#$ All this together puts together a pretty nice looking little pad that definitely isn't going to scare any lan-groupies away if their is such a thing.

Pricerange

You can purchase the Everglide Ricochet 2.52 for $17.99USD at www.frozencpu.com

Editor's Opinion

You can throw around as many fancy words as you want but when it comes down to it you really have to have a good pad and represent that if you are gonna wanna sell anything and I think Everglide has come up with a good addition to the gaming surface market. It's nice that people are still catering to ball users and optical users alike even though that's pretty much the standard right now. It's got a good feel to it, its pretty comfy if you remove the feet and it comes in a nice box to keep your investment protected. My only real beef with the pad is the feet because they are eventually going to get knocked off and you need to remove them from the side of the pad you are mousing on so you don't bump into them. It would've been nice to see perhaps some circles on the pad listing recommended feet placement and they sent you a little baggy of feet for you to apply yourself. Despite a couple of little quirks this pad is a pretty darn good investment and is perfect for plastic users that want a little bit more resistance than say a func1030 and still want to keep that traditional smooth feeling. If you are a medium to high sensitivity user this is another pad that is knocking down your door so mark this one down on your list when you consider jumping into the pad market.

Icemat Second Edition

• 10" High
• 12" Wide
• Glass Surface
• Comes with Padsurfer Teflon Tape specifically for Icemat.

Nice box even though they can't spell!	Pad comes with its own tape and instructions.	Nice frosted glass with logo at the bottom.

And then God made Ice. The Icemat Second Edition is the companies latest incarnation which boasts a nice frosted glass pad with a larger footprint than their previous versions. It shows up in a nice box with styrofoam padding inside the box and comes with its own teflon tape made specifically for the pad, even comes with instructions. This is a very unique pad because.....it's made of glass. No plastic no cloth just strong glass. Let's see if this thing is smooth enough to make you ownz0r Brian Boitano on da 1ce!

Resistance

The way I tried to rate the amount of resistance for this pad is a little different than I did for the other pads we have looked at. The Icemat comes with it's own teflon tape made specifically for it! So I took off the Mouseskatez I had on my mouse for the other reviews and started to get my mouse ready for testing.

Picked up my handy dandy anti-static cleaning wipes to wipe the gunk off of my mouse feet.	Here is my mouse after cleaning getting ready to have some new shoes added!

Size you mouse feet and cut one section from the tape. Then take that and lay it over the top of the tape. Cut the next one the same size and repeat.	Apply the tape carefully making sure to cover all of the mouse foot. Push it in around the edges of the foot.	Here is what I had left over after doing a hefty 5 mouse feet. Plenty left for another application	The backing is ridged making it much easier to peel off and apply.	Here is how I peeled it off just enough so I can apply it and pull the rest of the backing off.

This is the closest thing I've seen to not having any resistance at all. There is barely a hint of resistance present so this pad is all glide-slop but it's perfect for someone that just wants super smooth movement. It's great for tracking people because you don't want to get little stops while trying to slowly move and track them by your mouse catching every little movement. There isn't a whole lot to say here because there is no real unique differences like with the other plastic and cloth pads. Take your mouse and sit it on some glass and move it around. It's super smooth! Now imagine it with some specially designed super strong teflon tape made just for it. Your basically just playing mouse hockey. It's like butter baby!@#$@

Comfort

Pretty much the same baseline everyone follows. There isn't a whole lot you can do with a square sheet to make it comfortable. round the edges off a bit and keep a low profile or have a cushy cloth pad. I noticed no pressure on my wrist or anything from the pad. There is no way you can irritate the side of your hand of base of your palm from sliding it around cause its glass. Unless your somehow "allergic" to glass this thing is gonna be uber comfy. Low profile, rounded edges, no irritation = good pad.

The teflon feet are great and cut down on the noise big time. I used it without any tape and I could hear the slight scraping noise and it was kind of annoying. After applying the tape it was really quite with a slight sound from mousing but nothing very noticeable. It's definitely not loud enough for you to hear while gaming or when you got your favorite tunes jamming out.

Pad Stability

I was surprised once again! There is no information listed on the company web site or the box about what kind of feet are on this puppy. They seem to be some kind of clear hard rubber but they sure as hell do a great job of keeping it in place. Since there is no resistance between your hand or mouse your not going to budge it at all while gaming. When pushing really hard from the center of the pad to the left or right it would barely budge at all. Only moved about a centimeter max! So this is another feature that helps make up a little bit of the price tag for this thing. So basically this thing just stays put and does its job.

Durability

The thing arrived in one piece in a nice box padded with styrofoam. It's a sheet of glass and I'd imagine it can be shattered but seems pretty strong. You shouldn't worry about cracking it by sitting anything on it just keep that pad in the box when setting your gear up at a lan cause you wouldn't want to sit say bur monitor down on it and crack. Since it's glass it would take an insane amount of hours from gaming usage to show any wear if at all. The feet seem very firmly attached to the bottom of the pad so they aren't going anywhere. The best part is you can be comfortable with your purchase when you know you aren't going to see any signs of wear. No slightly worn area of a plastic surface or no fraying of a cheap old cloth pad.

The teflon tape seems very durable compared to the average bunch. It's much thicker and I was unable to tear it by scratching very hard with my fingernail so from normal usage it's going to stick around for a while. As a bonus you can see I had enough tape leftover to do my mouse again in the future before I would have to buy some more tape.

Just BE CAREFUL NOT TO SIT SOMETHING HEAVY ON YOUR PAD! Don't use it to hold the door open or sit your TV or Monitor or barbells or anything on there. Just don't be stupid and be careful with your glass pad. Treat it like a pretty pretty princess and it'll stroke you b.....I mean be good to you too.

Cleaning

The company does list some cleaning information on their web site thankfully and although short it does have a nice suggestion about mirror cleaner.

Cleaning:
For optimal performance it is recommended to clean the surface of the Icemat occasionally. We recommend products used to clean mirrors applied on a cloth.

Pretty neat idea to clean it with mirror cleaner to keep it nice, shiny and clean. Of course you can use Windex or any other household cleaner to get the gunk off with no problem but that mirror cleaner or Windex won't leave any residue behind.

Visual Aspect

This is one of the most unique pads we've looked at so far and it's definitely got it's own thing going on. It's a frosted sheet of glass which has some "special coating" and on the bottom it has something sprayed on it or painted or whatever it is to make it flat black so when you peer down through it you see a nice frosted logo. We all know black continues to attract gamers cause everyone seems to like it so they didn't go wrong there. The frosted logo is just too damn cool and given it has slightly larger dimensions than the previous standard size of pads it looks like it is there for a reason. Pretty good lookin' little pad.

Pricerange

You can purchase the Icemat Second Edition for $46.89USD at www.icemat.com

Editor's Opinion

If you want a smooth and laid back gaming experience and still want a competitive edge this pad is screaming your name. There is no resistance at all and it makes it VERY easy to track people as they move around in game with no little stopping from your mouse catching your pad. The Icemat is great for medium to high sensitivity users but due to the extra amount of real estate you could turn down your sensitivity a little bit more than usual to get a little more accuracy out of your pad. If your looking for a plastic pad that is smooth with a little bit more space then go glass and pick this bad boy up. It may just be worth the cost for a lot of people out there. It definitely gets some styling point because having that frosted glass with logo sitting beside your pimprig and light-up keyboard it adds some style points for sure. The only downside to the pad is the cost is more than double most of the other pads on the market. I wish it would come down a lot more but it is a high quality pad and you know you are paying for a different kind of material that is more expensive. Ever broken a window before.....if so you know what I'm talking about. If it fits your taste have fun playing mouse hockey and be careful not to sit something heavy on it and break it.

Steelpad 4S

• 257mm High
• 290mm Wide
• 3.3mm Thick with base.
• Solid slab of aluminum.
• Does not work with Logitech Optical mice other than the MX Series.

Da Box.	Aluminum pad glory.	Nice little logo.	The base.

Another unique pad has hit the market and gotten a pretty good following and this is the icon right here. The Steelpad 4S is in fact made of a solid sheet of aluminum and not steel but still provides an interesting metallic gaming experience. It arrives in a thin box kind of like a folder with the pad and Steelpad Padsurfer tape inside. The base is very similar to the rubber doily junk you put in cabinets to stop plates from cracking or sliding around when you throw them in there. Lets take a look at this little guy and see how cool aluminum gaming can be.

Resistance

Once again I changed my mouse setup to tailor it to this pad by using the provided tape. With the tape still on from the Icemat I moused around a bit on it and I was put down a bit. There was a very loud scratching sound coming from the pad and it felt very rough while moving around so I was very surprised that a 40 dollar pad would feel like this. Boy was I wrong after going through the steps and applying the tape.

Picked up my handy dandy anti-static cleaning wipes to wipe the gunk off of my mouse feet.	Here is my mouse after cleaning getting ready to have some new shoes added!

Size you mouse feet and cut one section from the tape. Then take that and lay it over the top of the tape. Cut the next one the same size and repeat.	Apply the tape carefully making sure to cover all of the mouse foot. Push it in around the edges of the foot.	Here is what I had left over after doing a hefty 5 mouse feet. Plenty left for another application	The backing has domelike indentions making it much easier to peel off and apply. It was very hard to take a good picture to show it off.	Here is how I peeled it off just enough so I can apply it and pull the rest of the backing off.

After getting the tape on I was astounded. The scraping noise was completely gone and was replaced with a little bit of a sliding sound but very quiet. It no longer felt rough at all and provided a little bit of tactfulness which I was surprised to see on a metal pad. It had glide slop but was still rather easy for it to come to a halt and stick where you wanted it too. This struck me as being another big surprise cause this doesn't totally follow under the staple for the plastic market again. I'm really happy that all these pads have ended up not being clones.

Comfort

Another low profile pad and your gonna have comfort. The aluminum is very smooth while mousing around and you can't feel any texture at all while sliding around. If your hand or side of your finger slides on the pad your not going to have any irritation because the surface is flawless. It's so low you won't feel the edge on your wrist so no annoying pressure points to worry about. The shape of the pad makes it tailored to people who do a lot more mousing by moving it around with their wrist so the surface is tailored to you. Since it's a metal surface if your room is cold your hand is gonna freeze on it when you sit down and start using it so be sure and keep your room at "optimal gaming temperature!"

Pad Stability

No base and no feet I was starting to wonder how this thing is going to stay put. The little doily looking base is almost exactly the same thing you put in cabinets to stop your dishes from sliding around but this seemed a lot stickier than the ones you buy at wal-mart. It does an incredible job of holding the thing in place and you won't even have to worry about feet getting broken off. This little guy doesn't move at all. Another pad which I started to put pressure on the center and move side to side to see if I could budge it an instead I knocked crap off my desk and shook my monitor. The doily thingy does an incredible job so you don't ever have to worry about this thing moving around on you. Game hard and fast and don't worry it's still gonna be there!

Durability

It's big sheet of aluminum. It's metal and metal is strong. It doesn't flex so you won't break it. The rubber doily base thingy could be cut but under normal movement I doubt that anything bad would come to it but still be weary. That's the only thing that is bringing it's rating down. Trying to scratch it with a shit-ton of force lead to nothing but a hairline scratch. This pad is strong, enough said!

Cleaning

Some cleaning information listed on the web site is always a plus in my kudos book. Here is what they have listed:

Cleaning:
Do not clean with anything consisting regular soap, this might leave a hinde.

For optimal performance it is recommended to clean the surface of the Steelpad occasionally. We recommend products used to clean mirrors applied on a cloth.

To prevent the mouse from making scratching noise when used on the Steelpad, it is important to keep the mouse feet clean, either by regular cleaning or by using the enclosed teflon tape.

The mirror cleaner is great because it would leave little to no residue behind. Cleaning with dish soap could leave some residue behind but since there is no crevices or anywhere for the funk to hide in you can just wipe it down with windex. This thing will dry very quickly too since it's made of aluminum and water can be wiped off it very quickly. As for cleaning the doily base thingy just use some dish soap to get it cleaned so it can do it's job and stick for you.

Visual Aspect

Pricerange

You can purchase the Steelpad 4S for $50.25USD at www.steelpad.com

Editor's Opinion

The Steelpad 4S is a great pad adding another factor into the market, metal. A good looking brushed aluminum pad designed for medium to high sensitivity users. It has a nice slope for your wrist to sit and it's tailored to people who kind of twist their wrist when mousing left to right. The best part about the design is having that cutout slope for your wrist you have it bumped out at the top so they aren't robbing you of some surface area there. The Steelpad Padsurfer tape it comes with works incredibly good with this pad and seems pretty durable. You know the metal is gonna stick around for a while so while your shelling over the bucks for it you know the thing isn't going to break on your after a month or too. It would be nice to see the price on it knocked down a bit but for companies to keep putting out good products they gotta make a buck here and there. It's easy to take care of and stays put for your frantic gaming sessions. So this is yet another pad that makes it own mark and it could be just right for you!

Final Thoughts

The current lineup is definately a huge step in the right direction. People are putting a lot of time and effort into designing products for gamers these days so that our experience can be pleasant and take care of our competitive whims. All the pads reviewed were great and like I imagined, each has it's own respective feeling and deserves to have some real information about each pad listed for people to read up before they shell some money out. Each surface is very different and the market isn't as simple as Plastic vs. Cloth anymore.

Lots of pads continue to float around on the market and more and more clones come out each day so it's hard to tell the difference in what is quality and what is something thrown together to jump on a bandwagon. All of the pads in the Roundup are very well made and the companies have spent a lot of time on testing and developing their products.

We have started to see some product endorsements lately with the rise of competitive gaming circuits and I'm willing to be that's a trend we'll see in the future as well. Hopefully this will bring new surfaces with their own unique abilities in the future and allow for more competition in the market lowering prices.

There is no #1 pad in this review because that would strictly be my personal preference. All that I wanted was to try and relay the feeling and quality highpoints of each product to be listed on the net so you can make a well thought out purchase when you pick out which pad you want to take your gaming to the next step.

I hope you can take the information I have listed here and confidently purchase the pad you are looking for. In a market that is growing so fast you shouldn't have to go around buying blindly and hope it's what you wanted when it arrives on your doorstep.

So use this as a guide for some pertinent information on the pad your researching. Don't go around reading about the #1 pad and make an educated purchase so you can be happy and the companies can continue to grow and produce more great products for us to use.