Mouse Pad Review 2023

If touchpads on the laptop are too inaccurate, or if you use a desktop PC, you should own a mousepad. The documents are favorable and improve them Accuracy and gliding behavior the mouse enormous. Gamers and professional users in particular cannot avoid a mouse pad. But what aspects make a mousepad a good and useful part of the office? Is it worth to spend more money or should users simply cheapest product in the right size grasp? You will find out in our following test. If you are looking for even more peripherals, you might find what you are looking for in our cheap gaming keyboards or Bluetooth mice test.

What matters when it comes to mouse pads

Mouse pads come in different sizes and varieties. We prefer the XXL variants on which the keyboard can also be placed. Depending on the space available and personal taste, you may have a different opinion. Most mouse pads are offered in all different dimensions anyway. For gamers, size is mostly a question of mouse sensitivity. Who only at 1600 DPI starts requires significantly less space than users playing at 400 DPI. You probably know best how much space you need. But as so often, the basic rule is: better too much than too little. As long as the mousepad is on the Table fits, in principle nothing speaks against the XXL variant. 

DPI stands for dots per inch, i.e. points per inch, and indicates the resolution of the mouse. The higher the resolution, the more sensitive the mouse is. Ergo, a shorter distance must be covered with the mouse for the same movement on the display.

Soft pad vs hard pad

In terms of materials, there was still discord a few years ago. At that time, hard pads, i.e. mouse pads made of plastic or plastic that are significantly harder than their counterparts made of fabric, were even more popular than they are today. In the meantime, the vast majority of users use clothpads, corresponding to the name mousepads made of fabric. Both versions have advantages and disadvantages. Cloth mousepads are soft and therefore feel more comfortable. Hard mouse pads can be uncomfortable, especially on the forearm.

Wear and tear on the underside of the mouse is also reduced with soft mouse pads. On the other hand, hard mouse pads wear out less quickly and are easier to clean. Plastic mouse pads are said to have better gliding properties. We believe that cloth mouse pads are the better option, simply because of the greater comfort. That's why we're testing four pads with a fabric surface in our mousepad comparison. Later more.

The products in the mousepad comparison

For the Mouse Pad Test we choose a mixture of well-known brands and particularly cheap products. As already mentioned, most of the products are soft pads made of fabric. Only one device is made of aluminum and must therefore be assigned to the hard pads. Since there are no individual tests, we will briefly compare the products to you in the following paragraph.

HyperX Fury S Pro

The HyperX Fury S Pro comes from Kingston's well-known gaming brand and, with a thickness of 4 millimeters, offers decent cushioning for users who place their mouse a little harder. This is an advantage especially for competitive gamers and their fellow gamers. We are curious whether the Fury S Pro can perform better than the last HyperX product on our side, the Gaming Headset HyperX Cloud Revolver S

Silent Monsters Mouse Pad Ben XXL

The Silent Monsters mouse pad Ben is by far the cheapest mouse pad of its size in our comparison. Measuring 90 x 40 centimetres, it is also suitable as a base for the keyboard and offers more than enough space for the mouse. A blessing, especially for users with low mouse sensitivity. Thanks to its neutral design without branding, the large mousepad is also suitable for the office.

ASUS ROG GM50

ASUS has also had to have a product tested by us. The ASUSTOR AS3202T showed proper function, but failed when setting up the NAS server. The ASUS Republic of Gamers GM50 comes with a special shape and a cable holder on the left corner. At €16 for a 38 x 28 centimeter fabric mouse pad, ASUS is asking a high price. The large mouse pad with the same dimensions as the Silent Monsters even costs €35. However, the Taiwanese promise that a special coating eliminates 99,9% of bacteria. In addition, buyers receive a stylish rubber strap with the ROG logo. Is that worth it?

Corsair MM600

The Corsair MM600 is the most expensive mouse pad in comparison and at the same time the only hard pad. It is made of aluminum and has two distinct sides, one smooth and the other slightly textured. Instead of a rubberized bottom like the other devices use, the MM600 has rubber feet on both sides on all four corners. Due to the already limited size of 35 x 27 centimeters without a larger variant, this could become a serious disadvantage.

AmazonBasics XXL Gaming Mouse Pad

As with many other products, Amazon also offers its own product for the mousepads. The AmazonBasics XXL gaming mousepad looks like a simple but decent mousepad for a small price. You can now find out whether there are differences to the branded products in our comparison.

The criteria in the mouse pad test

With the help of these criteria we try to find the best mouse pad. First and foremost, of course, is the mousepad's precision and gliding behavior. After all, that is the primary reason for purchase. Unfortunately, it gets a bit subjective here, since there are hardly any precise measurement methods that can be used here. We therefore test the mousepads at work and in-game to find differences. Due to its importance, this criterion already accounts for half of the overall rating. Under the term Look & Feel, we evaluate the design and, for lack of a better description, how pleasant the mouse pad feels. The fabric should not scratch and the edges should be rounded and flat as possible. Ultimately, we evaluate the materials used, slip resistance and defects such as frayed edges with the processing.

• Precision & Glide (50%)
• Look&Feel (30%)
• Processing (20%)

Now we come to the mousepad comparison.

Precision & Glide (50%)

In order to test the precision and the gliding behavior of the mousepads, we worked on each surface for a few hours. Additionally, we wasted valuable work time in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. With editors who have spent more time in-game than outside, every difference is noticeable. And indeed, contrary to our expectations, there were relatively clear differences between the mouse pads. The Corsair MM600 clearly has the best gliding behavior. The metal surface is much smoother and creates less friction than the soft fabric mousepads. However, this only applies to the smooth side of the pad. When using the textured side of the MM600, we hear an unpleasant scratching noise from the mouse. We were able to see this fact in both our Logitech MX Master 2S and the G703. Such occurrences did not occur with the soft pads. All bases enable precise work and slide well. The AmazonBasics mousepad is an exception here. Although the fabric is relatively smooth, it feels as if the pad is holding back movements with the mouse a little. We suspect that the mousepad's material is less forgiving.

Of the soft pads, we like the HyperX Fury S Pro best when it comes to gliding. The smooth surface leads to very precise and fluid movements. The Silent Monsters mouse pad lands just behind. It gives similarly good results. The ASUS ROG GM50 uses a slightly coarser fabric. The anti-bacterial effect of the mouse pad is probably hidden here. Anyway, decent work and relaxed gaming is also possible here, but we like HyperX and Silent Monsters better here. Result: At least in terms of precision and gliding, all models perform well. The HyperX Fury S Pro is a tack ahead of the competition. But all are better than the table.

Look&Feel (30%)

First of all, we add another point to the Look & Feel category: Smell. In short, all soft pads smell unpleasantly of chemicals when unpacked. After a few days, however, the smell subsides and ultimately disappears completely. Only the Corsair MM600 smells of nothing. However, we do not want to deduct points for this. Rubber and fabric just smell after production. If that bothers you, you can wash your mouse pad by hand with warm water and a little washing-up liquid without any problems. Only the washing machine should be avoided, especially for products that are not sewn, as the edge may fray. Back to the topic.

There were a few negative surprises in terms of look & feel. For example the AmazonBasics. Unfortunately, the edge of the soft pad is not sewn and can therefore fray. Much worse than that, however, is that the edge scratches your forearm when you put it on. Very uncomfortable and unacceptable. A similar problem occurs with the Corsair MM660. Although the metal is pleasantly cool to the touch, we get stuck to the mouse pad after a few minutes. The hard pad becomes torture on hot days. In addition, the mouse pad's rubber feet are annoying. They are on all four corners and on both sides. Due to the pad's already undersized size, those feet become a nuisance. Especially for gamers, whom Corsair obviously wants to appeal to with the design, an obstacle glued to the mouse pad should not cause enthusiasm. Furthermore, the eye-catching, albeit very cool, design limits the use of the MM600 to at-home use. The same goes for HyperX and ASUS mousepads. Only the Silent Monsters is approved for the open-plan office. Thanks to the serious design without branding, sewn edges that prevent fraying and the very pleasant and soft material, the affordable mousepad wins this criterion.

Processing (20%)

When it comes to processing, no product completely disappoints. The ASUS ROG GM50 has a more or less practical cable holder on the left corner. First, we think a mouse bungee works better, and second, the mousepad isn't big enough to sacrifice the left corner to the cable. But there are also users who play with higher sensitivity. So maybe a useful feature for some. The underside of the GM50 is completely rubberized, just like all softpads, and therefore ensures stability. However, ASUS uses a slightly coarser profile, giving the GM50 less slip resistance than the HyperX and Silent Monsters, although the latter also benefits from its massive size.

The AmazonBasics also relies on a very light rubber coating, but remains stable overall. The Corsair MM600 is outstandingly processed. It is stable and can hardly be bent. We still think the size is the only problem. And although the rubber feet take up space and look annoying, they hold up perfectly. 

Conclusion on the mouse pad test 

We actually thought it would be difficult to create a meaningful mousepad comparison. Now, at least we think we've found some interesting points. If you are looking for the best mousepad, you have to go for the HyperX Fury S Pro. If you are willing to spend a little more than necessary, you should buy the XL version for just under €35. You can never have enough mouse pads. But then it gets interesting, because the price-performance winner of our comparison, the Silent Monsters mouse pad Ben XXL, is already available for less than half. A great and large mouse pad without any significant flaws, with good gliding behavior and a serious design. And all this for less than 15€. We would like to advise against the AmazonBasics. In comparison to the other models in particular, there are clear weaknesses in terms of comfort. If you still want to transfer money to Amazon, you should check out our test series for the best Tablets view. Maybe the Amazon Fire HD 10 is something for you.