It’s possible that using a gaming mouse pad might enhance your gaming experience. With this, you may have more command over your mouse, improving your accuracy. It also helps prevent your mouse from moving around too freely.
So, Yes, a gaming mousepad makes difference in your gaming experience.
Benefits of using a Gaming Mousepad
A mouse pad specifically designed for a gaming mouse offers a stable platform for the player’s mouse during gameplay. There are several reasons to utilize a gaming mouse pad, but the most crucial is the improvement in precision you’ll experience. In addition to protecting a gamer’s desktop from scratches, a mouse pad improves mouse control and accuracy.
Disadvantages of using a Gaming Mousepad
When compared to the cost of other computer peripherals, mouse pads are quite affordable. Pads for gaming and general use are about the same size and may be purchased for as little as $5-$10. Size matters when it comes to cost, so expect to pay $20 to $30 for a big pad and up to $40 for an extra-large one.
Larger mouse pads are often exclusively available for gaming, and as a result, they are more costly. On the other hand, they have some cool extras like an ultra-smooth finish, an anti-slip base, and even RGB lights!
A mousepad can affect your Mouse’s performance
There was a period when people solely used padded mouse pads. In the early days of computer mice, a roller ball was used to detect movement; this rubber or metal ball required a padded pad to roll smoothly. The roller ball was housed inside the mouse, above a hole at the base. One’s actions on the mouse pad were sent to the computer as the ball rolled over the pad. The mouse was almost useless unless you had a smooth mouse pad to provide enough friction to move the ball. It would function, but accuracy would suffer and it may get caught on crumbs or lint without a mouse pad.
These days, optical and laser mice are standard on computers. Due to their increased speed and accuracy, optical and laser mice have surpassed roller-ball mice in popularity.
Just as the name says, optical mice record everything that is sent to a sensor. A digital signal processor (DSP) receives the data and performs the necessary analysis. Why? Because the mouse, in metaphor, has eyes that can follow your every move and doesn’t need a cushioned floor. Laser mice are likewise optical devices, but instead of using a light sensor, they use a red laser beam.
Types of Gaming Mousepads
Gaming mouse pads come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, materials, and designs. Some are constructed of hard plastic, while others are woven. The surfaces of some are smooth, whereas those of others are textured. Some are tailored to certain genres of games, while others are more flexible. The finest mouse pad for you is the one that allows you to play at your preferred comfort and accuracy levels.
A firm pad will often have a uniformly flat and smooth surface. Glass and metal, for example, are two materials that tend to be more trustworthy than others. Surfaces will vary in roughness depending on the softness chosen.
More friction from a rougher surface might make your movement seem slower. A gaming mouse pad is ideal if you prefer to move your mouse swiftly, since it may remove friction. These pads are intended to give the most frictionless surface for quick, precise action.
Why You should definitely buy a Gaming Mousepad?
Improve Your Tracking Methods
A mouse pad’s flat surface allows the mouse sensor to precisely monitor your movements. Gameplay in first-person shooters and multiplayer online battle arenas (MOBAs) places a premium on pinpoint accuracy.
If you’re playing Overwatch or Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, for instance, you’ll benefit from playing on a flat surface since it gives you more control over your crosshair and the accuracy with which you can move it. On the other hand, you run the risk of missing your target or giving away your location if the ground isn’t level.
Watch out for desk scratches.
Eventually, the surface of your table where you move your gaming mouse will get permanently scratched by your mouse’s movement. This detracts from the aesthetic value of your gaming desk, particularly if it has been painted.
Investing in a gaming mouse pad is your best bet against premature wear. A gaming mouse, even a cheap one, will prevent this type of damage from occurring.
A wide variety of surfaces are available.
Typically, there is just one surface option available for gaming workstations. However, a mouse pad is a smart investment if you value the ability to alter various surfaces to find the optimal glide that suits your play style and preferences.
Materials such as plastic, linen, metal, and even glass may be used to make mouse pads. You can choose a material that works for you because of the variety of textures and weights available.
Keep the Pointer Accurate
Game mouse pads are hard and often have a uniform texture, in contrast to desk surfaces that frequently acquire lumps, notches, and other abnormalities on the surface. Thus, friction is maintained, and the distance your mouse will travel in response to an applied force can be predicted with some degree of accuracy.
When the friction between the mouse’s surface and the hand is inconsistent, it might be difficult to start and stop the mouse with any degree of precision, reducing the pointer’s accuracy.
Lengthen the Service of Your Mouse Feet
Scratches and dings from everyday usage or dropped things are a fact of life for flat surfaces like tables. The feet of your gaming mouse will wear down faster if you use it on such surfaces.
Maintaining functional mouse feet is crucial since they reduce drag and aid in the mouse’s natural movement. Investing in a mouse pad is the most effective approach to extend the useful life of your mouse’s feet.
When dragged over a hard surface, such as a wooden desk, the sound of a mouse’s feet is amplified. A cotton mouse pad will greatly reduce this noise.
Best Gaming Mousepads on the Market
- SteelSeries QcK Gaming Surface – Cloth Mouse Pad of All Time – Optimized for Gaming Sensors – Maximum Control
- Logitech G440 Hard Gaming Mouse Pad for High DPI Gaming
- Corsair MM700 RGB Extended Cloth Gaming Mouse Pad
- Razer Gigantus v2 Cloth Gaming Mouse Pad (Medium): Thick, High-Density Foam – Non-Slip Base
The answer to the question, “What is a decent mouse pad?” is very individual and dependent on factors such as playing preference and personal comfort.
When combined with my Logitech G5000, the SteelSeries QcK Gaming Surface’s silky smoothness allows me to achieve the speed and precision with which I’m happy when playing first-person shooter games.
Conclusion
The usage of a mouse pad is not a foolproof method for improving your gaming skills, but it is nevertheless highly recommended. Use a mouse pad to keep your cursor steady and improve your tracking.
They protect your desk or gaming surface from scratches and your mouse feet from wearing out prematurely. You’ll find that your wrists can relax more easily on one made of cotton.