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Do you really need a mouse pad?
In a word, yes.
It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, but it should be designed for that purpose.
UPDATE: 12/20/21
Verified content and links are still good.
It’s Good for Your Mouse
Pick up your mouse.
See those smooth flat bits on the top and the bottom?
They’re called “feet.”
(Yes, the analogy is being extended, long after mice stopped having “tails.")
Those feet are little low-friction sliding pads, meant to make it easy to slide your mouse around.
There’s a lot of thought and engineering going on in those things!
The mouse on the right was used on hardwood for more than a year.
But the point here is, they’re important.
This inexpensive cloth pad covers all the basics for just a few bucks.
And because they’re made of plastic or other soft materials, they’re also vulnerable.
A softer fabric or plastic surface keeps that from happening and keeps your mouse moving smoother longer.
Wood, glass, plastic, metal.
Something pretty solid, at least sturdy enough not to buckle under the weight of a few pounds.
With a few exceptions, that material is going to get worn down with extended rubbing and sliding.
The wood grain you see on the top of them is a vinyl sticker.
It makes it look good, but it’s much more susceptible to wear and tear.
If you want your furniture to last, don’t use a naked mouse on top of it.
Those super-accurate sensors aren’t everywhere, but they’re easy enough to find.
But your mouse really isn’t designed to be used that way.
Is it absolutely necessary?
Which One Should You Use?
This inexpensive cloth pad covers all the basics for just a few bucks.
There are plenty offancy mouse padsout there, all promising to make your mouse work better.
And, they do.
But here’s the thing: they all do to more or less the exact same degree.
Here are a few things to consider when looking for a mouse pad.
Decide which ones are important to you, and choose accordingly.
Again, a $10 cloth mouse pad from just about anywhere will fulfill your basic requirements here.
This hard plastic mouse pad is ideal for gamers who rely on quick mouse movements.
This inexpensive cloth pad covers all the basics for just a few bucks.
Even so, it’s not so hard that it’ll hurt your mouse’s feet.
This hard plastic mouse pad is ideal for gamers who rely on quick mouse movements.
It’s available in a few different sizes, with the largest almost four feet long.
This enormous Razer pad doesn’t do anything fancy, but it’s almost four feet long.
If you want one built into your mouse pad, this Belkin version works quite well.
This enormous Razer pad doesn’t do anything fancy, but it’s almost four feet long.
This mouse pad includes a gel-filled rest at the bottom.
It’s available in “big” and “very big” sizes.
This mouse pad lights up.
It can even do it in time with your music, if you set up Razer Chroma right.
This mouse pad includes a gel-filled rest at the bottom.
This mouse pad lights up. It can even do it in time with your music, if you set up Razer Chroma right.
