Which Gaming Mouse Pad Should You Use?

The Razer Vespula has a clever design that distinguishes it from most other mouse pads. It has two different surfaces and a detachable wrist rest, making it flexible and comfortable. All you do is swap sides is flip the pad over and slide the wrist rest back into place.

The Vespula is a solid pad built from an aluminium base, making it a stable surface for your mouse. The first of the two surfaces are designed for making fast mouse movements, while the other side is better suited for precision.

Dimensions: 300mm (length) x 240mm (width) x 4mm (height)

The Razer Vespula is a great surface for gaming and the gel-filled wrist rest does make long gaming sessions more comfortable. The only downside is that because this mouse pad is made from aluminium it cannot be rolled up and carried in a bag if you're off to a LAN party.

Rating: 8/10

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Buy a Razer Vespula from Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk
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Probably best known as the Icemat, the Steelseries Experience I-2 is probably the classiest mouse pad you can buy. Made from glass, the Icemat looks great in any of the four colours available (black, clear, pink or blue). Its cool surface feels great too, and gives the mouse a lovely slippery feel as it slides across the surface of the glass.

Although not marketed as a gaming mouse pad, the Icemat is ideal for gamers and graphic artists alike. The surface of the glass has a 'secret' coating that helps optical mice read the surface, as well as reducing friction.

Dimensions: 305mm (length) x (width) x 254mm (length) x 4mm (height)

The Icemat manages to combine both form and function to give a gaming mouse pad that's great to use and great to look at. Just make sure you don't drop anything heavy on it!

Rating 8/10

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Buy a Nova Killer from Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk
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At first glance the Nova Killer 2 looks an unusual gaming mouse pad. For a start it has a very distinctive shape, but it also has a gritty texture to the surface that feels slightly rough to the touch.

However, in use it's great. That gritty texture is made up of tiny crystals that really boost the sensitivity of your mouse, and despite feeling rough the pad creates very little friction so the mouse is easy to move.

The unusual shape works well, giving you plenty of room to move the mouse. There is a raised edge around the pad so you insitinctiviely know when your mouse is about to go over the edge, while the straight edge on the left of the mouse pad allows you to position it to the side of your keyboard (assuming you're a right-handed mouse user). On the base of the pad is a rubbery substance that grips to your desk like a limpet, meaning the pad won't shift in the middle of a firefight.

Dimensions: 337mm (length) x 307mm (width) x 3mm (height)

It might look funny, but don't let that put you off as the Nova Killer 2 is a fantastic gaming mouse pad.

Rating 9/10

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Buy a Nova Killer from Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk
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As more and more gamers start to use laptops as their main gaming machine there's been a growing need for a mousepad that can be easily carried around without taking up too much space. Some cloth mousepads are fine for this, but the Razer Kabuto manages to combine a great gaming surface with a sleek profile that makes it perfect for laptop gaming.

The Razer Kabuto is so thin (just 1.2mm) that it can be placed inbetween the keyboard and screen when the laptop is closed. This means it not only takes up no extra space in your bag, but it also offers some protection for the screen.

Measuring 280mm x 195mm, the Kabuto is big enough for gaming. It's rubber backing makes sure it stays firmly in place on whatever surface you choose to place it, and the microfibre material ensures a great tracking response from your gaming mouse.

Rating 8/10

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Buy a Razer Kabuto from Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk
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The Roccat Sense is a large cloth pad that features a microcrystalline coating. Sounds great, but what does that mean? Put simply, there are tiny crystals embedded in the surface of the mouse that both improve the reflective properties of the pad surface, but also help the mouse glide more easily.

The Roccat Sense is available in a choice of two designs, Glacier Blue (above) or Adrenalin Blue, both of which are technically identical.

Dimensions: 400mm (length) x 280mm (width) x 1.35mm (height)

Overall this is a good choice for a mouse mat. It works well with any mouse and comes with a tube so you can roll it up and carry it around with you. It also looks pretty cool!

Rating 7/10

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Buy a Razer Exactmat from Amazon.com or Amazon
Check for cheap Roccat Sense pads on Ebay