The pad is designed to ensure accurate positioning of the mouse cursor and prevent slippage of the manipulator. Plastic or wooden tabletops, as a rule, do not provide adequate signal transmission quality. Also, the convenience of hand positioning and the level of fatigue during work depend on the rug.
Optimally selected mat - a guarantee of smooth sliding of the mouse, its low level of pollution, and, accordingly, the accuracy of work. In a word, such an unimportant device can make it easier or more difficult to use a computer.
Main selection criteria
Purpose of the rug
Rugs can be divided into two groups - games and workers. Increased requirements are made to the first ones, since during the game the accuracy of aiming and positioning is very important. Such mats can have a different size depending on the preferred games - large strategies are suitable for strategies and RPGs; for fans of shooters, it will be convenient to use small and medium mats designed for high mouse sensitivity.
Rugs for work in the first place should be comfortable to prevent wicking hands during use. For these purposes, work mats are often equipped with a soft pad on which the wrist rests. It contributes to continuous work without fatigue, but it is completely unsuitable for games - the hand is shackled in movement and is located unnaturally high above the mouse.
Carpet structure
According to the material of manufacture, the mats are divided into rag, plastic and rubber. There are also less common varieties - gel or cork. Rag models have a smooth surface, but the accuracy of the mouse movement will not be very high. The advantage of this rug is its low cost, it is used mainly by ordinary PC users.
Plastic mats due to the dense structure of their surface provide a particularly accurate positioning of the cursor, which determines the gaming scope of their application. They are universal and can be used both under laser and optical mice.
Rubberized surface provides good grip. The low cost and variety of colors allow you to use such a rug both for games and for work.
Ease of use
For different purposes it is necessary to choose mats with different characteristics. For example, for a laptop, often used in confined spaces, you need to pick up a small rug with a hard base that does not require a flat surface.
For fans of several genres of games it will be convenient to choose a rug with two surfaces. For example, the first will contribute to greater accuracy of moving the cursor, and the second - the speed of moving the mouse.
Other selection criteria
For many fans of computer games the decisive factor is the image applied to the surface of the rug. For ordinary users, coloring matters - bright colors fade over time and become covered with dark spots. The shape of the rug is also a selection criterion. There are round, oval, rectangular and other shapes.
Most Popular Manufacturers
Rugs under the brand A4Tech are fairly high quality and affordable. A distinctive feature of this product is the high surface friction coefficient, which ensures the accuracy of the signal from the mouse. Among the disadvantages are the low grip with the table and the possibility of bending the edges.
German manufacturer of mouse pads Tex-mat cooperates with leading game developers. On their product, they depict drawings and symbols of computer games. Fairly low price and decent quality won the recognition of this rug by many gamers.
Floor mats Roccat sense are among the thinnest. Despite the thin layer of rubberized surface, it nevertheless perfectly engages with the table and provides a high level of accuracy with the mouse control. Among the shortcomings can be noted a rather rough surface, not very pleasant to the touch.
Common customer mistakes
There are cork mats that attract customers with their low cost and attractive appearance. Experience shows that such mats in a short time, not only will erase the legs of the mouse to the ground, but also lead to the formation of calluses on the hands in the place of contact with the rug.
Another common mistake when buying a mouse pad is to purchase models with silicone pads. This is especially true for gamers who expect to reduce the burden on the hand due to this device. Contrary to their expectations, it will not be possible to play most computer games on this mat. This is due to the inability to move the mouse over the entire area of the carpet due to pressing the hand to the pillow.
