I once had a Counter-Strike player ask me what the best mouse pad is and unfortunately, it’s a question without an answer. I’m a strong believer in trying to keep all gaming related decisions such as mouse pads and headsets as simple as possible. Do the research, figure out what’s right for you, and buy.

While it might seem easy enough, some of the most important steps in figuring out what will work for you don’t even get considered. I’m going to take a look at some of the more popular types of mouse pads to offer some insight into some of the more unseen positives and negatives to each.

Moto (left) after winning the World Cyber Games with Team 3D

Cloth Mouse Pads

The first thing that comes to my mind when someone mentions a cloth mouse pad is durability. Cloth mouse pads will take a beating, can be bent, stepped on and receive levels of torture that hard and hybrid mouse pads simply cannot. Hell, when I first started playing professional Counter-Strike many years ago I had a teammate who had a cloth mouse pad that had been soaked in soda and he managed to play just fine. If you know you’re the type of person who will spill a soda on your mouse pad and beat it into submission on a regular basis, a cloth mouse pad is probably the way to go.

While the durability of cloth mouse pads is a huge plus, there are some limiting factors because of the material. I’ve found that using a cloth mouse pad allows for a bit more general consistency, but the ability to achieve the level of precision seen with a hard or hybrid mouse pad is simply not possible. If you don’t mind sacrificing a little precision for incredible durability, go with a QPAD UC.

Hard Mouse Pads

QPAD EC-R Plastic Mouse PadWhile competing throughout the years I would primarily use hard mouse pads because of the ability to achieve a really high level of precision. The lack of friction and the excessively smooth nature of hard mouse pads allow for some of the quickest and most accurate shots, clicks and in-game selections possible. While most PC games reward those who are the fastest to act or hit their shot, you would think the logical choice for most people would be to use a hard mouse pad, but just like a cloth mouse pad; there are negatives to using a hard mouse pad.

The biggest issue I had with hard mouse pads over the years was consistency. With the lack of friction and excessively smooth surface, the ability to overshoot and be inaccurate is much higher than that of a cloth mouse pad. Though the benefit is when you are warmed up and are playing consistently, your accuracy will be much higher than any other pad. The other issue with hard mouse pads is they are very susceptible to different environment conditions. For instance, if you typically play on a hard surface and go to a LAN tournament where they have table clothes on the tables, you will feel a difference. I’ve known players who have circumvented this issue by using a cloth mouse pad under a hard mouse pad. It will definitely help if you plan on playing in different environments. If you’re the type of gamer who is most concerned with incredible precision and don’t mind keeping your mouse pad extremely clean, then a QPAD XT-R or QPAD EC-R is the mouse pad for you.

Hybrid Mouse Pads

QPAD CT - Hybrid Mouse PadHybrid mouse pads started popping up 5 or so years ago with the key benefit being that they brought a middle ground between hard and cloth mouse pads. Typically, a hybrid mouse pad consists of a base similar to a cloth mouse pad and a finished surface closely resembling that of a hard mouse pad. The hybrid mouse pad offers players who would like a bit more precision than a cloth pad the option, without having to give up the consistency and durability of a cloth pad.

The hybrid mouse pad for all intents and purposes is a “Jack of all trades” mouse pad. It can do everything, but it does not do any one thing exceptionally well. While a hybrid mouse pad will be incredibly durable, it will not be anywhere close to that of a cloth pad, and while you will feel a more precise gaming experience, it will not be anywhere close to that of a hard mouse pad. Many people might say “Why would I want a mouse pad that doesn’t do any one thing exceptionally well?” and while that is definitely true, the fact that it finds a common ground between hard and cloth mouse pads is definitely a plus. If you think you’d like a bit more precision, without giving up the consistency and durability of a cloth pad, then pick-up a QPAD CT.

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Ultimately, choosing your mouse pad is a personal decision, and one that no professional gamer or friend can make for you. When you choose the right mouse pad your gaming experience will be fun, rewarding and memorable. If you choose the wrong mouse pad, you can easily become frustrated with not only your mouse pad, but your entire gaming experience. Do yourself a favor and consider what type of gamer you are before buying a mouse pad, spending a bit more time figuring out what type of gamer you are will go a long way.


The above article was written by Dave “moto” Geffon, former Professional Gamer for Team 3D and General Manager of 3D.NY.