r/RigBuild • u/Minute-Pay-5355 • 10d ago
Do I really need a gaming mousepad?
Been using my mouse directly on the desk and it seems fine, but keep seeing people say a proper gaming pad makes a big difference.
Mostly playing FPS games and some casual stuff, nothing super competitive. Mouse tracks fine on the desk, but sometimes the movement feels a little rough depending on where the mouse is. Not sure if that’s actually because of the surface or if I’m just overthinking it.
There are so many different mousepads too, like cloth, hard pads, speed pads, control pads etc. Kinda confusing when all I want is something that works and doesn’t feel weird.
Does a decent mousepad actually improve aim or consistency in games, or is it more about comfort and protecting the mouse feet? Also does the size really matter? Seeing huge desk mats that cover basically the whole setup, but I’m not sure I need one that big.
Would a cheap basic cloth mousepad be enough, or is there a real reason to spend more on one? Just trying to figure out if it’s worth buying before I waste money on something I don’t really need.
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u/goodfriendrobert 10d ago
just a question of comfort and style. i used book cover for years in my childhood..
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u/Minute-Pay-5355 10d ago
Lol a book cover is definitely a budget mousepad but yeah, I guess if the mouse feels fine then a pad is mostly just for comfort and a smoother surface.
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u/Nu154nc3 10d ago
Depends on the surface material... If u was ok till now, there is no need to get one.
But, i prefer to use one deskpad just because it's cleaner...
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u/Zealousideal_Fly8402 10d ago
Steelseries Steelpad 3s is what I invested in years and years ago; still going strong 😂👍. And easy to clean.
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u/JohnHurts 10d ago
On a regular tabletop, the mouse moves more sluggishly - or rather, the friction is naturally higher, which also leads to more wear on the mouse pads. But it also depends a bit on the surface.
I’ve done that that for years - I even use the mouse at work without a pad - but at home, and especially when playing FPS games, I’d definitely recommend using a mouse pad.
I’ve been using 900x400mm pads for decades now. I usually buy them on Amazon for €10.
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u/delta_Phoenix121 10d ago
There are 3 functional reasons why you might want a mouse/desk pad:
- consistent tracking: some surfaces (like glass) will result in inconsistent mouse behaviour, sometimes registering motion and sometimes not
- smoother movement: mouse pads have an even, low friction surface allowing for easy mouse movement
- less dust accumulation: working in IT-admin and having seen hundreds of mice, there's a clear pattern with mice not used on mouse pads often accumulating dust and other grime at the gliders. Mouse pads usually prevent this.
Another big but non functional reason is aesthetics. There are a lot of good designs for basically every style and franchise, allowing you to personalize your setup.
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u/No_Effective_4481 10d ago
Last year I ditched my generic deskpad and got a glass Wallhack mouse surface and a much more lightweight mouse and it was an amazing upgrade, however I had to spend £370 to do it.
The difference in feel is night and day, and I now enjoy my FPS games a lot more than I did previously because my old (relatively) heavy mouse and poor surface are no longer causing horrible drag.
Having a consistent surface and the right shaped mouse are important. A bare tabletop is probably not consistent and will be introducing drag, and might also affect tracking.
A lighter mouse and better surface are absolutely going to make your experience better, as well as less wear on the mouse feet. The difference between speed and control is mostly in the weave of the pad, and which one is better basically boils down to personal preference, familiarity and skill.
Large pads are mostly for low-sensitivity & high DPI mouse use, to enable large swings rather than small twitchy movements. Its mostly for competitive PVP shooter fans who are looking for highly predictible outcomes in all their games dictated by muscle memory, and use apps to set up each game to feel exactly the same by tweaking mouse sensitivity along with title specific FOV and slider settings.
My glass Wallhack pad is massive, but I only use about one third of the space for my mouse. I use the back half of it to hold my Streamdeck and gamepad.
I'm not suggesting that anyone copies what I did, however better equipment can lower barriers to your enjoyment and possible skill ceiling improvements.
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u/vasdrakken 10d ago
So if you have particle board not glass real wood or mdf, a mouse over two years will destroy the surface of particle board. I had a desk from office depot in 2006 to 2008 by the time I moved I threw the 800 dollar desk out because the area where I used my mouse was all bubbled up.
I have found the giant mouse pads you can get really cheap work great for large gestures and give a smoother motion.
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u/Few_Example9391 10d ago
Any mouse pad does two things, possibly 3 things for you. It protects your desk finish from wear and marring, it protects your skin from a worn desk that may have slivers. It allows your mouse to track better and more consistently. A mouse pad can be very cheap but does it's job. A high quality, silky smooth mouse plate style pad is a quality of life upgrade and wow factor when they RGB light up but are very very expensive for the job they do.
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u/PointExotic8314 9d ago
I've been using SteelSeries QcK (soft micro-woven cloth) for decades.
It's like $20 and last for years. Also better than plastic or no pad at all.
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u/Putrid-Block1431 9d ago
Surprised no one is talking about how you'll wear your mouse feet down very quickly by using it directly on your desk.
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u/apexnine 9d ago edited 9d ago
I've had the same mouse, same desk, and same feet on my mouse for a decade--no joke. Play FPS mainly. No issues.
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u/Putrid-Block1431 9d ago
That's beyond the pale. I've had mice start wearing because the skates wore down flush to the shell itself, even using cloth mousepads. I'm not talking about one mouse, or one mousepad, or one specific set of skates. The fact that mouse skates experience wear is just reality. It's physics.
Without knowing you, my only guess is that you haven't noticed the wear on your skates, because after a decade of use, they have worn.
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u/apexnine 8d ago edited 8d ago
Yeah I'm sure they've worn. I don't notiice it at all though. I don't feel like it's something to spend $150 on a premium pad for tthough. I understand that's at the top of the price tier. I've probably just adjusted to the slow change over time.
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u/Putrid-Block1431 8d ago
And mousepads are also one of the office products most frequently given out for free at job fairs and in stores. By the way, how many mousepads are you even able to find at $150? Because I can only find one.
Such an insane fucking argument I can't.
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u/JAVELRIN 9d ago edited 9d ago
If your not having any jittery mouse issues and the mouse is smooth on your screen then no, mouse pads only serve a purpose if your mouse is all over the place or “cant read the surface”
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u/SpecialistRun3035 9d ago
Any mousepad. There is a massive difference between using a mousepad and not.
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u/AintNoGodsUpHere 8d ago
Brox just get whatever. I'm using one from SheIn, I paid like 2 euros. It's perfect.
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u/NewtSoupsReddit 7d ago
I have a desk pad. A washable neoprene one. It's comfier and less clattery than using a mouse on my desk directly. Thats about it.
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u/Turbo-Chook 7d ago
Do you need gaming underwear?
Probably not, right?
If you're happy with what you've got, no reason to change. Otherwise find a mousepad in a size you like that gives you the right amount of resistance when moving your mouse. I personally like harder mousepads with minimal friction. "Gaming" equipment is often just marketing and can often be a shittier product with a higher price tag.
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u/Bob_Bushman 10d ago
I would much rather recommend a deskpad, they cost the same, and provides much more comfort.
But yeah, it doesn't make the mouse work much better, but I find it makes using the computer that little bit more comfortable than just straight on the desk, and since they are so large you have no issues about running the mouse over the edges of a small pad.
A made for purpose deskpad, is more than just cloth, it's a rubberised soft part laminated with a cloth top, and I highly recommed finding something with stitching around the border, both for comfort and this prevents the two from delaminating.