I tested 20 mouse pads for 1 year: now I play on glass

Mouse pads are extremely underrated, but they are incredibly important for shooter fans. At least that’s what Marko Jevtic, shooter expert at MeinMMO, thinks. Here he explains why that is and which mouse pad is clearly the best for him.

Anyone who has ever been in the Twitch chat of a shooter pro like Shroud or Dr Disrespect sees the same questions over and over again. What mouse is used, what mouse sensitivity?

I’m also interested in something like that, but I always miss out on one accessory in the discussion: the mouse pad. Because there is a lot to discuss. People who ended up in the mouse pad nerds subreddit are being killed by tabular rankings and hardly tolerable meter-long blocks of explanatory text.

And what should I say? I wrote the linked chunk of text. Between 2019 and 2020 I tried over 20 mouse pads and spent almost €1,000. Everything to find the perfect pad. Because mouse pads are more than just a playing surface – they determine how you can move the mouse.

Just as the right sneakers are important when jogging, as they cushion foot impact and support your movements, mouse pads are important for aiming. Ideally, they emphasize your gaming strengths and conceal your weaknesses.

Which mouse pad did I choose? The best mouse pad I’ve tried today is the SkyPad 3.0. One thing makes the pad very special: It is made entirely of glass. That has a hell of a lot of advantages, such as always reliable performance and longevity.

The SkyPad 3.0 offers perfect performance under all conditions

Why is the SkyPad so good? In the mouse pad market I tried all mouse pads that are relevant – from A for Artisan Hien to Z for Zowie GSR-SE. The glass mouse pad is the best solution I’ve found so far because it circumvents all of these problems. It’s also like this among aim gurus KovaaK insanely popular.

No matter how high the humidity is, or how hard I press the mouse button – the SkyPad cannot give way because it is made of glass. This ensures consistent performance that I can always rely on.

Most impressively, the SkyPad strikes a perfect balance of speed and control. Conventional fabric pads are not particularly fast, and their softness makes it very easy to stop a movement. Pads made of plastic or the water-repellent Cordura fabric are significantly faster, which is why it is harder to stop.

With the SkyPad, however, fast movements can be stopped easily and perfectly at the same time. The reason for this is that the glass is not perfectly smooth. Lots of fine “grains of sand” on the surface are not visible, but can be felt. Thanks to them you have more than enough control over the mouse.

This short YouTube video captures how a (comparatively heavy) mouse slides and sounds on the SkyPad 3.0:

There are also other advantages that should be emphasized that go beyond gambling:

• With dimensions of 40 x 50 x 0.3 cm, the pad is very large. This makes it easier to take advantage of slower mouse sensitivities, which in turn can lead to greater precision in-game.
• Anyone who crumbs at the desk or spills a drink on the glass mouse pad can wipe up the mess easily and without long-term stains. Then you can continue straight away, because none of the fabric has to dry first.
• If you have pets, you don’t have to worry about fur getting caught in the fibers of the fabric. With a wipe of the microfiber cloth, everything is perfectly clean again.
• Cloth pads have a light coating that will dissipate over time. That changes the performance significantly. The glass pad, on the other hand, does not wear out at all and theoretically never needs to be replaced.

There is also no need to worry about the durability of the SkyPad. Due to its high weight, it is stable on the desk and does not even get scratches during normal use. If for some reason it does fall, there is no need to worry, as this official tweet shows:

What are the disadvantages of the glass mouse pad? The SkyPad also has its problems, which of course I don’t want to withhold:

• The price is very high. The pad costs 120 US dollars, plus shipping from Denmark. That’s steep, but the mouse pad is also more durable than the competition.
• The movement of the mouse on hard glass creates loud noises that can be annoying.
• If a hair gets caught between the pad and the mouse while gaming, it makes a disgusting sound and feel.
• If you don’t have quality mouse feet, they will rub off faster than on cloth pads.
• On bare skin there can be a ‘sticky’ effect between the skin and the glass.

The last point is probably the most annoying aspect of a glass pad in the long run. As a solution, aim gurus use sports arm warmers when gambling, like those used by professional cyclists. SkyPad also sells them on their own website.

Does gambling with arm warmers look extremely stupid? Absolutely, no question. On the other hand, the highlight clips in shooters are very impressive – or in Minecraft too:

Mouse pads are an immensely important part of your gaming setup

What is important when it comes to mouse pads? Perhaps the most important thing on the subject that needs answering is the role of mouse pads in the gaming setup. Because they not only protect your desk from scratches with the mouse – they directly influence how you can move your mouse.

For example, if you put a lot of pressure on your mouse when aiming, you might not want to buy a soft cloth pad because your mouse can literally sink into it. Especially in particularly sweaty matches, in which you sit in front of the screen, your mouse movements can be restricted – and you therefore miss the headshot.

Speaking of sweating: conventional fabric pads vary in performance depending on the weather. Especially in summer, the higher humidity can give the pad a “mushy” feeling, which also affects performance. Consistency suffers when aiming, which is a noticeable problem above all (but not only) for me here on Lake Constance.

Is such a purchase a must? While I have a lot of enthusiasm when it comes to mouse pads, I have to be clear that this top-of-the-line expensive solution is not a must-have. Nevertheless, I recommend every shooter fan to pay a little more attention to their mouse pad.

In my experience, most players use the first available solution from Logitech, Amazon or even IKEA. And while none of these pads are directly bad, making a conscious decision to upgrade your mouse pad can directly improve your performance.

Next time you gamble, be mindful of your aiming quirks. How do you move, how hard do you press the mouse, how do you stop it? These observations not only make the mousepad upgrade easier – this awareness will help you improve aspects of your aiming that go beyond mouse settings.

There are also good mouse pad alternatives apart from glass

What alternatives to the glass pad are there? If you’re looking to swap out your mouse pad but don’t want to jump straight into the highest shelf, there are some good alternatives for every type of gamer.

• For those who want a fast pad, I can recommend the Endgame Gear MPC. The Cordura fabric allows super-fast movements and is also waterproof.
• For a good balance, the Cooler Master MP511 is a great solution for a very good price.
• If you are looking for maximum control, there is no alternative to the Zowie G-SR. However, the pad does not last forever (the experts say approx. 8-10 months on average) and reacts ‘allergically’ to high humidity.

*Affiliate links. We receive a small commission from Amazon if you make a purchase. Thanks for your support!

Whether you choose the SkyPad or one of the many good alternatives, don’t underestimate the difference the right mouse pad can make.

If you want to know what hardware I can recommend for controllers, I refer you to another article of mine:

This is how I improved my Xbox Elite Controller enormously for only €25