Yes, this is an entire article about a mouse pad. No, that's not ridiculous. Yes, I'll fight you over it, along with many of my colleagues here at PC Gamer who seem to think that a mouse pad is somewhat of a trivial matter. I assure you, it is not; it is of utmost importance and deadliest seriousness.
Everyone's got their thing, y'know, and despite all appearances pointing towards my thing being the external SSD, I'd say it's actually more the humble mouse pad. Back in my Counter-Strike and Quake days, I'd spend long, dimly-lit nights contemplating the merits of tight weave and a stitched edge. The problem is not my aim, I would say, it's the pad.
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Although that was indeed denial, there's definitely a lick of truth in there: Mouse pads are important for aiming, plus of course, general comfort. And if you're hesitantly nodding along with me at this point, then let me introduce you to the XL version of the SteelSeries QcK Performance, which is currently on sale for $40 at Amazon for the Speed version. You can also pay the same for the Control version and the same for the Balance version. You'll need a Prime membership, but you can get a 30-day free trial here.
The Speed version is what I reckon most of you will want—it's certainly the one that most people in the PC Gamer office preferred. That one's very smooth and lets your mouse glide. The Control version is for competitive FPS players who want great accuracy. I found I had slightly better aim when playing Counter-Strike using that one, for instance. But to achieve that control you're getting a textured surface that definitely feels more friction-y on your palm. Worth it if you take your competitive shooters seriously, but probably not for casual gaming.
The mouse pad has a neoprene base, which I found to stick to the table very well and offer just the right amount of give for comfort on your wrist, as well as stopping power. The surfaces on each version do feel very intentionally tailored and, well, practically perfect, which is a word I don't throw around much. You also get stitching around the edge to prevent fraying, and crucially, this sits lower than the pad surface itself, so no digging into your wrist.
I gave the large version a thumbs-up for $40, so now that the extra-large version is the same price, I can give it a heart double-thumbs-up. The only difference is that this is desk mat-sized, meaning you put your keyboard on top, too. Just bear in mind that if your keyboard is heavy and has small rubber feet, it can leave temporary indents in the neoprene-based pad. They come out after a few hours, but it's just something to note.
If you appreciate the finer things in a gamer's life, such as the feel of a quality mouse pad under your fingertips, then certainly take a look at the QcK Performance. There's a Balance version for $40 at Amazon, too, if you want something a little slower than the Speed but not roughly textured like the Control. Whichever you go for, you'll be getting the best mouse pad for gaming on the market right now.
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1. Best wireless: Razer DeathAdder V3 HyperSpeed
2. Best wired: Logitech G502 X
3. Best budget wireless: Logitech G305 Lightspeed
4. Best budget wired: Logitech G203 Lightsync
5. Best lightweight: Turtle Beach Burst II Air
6. Best MMO: Razer Naga Pro
7. Best compact: Razer Cobra Pro
8. Best ambidextrous: Logitech G Pro
9. Best ergonomic: Keychron M5
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