mat, this Pulsefire pad is made of a densely woven cloth material that's more textured than it is smooth. The brand claims that the cloth surface is machine-stitched, which apparently improves gliding. And, while we're not completely sure how that works, we've also put it through its paces, and we can attest to how smooth the gliding is and how it helps your need for speed when playing fast-paced games. There are a few things we wish were done better here. There isn't an included USB adapter, which you will need to properly power the Qi charging, so we had to dig through our stash of wall chargers before we could test it. It needs two USB ports so you can take advantage of its features so if you're using a gaming laptop, it's not the best option. And, we did find that its Qi charging is a little on the weak side and requires you to be precise with your device placement. With productivity mice, however, we found that it works beautifully. The smooth gliding combined with its good amount of friction allows you a more seamless workflow – instead of having to constantly miss a button you're trying to press onscreen. Its anti-skid natural rubber base also does a great job of keeping it in place. Plus, its edges are stitched to ensure it lasts longer and minimizes fraying.

There are various size options with this mouse mat, including plus-sized and mini versions measuring 450 x 400mm and 250 x 210mm respectively. So, should you wish to have a more expansive or a more compact mat, you've certainly got options. Some of today's mouse pads offer more features than just a foam-bottomed area for your mouse. Some are covered in RGB lighting, while others provide Qi wireless charging that'll power your phone or wireless mouse for complete cable-free gaming.Roccat has always had impressive RGB lighting, though it is something of an acquired taste. So it's no surprise that the Roccat Sense Aimo not only boasts two customizable zones and comes with 10 onboard RGB lighting profiles, but also delivers bright lighting that you can sync with compatible devices for your full immersion. To access those lighting profiles, you just need to press the built-in button, which also allows you to turn it off completely if you need a break. Meanwhile, it has a good rubber base that's pretty great at keeping it in place as well as reinforced edge stitching that ensures minimal fraying. Because it's also made of polyester military-grade fabric, you know that this will last you a good while. The RGB lighting here is bright as well. And, the touch sensor is a nice touch, even though it only really lets you toggle between three onboard lighting profiles. You’ve probably seen mouse pads out there that have built-in raised wrist rests of some kind at the bottom of the pad (usually gel-filled) to give your wrist some added support. We used one of these in the distant past, though, and didn’t find it helped – and over time, in fact, we became somewhat concerned that it might hinder in terms of wrist health if anything. It's not easy assigning value to a piece of cloth, but someone's got to do it. When we receive a new mouse pad to test, we do what we do best: Play lots and lots of PC games.

The micro-texture cloth surface here is optimized for all sensitivity settings and sensors. And, it did feel great to game on during our testing, offering smooth and speedy gliding. Meanwhile, its non-slip rubber base keeps it in place. Though that should also have something to do with the fact that it's massive and that other peripherals like a gaming keyboard should act as weights. The amazing this about this mat is that while it's incredibly thin and lightweight - meaning it's easier to fold and put away, and it won't leave annoying marks on your forearm - it's also surprisingly more supportive than it looks. That's all thanks to its dense microfiber body, which essentially provides extra cushioning. Not even the outer lower edge of our palm has experienced any pressure pain after a long day's work. A competitive gaming mouse pad needs to have less resistance than all others, and that's exactly what the Roccat Sense Pro offers. It's not too textured that it requires a massive adjustment on your part, but we have found its surface to be just slightly less smooth to glide over. But, that's also the exact point – it's that textured finish that allows for fast, agile movements that are ideal for competitive gaming. If you're used to soft mouse pads, the Asus ROG Balteus Qi might be a bit of an adjustment because of its hard surface. But, that's not all; its surface is also textured and, therefore, a little rougher. The thing with hard mouse pads though is that they're focused on speed, which is certainly a plus if you want to get to the top of the leaderboards.As XXL mouse mats are constructed from only high-quality materials with durable stitched edges and often feature a rubberised base, they will remain firmly in place, no matter how aggressive your gameplay gets. What’s more, an XXL mouse pad offers a layer of protection for your desk or table. You no longer have to worry about any accidental spills or scratches.

The MM100 is your regular, modern mouse pad style for gaming. It's not too small, not too big. Just right for generally big mouse movements. If you really want to crank down your DPI and go for full elbow-length swings of your mouse, you'll probably want something bigger than this that takes up the entire desk. The soft yet finely textured finish also ensures that your skin is feeling luxe but any mouse - whether for gaming or productivity - glides effortlessly while still providing a great level of control. That's key to having an even more comfortable experience. And because the underside has an extra grippy finish, it stays beautifully in place. Unlike their cloth counterparts that all use very similar textiles, hard mousepads are made from a wide variety of components and blends, including aluminum, plastic, and rubber. They vary dramatically in friction, weight, and design, so there is sure to be a hard mouse pad out there that is perfect for you. For us, the simplicity and ultra-smooth surface of the Logitech G440 make it our top choice when considering speed. Perhaps the weakest part of this mouse pad is its rubber base. It works effectively most of the time, but we have noticed that when we're moving our mouse more forcefully, the pad moves a little with it.

In our view, this is a more helpful solution than a chunky gel wrist pad, but if you do want to get a full wrist rest, our recommendation would be to buy a standalone one, not a built-in solution (Razer makes a good Ergonomic Mouse Rest if this is the route you want to take). But, they are called classics for good reason: they work and work well. And, this mouse pad from BenQ's peripherals line is cut from the same excellent cloth. By cloth, we're referring to its cloth surface that feels smooth but also offers the tiniest bit of resistance since you do need a bit more control and precision when competing. Meanwhile, the rubber base, we found, is really effective and keeps it in place, no matter how intense your sessions are.

We tested five different mice – some for productivity, others for gaming – on it, and we found that its cloth surface offers that nice smooth gliding feel but also just a tiny bit of resistance. This slightest friction gives you a little bit more control and precision, which should help when you're gaming and when you're doing productivity tasks. That texture allows for a bit more friction and resistance, which in turn offers better precision. The result is a more controlled gliding, which should help with competitive gaming on titles like Overwatch 2, Destiny 2, and Call of Duty. Though you also should know that it does feel a little rougher to glide your mouse on, which might be annoying for some people. It certainly felt a little weird for us to use it during testing. At least in the beginning. There are two sizes on hand – the square one that gives you a spacious 450 x 450 mm surface area and the XXL size that offers a massive 900 x 420 mm space. The square one, we've found, is more than good enough, but if you want to home all your peripherals, the bigger version is affordable and worth considering.

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This is more for productivity use than for gaming. However, having tested two gaming mice on it, it seems to work just fine with them as well, particularly if you're looking for a bit of resistance for more controlled gliding. An XXL mouse pad, or extended gaming surface, will typically completely cover the desk or table that you use with your gaming PC and its peripherals. We’ve put a wide variety of mouse mats through their paces to find the ones that are best for all kinds of users. Of course, the feel and glide of a mat will be subjective, and the ideal mouse pad for you depends largely on your needs. So, our list of the best mouse pads below include top choices for different types of users.