One of the best parts of being a PC gamer is the precision of the mouse. Whether you're lining up shots in Overwatch or deftly maneuvering in Dota 2, your mouse will play a non-trivial role in your success.
If you want a smooth experience, you should consider the quality of your mousing surface. If you're just using your desk or a ragged freebie from swag bags of yore, it's time to consider getting a new pad.
Mind you, there's no singular perfect mouse pad for gaming. Requirements for price, material, size, and shape are different for everyone, so we scoured Amazon for a wide range of well-reviewed pads for gamers with very different needs. Now let's dive in, and find you a new pad.
SteelSeries QcK+ Gaming Mouse Pad
SteelSeries QcK+ Gaming Mouse Pad
If you have plenty of desk space, this
large cloth pad from SteelSeries comes highly recommended. It measures 17.72 inches wide by 15.75 inches deep, and the rubber body helps reduce any kind of slippage during hectic moments. And with nearly 10,000 reviews and a 4.5/5 star average on Amazon, this hefty mouse pad is an excellent option for gamers.
AmazonBasics XXL Gaming Mouse Pad
Not content to be a simple storefront, Amazon is now selling its own branded products like the
AmazonBasics XXL gaming mouse pad. It has fewer reviews than the SteelSeries, but the specs are pretty much identical. And since this is 20 percent cheaper, it's worth your consideration.
Combaterwing Extended Gaming Mouse Pad
Combaterwing Extended Gaming Mouse Pad
Depending on what kind of surface you're gaming on, there's a decent chance you'll need a nice wide pad. This
extended rubber mouse pad from Combaterwing measures 27.6 inches across and 11.8 inches deep, so you'll have plenty of room for broad movement. And if your
keyboard needs some added stability, this is wide enough to accommodate it as well.
Redragon Archelon Gaming Mouse Pad
Redragon Archelon Gaming Mouse Pad
If you're looking for a silky-smooth mouse pad that's somewhere between the tiny office pads and giant pads targeted at gamers, the
Redragon Archelon is a smart choice. Measuring 13 inches by 10.24 inches and made of high-density waterproof material, this $10 pad works well as a middle-of-the-road option for gamers who don't have spacious desks.
Galaxy Rectangle Gaming Mouse Pad
VUTTOO Customized Gaming Mouse Pad
If you're particularly price-sensitive, this
colorful 11.5-by-5.8-inch mouse pad can be yours for less than a fiver. It's not very big, but it's a perfectly fine option for any of us trying to stick to a tight budget. And considering that it enjoys a 4.5-star average with over 1,000 reviews on Amazon, it's a pretty safe purchase.
Razer Firefly Chroma Hard Gaming Mouse Pad
Of course, not everyone can have a solid resting place for a mouse pad, so the pad itself must be rigid. Whether you're sitting on a sofa or dealing with an uneven desk, the 14-by-10-inch
Firefly Chroma from Razer is worth considering. And if you have a spare USB port, this pad can be plugged in for some lovely LED lighting. If you're into that aesthetic, the LEDs alone make the high upfront cost worth it.
Belkin WaveRest Gel Mouse Pad
While wrist rests certainly can get in the way of very broad movements, some of us don't have much of a choice. If you suffer from repetitive stress injury, a mouse pad with wrist support might be mandatory. If that's what you need, this
WaveRest pad from Belkin has a low asking price, and thousands of positive reviews to back it up.
