Although technology is advancing left and right - new processors, memory, and video cards - everything seems to be advancing. Yet the interface with which interact with the computer has not gone through a major change in a long time - green cathode ray tubes were used for monitors in the seventies, which have also undergone overhauls in recent years - flat cathode ray tube monitors have emerged, and LCDs are now the current rage. Yet, the keyboard and mouse have not changed quite much at all. Keyboards use different mechanisms for receiving keystrokes (BS vs. Membrane article) and mice now no longer use balls with light-gates, but use an optical sensor. With the introduction of an optical sensor, more precision could be derived from the mouse, but the surface of the mouse became even more important than it had ever been before.

Nowadays we have mouse pads that are specifically designed for optical mice - and even though it might seem a bit silly, the market for mouse pads has gotten quite big. In this review, the [H]ardOCP's RatPadz, PCXMods' X-Trac, 3M's Precise Mousing Surface, and a common mouse pad are all put to the test - for optical and ball mice.

The pads laid out (from top left, clockwise: plain mouse pad, M3 Precise Mousing Surface, RatPad, PCXMods X-Trac)

RatPadz

[H]ardOCP has gotten quite a following with their RatPadz (Ed. Note: Don't forget their in your face, no nonsense writing style) which claim to be appropriate for both optical and ball mice, consisting of textured plastic.

The back of the RatPad has small rubber feet on it which grip almost any surface.

The most impressive thing I have noticed as of yet of the RatPad is its sheer size - it has a large surface area, while the plastic lets your mouse glide well. The only issue I could see with an optical mouse is the fact that the plastic seems to be a little reflective to light. There are a ton of Ratpadz reviews, one of which you can find right here :)

PCXMods' X-Trac Pro

PCXMods' X-Trac Pro: This is PCXMods' offering, a cloth-based mousing surface that has small seemingly random patterns inside of hexagons. The cloth is textured strangely - resistant to motion one way, smooth the other. The difference between the "pro" and the normal X-Trac (other than the two dollars).

The design itself is interesting - I've never seen anything like it before. There doesn't seem to be a method to the chaotic-looking designs inside the hexagons.

The strange patterns in the hexagons are supposed to be helpful for optical tracking

I found that the surface was not as slick as the RatPad, but there was a most definite sense of control on the pad - the resistance seemed to almost help, not hinder precision. A porous rubber material lines the back.

Plain Mouse Pad

The standard mouse pad

Plain Mouse Pad: This is actually an old VA Linux mouse pad that has been lying around for a while. This pad is comparable to any simple mouse pad that has a plastic top (as opposed to a cloth top.) There's nothing too special about it.

3M Precise Mousing Surface

3M Precise Mousing Surface: This pad has a gel wrist rest (something all the others lack) as well as a plastic-based surface. The plastic has very small dimples in it which you can feel as you run your finger or fingernail over it.

The Test

Each of these mouse pads was tested for over an hour both with a ball mouse and an optical mouse. This is where the review process seems to get extremely vague - how does one review a mouse pad? Unlike most computer peripherals, this accessory can't be "benchmarked." The only solution that I can come up with is how I felt the mouse in response to the pad, while trying to be objective.

Optical Mouse Ranking:
1. X-trac
2. RatPadz
3. Plain Mouse Pad
4. 3M Precise Mousing Surface

Ball Mouse Ranking
1. 3M Precise Mousing Surface
2. RatPadz
3. X-trac
4. Plain Mouse Pad

Final Words

To be honest, the X-trac and RatPadz seem very close in their accuracy in regards to optical mice. On one hand the RatPadz has a slick plastic surface that allows for a quick turn-arround in a First Person Shooter, while the small amount of resistance on the X-trac allows for the perfect headshot in Counter-Strike or Battlefield 1942. The X-trac also is cheaper than the RatPadz, but it truly isn't a very marginal difference (X-trac Pro: 7.99, RatPad: 13.00.) I would recommend either surface to a gamer - the difference is if you prefer a little bit of resistance (which I personally do,) or the type of surface you prefer to mouse on.

I found that the 3M Mousing Surface was horrendous for optical mice. I strongly recommend against using this pad in conjunction with an optical mouse. On the other hand, the small dimples worked perfectly on the ball mouse, making it an ideal solution for ball mice.

The standard mouse pad is - standard. It works fine, but if you're using a CAD program, photoshop, or playing games that require precise and quick mousing, you had better put a few bucks into your pad and get a RatPadz or a X-Trac.