Everyone has a mouse pad. Well, everyone with a mouse has a mouse pad would probably be more precise. Now, what pops into your mind when the word mouse pad comes up? Normally it’s a small rubbery rectangle with all the sex appeal of a potato. Not so with the Steelpad 4S. This mouse pad is made to draw attention. It’s big, it’s flashy and it might even work. Let’s find out.
So, let’s take a look at the package this mouse pad came in. Open the cardboard container and inside you have the 4S, some Teflon tape (called “Padsurfers”) and some instructions on how to apply the tape…sorry padsurfers onto the bottom of your mouse. The instructions were a nice touch. They explain how to cut the tape and where to apply it to achieve maximum efficiency. One thing to note is that the Teflon tape that comes with the 4S really is made to work with that mouse pad. We tried different Teflon tapes but they did not glide as easily as the padsurfers.
Now first off, the Steelpad is actually made of aluminum (don’t ask, l don’t know) but it’s not the cheap flimsy aluminum you might be thinking of. This thing is solid but light. Secondly, this mouse pad is huge and is going to take a fair amount of real estate on your desk.
As you can see, on the bottom of the 4S are 8 little rubber feet to keep the pad from slipping. These feet work great. Try as we might, we could not get that mouse pad to move under any mouse related activity.
This mouse pad is designed for the hardcore gamer who can’t afford to lose a millisecond off of his/her response time. Does it work? Hard to say, it seems to depend on the mouse. The 4S does not seem to like Labtec optical mice. Everything will run smoothly and then when you least expect it, the mouse will stop responding. Not exactly what a hardcore gamer wants to hear I’m sure. Now, other mice seem to work on this mouse pad without problem but it is something you might want to keep in mind.
This mouse pad is not cheap but it does improve the mouse response speed. Does it matter when you are typing up a review or surfing the net? Of course not, but if you are online and in a fight for your virtual life, it might help give the gamers out there the edge they are looking for.
Pros:
• It’s made of aluminum, so it should last for a long, long time.
• It looks impressive.
• It’s huge! Lots of room to maneuver.
• Mouse response is improved.
Cons:
• Doesn’t work with all optical mice.
• Cost
• It’s huge! It takes up a lot of room on a desk
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