Why use a mousepad?

[karljs]

I'm curious, why advantage do people see in using a mousepad? Since optical/laser devices are the standard these days, and work on nearly any surface, why not just let the mouse sit on the desk?

I've been doing this for years and even go so far as to remove mousepads in labs and public places because they feel bulky to me now.

[thegunner100]

I like the memory foam wrist rest that comes on my mousepad.

[WRXChris]

I use one for smoother scrolling when gaming.  It's most noticeable in FPS games.  Also, the mouse feet last MUCH longer on a proper pad.

[The_Beast]

I use one for smoother scrolling when gaming.  It's most noticeable in FPS games.  Also, the mouse feet last MUCH longer on a proper pad.

this, do you use a hard or a soft mat for gaming (I use soft)?

[karljs]

I use one for smoother scrolling when gaming.  It's most noticeable in FPS games.  Also, the mouse feet last MUCH longer on a proper pad.

That seems like a good answer. I'm not much of a gamer so I guess I have a different set of expectations.

[IvanIvanovich]

My MX Revolution tracks considerably better on my mat than on my desk, and there is less resistance and the glides last much, much longer. So same reason I use one as above. I use Artisan Shiden-Kai, which is glass coated cloth mat.

[nullstring]

I've found that not using a mousepad marks up or wears down the desk

[rayuki]

I've found that not using a mousepad marks up or wears down the desk

pretty much this, and my mum/brother uses just the desk and you get those dirty build up of gunk all over the area you use the mouse on the desk.

[davkol]

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum

[swagpiratex]

On a good mousepad, the movement is smoother, and it's not as loud. Haven't tried a hard mousepad myself, but loving the QCK+ I got for $10 off Amazon.

[munch]

not only smoother but also allows for more precise movements, which is very important for gaming and Photoshop or similar applications.
the feel of it is really important. most cloth pads don't seem to be precise enough, however the Zowie G/P-TF and the Artisan lines are really good.

[mars-bar-man]

My mouse feels smoother when using it, and even my when my wrist just rests on the pad, it's softer and doesn't case my wrist to ache.

[karljs]

I've found that not using a mousepad marks up or wears down the desk

Really? I've used the same desk with no mousepad for about 8 years now and it shows no wear whatsoever. It's just a wooden surface with a light stain, so maybe that contributes.

[Hyde]

Since I pick up my mouse a lot, having a mouse pad kind of dampens the drop a bit and it feels less harsh.  At work I use their cheapo $5 mice and it's very noticeable that gunk / dirty build up on your mouse feet pretty fast.  So I'd have to wipe it off every 2-3 days.  Somehow with my Artisan Shiden (soft pad) at home I never have that issue, not sure why lol.

That and Shiden just looks so nice

[Lanx]

with my steelseries sx aluminum mat and hyperskates on my mouse, you could blow a bit and my mouse would move like a table hockey puck. But i like super slick, so i guess the reason, is to customize your own mousing preference.

[Hyde]

Yeah basically you're not restricted to table surface type.  You can literally buy the type of mousing surface you want.  If you want more control?  Get cloth pad.  If you want super fast?  Get hard mouse pad.  Somewhere in between?  Get a hybrid pad (Artisan Shiden).  If you don't really care?  Well I guess then you wouldn't be here if you didn't care

[swagpiratex]

I was at Microcenter today to cop a processer/mobo combo and checked out their gaming mousepads. I don't see how some people can use those hard ones!

[SmallFry]

Did that to my desk too...0_o Whoops...

[WhiteFireDragon]

It keeps the teflon feet from wearing out faster. I've also had some laser mice in the past that were really picky on which surface can track the best, so certain mouse pads help with traction better.

[Appeac]

To add another point, I often bring my rig to LAN parties, tournaments, and friends' houses and having a consistent feeling across them all is really good. You might get used to your desk's smoothness, but another table might be really gritty, or a different material, etc.

[Saturn]

I have a wooden desk, and I used my mouse flat on the desk for a long time, and the desk got a little... well, worn out.  The surface of the desk got all odd and bumpy.

I use the Steelseries 9HD.  Textured hard plastic mat.  Feels nice.  Tracks pretty smoothly, and I like how the surface stays dry and cool.  Really suits me.  You can feel it when the mat gets dirty, though.

[damorgue]

I used a hard mouse mat for a while and I thought of this question. Then I went back to a cloth mat and now I realize why again. I get better control by adjusting the force I press the mouse down with. As I press it against a soft mat, it sinks and it is very easy to adjust the friction. I use this for small detail movements I think. When I say force, I mean a very little force. It is not not like I am pushing the mouse through the table or nothing.

[xorpher]

Many reasons to use a mousepad:

1. More consistent mouse movement due to better tracking.
2. Less wear on the bottom of the mouse over time, so stays smoother for longer.
3. More comfortable for your wrist.
4. Quieter than using a mouse on a wooden desk.

On desks where I haven't used a mousepad there is noticeable damage on the desk surface,
so in some cases using a mousepad is the equivalent of using a coaster for a beverage on a nice table.

[Pretendo]

I'll add that you can get many different patterns on mouse pads to customize your desktop.

Mostly been using a trackpoint lately so the point is moot.

[mikelanding]

Many reasons to use a mousepad:

1. More consistent mouse movement due to better tracking.
2. Less wear on the bottom of the mouse over time, so stays smoother for longer.
3. More comfortable for your wrist.
4. Quieter than using a mouse on a wooden desk.

On desks where I haven't used a mousepad there is noticeable damage on the desk surface,
so in some cases using a mousepad is the equivalent of using a coaster for a beverage on a nice table.

ya. Agree on all above point. Some mouse pad provide better surface that your mouse can "glide" smoothly like that Mousepad I brought sometime ago Razer Scarab.

[zareliman]

The mousepad can provide a smoother more regular surface and cover imperfections of your desk.
Cloth mousepads are softer than your mouse skates so they will last notably longer on cloth.
Foam from some mousepads can relieve some wrist pain.
Usually good mousepads have a plain color which is benefical for some high-performance sensors like the one on the CMStorm Spawn that provides extremely low LOD but requires a dark surface without designs (like the default SteelSeries QCK).

[cix]

Many reasons to use a mousepad:

1. More consistent mouse movement due to better tracking.
2. Less wear on the bottom of the mouse over time, so stays smoother for longer.
3. More comfortable for your wrist.
4. Quieter than using a mouse on a wooden desk.

On desks where I haven't used a mousepad there is noticeable damage on the desk surface,
so in some cases using a mousepad is the equivalent of using a coaster for a beverage on a nice table.

Agreed with everything here.  I have an artisan mouse pad myself and its a joy to use with my mouse, especially for gaming.  I hate the noise my mouse makes when it moves across my desk without a mousepad.

[neeb]

Many reasons to use a mousepad:

1. More consistent mouse movement due to better tracking.
2. Less wear on the bottom of the mouse over time, so stays smoother for longer.
3. More comfortable for your wrist.
4. Quieter than using a mouse on a wooden desk.

On desks where I haven't used a mousepad there is noticeable damage on the desk surface,
so in some cases using a mousepad is the equivalent of using a coaster for a beverage on a nice table.

I agree with this. My mouse does work without a mousepad but it doesn't work nearly as well

[swagpiratex]

Still trying to justify the purchase of an Artisan pad. The QCK+ that I got off Amazon for $10 is a great mousepad, but I'm a weeaboo that loves anything nihongo.

[neeb]

Still trying to justify the purchase of an Artisan pad. The QCK+ that I got off Amazon for $10 is a great mousepad, but I'm a weeaboo that loves anything nihongo.

What's special about an Artisan mousepad? I've never heard of them lol. I don't really know much about mousepads to be honest, just that I game much better with one than without one xD

[Will@Drop]

The speed you get from a hard mouse pad is incredible. I have the Razer Scarab and it makes my mouse glide across the table. No joke.

[swagpiratex]

Naw, they just look clean. The QCK+ i have now does a great job, so it's more of a want than a need.