Steelpad 4D Mousepad

[PAGETITLE=Introduction] Specifications Made of high quality plastic. Dual sided: Rough and Smooth. Base included. Includes mouse skate tape. Dimensions: 11"x10"x2.5mm. Price: $24.95US. If you are a gamer who uses a good quality mousepad, you usually end up swearing by it. I am one of those people who never use a mousepad, ever. I've always been recommended to get one, but never had the real need to, so I just stuck to using the surface of my desk. I thought I never needed one, until I received the Steelpad 4D (Thanks Steelpad!). Let's jump right into the features and see what this pads all about. Features This is definitely not a normal mousepad, obviously, or else we would not be reviewing it. So what makes it so special? The 4D is made of high quality and durable plastic compound, and has two surfaces, rough and smooth. Depending on your playstyle or mouse type, you may prefer one or the other. The pad also comes with a non-slip base, so that the mousepad doesn't slide all over your desk. The 4D measures 11" across and 10" high, with a depth of 2.5mm. This makes it a perfect sized mouse pad. I am a loser with a small desk, so I have to lie the pad vertically. Performance Sure, the mousepad has good features, but how does it do? As mentioned earlier, the pad is two sides. The smooth side is generally meant for Ball mice [who the hell still uses those?] and the rough side is for Optical/Laser. [PAGEBREAK] [PAGETITLE=Testing, Conclusion] Since I am using an Optical mouse, I preferred the rough side. If you plan to use that side though, you need the mouse tape that came with the mousepad. It really is rough without it, and makes it harder than easier. The glossy side is very slick, and meant for ball mice. If you are using an Optical mouse or the MX1000, you will likely find it too smooth. You will definitely want to try both sides though, to see which you prefer for what you are doing. I tested the mousepad with three different games: Half-Life 2, Counter-Strike: Source and Unreal Tournament 2004. Since I usually always game on the plain desk surface, I very quickly noticed a massive difference. Just playing the games, was so much smoother, it's not even a comparison. I felt as though, I had much better control in general. I was more in control of my character, and my precision was much better. I could definitely feel the affect of the added mouse skates as well, as I tried the pad with and without. Of course, since the mousepad will improve the use in general, I noticed quite a difference in programs that are bettered with good precision, such as Photoshop. I found I was more capable of selecting certain pixels and areas much easier than without. Conclusion If you are looking for a great mousepad for a great price, I recommend the Steelpad 4D. It retails for around $25US, and comes with a base and mouse tape, which is a welcomed bonus, and makes this an excellent value. Thanks to Danny of Soft Trading for allowing us to review the mousepad! Pros Great control. Dual sides. Very durable. Awesome price. Cons *May* be large for some desks. Please feel free to discuss this review in our thread. Sign-up required, which is easy, and you will never receive spam from us, ever.

Steelpad 4D Mousepad

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Rob Williams