Ulti-Mat gaming mouse pads

Feature

The Ulti-mat line of mouse pads are relatively fresh arrivals on the gaming gear scene, but they have quickly attracted interest from professional and other avid gamers.

April 3rd, 2009 by Marko Susimets�

Secrets of mouse pads
Mouse pads are some of the most often neglected pieces of gear when one thinks of gaming. However, like a good gaming mouse, a good mouse pad may mark the difference between a successful head-shot �from the hip� and a dead little hero. And even if you are not a FPS fan, a good mouse pad will give your mouse's feet more longevity than scraping them against a hard tabletop. Likewise, a good mouse pad is a must to anyone dreaming of graphics editing or other precision work.

The Ulti-mat line of mouse pads are relatively fresh arrivals on the gaming gear scene, but they have quickly attracted interest from professional and other avid gamers. We - Varg and I - received three Ulti-mat mouse pads for our closer inspection: Breathe X3, which is a traditional fabric mouse pad; Solid X3, which is a plastic-coated pad; and the Seven F-X2, which attempts to combine the benefits of both fabric and plastic.

In the Ulti-mat line-up, the Xn numbers refer to the size of the pad, the X1s being the smallest pads and X3s generally the biggest (380mm x 320mm or 14.97inch x 12.61inch), although the Breathe pad is available in X4, which is short for _huge_.

Testing conditions
We tested the mouse pads with several different mice (e.g. Steelseries Ikari Laser, Logitech G5, Razer Lachesis) and on different kinds of tabletops. We focussed our attention on the noise that the mouse makes as it moves on the pad (result of friction) and the grip of the mouse mat onto the tabletop (stability). These observations totalled in our most important score: usability. In addition, we rated the look and feel of the mouse pads from our subjective points of view, attempting to give a representative score also on this front. In order to try out the headshot-capabilities of the pads, we played Wolfie's favourite FPS, Crysis.

Breathe X3
The Breathe pads are so-called slow, or low-precision, mouse pads, intended for people using traditional mice. The pad is made completely out of fabric and it is very thin and floppy, which translates into good stability on the tabletop. The surface of the pad is actually smoother and slicker than most fabric pads that we've seen, making it feel very comfortable under the parts of your hand that aren't paying all of their attention on the mouse.

Usability: We found the Breathe X3 to be the softest and smoothest of the three pads. The pad makes the least noise when you move a mouse on the surface. It lies solidly on the table surface and never slips even in the most hectic gaming sessions. The size of the X3 in particular gives you a lot of room for manoeuvring, but it may be difficult to fit on smallish gaming tables. Our laser mice read the mouse pad perfectly and our headshots found their targets very satisfactorily, so there's nothing to complain about on this front either.

Look and feel: The fabric construction of the pad makes it simply the best feeling mat in the Ulti-mat line-up. It almost feels so good that you hope that the pad was even larger and you could wrap yourself up in it every night (Umm... What!? - Ed). The pad also looks good with its smooth and shiny matte finish.

Smoothness : 9
Noise : 9
Stability : 9
Look & Feel : 9
Total : 9