Looking for a new mousepad and seeing drastic differences in prices between mousepads can be pretty weird. After all, this is just cloth, right?
Well, there are differences. You might even think that you should use your desk as a mousepad. BIG MISTAKE. Read this for more information Can You Use A Mouse Without A Mousepad?
Let’s see which one fits your needs the most. But first, I want to ask the following question:
Does Quality Of Mousepad Matter?
The quality of the mousepad does matter. Low-quality mousepads will provide a worse experience and do more harm than good. On the other hand, good quality mousepads offer a comfortable, smooth experience that increases the life span of your mouse and desk.
Read more at Are Mousepads Worth it? Plus Shroud’s Opinion.
So the quality of the mousepad does matter. Let’s examine cheap vs expensive mousepads and see what is worth it.
Cheap Vs Expensive Mousepads
For this article, for simplicity’s sake, I’ve broken it down into four categories ordered by price.
Our Categories
- Extreme Budget: 0-10$
- Budget: 10-20$
- Midrange: 20-50$
- High-end: 50$+
Our Criterions
- Performance
- Feel
- Durability
- Rubber Base
- Stitching
- Extra Features
My Verdict
For most people, expensive mousepads are not worth it. While they provide a better experience since they have a better texture, stitching, and rubber base, it is not enough to justify the extra cost. Companies managed to release 15$ mousepads that provide a fantastic experience.
Extreme Budget Mousepads
Extreme Budget mousepads are usually non-branded mousepads you can buy on Amazon, eBay, Aliexpress, etc., for under ten bucks.
They are cheap pieces of cloth like you would expect at this price range.
Performance
Performance-Wise, they are primarily okayish. The texture is rather bland, prone to humidity changes, and wears out extremely fast, which will cause inconsistencies.
Plus, the ones I’ve tried do not lay flat on the desk, which provides an unpleasant experience.
The Rubber Base is mostly okayish as well. It does not hold its place as a high-quality mousepad will, but for a couple of bucks, I am impressed.
Overall, performance-wise, they are OK. They get the job done, but the experience is poor.
Feel & Durability
Feel-wise, they feel cheap. Very cheap. Putting my hands on them feels uncomfortable. They are flimsy and thin and generally feel very bland.
Many do not have any stitching, but if you get one that has stitching, it is probably pretty bad.
Durability-wise, they will wear out extremely fast.
You might need to repurchase the extreme budget mousepads to have a good experience with them.
My Verdict On Extreme Budget Mousepads
Normal mousepads do not worth the money. They provide a poor experience as they have bland textures, poor stitching, and a poor rubber base. As a result, they are inconsistent and inaccurate. It is better to invest a bit more to have a much greater experience.
Extreme budget mousepads are often referred to as normal mousepads.
Budget Mousepads
When discussing budget mousepads, I mainly discuss the popular Steelseries QcK, the Razer Gigantus, and the Zowie GS-R.
These are all mousepads that cost below 20$ and are generally referred to as the standard mousepads everyone should get.
If you go into Reddit and ask for a mousepad suggestion, you will likely get numerous responses of “Just get a QcK” or “Start with the Razer Gigantus or Zowie GS-R.”
Let’s see if they are worth it.
Performance
Performance-Wise, they are great. The texture is not amazing by any means, but it gets the job done and is way better than the extreme budget mousepads.
They lay flat on the desk without any problems and provide a smooth experience.
However, inconsistencies are an issue here. They are prone to humidity and can be pretty inconsistent if it wears out. It is not a big deal like it is with the extreme budget mousepads, but it is something to keep in mind.
The Rubber Base is way better. Hold its place very firmly and nicely. No complaints here.
Overall, performance-wise, they are great. They provide a smooth experience and great bang for the buck. However, they are not perfect as they are prone to inconsistencies.
Feel & Durability
Feel-wise, they feel okay. They do not feel premium, but they do feel like a step up in quality. Feels like your everyday gamer mousepad. Nothing too shiny.
The QcK and the Gigantus do not have stitching. The GS-R has stitching, and it is okay. It gets the job done.
Durability-wise, they are not as durable as the more high-end mousepads, but they can last some time if you keep them clean. Nothing special here.
My Verdict On Budget Mousepads
Budget mousepads (10$ – 20$) are the best bang for your buck. Mousepads like the QcK, GS-R, and the Gigantus V2 provide an excellent experience for just a fraction of the price. Budget mousepads (10$ – 20$) are the sweet spot for most people.
Midrange Mousepads
For midrange mousepads, I will talk about the X-Ray Aqua Control II, the Aqua Control+, and the Xtrfy GP4. They perfectly fit the midrange mousepads.
They are not Artisan mousepads which cost almost 100$, but they are definitely a step up from the budget options.
Let’s examine them.
Performance
Performance-Wise, they are great as well. The texture is unique and is definitely more consistent than the budget options. This means that it is less prone to inconsistencies due to dirt or humidity.
They will provide a consistent experience longer due to the better texture midrange mousepads have.
They lay flat on the desk, providing a comfortable experience, as expected.
The Rubber Base is great. This mousepad does not move. Although the budget mousepads are doing a great job in their rubber bases.
Overall, performance-wise, it is excellent. Provides a smooth and consistent experience. Better than the budget options as the texture is definitely better. However, it is not game-changing by any means.
Feel & Durability
Feel-wise, the texture really pops off in this category, and it feels better than the budget options. It feels more premium and unique.
The stitching is excellent as well.
Durability-wise, they will last longer due to the better textures midrange mousepads provide.
My Verdict On Midrange Mousepads
Midrange mousepads (20$ – 50$) are excellent choices for competitive gamers. They provide a better experience than the budget options (10$ – 20$), like the QcK, in terms of texture and consistency. However, they do cost twice or thrice the price, so they are definitely not for everyone.
High-end Mousepads
When talking about High-end mousepads, we usually refer to the Artisan Zero or the Artisan Hien.
While there are even pricier mousepads in the market, many refer to the Artisan mousepads as the best ones in the market.
Let’s examine high-end mousepads and see if they are worth it.
Performance
Performance-Wise, they are amazing. The texture is excellent and stays consistent at all times. Since consistency is the name of the game, you can’t get better than these pads.
The Rubber Base is great. You can use it on your ceiling if you want to.
Overall, performance-wise, you can’t get any better than high-end mousepads like Artisan ones. They are consistent and smooth all year long.
Feel & Durability
Feel-wise, they feel amazing. They feel premium as if Apple bought them and released them under the Pro Max Super Duper Mousepad.
Durability-wise, they will last years and years. Definitely durable and consistent.
My Verdict On High-End Mousepads
High-End mousepads (50$+), like the Artisan Zero or Hien, are amazing and provide the best experience when talking about mousepads. However, they cost more than 4-5 times more than a budget mousepad like Steelseries QcK or the Gigantus, and for most people, they are not worth it.
Performance To Price Ratio
While you do get better stitching, texture, and rubber base,e the more you go up in price. The most important thing is performance.
The jump in performance between extreme budget mousepads (0$ – 10$) to budget mousepads (10$ – 20$) is enormous. You get a 100 times better mousepad. But the jump from the budget mousepads to the midrange (20$ – 50$) and even to the high-end ones (50$+) is not as significant.
That means that for most people, it is hard to justify the extra price you pay for a better mousepad. So it is safe to say that for most people, budget mousepads like the QcK, Gigantus V2, and the Zowie GSR are the best picks for a mousepad.
However, if you want to have the best of the best, and you are willing to spend the extra money, you should 100% get a supreme mousepad. You will have a mousepad that will last a long time with top stitching and texture.
For most people, it will be hard to justify buying a mousepad that costs above 50$. Although they do provide a better experience, it is not enough to justify the extra cost.
So this arises the following question:
Are Expensive Mousepads Worth It?
For most people, expensive mousepads are not worth it. While they provide a better experience since they have a better texture, stitching, and rubber base, it is not enough to justify the extra cost. Companies managed to release 15$ mousepads that provide a fantastic experience.
However, if you are very competitive and want the best of the best, feel free to get one of the more high-quality mousepads.
My Recommended Budget Mousepads
Three of the best mousepads you can get for 15$. I highly recommend getting one of them. Both are exceptionally well known and considered one of the best.
My ultimate choice would be the QcK. You can’t go wrong here, though.
My Recommended Midrange Mousepads
Midrange mousepads are if you want to spice things up. You want a better experience and are willing to pay the price. Here are two of the best midrange mousepads on the market.
My ultimate choice would be the X-raypad Aqua Control+. You can’t go wrong here, though.
My Recommended High-end Mousepads
The best of the best. ARTISAN mousepads are beasts. You will enjoy every moment of it. Both are excellent choices!
