Best Gaming Mouse Pad in 2022
Often the last and regularly overlooked piece of the gaming setup puzzle, the mouse pad plays a crucial role in ensuring that physical mouse motion converts responsively and accurately into on-screen action. A quality mouse pad helps with response times and precision, both essential factors that can make all the difference between securing those coveted wins in your favorite games or nursing wounds after yet another hard-to-stomach loss.
While the classic mouse pad suits sliding around a mouse for everyday PC use and work, it falls short when gaming. With fit-for-purpose, calibrated surfaces conducive to pin-point sensor accuracy, oversized designs for low-dpi aficionados, and wireless charging tech, gaming mouse pads are engineered for performance. Thanks to a host of feature-rich mouse pads dedicated to gaming that cost next to nothing, there’s no point in soldiering on with an ancient, grimy pad.
To that end, today, we’ll be taking a look at the best gaming mouse pads out there and covering a range of big-name brands, budgets, and desirable features. From decked-out RGB-pumping lookers that spice up a setup to simple, no-frills, functional pads that will improve the tactile feel of the gaming experience, our product guide includes something for everyone, even the most demanding players out there.
Products at a Glance
Best Gaming Mouse Pad in 2022
- Inexpensive
- Best of both worlds surface texture
- Non-slip base
- Comfort
- Edges are prone to peeling after heavy use
- Oversized surface
- Balanced texture
- Razer Chroma RGB lighting
- No USB port on RGB controller
- Scratchy RGB strip
- 10 RGB Modes
- Large surface
- Smooth surface
- Price
- No USB pass-through
- Edges a little rough
- Near-indestructible stitched edges
- Affordable
- Well-rounded surface
- None
- Versatile two-sided hard/soft design
- Highly customizable RGB
- Durable
- Cooler Master logo on cloth side takes up precious play space
Our Verdict
Personal preference largely dictates what constitutes the best gaming mouse pad, but in our estimation, the SteelSeries QcK Gaming Surface, or the slightly more expensive, stitch-edged SteelSeries QcK Edge, delivers value and performance. They’re undoubtedly no-nonsense options free of any extras, but you get a premium mousing experience at an affordable price. Unless you have particular needs, we recommend the SteelSeries QcK range to anyone with a gaming setup.
Our money is on the massive Razer Goliathus Extended Chroma Gaming Mousepad for those that want an oversized desk pad. It’s an excellent option for its RGB chops and well-rounded balance of speed and accuracy. The Blade Hawks RGB Gaming Mouse Pad is another strong RGB-focused option, but at a more palatable price than the Razer pad.
Finally, those who want versatility from a mouse pad should consider the Cooler Master MP860 Dual-sided Gaming Mousepad. Both sides are usable with one made of the cloth, and one of aluminum.
With that, we’ll bring our guide to the best gaming mouse pads to a close. We hope our recommendations prove useful and you find a pad that serves you well for years ahead. Don’t hesitate to drop us a message if you have any pressing questions or know of any great mouse pads that didn’t make it on our list.