Since many careers and responsibilities require the use of a computer, we often forget that using a computer should be a luxurious, comfortable experience.
There is no need to be uncomfortable or feel awkward when using a computer, yet many of us do. Over time, we repress these painful elements of our daily life, not realizing that we can enhance our experience by purchasing various computer accessories.
A mouse pad is one such accessory that is often ignored when people finetune their computer experience. Yet, a mouse pad can be a critical piece of equipment that adds an entirely new dimension to your experience.
In this article, we review three of the most popular Razer mouse pads, explaining their distinguishing characteristics as well as their drawbacks. Finally, we offer our thoughts on which mouse pad is the most worthwhile purchase, as well as where we think the mouse pad industry is going in the future.
The Sphex V2 Razer mouse pad costs around $15 on Amazon and is considered a gaming mouse pad.
It has a non-slip adhesive base as well as a polycarbonate surface that is designed to dovetail perfectly with Razer mice.
The Sphex V2 Razer mouse pad is half a millimeter thick and is designed to be as minimal as possible.
The Benefits of the Sphex V2 Razer Mouse Pad
Due to the polycarbonate surface, this mouse pad is extremely durable. This is rare for such a cheap mouse pad, especially one that costs less than $20. This material is designed to withstand repeated gestures and constant usage, which is common during computer gaming.While this mouse pad was designed for gamers, it can be used by anyone that frequently uses a laptop or computer. It’s a very minimal mouse pad and allows you to almost forget you are using a mouse pad. This is important when you are using a computer, as you want to feel as light and comfortable as possible yet as supported and supplemented as possible. This combination can only be achieved when your equipment is effective yet minimal.
Razer also features a collection of colorful lines on the surface of the mouse pad to give it a futuristic, gutsy look. This is important considering how visible the mouse pad will be. Even if it stays at home, it will become a part of the interior architecture of your home. If you take the mouse pad with you on the go, it will become a part of your traveling persona. In this sense, its iridescence can reflect some element of your personality. Furthermore, because the Sphex V2 Razer Mouse Pad is so thin, it’s extremely portable and can fit in a computer bag very easily. This means that you will not have to bring extra bags in order to store it.Perhaps the best feature of this Razer mouse pad is that it was designed to optimally function with Razer mice. Thus, if you have a Razer mouse, then this mouse pad is ideal for you.
Razer designed this mouse pad to be sensitive to the lasers in their mice, allowing for swift movement and accurate gestures. A unique kind of synergy results when Razer mouse pads are paired with Razer mice.
The Benefits of the Sphex V2 Razer Mouse Pad
The main drawback of the Sphex V2 Razer mouse pad is its comfort level. While this Razer mouse pad certainly enhances mouse performance and is incredibly thin, it doesn’t offer much padding or cushioning. This is critical considering how gamers like to play for long periods of time. In fact, sometimes it can take several hours for a gamer to get into flow, making padding and cushioning all the more important for maximum comfort.
Some gamers like minimal padding while others prefer something more substantial. If you are interested in the latter, then the Sphex V2 Razer mouse pad is not ideal for you. You would be better off with a more expensive mouse pad that offers more support and padding.
Furthermore, the Sphex V2 Razer mouse pad is designed to be extremely portable due to its thinness, yet its colors might attract lots of attention. Some users might not want to stand out this much, especially gamers who like to blend in with their surroundings to enhance their gaming experience. The last thing that some gamers want is to arouse attention that would interfere with their experience.
In this sense, the Sphex V2 Razer mouse pad might be too flashy for some gamers. This means that it might be best for more stationary settings, like homes, though this translates to limited functionality.
- Features a polycarbonate surface for better durability
- Futuristic and gusty look
- Very portable and can fit to any computer bag
- Swift movement and accurate gestures
- Doesn’t offer much padding or cushioning
- Attract lots of attention
- Limited functionality
The Destructor 2 Razer mouse pad costs around $40 or more and is all black, featuring the Razer logo in the top right corner.
This is a high-quality mouse pad that is designed for gamers but can be utilized by anyone with a computer mouse.
This mouse pad has a non-slip rubber base which allows the pad to stay in place during usage.
Furthermore, this Razer mouse pad has tiny flakes on the surface which make it reactive to the mouse’s sensors, whether they are laser or optical.
The Benefits of the Destructor 2 Razer Mouse Pad
While this Razer mouse pad is thin, it’s still more substantial than the Sphex V2 mouse pad. This makes it a bit more comfortable for extended usage, but also slightly less portable. The main benefit of this Razer mouse pad is the specific flakes featured on the surface. This texture allows the corresponding mouse to glide over the pad, which is perfect for quick gestures during intense games. Since these flakes are so sensitive to movement, this mouse pad is also ideal for gamers who do a lot of precise movements. These flakes act as a kind of stabilizing structure for each mouse gesture, providing necessary resistance.
Many gamers have said the stabilizing nature of this Razer mouse pad makes it more comfortable in the long term since you don’t have to make many adjustments to each gesture. This conserves the energy of your hand, wrist, and arm, which is an important consideration in any long-term usage of a computer.
Many programmers also like to use this Razer mouse pad due to its sensitive surface. Due to its black color, it’s a relatively subtle mouse pad and can camouflage with your surroundings. This makes it great for taking with you on the go if you want to blend in while using your laptop.
The Drawbacks of the Destructor 2 Razer Mouse Pad
The main drawback of the Destructor 2 Razer mouse pad is the price. At just under $40, this mouse pad is relatively expensive when compared with cheaper mouse pads like the Sphex V2 Razer mouse pad.While you are paying for a heavier mouse pad with the Destructor 2, ultimately it might be more worthwhile to save your money and get a mouse pad that is merely functional. You can then invest the saved money in a more dynamic mouse.
Many gamers claim that mouse pads are not even important and actually interfere with the gaming experience. Many gamers think that you are better off with the most minimal mouse pad possible, and that a sensitive, comfortable mouse is actually most important. In this sense, the Destructor 2 Razer mouse pad could be considered both excessive and overpriced.
- More comfortable for longer usage
- Features specific flakes on the surface for more precise movements and gestures
- Can camouflage with your surroundings
- Expensive
- Excessive design
The Invicta Razer Mouse Pad is a unique dual-sided mouse pad geared towards gamers. It costs around $55 to $60 and is thus the most expensive mouse pad discussed in this article.
It’s available in black, grey, white or pink colors.
One side of this Razer mouse pad is designed for speed and is described as slick and smooth. The other side of this Razer mouse pad is designed for control and is described as rough and textured.
This Razer mouse pad has an aluminum base which makes it durable over long periods of time. This base also minimizes mouse pad movement during usage. In order to switch sides being used, users access a small hole in the base. This makes the mouse pad extremely versatile and easy to use.
The Benefits of the Invicta Razer Mouse Pad
The dual-sided feature of this Razer mouse pad is certainly unique. This feature makes this mouse pad effective for any user, regardless of style of play or intended usage. Since the two sides are easy to change between, this mouse pad is particularly great for younger users who wouldn’t be able to handle a mouse pad with a more complicated mechanism for interchangeability.
The aluminum base is considered aircraft-grade, which means it’s durable and sturdy. This means it can withstand extensive usage, making it perfect for an avid gamer. The ability to choose between 4 colors is also significant, as many mouse pads do not offer this option. This makes buying this Razer mouse pad an easy way to personalize your computer equipment, allowing you to display elements of your personality.
The Drawback of the Invicta Razer Mouse Pad
The main drawback of this mouse pad is the price. For around $60, users certainly get what they pay for. But, many gamers or coders incur significant costs associated with other computer equipment or games. In this sense, they are often on a budget when it comes to a mouse pad.
Yet, it is not affordable, especially when there are mouse pads on the market for under $15. Unless a user wants something extremely durable and versatile, they might be better off saving their money and investing in a cheaper, more minimal mouse pad. This is especially the case for beginner gamers whose hand movements are not sensitive enough to appreciate the nuances of an expensive mouse pad.
- Unique double-sided feature
- Features an aluminum base which is considered aircraft-grade
- Choose between 4 colors
Our Final Thoughts on Razer Mouse Pads
We think Razer offers a number of high-quality mouse pads at various price points, so their worthiness for purchase is very much dependent on your budget.
If you want the cheapest mouse pad with the greatest durability and functionality, then the Sphex V2 Razer mouse pad is by far the best option.
If you want something more substantial that offers maximum sensitivity, then the Invicta Razer mouse pad would probably be best for you. Even though it’s expensive, this mouse pad might pay off over the years as you won’t have to buy another one for a while. In this sense, if you can afford a $60 mouse pad, then the Invicta Razer mouse pad might be the best choice.
Our Thoughts on the Future of Mouse Pads
We think mouse pads in the future will be indistinguishable from mice. Ultimately, these pieces of equipment will be sold together and designed to supplement each other, creating a synergistic experience.
We think some mice of the future will be so innovative that mouse pads might even become obsolete. We think some mice could leave the surface, using air technology to hover. In this sense, a combination of air and gravity would provide the resistance necessary for moving the mouse. This would be a truly seamless way to record movements and gestures during computer usage.
We think the future of the gaming industry is going to be bizarre. It’s almost unpredictable considering the uncertainty of whether computers will even still be used for gaming in the future.
Virtual Reality Headsets in the Future
As virtual reality headsets become more popular, future mice and mouse pads might control a headset you are wearing rather than a desktop computer or laptop. In this sense, these future mice and mouse pads might be designed completely differently than they are designed now. Future mice might resemble a chip that attaches to your palm, transforming your hand into a mouse and giving the mouse access to bodily information like heart rate and temperature.
This could make each game more personal, immersive, and realistic, providing a fairly accurate simulation of your current reality, creating a fractal of your biology and translating it to an experience within the headset.
This experience could even be used for health diagnoses and remote doctors’ appointments, as our headsets would be laptops that could connect to distant doctors. Doctors could access information about our heart, sweat, blood, skin, and hair via some piece of portable technology that can communicate with our headset.
While this might seem unrealistic now, this development is just on the horizon. Ultimately, as customers, we have a responsibility to demand these features into existence. Without our purchases, virtual reality headsets, advanced mouse pads, and gaming equipment more generally will not be able to advance since our money partially helps fund their research and development.