For the past several years I've been a hardpad guy. I've mainly used the Logitech G440 and the Roccat Alumic (which has an aluminum core). I loved both but they wore out over time, both visually and from a texture degradation perspective. I then switched to the Corsair MM150, which has a nice texture but just isn't big enough, and I found myself running my mouse completely off the pad during intense gaming moments where I needed the space to hit flicks and 180 turns (typically when getting surprised from behind or when fighting multiple attackers).
Enter the SkyPAD 3.0. As far as I'm concerned, the SkyPAD is the KING OF THE HARD PADS. I've had mine since the end of May, so a little over 90 days. I'm using it with a Corsair Sabre RGB Pro with aftermarket PTFE feet from Corepad. Here are my keytakeaways:
1. The glide and smoothness of this pad is unmatched. It FEELS AMAZING. I'm also using a 240hz display and the sense of mouse tracking I get feels so pristine it's hard to really put into words.
2. This pad will punish your mistakes hard; BUT, it's not the pad's fault, it's yours. I play on a higher mouse sense than most people do and I had to lower my in-game sense about 10-20% on a few games because I was overshooting.
3. Over time your muscle memory will adapt to the smoothness of the pad, and the sense of control you get is worth it. I do still have to remind myself occasionally to calm down so that my fine motor control doesn't crater to the point that the pad becomes an obstacle, but this has actually made me a better player as a result. Other pads with more drag act a crutch for panicking players who lose the ability to make fine adjustments. I have panicked several times while using this pad and paid the price. But the comforting thing at the end of the day was that I knew it was me at fault and not the pad. Now when I encounter situations where I have to clutch up, I'm much calmer through repeated practice and, as a result, much deadlier.
4. This pad is great for fingertip grippers. The fingertip grip has always prioritized finesse and little movements. This means that the less friction you encounter, the easier the mouse moves and the more precision you can obtain. For how I've been playing FPS games for decades, this pad is a godsend. The force you apply with your fingers is purely directed toward moving the weight of the mouse and NOT overcoming the friction of the pad. The muscle memory you can ingrain into fine movements over time is awesome.
5. This pad (the XL 3.0) is big. I've never run out of room on it, and, as a result, my formerly ever-present paranoia that I'm going to run off the pad, which previous pads instilled into me, is gone. It might seem like a little thing, but it means that if I need to sweep the mouse large distances, I have the confidence to take the action without any hesitation that I'll run out of space.
ON CLEANING: Yes, the pad's performance will degrade greatly as dust particles, hair, fuzz, lint, or grime build up on it. It usually takes a couple weeks for this to build up to any noticeable degree, although I take great care to not get any food crumbs on the pad when I eat at my desk. A food crumb or a grain of salt will absolutely destroy your ability to use this pad. But the good news is that it's pretty obvious when your tracking is being obstructed by something, and cleaning the pad is easy. SkyPAD does offer their own proprietary cleaning product on their website, but I've been using Endust with a microfiber cloth and cleaning is done within a minute or two, and tracking is back to how it was on day one. It is also important to make sure to clean the bottom of your mouse, as significant buildup of lint or little hairs can also snag the pad and interfere with tracking.
FInal comment on build quality, the arm sleeve question, and price: This pad is solid and quite heavy. It's very sturdy and doesn't flex. It has 4 feet on the bottom of the pad that grip well onto my wood desk. It absolutely does not move or slide unless I physically pick it up.
I bought the black version of the pad, and the surface itself is quite beautiful under direct light. If you take a flashlight or a lamp up to the glass finish, you can see a brilliantly shimmering texture. SpyPAD's product page says that they use a special lace pattern on the glass, and it's visible up-close. When I first contemplated buying this pad, I was wondering what the glass would be like. Would it just be like putting my mouse on a window pane? Short answer: no. This doesn't feel or look like normal glass. It feels cool to the touch and the surface has been finished in a very specific way so as to make it incredibly smooth.
I've seen some reviewers comment that they need an arm sleeve to use this pad adequately. This doesn't jive with my experience, but I play in a cool room with a fan blowing directly on me. You MIGHT need a sleeve if you play in a hot environment as moisture on the pad from sweat will cause minor interference to glide. But if you aren't sweating, you should be fine. The skin from your hand or wrist touching the pad should not in itself cause any sort of issue.
Finally, the price - Yes, it's high for a mouse pad. The final decision is up to you. But you should consider what you're getting here. If you already use hardpads and you can spare the cash, you should absolutely get the SkyPAD as it's going to last you potentially forever. Already in my 90 days with it I've absent-mindedly tossed my car keys on it, nudged the edges of it with my keyboard, and sat my phone on it, but nothing has resulted in it being scratched or dinged, so it seems very durable to me. And the precision control you get (at least when using a mouse with PTFE feet) is just awesome, and the buttery glide never gets old. The way I looked at it, this pad was an investment so that I'd never need another mousepad again, and so far, things have turned out that way. If there's ever a SkyPAD 4.0, then I'll give it a look, but for now, with the 3.0, I'm golden. This is a great product.
| Brand | SkyPAD |
|---|---|
| Hardware Platform | PC |
| Item Weight | 0.09 ounces |
| Product Dimensions | 15.75 x 19.69 x 0.1 inches |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 15.75 x 19.69 x 0.1 inches |
| Color | White |
| Manufacturer | SkyPAD |
| ASIN | B09MJ4L9NG |
| Date First Available | November 24, 2021 |
