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SteelPad 5L Review |
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Hard Surfaces Not Allowed |
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by Josh Walrath |
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Impressions Having been a big fan of the hard plastic surfaces, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. I have had a number of cloth mousepads through the years, and I have never been terribly impressed with them. When I unwrapped the 5L, I was very surprised at the overall heft of the product. It is not lightweight. The size of the actual surface is really large. It is in fact larger than the SteelPad S&S, which was already oversize for mousepads. I was able to snuggle it in between my keyboard and my computer tower, and I used the Logitech G5 corded mouse for testing.
Even when taking the picture at an angle, it is easy to see how much extra space the 5L has over the older S&S. The cloth did provide a bit more grip than what I was used to with the slick plastic pads, but it was quite a bit slicker than standard cloth. Once I started to really use the pad in games and applications, I really began to appreciate the overall feel of the pad. While the mouse does not slide around like a typical hard plastic pad, it does not get bound up in the cloth in the least. The experience is quite smooth. The easiest way to describe it would be going from ice skating to roller blading. There is more friction involved, but it is still smooth and fast. The extra mousing space was appreciated as well, and in the gaming I have done I have not yet run out of mousepad. One small issue I have is that the pad is much taller than previous versions, and it did rub my wrist quite a bit more than I was expecting. If you use a gel-pad as a wrist support (which you really should do), this will be a non-issue.
The 5L is about three times taller than the S&S, which can prove to be irritating to the wrist. Overall I am very happy with the mousepad. It is well built, the design seems solid, and I have not noticed a decrease in my mousing performance (though I still get whooped in games). It seems like it would be a very durable product, and I have little doubt that it would last a whole lot longer than the SteelPad S&S with its all plastic design. The cloth/plastic coating will also be a lot easier on the Teflon pads on mice, as the cloth will not wear them down (unlike most plastic pads once the initial slickness wears off). Conclusion The people at SteelSeries hav another winner on their hands, but it is not inexpensive. It currently sells for around $40 online, but considering its construction the price is not all that surprising. This is a pad that should last a user a long, long time. Certainly a lot longer than competing all-plastic models. The surface is also a lot smoother and more comfortable than other cloth pads. I would say that the SteelSeries people have taken all of the advantages of a cloth mouse, combined with a plastic design, and created something that has few of the drawbacks of non-hybrid products. For anyone looking for a good, smooth mousepad that will last a long time, they probably should look no further.
Overall Product Score: 95%
Excellence in Engineering Award Pros Smooth feel Soft cloth/rubber Sturdy plastic backing to retain shape and size Smoother than all cloth/rubber designs Appealing graphics on pad
Cons Not as slick as full plastic pad $40 US mousepad Slightly raised edge
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Copyright 1999-2006 PenStar Systems, LLC. |
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