Mouse mats - material & function.

[Technique]

Wasn't really sure where on Neowin to place this thread so here I am.

 

After years of 'standard' mouse mats, I re-jigged my PC room and bought a large mouse mat/pad. For the most part, I like it, however it's not perfect. For 90% of my use it seems fine. Nothing noticeably wrong, but occasionally I will move the mouse and there'll be a delay on the screen, like it didn't quite get the message. So say I want it to move I don't know, 20cm on the screen, most of the time it will move the 20cm I expect, but occasionally it'll move 10, have a delay, then pick up again so that by the time I stop moving the mouse it's only moved 15cm. Hope that explains it better?

 

Mouse: Speedlink Decus Gaming Mouse.

Mouse mat/pad:
Non-Slip Large Felt Desk Pad , 100X40cm Full Desk Mouse Pad, Desk Pad for Keyboard and Mouse , 40''x16'' Felt Desk Mat for Desk Pad Protector

 

Now I'm wondering, could this purely be down to the material as it is a little different to my old mouse mat.

 

This large mat is as the description says - felt. If you think like a carpet, the 'pile' isn't high of course, but it's not completely smooth either.

My old mouse mat, I am thinking like the material you get with joint supports (ankle, wrist etc.) which all seem to be labelled up as Neoprene supports. It's a very similar/same material. While my old mat has a pattern on it, it is very smooth and works flawlessley.

 

From your experience do you think this could be the only reason? If this is causing the trouble then I would want to return the felt mat before the returns date elapses but wouldn't want to run in to the same issue with a replacement.

Do any of you have perfectly fine experiences with felt mats & maybe this isn't the cause?

[+E.Worm Jimmy Subscriber¹]

On 30/07/2022 at 07:52, Technique said:

Wasn't really sure where on Neowin to place this thread so here I am.

 

After years of 'standard' mouse mats, I re-jigged my PC room and bought a large mouse mat/pad. For the most part, I like it, however it's not perfect. For 90% of my use it seems fine. Nothing noticeably wrong, but occasionally I will move the mouse and there'll be a delay on the screen, like it didn't quite get the message. So say I want it to move I don't know, 20cm on the screen, most of the time it will move the 20cm I expect, but occasionally it'll move 10, have a delay, then pick up again so that by the time I stop moving the mouse it's only moved 15cm. Hope that explains it better?

 

Mouse: Speedlink Decus Gaming Mouse.

Mouse mat/pad:
Non-Slip Large Felt Desk Pad , 100X40cm Full Desk Mouse Pad, Desk Pad for Keyboard and Mouse , 40''x16'' Felt Desk Mat for Desk Pad Protector

 

Now I'm wondering, could this purely be down to the material as it is a little different to my old mouse mat.

 

This large mat is as the description says - felt. If you think like a carpet, the 'pile' isn't high of course, but it's not completely smooth either.

My old mouse mat, I am thinking like the material you get with joint supports (ankle, wrist etc.) which all seem to be labelled up as Neoprene supports. It's a very similar/same material. While my old mat has a pattern on it, it is very smooth and works flawlessley.

 

From your experience do you think this could be the only reason? If this is causing the trouble then I would want to return the felt mat before the returns date elapses but wouldn't want to run in to the same issue with a replacement.

Do any of you have perfectly fine experiences with felt mats & maybe this isn't the cause?

Felt mat?  Ohgod no, no no no.

 

My small mat is aluminium and works amazing with laser. 

 

My large matt is regular cloth over rubber type thing. But it is totally flat. As you said it looks like neoprene... That will be my guess as well. With a cloth on top to slide over.

 

I would return this felt mat immediately, even if you do actually like the look. Not the best idea for mouse, no matter if optical or laser. This is fashion item. Not a practical mat.

 

If you just need to click on website once in a while or use it to open word where you use keyboard, it can work.

 

If you do any actual work with a mouth or if you game with a mouse.... It is unreliable 

[Mindovermaster Global Moderator]

On 30/07/2022 at 11:20, E.Worm Jimmy said:

If you do any actual work with a mouth or if you game with a mouse.... It is unreliable 

Umm, think you misspelled there.. You don't work with your mouth.. LOL

[+Matthew S. Subscriber²]

On 30/07/2022 at 12:20, E.Worm Jimmy said:

If you do any actual work with a mouth or if you game with a mouse.... It is unreliable 

Kinky.

 

On 30/07/2022 at 13:37, Mindovermaster said:

Umm, think you misspelled there.. You don't work with your mouth.. LOL

Well I mean...

[adrynalyne]

On 30/07/2022 at 10:53, Matthew S. said:

Kinky.

 

Well I mean...

*Loosens collar* It’s getting hot in here. 

[+BudMan MVC]

Not sure what material you got there.. But I went from a normal mouse pad to a large pad that covers the whole keyboard mouse area of the slide out thing on my desk.. I have been very happy with it. 

 

Now I am not sure when it comes to precision of mouse movement, I move the mouse it goes where I say to go.. I have looked into hey I moved 10 cm and the mouse only went 8 cm sort of thing

 

But what I will say is I like the big pad vs the small just mouse pad because I have much larger area on the desk to move the mouse..  And don't have to worry about falling off the edge of the pad, and having to pick up the mouse and move it to back on the pad..

 

What specific material is best for what sort of lazer mouse or whatever you have down to the micron precision of movement accuracy

 

If your not happy with it return it.. Or throw it away and get something new.. Here is the one I got

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0788LMLZL/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Not sure what material it is, it was free with reward points when I bought it - it wasn't a major thought process into what material should order - what I was looking for was size of pad that would fit my desk area, etc.

 

[Technique]

On 30/07/2022 at 19:58, BudMan said:

it wasn't a major thought process into what material should order

 

It wasn't with me either.

 

I hopped on Amazon, found a look I liked in a size I liked & bought it.

 

It was only as time was passing by & I'm using the PC and every now and then the mouse pointer would be laggy and annoying. At first I thought am I imagining it but then it kept happening & kept happening.

 

I thought maybe the drivers as Win10 insisited on installing its own & wouldn't let me install the manufacturers drivers, but I hadn't gotten round to throwing the old mouse mat out so I thought ok I give it a try to eliminate the problem.

 

I've been using the old mouse mat for a week now & the issue hasn't happened a single time. Earlier today I revert back to the new felt mat & the problem happens. It's not major, it's not like it stops working, it's just annoying.

 

Which is why I came here to see if it was the material. Maybe others had experienced it as I've never had felt before.

 

If that's a major thought process then wow.

[Mindovermaster Global Moderator]

That sounds like a mouse issue, not the mat.. Probably doesn't have the correct drivers, like you say.

[goretsky Supervisor]

Hello,

You may wish to try using a mouse pad with a white (or light-colored) matte surface.  3M makes (or at least used to make) its Precise™ line of mouse pads with surfaces like that after determining that the optical sensors in the mouses they tested responded more quickly/used less energy.  A white surface reflects more light than a black one, which absorbs more of the light being directed at it.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

[Technique]

On 01/08/2022 at 06:41, goretsky said:

Hello,

You may wish to try using a mouse pad with a white (or light-colored) matte surface.  3M makes (or at least used to make) its Precise™ line of mouse pads with surfaces like that after determining that the optical sensors in the mouses they tested responded more quickly/used less energy.  A white surface reflects more light than a black one, which absorbs more of the light being directed at it.

Regards,

Aryeh Goretsky

Thanks for the suggestion Aryeh, but after Googling it - it looks like a traditional mat size & I'm after something bigger. What I have now is 100(cm)-x-40. I see some 90x40s on Amazon which I'd be willing to drop down to but nothing too much more than that.

 

The old mouse mat I had/have is this one: https://www.scan.co.uk/products/razer-goliathus-speed-terra-surface-small-slick-taut-weave-texture-optimized-for-all-mouse-sensitivi

so a little on the darker side.

Currently looking for a plain dark one so I'll just buy what appears to be a black one in same material to that razer mat & send the felt one back.

[+Matthew S. Subscriber²]

Felt is the worst material to have a mouse pad/desk pad made out of, the felt fibers tend to mess with the sensor and will get stuck in the housing which will cause issues similar to what you are seeing, what you want is a neoprene/foam rubber based pad with a cloth top.

[Steven P. Administrators]

Mine is 120 x 60cm I bought it to cover an unsightly scratch on my desk that occurred during shipping (I was given 50% refund) I find it better than the smaller mouse pad, which is what I used before, it also feels more comfortable typing with my arms resting on fabric rather than the wooden desk.

 

 

Only downside is that my mouse always creates a light patch on these mats. Black also shows up any dust and dirt, which is why I am also always wiping it down with a wet cloth as well (pic above is before cleaning to show the light patch where the mouse usually is). But I can't complain for something that only cost €25 --> Titanwolf - Oversized Gaming Muismat 1200x600mm  https://www.amazon.nl/dp/B08426BZJM

[Technique]

I never saw your post before purchase Steven.

 

Didn't think about the rubbing the light mark although it makes sense as I have a similar effect on my old mouse mat. Joy.

 

I bought this one: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B086RGYBY9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Seemed fairly substation at 4mm thick. Only thing was I wasn't convinced by the border. I suspected over time the top material would seperate from the base / stary freying in high traffic areas.

 

So I returned it and bought this one: https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07H5MTGVD/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Of the 3 I've had it's the smallest. Plus although it's labelled as the same thickness as the Razer one, it feels thinner.

Importantly, the border to the mat is stitched, so I think it has a greater chance of lasting vs the Razer one.

 

Shame as the felt one I had I thought looked quite nice. No good if it doesn't do the job it's meant to though.