Everglide Optical Mouse Pads Review

Product Requirements:
Device:
A computer with a mouse

Can a mouse pad seriously improve your computing experience? Before I started
this review, I had never really thought about it. Sure, I considered things like
comfort and safety, and so I had a preference for mouse pads with a built in gel
wrist rest. I also like pads that have a bit of substance to them, and I tend to
shy away from the perfectly flat ones that you get either as SWAG at conventions
or in the box when you buy certain computers.

I can’t say exactly what I was expecting when Julie said she was sending me
some Everglide pads to try, but since I
am always open to new things I was happy to check them out.

From perusing the Everglide site, it appears that a good optical mouse pad
can make a big difference in a couple of areas: gaming speed and battery life if
you have a cordless mouse. Well, I don’t have a cordless mouse, and I don’t play
a lot of games, but I do have an optical mouse and I am all for anything that
will speed me up, be more responsive, and feel good under my hand. Did the
Everglide mouse pads do it for me? Well, since I had three different models to
try, I had better talk about each one individually…

Attack Optical Smoke

This mouse pad was the coolest looking of the three, in my opinion. Comprised
of a smoky plastic with a interior of frozen silver glitter, I liked its size
and looks. Measuring 11" wide x 7.25" tall (measured from top to the middle of
the elliptical center) x 0.25" thick, this pad has a nice platform look to it,
with smooth beveled edges all around.

The surface of the pad is a rougher area, and I found that my mouse did glide
quite easily over the pad. It is like there is no resistance whatever when you
run your mouse over it, unlike the mouse pad I am used to. I can definitely see
where less resistance would lead to greater speed and battery life.

The only thing missing was a wrist rest…while this may not bother some, I
really miss it.

Price: $9.95

Pros:
Good overall size
Good looks
Surface that an optical mouse glides easily over
Should lead to faster response in gaming and perhaps better battery life for
cordless mice

Cons:
No built in wrist rest

GIGANTA Optical Smoke
 

The Giganta is just as the name implies: Gigantic. This monster measures 11.5"
wide x 8.75" tall (measured from top to the middle of the elliptical center) x
0.25" thick. It is essentially the same material and composition as the
previously mentioned Attack model, it’s just much bigger. Gamers should love
the wide open expanse available on its slightly textured top.

Once again, the only thing that keeps me from loving this pad is the absence
of a wrist rest.

Price: $11.95

Pros:
Huge overall size
Good looks
Surface that an optical mouse glides easily over
Should lead to faster response in gaming and perhaps better battery life for
cordless mice

Cons:
No built in wrist rest

Optica

Oh wow…I have to admit that when I pulled this pad out of the box, I thought
it was a freebie! I was slightly chagrined to learn that it was an actual
sale model. In any case, it is billed as being "paper thin and lightning fast,"
which is a pretty apt description. I suppose that compared to the other two
models, you could also consider it quite portable. It looks like a generously
sized typical mouse pad, measuring in at 10.5" wide x 8" tall. It seemed like of
the three pads, this one was a little less slick on top, although my mouse still
slid easily across it.

Unless you just prefer a flat as a pancake mouse pad, or if you need
something that you can roll up and stow in your gearbag, I would say that this
one was the least value for the money.

Price: $9.95

Pros:
Portable

Cons:
Seems overpriced compared to other two pads