Best gaming mouse pads 2018: the best mouse mats for gamers

Just a few years ago, gaming mouse pads weren’t so different than all the other mouse pads. Just get a piece of foam, cover it in fabric and call it day.

These days, however, the best mouse pads for gaming have grown up more than anyone had anticipated. These MLG tablecloths have evolved to feature new innovations and technologies that will blow you away. They may follow that same tried-and-true general design, but some even include things like Qi wireless charging, so you never have to go on a scavenger hunt to charge your mouse.

You likely don’t need anyone to tell you that mouse pads are important, but we just want to reiterate, if you’re already using one of the best gaming mice, why would you do it the disservice of using anything other than the best mouse pad for gaming?

However, when you go out looking for the best gaming mouse pad, you’ll see that there are dozens of brand names and knockoffs out there – which can make it difficult to figure out what you actually need. Luckily, we here at TechRadar have your back – we’ve created this list of the best gaming mouse pads we’ve used over the last year or so. So, whether you’re the type of player who likes to have an RGB monstrosity lighting up your desk, or if you just need a slick pad so that you can pull off some sick headshots – we’ve found something just for you.

The Corsair MM600 isn’t interested in distracting you with brightly colored lights like the MM800. Instead, it offers a great deal more versatility than its higher priced sibling. This double sided mouse pad stays secure in place with rubber stoppers on each corner so that your mouse moves – not your mouse pad. The MM600 is also made of aluminum, and features a low-friction surface that will boost your response times in-game. 

Existing solely as a budget mousepad, the SteelSeries QcK does exactly what you want out of a mousepad and nothing more. The QcK’s surface material has a high thread count for extremely precise mouse control and a smooth glide. At the same time, its rubber base helps prevent it from sliding around your desk while you’re gaming. It comes in a variety of shapes and sizes and there’s even a higher end version with RGB lighting – the SteelSeries QcK Prism. 

This mouse pad might look simple, but that doesn’t mean that the Cooler Master Make It Yours Mouse Pad won’t be perfect for all of your gaming needs. It’s got a low friction cloth surface for near-frictionless mouse movement. And rather than having all that flashy built-in lighting, it comes in a neutral gray color to blend with any setup you might have. And while it doesn’t have much in the way of thickness, it’s wide enough to move around comfortably without having to move your mouse all the time. 

• This product is only available in the UK as of this writing. US and Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the SteelSeries QcK.

RGB lighting is cool and all, but some gamers prefer having a seamless, unobtrusive desk surface. The ultra-thin – less than half a millimeter in height – Razer Sphex v2 is the mouse pad for such a gamer. Despite its thinness, the  polycarbonate surface is durable and optimized for laser or optical mouse gaming mouse control. We’ve picked out the regular size, but it also comes in a Small size variant. 

The top of the Hiro+ is covered in a vulcanized silicone surface with a 3D structure to help increase your  gaming accuracy and speed. The base has a non-slip surface for steady mouse control, and the edges have been rounded for a smoother profile. Its surface is also coated to protect from water and grime, and makes for easy cleaning.

Sure, there have been mouse pads with wireless charging tech in the past, but Corsair has taken it a step further with the Corsair MM1000 Qi by including Qi charging. Launching alongside the Corsair Dark Core RGB SE, which features Qi charging compatibility the MM1000 Qi is Corsair’s answer to the Logitech PowerPlay, but because you can actually use it to charge your phone while gaming (and even comes with an assortment of adapters for doing just that) and costs significantly less at $79 (about £55, AU$100), the MM1000 comes out ahead in every way. 

The Razer Firefly RBG gaming mouse pad has been eSports tested to ensure gamer success. It boasts a micro-textured surface, focusing on precise controls for gamers. Razer even lab-tested the Firefly RGB’s coating to ensure it has the right reflectiveness for a quicker response rate. The Razer Firefly RGB also uses Chroma Lighting, with more than 16.8 million colors to personalize gaming experiences. 

You simply can’t go out looking for the best mouse mat for gaming in 2018 without considering RGB. All the hottest gaming peripherals right now boast about how they can light your desk up like a Christmas tree, and the Corsair MM800 RGB Polaris is no different. On top of Corsair’s always-fantastic RGB implementation, the MM800 uses a low-friction finish that’ll allow for quick and precise tracking across its surface. And if the lighting wasn’t enough, the MM800 uses Corsair’s special CUE2 interface to sync its lighting with your other peripherals and even your PC through RGB share. It’s even available in two materials: cloth and a micro-texture surface.  

The Scabbard is less mouse pad and more ‘gear pad’. The Asus Republic of Gaming (ROG) Scabbard pad can hold the laptop or keyboard and mouse. It has a non-slip ROG-red rubber base and low-friction Sheath woven surface for gaming control. They’ve even temperature tested the ROG Scabbard down to -30°C – but why you’d game in sub-zero conditions is unimaginable.  

Unlike all the other soft pads and plastic surfaces in this article, the  MSI Thunderstorm gaming mouse pad is made of pure metal. To be specific, this mouse mat is made of  an anodized, hairline-surfaced aluminum piece with rubber stoppers. The hairline textured surface is optimized for mouse control and speed, while its L-shape allows it to be situated close to the keyboard. Flip it over for a micro-textured surface and the comfort of cloth. 

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