Review: SteelSeries SP

[MajorMalfunction]

From the Manufacturer: Specifications and Description

- Material: Textured hard plastic
- Dimensions: 320 x 270 x 3 mm / 12,6 x 10,6 x 0,1 in
- Size: Medium
- Glide: Smooth
- Compatibility: Optical, ball

SteelSeries SP highlights:
- Extremely durable hard plastic mouse pad
- Macroscopic texture offers minimal friction
- Medium-sized, optimized for optical mice
- Two component mouse pad; plastic surface with rubber bottom

SteelSeries SP is a macroscopic-textured, hard plastic mouse pad designed for competitive gamers demanding precision, accuracy and stability from their mousing surface. The responsive gaming-grade surface of SteelSeries SP offers minimal friction, even for gamers applying a high force of contact on their mice.

The surface is compatible with optical mice and was developed and fine-tuned in co-operation with professional Counter-Strike players from mousesports, SK Gaming, Team 3D and compLexity.

A non-slip rubber base ensures that the mouse pad doesn't slide, even during the most frantic gaming sessions.

Reasons for buying:
I had bought a cheap, hard plastic Allsop mousepad at Best Buy. The pad lasted about three months before the surface started to lose its glide. When the plastic surface began to peel off of its aluminum base I decided it was time to make a change. I tossed around the idea of going without a pad but ultimately decided that my desk surface wasn’t ideally textured for a mouse. Either the mouse or the desk itself would sustain some damage over time. I decided on a hard plastic pad for the best glide, and besides, a cloth pad gets dirty and in a house like mine, I could see it being a magnet for cat hair. I first looked at the SteelSeries S&S but read about durability issues, specifically pertaining to the sprayed on rubber backing of the pad. The SP had everything I wanted, an improved mousing surface over the S&S and a solid rubber backing that was said to be a welcome change for SteelSeries pads.

Packaging:
The SP ships in a clear rubbery plastic sleeve with a zipper for resealing, ideal for transporting the pad. Included in the packaging is the pad itself, a booklet on the SteelSeries line of products, a SteelSeries sticker (decal even), and a separate smaller package containing Teflon mouse feet, branded with SteelSeries Glide MS. These feet can be purchased separately if need be.

The Pad:
Pictures really don’t do this pad justice. The designs are visible but the surface covering them is somewhat rough. And although the plastic is clear (at least mostly clear), light bounces off this texture in such a way that makes clearly focusing on any part of the pad almost impossible. It’s a nice effect.

Performance:
Having never used any type of gaming pad in the past I wasn’t sure what to expect from the SP. But as soon as I began using it, the difference was clear. This pad works perfectly with my Deathadder. I decided to use the included mouse feet after noticing an area on the bottom of the mouse that was scuffed from use on the old pad, and reading that this was a common problem among Deathadders. The feet give the mouse a slight boost in height (and glide) without interfering at all with the infrared sensor.

The surface can best be described as a delicate balance between glide and control. This pad is not frictionless by any means, and yet a flick of the wrist can send your mouse from one side of the pad, off the other side. After using this pad for the better part of two months I can say that it’s extremely precise. And at almost 12x10 inches, the pad is pretty big. It almost takes up as much area as the laptop I game on. The size is more than enough for my medium to low sensitivity gaming. But for straight up low sensitivity gamers this pad might not be large enough. I can’t be the judge of that.

At just 3mm thick, the disc tray on my laptop easily fits over it, another advantage over my old Allsop. The rubber backing keeps the pad firmly anchored on the desk; it doesn’t budge no matter how much the mouse is being thrown around. After extended use the pad can get a little uncomfortable to use, as it wears a bit on the part of my wrist that touches it. This can probably be solved with a wristpad. I don’t see it as a big deal, but it’s worth mentioning.

Overall:
The SteelSeries SP is a great mousepad. It offers both glide, control, and enough size to satisfy most gamers. I wanted something good and durable, and this pad satisfies my needs perfectly.

Pros:
-Excellent mousing surface
-Solid rubber backing
-Packaging is great for transporting the pad
Cons:
-Can be uncomfortable to use after extended periods of time
- At $30 on Amazon, this pad is more expensive than some other gaming mousepads.


I give the SteelSeries SP 9 D-Keys:

[pinkfluff]

Very nice review. Ill consider buying one.. my Zboard Fragmat has gone all smooth on me lol.. time to replace no glide left :P

[Craig]

awesome job on the review!

[bacon_x]

great review major

[Relly]

Awesome write up. Steelseries make the best mousepads, hands down. I'm speaking from personal experience and from the overwhelming amount of users who have and enjoy them.

[Craig]

I'd just like to add that this is one of the most overlooked pieces of equipment on anyone's rig. It is the point of contact for your reflexes and the PC. Do not go cheaply into this night!!

[CoffeeShark]

I never thought the mousepad was that important, til I bought an exactmat.

[SonicSpeed]

Originally Posted by Craig

I'd just like to add that this is one of the most overlooked pieces of equipment on anyone's rig. It is the point of contact for your reflexes and the PC. Do not go cheaply into this good night!!

Fixed.

[No-Fear]

nice

[BuddhistSoldier]

Having a cheap mouse pad is like running your BWM on some cheap ass no name tires.