10-05-2006, 02:32 PM | #1 |
Legion Symbol
Join Date: February 14, 2002
Location: Ireland
Age: 39
Posts: 7,367
|
Has anyone tried Steelpad and Icemat mousepads?
I'm using my 5th or 6th optical mouse now and it's always the same case of imperfect precision. And the performance is affected by the mousepad (or its lack). At best it seems quite good in "normal" conditions, but its lack of precision becomes apparent when for example playing minesweeper (I use this game to test the mouse precison) or pixel-by-pixel editing of pictures or even playing first person shooters. And it's very annoying. And since this has been an issue with every optical mouse I've owned, and every optical mouse performance was dependent on the mousepad (I've tried hundreds of different cheap mousepads with performance ranging from above average at best, to completely jumpy at worst), I believe it is more because of the mouse pads and not the mouse. Bottomline, I'm thinking of getting one of those expensive mousepads made for gaming. The 2 most common brands here are Steelpad and Icemat. But since the price is 20-40$ I'd like to hear your opinions first if anyone has used them. There are also these "padsurfers" that you stick at the base of your mouse, usually made of teflon. They are a bit cheaper. Or if anyone has any other idea on increasing optical mouse accuracy, I'm all ears. Oh, and software-wise I've already tried switching on the "enhance mouse accuracy" options with little or no effect.
__________________
ZFR |
10-05-2006, 03:05 PM | #2 |
Ironworks Moderator
Join Date: March 1, 2001
Location: Midlands, South Carolina
Age: 48
Posts: 14,759
|
I picked up a decent mousepad from Office Depot for $9.99 that had a memoryfoam rest, and it has given me no trouble that I can tell.
In fact, the only trouble I have ever seen with any mousepad ever is at school, they have some pads made with school information on them and the colors include white, silver, yellow...and blue. Whenever I use these, the pointer jumps all over the screen like a freaking flea so I just toss them aside when I am in a lab. The grey, hardtop tables do not give me so much trouble. Anyway, back to the mousepad...mine seems like a regular pad...regular texture, not waxy-feling but cloth, dark grey in color...And I have never questioned its worth. Makes me wonder about what you are talking about and more importantly, the special pads you've referred to. Can there be something better out there that I am unaware of? I'll have to google those you mentioned and find out why they are so expensive.
__________________
|
10-05-2006, 03:30 PM | #3 |
Legion Symbol
Join Date: February 14, 2002
Location: Ireland
Age: 39
Posts: 7,367
|
Here are the two official pages and some reviews I found through google.
Steelpad mousepad products webpage: http://www.steelseries.com/products/steelpad Some reviews are here: http://www.tweaknews.net/reviews/steelss/ http://www.fastlanehw.com/reviews.php?i=136&page=1 http://www.dvhardware.net/review10_steelpad.html Icemat mousepad: http://www.icemat.com/products/icematgear Reviews: http://www.fastlanehw.com/reviews.php?i=60&page=1 http://www.gruntville.com/reviews/mo...emat/index.php http://www.ocworkbench.com/2003/icemat/blackicemat1.htm [ 10-05-2006, 03:32 PM: Message edited by: ZFR ]
__________________
ZFR |
10-05-2006, 06:00 PM | #4 |
John Locke
Join Date: February 7, 2002
Location: Edmonton, Canada
Age: 35
Posts: 8,985
|
I haven't used a mousepad since I got my optical, now laser(?) mouse. Works just fine for me.
|
10-05-2006, 07:22 PM | #5 |
Elminster
Join Date: May 13, 2004
Location: New Zealand
Age: 33
Posts: 409
|
I've a cheap two-dollar jobbie that was given to me by someone from thailand and that works fine. My optical mouse works fine with any mousepad as long as it's flat and without those grooves in them that make the funny noise when you scratch them
|
10-05-2006, 07:36 PM | #6 |
Jack Burton
Join Date: May 31, 2002
Location: Ireland
Posts: 5,854
|
Don't use optical for gaming. It's like wireless internet, not perfected yet. The latency comes into the equation and you get a tiny lag in precision. Yes, I have tried like 5 optical mice. Wired and wireless. I have tried like 10 mousepads. I wanted to use my silver cool dell optical mouse bad but finally realized they suck for serious gaming (especially pvp in WoW when it really matters). Stick to the roller-ball and save your money mate.
__________________
Still I feel like a child when I look at the moon, maybe I grew up a little too soon... |
10-05-2006, 08:19 PM | #7 |
20th Level Warrior
Join Date: December 28, 2003
Location: Kentucky
Age: 38
Posts: 2,820
|
WHAT??? Dude, my Logitech MX518 rocks the socks, accuracy-wise of any ball mouse on the market, I guarantee!
Plus, it works fine on a veneer surface, with no mousepad. If your experience with optical mice is that ball mice are better...well, you've gotten the worse opticals on the market, because my secondary mouse is still better than any ball mouse I've ever used. ...And if you mean 802.11g is the wireless that isn't perfected yet...well, you're wrong, but 802.11N will be out soon. If you mean purely wireless, the stuff they put into notebooks these days with subscriptions...well, yeah, that needs a lot of work. Bottom line, if you have a smooth surface on your desk, you don't need a mousepad for you optical...unless the desk is glossy-surface. ...after reading more of the posts...try turning down your mouse acceleration in your mouse options. That really should never be turned all the way up. If you find that your mouse is moving too fast playing minesweeper, but too slow playing quake, consider buy a mouse with multiple mouse dpi settings... If you're willing to put some money into it, I suggest the MX518 or G5 from Logitech...but I'm sure there are other ones on the market nearly as nice. [ 10-05-2006, 08:24 PM: Message edited by: Ilander ]
__________________
Is that what you really want to say? |
10-05-2006, 10:12 PM | #8 |
Ironworks Moderator
Join Date: June 10, 2001
Location: Pasir Ris, Singapore
Age: 41
Posts: 11,063
|
I use one of my binded lecture notes as a mousepad for my optical mouse, and it works just fine. The cardboard cover is rough and has no gloss.
|
10-05-2006, 10:31 PM | #9 |
40th Level Warrior
Join Date: October 29, 2001
Location: Western Wilds of Michigan
Posts: 11,752
|
The only issues I've run into with optical mice relate to the surface. I've stayed at hotels where they kindly cover the work surface with glass... that truly sucks for optical mice. I've also had issues with using it directly on nicely grained wood, like oak. Too much contrast is bad...
The answer in all cases was to just grab a sheet of paper and use that. 'Course, I haven't done real-time action pvp gaming with it, so I may be missing something on the high end [img]smile.gif[/img]
__________________
*B* Save Early, Save Often Save Before, Save After Two-Star General, Spelling Soldiers -+-+-+ Give 'em a hug one more time. It might be the last. |
10-05-2006, 10:41 PM | #10 | |
Jack Burton
Join Date: May 31, 2002
Location: Ireland
Posts: 5,854
|
Quote:
__________________
Still I feel like a child when I look at the moon, maybe I grew up a little too soon... |
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests) | |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
|
|