im using a hard one, razer destructor. hmm...nvr used a soft one b4 but from a cheap mousepad upgrade to this, it was definitely amazing and nothing to complain about.

but im thinking of buying the super extra large soft mat ones to try you know, those which are so big you need to put half ur keyboard on top of it...

wif that mousepad, u will feel like u are not using mousepad at all, free reign to go all over the table wif ur mouse...

hard mats
- should be the most precise since they wont "sink"
- surface texture/area is constant
- wont pick up dirt that easily compared to soft ones

cons:
- may be a b**** to pack if you ever want to travel with it
- if it does get dirt on it, say 3 years of usage, scrubbing it off would be a b**** as well compared to just washing soft ones
- surface wear and tear is actually a fact,  even for a hard surface. instead of having the surface "textured" for precision gliding, you will see that spot where your mouse glides the most being completely smoothed out (bald off lol)
- kills your mouse teflon quicker than soft surfaces

soft mats
- awesome for packing
- soft feel, especially after very long ours of usage
- probably only noticeable after very long periods, you may have less fatigue using soft mouse mats as opposed to hard ones considering you subtly get less "resistance" while gliding

- stains easily
- surface wear and tear may be easier compared to a hard one depending on its texture used
- depending on how aggressive you glide your mouse, considering it is soft, it may not provide the most accurate glide especially when your mouse is on an "inconsistent (sink)" surface
as for me, i use both. Razer exact mat (control side) with exact rest (killed off my death adder woo hoo! well the new logitech g9x is still strong on the teflon, so i guess the mouse pad shouldnt be blamed) for my home pc.

as for my travel laptop, i use razer goliathus (unplug the g9x or just take the mx518)
work/office i also bring my own razer goliathus and logitech mx518 mouse

the deathadder was passed onto my sister, but not too long after, the mouse clicks are wearing off as well, and it was just unbearable. mx518 for her too. and shes using the razer goliathus WOTLK edition free from buying WOTLK lol

hate to admit that i find razer mouse pads being the best, even if they may be overpriced, and overhyped to shit. (logitech doesnt feel like making mouse pads so meh)

Laser and Optical Sensors

Optical sensors have set themselves as the standard in the gaming scene and are well-tuned to work well with hard and soft mats. Laser sensors, on the other hand, are a new breed of sensors that offers higher precision compared to optical sensors. New generation laser mouse sensors work off the Doppler Effect. Laser beams fired from the sensor onto the mousing surface reflects back up into the path and mixes with the original beam. This causes a flux in the power of the laser that is proportional to the speed of the mouse. Compared to the standard optical sensors, these new generation sensors do not rely on optical imaging to determine movement of the mouse.


Due to the inherent nature of how laser sensors work, they perform better on rigid, uniform surfaces like hard mats due to its sensitivity to movements of the mouse. When used with a soft mat, the sinking of the mouse mat caused by the weight of the mouse creates an increased distance between the sensor and the surface. Laser sensors might see this as additional movement causing erratic movements on the on-screen cursor.

hahaha never thought that razer would even have a thorough guide on that.

what i've written above are solely based on my own experience, and im glad they are fairly thorough/accurate as well eh? ^^;

while i would much rather not defend razer at all considering my strong distaste against them, id rather at least get facts straightened out than just see people mistaking theirs:

- razer do (or did?) sell optical mices
- razer obviously sell hard surface mouse mats

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Razer_USA

>reads the Reception part

i use imperator which is laser on a soft goliathus mat and it is fine...
i dun fine the small weight of the mouse could push the cloth so much >.<
and i nvr had such an issue of eratic movement as well...

hmmm imperator is an ergonomic mouse so i guess the way i grip it makes the difference?
so far i find that in terms of gaming gear, a good mousepad is always better than a good mouse...
i was using some cheapo mouse last time and when paired with a gaming grade mousepad, i felt so much difference...
then when i upgraded my mouse, it was a minor difference lol (stil lthe ergonomic shape + extra buttons are sooo awesome)...

and i thought my posts were obvious. perhaps i gave you too much credits w