A mouse pad might seem unnecessary these days, especially when the best gaming mice will work on just about any surface. But a level, consistent surface optimized for smooth, accurate movements might be just what you need to stay ahead of the competition.
Gaming mouse pads come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Some are pretty standard, designed to fit under your mouse (and that's it), while others are enormous, and can easily pad the space under your mouse, gaming keyboard, and more. Many also feature RGB lighting, which might seem a little frivolous — but if you're adding a peripheral anyway, it doesn't hurt to have it coordinate with the rest of your rig, right? If lighting is a priority, look for a mouse pad with bright, consistent colors and enough zones to create seamless effects.
These are the best gaming mouse pads we've found, whether you want something for just your mouse or your entire desk.
The quick list
Best Mouse Pad for Most People
A thick, durable mouse pad with a micro-woven cloth surface and a non-slip rubber base that comes in three sizes.
Best RGB Mouse Pad
Why settle for edge-based lighting when you can have a backlit mouse pad? This is the world's first RGB backlit mouse pad, with a hard surface and a non-slip rubber backing.
Best Budget-Friendly RGB Mouse Pad
An affordable RGB-infused mouse pad that comes in three sizes and has a spill-resistant cloth surface and a detachable cable.
Best Hybrid Surface Mouse Pad
An RGB mouse pad with a hybrid surface that's slicker than cloth, but still has enough texture for precise movements.
Best Hard Surface Mouse Pad
A low-friction glass mouse pad with an ultra-smooth oleophobic coating and a non-slip rubber base. Only comes in one size (large).
Best XL Cloth Mouse Pad
An extended cloth mouse pad with a surface that feels great — though the gunmetal gray pattern may not be for everyone.
Best XL Cloth Mouse Pad with RGB
An RGB mouse pad that's large enough to cover your entire desk, with two customizable lighting zones and a touch-sensitive sensor.
Best Alternate Size Hard Surface Mouse Pad
A glass mousepad that's not quite as smooth as the Razer Atlas but works just as well — and comes in multiple sizes.
Best Mouse Pad Accessory
A plush, affordable memory foam wrist rest with cooling gel. Its standard height should work with most mainstream keyboards.
The Best Mouse Pads You Can Buy Today
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Best Mouse Pad for Most People
If you don't need RGB (does anyone need RGB?), the SteelSeries QCK Heavy is an extra-thick, non-RGB cloth mouse pad that comes in three sizes. SteelSeries also makes a standard QCK mouse pad that's one-third as thick as the QCK Heavy, but we feel the slight extra cost is worth it for the extra durability and more stable surface you get with the QCK Heavy.
Both the QCK Heavy and the regular QCK feature a micro-woven cloth surface that makes for easy but precise sliding and is hand-washable. Decoration is light — a small SteelSeries logo in the bottom left corner is the only thing that might distract you from your game. The mouse pad has a non-slip rubber base that keeps it firmly rooted to your desk — it didn't budge no matter how hard our reviewer moved their mouse.
The only minor gripe we had with the QCK Heavy is that it's so thick that it can take a bit of extra time to flatten out when you first take it out of the box. This isn't too much of an issue if you don't plan on moving it a lot, but be careful not to keep it rolled up too long when traveling. We suggest placing a heavy book or weight on top of it overnight before you first use it.
Both the QCK Heavy and the QCK should fit most desks, thanks to the various size options. Our reviewer tested the large size (17.7 x 15.7 x 0.24 inches / 450 x 400 x 6 mm), but the QCK Heavy also comes in medium and XXL, while the regular QCK comes in small, medium, large, 3XL, 4XL, and 5XL.
Best RGB Mouse Pad
Most RGB gaming mouse pads have lighting around the edges, usually with several individual lighting zones for seamless-yet-complex lighting effects. But why settle for edge-based lighting when you can have a backlit mouse pad? Razer's Firefly V2 Pro is the world's first (and, so far, only) RGB backlit mouse pad.
And it's definitely eye-catching.
The Firefly V2 Pro is a hard-surface mouse pad with 15 RGB lighting zones, which are located in a black bar along the top of the mouse pad. The mouse pad consists of three layers — the primary layer is a sturdy piece of translucent frosted plastic that diffuses lighting edge-to-edge. This frosted layer is covered in a thin, micro-textured surface (that's "optimized for optical sensors") so the lightshow won't mess with your mouse's sensor accuracy. The surface is matte and fairly grainy — mice glide smoothly across it, but it's not quite as comfortable as softer or smoother surfaces, and the texture seems to be aimed more toward speed rather than extreme precision.
We haven't had this mouse pad for long enough to speak to its durability, but the Firefly V2 had some issues with peeling and this pad looks like surface peeling could definitely be an issue in the future. The bottom of the mouse pad is covered in a rubbery, anti-slip material so the Firefly V2 Pro won't slip around your desk if you're swiping aggressively. The mouse pad comes in black and white colorways — both allow for plenty of bright, colorful RGB lighting to shine through, especially in the dark.
All of the Firefly V2 Pro's lighting is located on one side (the black bar at the top), so that does slightly limit your lighting effects as compared to mouse pads with edge lighting. But this shouldn't be too much of an issue, so long as you're not dead set on a lighting effect that involves light moving around the perimeter of the mouse pad. The black bar at the top of the mouse pad also houses the mouse pad's USB-C port for connecting it to your system, as well as a USB 2.0 port — you can plug a mouse dongle into this port so it's as close as possible to your mouse, or you can plug... anything else into this port, as it's just a pass-through USB 2.0 port (still, it's a handy feature we rarely see on mouse pads).
The Firefly V2 Pro only comes in one size, medium, measuring 14.17 inches (360mm) wide by 10.95 inches (278mm) deep, and it's on the thicker side at 0.18 inches (4.6 mm) thick (it's around 0.5 inches/12.7mm thick at its thickest point — where the black bar is). Like most Razer peripherals, the Firefly V2 Pro can be configured in Razer's Synapse 3 software, and it works with the brand's Chroma lighting suite.
One thing to note before you run out and drop $100 on the Firefly V2 Pro (yes, it's $100, for a medium-sized mouse pad) — this might sound obvious, but the Firefly V2 Pro is most impressive in the dark. Or, well, the relatively dark. It doesn't look bad in a well-lit room — the RGB lighting is still bright and colorful around the edges of the mat — but in bright, direct lighting it doesn't look too different from a regular edge-lit RGB mouse pad. It's not the best purchase for sun-drenched offices or brightly-lit creator studios.
Best Budget-Friendly RGB Mouse Pad
If you don't want to spend much on a mouse pad but you also don't want to give up flashy RGB, the Cooler Master MP750 (M) features RGB lighting and can usually be found for $20 - $35, though the price fluctuates. According to Cooler Master, the finely textured cloth offers a "slick texture and smooth maneuverability," but while it was sufficient for the average game session during our testing, it didn't otherwise feel particularly special. It does, however, have a spill-resistant coating: we spilled water on it and the large droplet rolled off and was easy to clean up with a tissue. It also features a detachable cable for when you don't need RGB.
The MP750 (M)’s RGB border shines pretty brightly. A handy button lets you cycle through static colors without opening software. Unfortunately, black stitching interrupts the RGB frame, and we're a little worried about getting things (such as jewelry) caught between the loops and causing damage.
Since there’s only one RGB zone, there’s not that much to do in the Cooler Master Master Plus software. There are four lighting modes — Color Cycle, Static, Breathing or off — and five speed settings via a toggle. Static and Breathing modes offer a color picker, but it wasn’t always accurate. For example, we tried to make a peach/white breathing effect, and ended up with a white-ish purple flickering. The MP750 also comes in large and extra large versions.
Best Hybrid Surface Mouse Pad
The Razer Strider Chroma has a hybrid surface — harder and slicker than a cloth mouse pad, but with enough texture for controlled, precise movements. It’s the best of both worlds: perfect for gamers who need both speed and control. Plus, it’s water-resistant and easier to keep clean than your standard cloth mouse pad (though it's not quite as easy-to-clean as a hard surface).
The Strider Chroma only comes in one size — extended, which is large enough to hold both your keyboard and mouse without covering your entire desk. The Strider Chroma has a thick, no-slip rubber base and looks fantastic on your desk with seamless edges (no visible stitching) and 19 zones of bright, Chroma-infused RGB lighting that can be customized in Razer’s Chroma Studio with different colors and effects (including audio-reactive effects).
The main downside to the Strider Chroma is its price — with an MSRP of $130, it’s practically like buying a keyboard or a mouse. But it’s so beautiful it just might be worth it.
We should also point out that we used this mouse pad for around two years straight and found that around the two year mark the RGB started to discolor slightly — it was still bright and vibrant, but the lighting in the lower right corner took on a distinctly reddish tinge.
Best Hard Surface Mouse Pad
If speed is your top priority, a soft, cloth mouse pad is not for you — and even a hybrid mouse pad will slow you down. You need a hard, smooth, low-friction surface made of plastic, ceramic, aluminum, or glass, like our favorite hard surface mouse pad, the Razer Atlas.
The Atlas is Razer’s first tempered glass mouse pad, and it’s entirely analog — no RGB, no Razer Synapse, nothing. Its smooth, matte surface is micro-etched with 2μm texturing that’s designed to work with optical sensors, and features an easy-to-clean oleophobic coating. The Atlas felt amazing and tracked perfectly with every laser and optical mouse we threw at it — though Razer recommends using a mouse with a Razer Focus Pro 30K Optical Sensor, such as the DeathAdder V3 Pro, of course. Its oleophobic coating offered just the right amount of friction (read: none) for maximizing speed without sacrificing precision.
Our main issue with the Atlas was its size — at 17.72 x 15.75 x 0.19 inches (450 x 400 x 5mm), and made of rigid glass, it’s a little too large to easily fit on the average desk, as it can’t be placed on uneven surfaces, nor are you supposed to put heavy, rough, sharp, hot, cold, etc. objects on top of it. Even just a little smaller would make this mouse pad an easier fit for the more deskspace-challenged.
Another minor issue is the oleophobic coating, which has started to come off slightly around the edges after a year or so of consistent use. This isn't too surprising, as Razer does warn you not to use chemicals for cleaning, but it seems the coating is also susceptible to oils from your skin.
Read: Razer Atlas Hands-On
Best XL Cloth Mouse Pad
With how big mouse mats are, it’s important that they don’t just provide your mouse with a good surface to slide around on, but also your wrists with a comfortable surface to rest on. The Corsair MM350 knocks this out of the park. While it does come in a smaller, more pad-shaped size, we’re recommending the mouse mat-sized, XL Extended version here so you can get the most out of that luxurious feel while not being too bothered by the seams at its edges.
While the mat’s surface feels great — almost like a cooling pad — it does come decked out with a battle-damaged gunmetal gray pattern that won’t be for everyone. But, good news: this mouse pad now comes in a plain black version (with Corsair's ship logo in the lower right corner) for the same price, as well as a pink cherry blossom version that retails for $10 more.
Best XL Cloth Mouse Pad with RGB
The HyperX Pulsefire mouse mat is HyperX’s first RGB mouse mat in its rectangular XL size, and is easily the company’s best RGB mouse pad for larger desks. At a spacious 35.43 x 16.54 x 0.2 inches, it’s a little too big for some setups, but it’s also a great way to cover as much of your desk as possible if you have the space. And at $50, it’s got a cheaper MSRP than similar rectangular options from the likes of Steelseries and Thermaltake.
Construction is solid across the board here, with a textured cloth surface that gives you plenty of grip without feeling uncomfortable on your wrists and arms. The silicone shielding around the RGB-lit edge also means this mouse pad’s corners aren’t likely to fray anytime soon. Plus, the textured rubber on the mouse pad’s underside means it won’t slip around with your sweeping arm movements while you’re gaming.
The RGB is a little less robust than we’d like. There are only two zones, and while you can select from a wide variety of patterns and colors, there's no integration with Discord and the list of games with special integration for HyperX’s RGB software is pretty sparse. Still, the mouse pad's RGB touch sensor is a nice bonus, allowing you to easily cycle through 3 RGB presets without needing to dive into software.
Make sure to measure your desk before getting this mouse pad so it doesn't end up hanging over the edge!
Best Alternate Size Hard Surface Mouse Pad
Size definitely matters when it comes to glass mouse pads — if Razer's Atlas is too small or too large for your desk space, Skypad's Mousepad 3.0 has you covered. The Mousepad 3.0 comes in two sizes: regular (13.78 x 11.81 inches / 350 x 300mm) and XL (19.69 x 15.75 inches / 500 x 400mm) — exactly not the size of Razer's 17.72 x 15.75-inch (450 x 400mm) Atlas.
The smaller "regular" sized Mousepad 3.0 is the perfect size for the majority of desks — enough space to move your mouse with plenty of panache, thanks to the slick glass surface. The larger XL Mousepad 3.0 is large enough to fit a small gaming keyboard and an ultra-lightweight mouse — perfect for eSports players — for a more uniform peripheral surface.
While Skypad's Mousepad 3.0 isn't quite as smooth as the Atlas (it doesn't have the Atlas's oleophobic coating — but that does mean you don't have to worry about the coating coming off), it works just as well. Mice track perfectly along the micro-patterned matte-finish surface, which offers a smooth glide with a small amount of resistance from the texture. The texture does make precise stopping easier to adapt to, though the Atlas is probably better for those who want speed above all else.
Read: Skypad Mousepad 3.0 Review
Best Mouse Pad Accessory
If you're looking for a desktop accessory that isn't a mouse pad (or an accessory to pair with a mouse pad), why not look into a wrist rest to make typing and gaming more comfortable?
This wrist rest from HyperX features cool gel-infused memory foam under a layer of soft fabric to cushion and support your wrists. It's 3.46 inches (88mm) deep and comes in four widths to fit a variety of keyboards — full size (17.99 inches / 457mm), tenkeyless (14.25 inches / 362mm), compact (12.51 inches / 317.75 mm), and "mouse" (8.97 inches / 227.84 mm). It's 0.75 inches (19mm) thick, which is a pretty standard height that should suit most keyboards.
Quick Shopping Tips
Mouse pads aren't that complicated, but there are some variables to keep in mind while you shop:
- Material: Hard, plastic surfaces are more slippery, so your mouse will glide rapidly with little force from your hand. These are best reserved for more competitive gamers (or at least players with a mouse featuring DPI control). Soft, cloth mouse pads offer more precise pointer control, but may not be as quick as you'd like. You can also find hybrids, which are, well, hybrids. Hard and hybrid mouse pads will wear down skates more quickly than soft mouse pads.
- Size: Mouse pads start small but come in a few sizes — the largest ones will take up your entire desk. Do you need a gigantic mouse pad? If you play games that require extreme precision and control — such as first-person shooters — you might want to consider a larger pad; precision is generally attained with a lower DPI, and a lower DPI means bigger hand/arm movements. You definitely don't want to run out of room when you're lining up a headshot.
- RGB: RGB mouse pads are pretty, but they're powered via USB. This doesn't necessarily need to plug into your PC, unless you want to customize the pad's RGB with software (or have it coordinate with your other peripherals). Also, not all RGB is created equal. The number of RGB zones (not the same as the number of LEDs) will determine how complex the light show can get.
- Cleaning: If you do more than just occasional snacking at your desk, make sure any mouse pad you choose is easy to clean. Smooth, slippery surfaces are easy to wipe down, while cloth pads usually need more care (although some are treated to be spill-resistant). You'll need to take extra care with RGB mouse pads.
Finding Discounts on the Best Mouse Pads
Whether you're shopping for one of the best RGB mouse pads or considering a model that isn't on our list, you may find some savings by checking out our lists of the latest Best Buy promo codes, Newegg promo codes and Micro Center coupons.
