Elite Gaming Pad Essentials

If you’re a pro gamer or a competitive gamer, you’ll want a mouse pad that’s fully optimized for your style of play. Smooth tracking and precision movement can make all the difference, especially where leaderboards are concerned.

And if you’re looking to trick out your gaming setup, an RGB mouse pad can really help to get that party started with fully customizable light displays that bring your gaming station to life.

Here are the best mouse pads for gamers.

Razer Firefly V2

Best Overall
$50 at Razer

Razer Atlas Tempered Glass Gaming Mouse Mat

Best Premium
$100 at Amazon

SteelSeries QcK Gaming Mouse Pad

Best Value
$9 at Best Buy

ASUS ROG Balteus Qi Vertical Gaming Mouse Pad

Best for Wireless Charging
$70 at Amazon

ROCCAT Sense AIMO Gaming Mousepad

Best XXL Mouse Pad
$55 at Amazon

• See More

• 
  

SteelSeries QcK Prism Cloth Gaming Mouse Pad

Most versatile
$60 at Best Buy

Corsair MM700 RGB Extended Cloth Gaming Mouse Pad

Best for Comfort
$56 at Best Buy

Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links

If you click on a link and make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Our Favorite Mouse Pads for Gamers in 2023

Razer Firefly V2

Best Overall

This is one viper that your mouse will love

The Razer Viper V2 is an ultra-thin gaming mouse pad that is optimized for optical mice. It has a micro-textured surface to allow for precision tracking and features customizable Chroma RGB lighting, so you can fully immerse yourself in your gameplay.

Pros

• Micro-textured surface
• Built-in cable catch
• Anti-slip base
• Razer Chroma RGB lighting

Cons

• Optimized for optical mice only

$50 at Razer

Ultra-thin and with a micro-textured surface, the Razer Firefly V2 feels like a premium gaming mouse pad. Its optimized surface allows for precision speed and control, with a good balance between glide and friction, and it has an anti-slip rubber base to accommodate intense gameplay.

In addition to its smooth performance, the Firefly V2 has the style to match. Featuring all-round edge lighting with 19 lighting zones and powered by Razer Chroma RGB, you can experience in-game dynamic lighting effects to heighten your gameplay experience.

A cable catch feature means you won’t be getting your wired mouse tangled up as you play and can instead tuck the cable away neatly in the top corner. It measures 13.98 inches by 10.04 inches, giving you plenty of room for movement as you skillfully line up your next move.

Razer Atlas Tempered Glass Gaming Mouse Mat

Best Premium

An ultra-smooth surface for precision gameplay

The Razer Atlas Tempered Glass Mouse Pad has been built for pro and competitive gamers who need a reliable and frictionless gaming surface. Fully optimized for optical sensors, it provides an ultra-smooth and resistance-free surface to enable pinpoint precision for your gameplay.

Pros

• Ultra-smooth surface
• Precision made for optical sensors
• Quieter mouse movement
• Durable design

Cons

• Expensive
• Not optimized for laser mice

$100 at Amazon $100 at Razer $100 at Best Buy

Casting their trademark RGB Chroma lighting aside, the Razer Atlas opts for a different tack instead. Fashioned from premium tempered glass, this mouse mat is all about performance. It has been optimized for optical sensors, making good use of its ultra-smooth surface and offering very little by way of resistance.

Tempered for maximum strength and impact resistance, this gaming mouse pad is surprisingly durable. Its surface remains super smooth and unblemished even after extended gameplay sessions, and you’ll enjoy quieter mouse movement compared to other glass mouse pads.

For professional gamers, this is the performance mouse pad for you. For non-pros, you’ll still get your money’s worth here if you’re partial to competitive online play. Premium build with a premium price tag, this one’s all about those vital gameplay gains.

SteelSeries QcK Gaming Mouse Pad

Best Value

Quality that’s cut from a different cloth

$9$10 Save $1

A high-quality gaming mouse pad doesn’t have to be expensive, as the SteelSeries QcK Gaming Mouse Pad demonstrates. Made from QcK micro woven cloth, it is optimized for low and high DPI tracking and has a non-slip rubber base that provides a firm foundation for smooth gameplay.

Pros

• Affordable
• Non-slip base
• Portable
• Smooth surface

Cons

• No frills here

See at Amazon $9 at Best Buy $11 at Walmart

If an RGB gaming mouse pad isn’t your style, and you prefer something a little more functional to enhance your gameplay, you should check out the SteelSeries QcK Gaming Surface.

This gaming mouse pad is optimized for both optical and laser sensors and has a micro-woven surface to offer you maximum control. It has ‘never fray’ stitched edges that extend its lifespan, and it can be washed or cleaned easily without compromising that smooth surface.

With a non-slip rubber base and edges that won’t curl, you have the perfect platform for consistent and agile competitive gaming. A solid choice of gaming mouse pad that’s all but guaranteed to help gameplay. And as long as you’re not going to miss those fancy RGB lights, you’ll save plenty of money here, too.

ASUS ROG Balteus Qi Vertical Gaming Mouse Pad

Best for Wireless Charging

Wirelessly charge your devices while you play

$70$80 Save $10

Offering dazzling Aura Sync RGB lighting and wireless charging for your mouse and devices, the ASUS ROG Balteus Qi Vertical Gaming Mouse Pad is ideal for long-play gaming sessions.

Pros

• Wireless charging for your devices
• Micro-textured surface
• USB pass-through
• Aura Sync RGB lighting

Cons

• Expensive

$70 at Amazon $80 at Walmart

If a wireless Qi charging zone is on your list of gaming mouse pad must-have features, then you should try the ASUS ROG Balteus Qi Vertical Gaming Mouse Pad. It offers a large, portrait surface that measures 14.6 x 12.6 inches and can charge your phone as you play.

It features a hard micro-textured surface, a non-slip rubber base, and a USB 2.0 pass-through port. Its low-friction finish allows for pinpoint tracking and a smooth overall gameplay performance.

Aura Sync RGB lighting allows you to sync dynamic lighting with your gameplay across 15 customizable lighting zones, which you can tweak with the supported ROG Armoury II software to add profiles and effects. Great for wireless charging and an excellent all-round choice for gamers.

ROCCAT Sense AIMO Gaming Mousepad

Best XXL Mouse Pad

A super-sized RGB gaming surface

$55$60 Save $5

A super-sized gaming mouse pad, the ROCCAT Sense AIMO Mouse Pad has a soft and flexible cloth surface and a rubberized non-slip base to allow smooth mouse tracking. And with two-directional RGB lighting, you can illuminate your whole gaming station.

Pros

• XXL sized
• RGB lighting
• Non-slip base
• Smooth cloth surface

Cons

• Won’t suit those who don’t want a full gaming surface

$55 at Amazon $60 at Best Buy

The ROCCAT Sense AIMO is an XXL gaming mousepad with RGB lighting that measures 35.43 x 15.74 inches. It has a flexible coated cloth surface with stitched edges. Its ultra-wide surface can comfortably accommodate your keyboard and mouse, and its rubberized non-slip bottom helps keep it firmly in place.

RGB lighting runs around the outer edges, with two programmable lighting zones, so you can inject a bit of atmosphere into your gameplay. Powered by USB, it comes with a 1.8-meter braided USB cable, giving you plenty of slack for an easy setup.

This high-quality fabric gaming mouse pad is ideal if you favor an XXL desk display. And although the RGB options here are minimal compared to other gaming mouse pads, you can at least enjoy some customization.

SteelSeries QcK Prism Cloth Gaming Mouse Pad

Most versatile

A mouse pad that’s optimized for both optical and laser mice

The SteelSeries QcK Prism Cloth Gaming Mouse Pad is optimized for both optical and laser mice and has a 12-zone customizable RGB lighting display. Featuring Discord chat integration and GameSense effects, you can program light functions to react to incoming messages or in-game events.

Pros

• Suitable for optical and laser mice
• 12-zone RGB lighting
• Discord chat integration
• GameSense lighting syncs with in-game events

Cons

• Deep black finish makes dust stand out

$60 at Best Buy

An XL gaming mouse pad with two-zone RGB illumination, the SteelSeries QcK Prism Cloth Gaming Mouse Pad offers a smooth tracking surface that’s optimized for both optical and laser mice. Its cloth-based design features a never-slip base to provide you with a sturdy gaming platform.

Featuring full-range RGB illumination across 12 different zones, its reactive GameSense lighting will respond to in-game events, such as low health warnings, to provide a more immersive experience. This can be customized via the SteelSeries Engine App, as can customizable Discord notifications, which light up the mouse pad when you receive new messages.

Measuring 35.4 x 11.8 inches, there’s a nice large gaming area here to spread out on. Being compatible with most optical and laser mice makes this one of the most versatile large gaming mouse pads out there.

Corsair MM700 RGB Extended Cloth Gaming Mouse Pad

Best for Comfort

Game in luxury with this plush RGB gaming surface

The Corsair MM700 RGB Extended Cloth Gaming Mouse Pad is a large-scale gaming surface made from plush micro-fiber cloth, providing you with extra comfort for long play sessions. Featuring customizable RGB lighting and a two-port USB hub, it offers plenty of scope for customization too.

Pros

• Plush fabric for long-lasting comfort
• Two-port USB hub
• Glide-enhanced surface
• Dynamic RGB lighting

Cons

• Can suffer from minor curling on the corners

$56 at Best Buy $57 at Walmart

The Corsair MM700 gaming mouse pad is a great option if you’re looking for a large pad that gives you the comfort of plush microfiber cloth, ideal for comfort during long gaming sessions.

It features three-zone dynamic RGB lighting, with twelve profiles already built-in and ready to go at the push of a button. Of course, you can also access full customization and synchronization settings of the RGB lighting using the Corsair iCUE software. It also has two USB ports to plug in your PC accessories.

An anti-skid base, a 4mm-thick plush rubber, and a glide-enhanced woven textile surface make for a durable mouse pad that is built to last for years.

Choosing the Best Mousepad for Gaming

Choosing the right kind of gaming mouse pad will depend on what type of gamer you are. Do you play professionally or just competitively? Do you favor optical or laser mice? Do you want customizable RGB lighting that syncs with your gameplay, or are you all about smooth tracking and pinpoint accuracy?

Whatever kind of gamer you are, there’s plenty to choose from to accommodate your specific requirements.

For a premium mouse pad experience, we recommend the Razer Atlas Tempered Glass Mouse Pad. Eschewing all the RGB trimmings, it focuses instead on performance, with an ultra-smooth surface that accommodates precision gameplay and pinpoint accuracy.

If you’re after a more budget-priced alternative, you can’t go wrong with the SteelSeries QcK Gaming Mouse Pad. For under $10, you have a reliably smooth gaming mouse pad that can easily be wrapped up and taken anywhere.

However, provided that you favor optical mice, the Razer Firefly V2 is a great overall option. Optimized for super smooth tracking, thanks to its micro-textured surface, it allows you to move deftly and with improved accuracy. It has a built-in cable catch to prevent any annoying snagging and is armed with Razer Chroma RGB lighting, which can be synced to mirror your gameplay.

Razer Firefly V2

Best Overall

This is one viper that your mouse will love

The Razer Viper V2 is an ultra-thin gaming mouse pad that is optimized for optical mice. It has a micro-textured surface to allow for precision tracking and features customizable Chroma RGB lighting, so you can fully immerse yourself in your gameplay.

Pros

• Micro-textured surface
• Built-in cable catch
• Anti-slip base
• Razer Chroma RGB lighting

Cons

• Optimized for optical mice only

$50 at Razer

Also read: