Icemat 2nd Edition Mouse Mat
Using the Icemat 2nd Edition
For this review I will be using a Logitech MX510 mouse. This is a wired optical mouse, which is quite light.
Firstly I started to use the mousemat without the included padsurfers. The padsurfers are basically small rounded pieces of plastic which stick on the bottom of your mouse, and they allow the mouse to glide along the pad.
Unfortunately using either mouse without the padsurfers was not a great experience. Despite the Icemat being produced to allow minimal friction between both surfaces, the mouse simply made a scratching noise along the pad, and did not glide as I was expecting. Even giving my mouse a good clean did not help, and I was forced to apply the padsurfers.
Application was extremely easy, as you can imagine. They stick amazingly well, and have not looked at all like falling off once.
The effect of adding the padsurfers was not instant, it took a good 20 minutes of mouse movement for them to wear in, and during this time they still scratched along the pad. After they wore in however, the real ability of the Icemat was shown.
It is hard to believe that a surface can be so smooth, yet have so much control over the mouse. The friction application is not too smooth, and so it is not hard to keep your mouse in one place, but if you begin moving your cursor, the mouse slides easily and yet remains under your control.
In general windows use, the mouse mat may not be necessary, but for gaming the Icemat proves an excellent tool. I have tested the Icemat in CounterStrike:Source, where being able to control your cursor at all times is essential, but you must be prepared to spin around ont he spot if need be. As previously mentioned, the Icemat makes you feel in control of your mouse at all times, and the combination of the padsurfers and the glass, give an excellent balance of speed and precision.
To try and give you an idea of just how easy it is to aim with this mat, I have included a short video which I think sums it up nicely. Click Here to download.
The Icemat is also not as large as some other gaming mouse pads on the market, however I did not find this a problem at all during gaming. As long as you position it at an appropriate place on your desk, you should have plenty of room to move your mouse, and I do not think my MX510 ever strays towards the edges of the pad.
Finally, let’s summarise on the best and worst points of the Icemat 2nd Edition.
