MICRO CENTER - Hands-On with Arbiter Studio Mousepads

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Here at Micro Center, we’ve had a wide selection of Arbiter Studio mousepads and keycaps, but it wasn’t until recently that I got my hands on one of their glass mousepads. Specifically, the absolutely gorgeous Godzilla LUNAR Heat Ray edition.

Photo: Jacob Bobo 

Now, I’ve been working at Micro Center for a long time and gaming even longer, but I had never actually tried out a glass mousepad. A week and change later, I get it. The smooth surface and cool-to-the-touch feel has it still sitting on my desk, as it will for a while, even as it eats up a third of the space. They’re not for everyone, but if you have the space and style, a glass mousepad might just be for you.

Initial Impressions

First things first: this is a BIG mousepad; 500x400mm, or 19"x15”. I have a large desk and still had to make some pretty sizable adjustments for it to fit comfortably. But if you tend towards low DPI and big arm movements for precision aiming, the LUNAR glass pad offers plenty of space for moving around.

It’s also absolutely striking, featuring a hyper-stylized blue Godzilla letting loose with his iconic heat ray, red smoke billowing through the spikes. As a life-long Godzilla fan, I have no shame in admitting that I had been staring at this mousepad for a little while, waiting for the chance to try it out.

Photo: Sean Mekinda. Please ignore the paint stains. 

The Hand Feel

Mousepads aren’t just about how they handle the mouse, though. A coarse or rough mousepad can really ruin an otherwise fantastic experience; no one wants to get blisters on their wrist from moving their mouse. And this is where glass feels incredibly different. 

The first few times I used the glass mousepad, I almost jumped back. It was perfectly smooth and almost cold, at least in comparison to the felt and nylon mousepads I was used to. I thought I had stuck my hand in a small puddle of water at first. It’s something that took some getting used to, but is something I have come to appreciate. It’s cool and smooth to the touch, almost soothing in stark contrast to the fabric deskmat I had been using.

Glass wasn’t a texture I was expecting to enjoy quite so much as a mousepad, but once I had adjusted I am even more aware of the small irritants that linger in some more budget-conscious options. But also, it’s an incredibly personal opinion; you might find that the coarseness of nylon gives a bit more grip and control over your wrist.

The Mouse Feel

Actually using the mouse pad took a bit of adjustment. The greatly reduced friction over traditional cloth or nylon mousepads means it's easier than ever to pick up speed while moving across the glass and overshoot your targets, whether they’re players or desktop icons.

But I do mean just a bit of adjustment; while I would occasionally find myself moving faster than my target, after only an hour or so of gaming I had adjusted my speed and found a middle ground and was back to my usual, just-okay gameplay.

While I found the glass mousepad experience genuinely great and will probably continue to keep using glass mousepads, I do still love a full-size deskmat and, thankfully, Arbiter Studio has you covered there as well.

Other Arbiter Options

I’ve spent the last several hundred words gushing about the Godzilla LUNAR mousepad, but Arbiter has plenty more, including Demon Slayer and Chainsaw Man glass mousepads. They also have a wide selection of cloth mousepads featuring Demon Slayer and, of course, even more Godzilla. 

Photo: Jacob Bobo 

While I’ve been gaming on the LUNAR at home, I’ve been using one of Arbiter Studio’s full-size deskmats at work and, for all I’ve been talking about how non-glass mousemats are coarse, this is one of the softest deskmats I’ve used. The cloth is incredibly smooth for quick mouse movements and almost pillowy on the wrist. If glass isn’t your thing, the cloth offerings are just as good.

Micro Center has a wide range of mousepads and deskmats for just about any need or style. If you’re ready to bring some new style to your desk, stop in today. Our knowledgeable associates will be more than happy to help you find the perfect accessory for your desk.