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Since the introduction of
Optical Mice, many don’t really see the importance in having a decent mouse
pad. I for one, use a fairly standard cloth gel pad that suits me just fine.
For gamers, however, it’s quite a different story. They demand superior
tracking and control with minimal resistance. There are numerous mouse pads
on the market that are specifically targeted for the gaming community. One
such product is the Steelpad.
Soft Trading was
kind enough to send over two versions of the Steelpad for evaluation, the 4S
and their latest offering, the 4D.
**click to enlarge**
After
one quick glance, I quickly realized that mouse pads aren’t only getting
bigger, they are getting hi-tech in terms of design. The 4S looks quite
stunning indeed. Both of these pads are quite large and should provide more
than enough play area. The only issue would be if you actually have the desk
space for one of these beauties.
Steelpad 4S
**click to enlarge**
Included with the Steelpad 4S is a piece of Teflon tape that is applied to the
bottom of your mouse to help it glide smoothly on the steel surface. I
strongly recommend you use them as the noise caused by the friction on the
steel surface may irritate some people. Almost like someone scratching a
chalkboard type of feeling. Put the tape on, and it feels nice and glides
quite smoothly.
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**click to enlarge** |
**click to enlarge** |
On the
bottom side, you’ll find the 8 rubber feet which do a very good job at
preventing the pad from moving. They grip the surface quite well. I’m not
much for large logos on mouse pads. Luckily, the Steelpad only has a small
but cool looking logo on the left bottom part of the pad. Overall, this thin
black aluminum pad just looks incredible. Pictures don’t really do it
justice.
Steelpad 4D
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**click to enlarge** |
**click to enlarge** |
**click to enlarge** |
Now
don’t let the name fool you. There is one major difference with their latest
model. It is not made of steel. It is actually a plastic dual-sided mouse
pad. One side has a smooth (glossy) surface and the other a rather rough
surface. Because the pad is dual-sided, they had to take a different approach
for gripping. Instead of rubber feet, they use a rather awkward second
piece of rubber mesh which is placed on the bottom side of the pad. First
impressions where not very good. The pad just looked and felt cheap,
especially after playing with the sexy 4S. Looks aside, let’s find out how
well these babies work! I must say, the results where quite surprising!
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