Glass mousepads are not just aesthetic, they serve a purpose too. Glass mousepads can make the tracking speed and accuracy slightly better, even just a fraction of a second. This might not seem too important in casual gaming, but in competitive gaming and esports, a fraction of a second can make all the difference.
If you’re looking for the best gaming mouse of 2023 to fit a new mousepad, check out our guide.
Advantages of a glass mousepad
A mouse will always glide faster on a smoother surface, and on an unblemished, glass surface will be incredibly consistent, whereas a cloth mousepad can be slower and not as accurate. If you’re looking to achieve the fastest and most accurate gaming performance possible, you might want to look into buying a glass mousepad.
The surface also makes a glass mousepad much easier to clean, as it can be simply wiped down. Glass mousepads are also incredibly durable; it’s unlikely you’ll ever need to purchase more than one glass mousepad in a lifetime.
Disadvantages of a glass mousepad
The main deterrent for a glass mousepad for most people is the price. If you’ve already spent a huge amount on a gaming PC or laptop, you might not be that interested in spending another £70-100 ($85-120) on a mousepad.
Furthermore, if you’re using a gaming laptop, portability might be a factor that you need, and a glass mousepad is not practical for this at all. A cloth or fabric mousepad can be rolled up or folded into a bag if you are travelling, but a glass mousepad might be a little more tricky.
Gaming sleeve
Another disadvantage is that while the texture of the glass can make the mouse tracking faster, it can create more problems too. Some gamers can find their arm sticks or rubs against the glass, meaning that the speed of the glass mousepad is completely negated. This can be solved by purchasing a gaming sleeve, which can be ideal if you live in a hot area and don’t want to play wearing long sleeves or an extra layer, but presents more money to spend.
Glass mouse skates
For some who like the idea of keeping a cloth mousepad, but improving their performance, investing in a mouse with glass mouse skates might be a good idea.
The below diagram shows how most glass mouse skates will attach to a mouse, often with a strong adhesive backing that sticks to your mouse.
Mouse skates will deliver improved tracking speed on cloth mousepads, so if you’re looking for an upgrade to your mouse performance without having to invest in a glass mousepad, then some mouse skates might be a good idea.
Superglide offers a good set of glass mouse skates, which vastly improve your mouse glide.
Please note: you cannot use glass mouse skates on a glass mousepad. You will scratch the mousepad and you may damage the skates.
Glass mousepad summary
In summary, here are the pros and cons of a glass mousepad.
Pros
- Faster
- More stable
- Easier to clean
- Durable
Cons
- More expensive
- Can break
- Less portable
- Can cause discomfort on arm without a sleeve
Glass mousepad options
Here are two of the best glass mousepad options on the market right now.
1. SkyPAD Glass 3.0 XL
SkyPAD are the leaders in glass mousepads, and their 3.0 XL model is one of the most popular. At 370 x 450 mm, it’s a relatively large mousepad, so make sure that you have the space.
2. Gysco
At 350mm x 260mm, this mousepad from Gysco is a smaller option, but just as sleek. It’s also recommended to pair with a Logitech Series mouse, as well as a Razer DeathAdder, both of which are on our recommended mice of 2023.
