When gamers look for a gaming desk mat, it is not only about providing a surface area for the mouse to work on.
A gaming desk mat provides better control support and can be ergonomic to protect the wrists from pain and soreness. Unlike regular mouse pads, a gaming mouse pad is durable, can help enhance the range of movement grip and completes your gaming setup.
For example, a gaming mouse pad or desk mat can be made with anti-slip rubber to improve grip and designed with stitched edges so there would be no sharp edge or corner to hurt your wrists with.
However, it is all about personal preference because there is no telling of the best desk pads for optimal gaming performance. The search for a good mouse pad that meets your gaming needs can be difficult. But you can now rest assured because we have compiled a list of the best gaming desk mats that will suit a wide range of requirements.
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Is a gaming mat worth it?
A gaming desk mat offers many features specifically aimed at amplifying your gaming experience.
In professional gaming tournaments, desk mats are often used so that competitive gamers can play on the most responsive surface, unhindered by lack of space. Many gamers have tried to follow these setups, and now gaming desk mats can be fitted to your entire desk, giving you immense room to work with and added benefit of being efficient in your games.
A mousepad designed for gaming will provide a surface that is not only smooth but also provides enough resistance to allow the mouse to stop when you want it to. It aids in accuracy and makes the overall experience of gaming a little more forgiving.
Many other pads and desk mats are also made of plastic with edges that have abrasion, which can hurt in competitive gaming as it can lead to movements not registering. Gaming desk mats are often made with stitched edges to add to your comfort and movement.
The texture and surface of gaming desk mats are designed specifically to avoid issues like this, and there are edgeless mats available to take abrasion out of the equation completely. They can help improve lateral movement, and a rubber base prevents the mat from slipping during intense gaming.
The best desk mats for gaming
Now that we have discussed the differences between a gaming desk mat vs. a regular desk mat/mouse pad, let’s begin reviewing a few of the best desk pads we picked out for you.
#1 The Corsair MM300*
Corsair MM300 - Anti-Fray Cloth Gaming Mouse Pad - High-Performance Mouse Pad...
- Superior control: Textile weave surface designed for pixel precise targeting and low friction tracking
- No fray, No fuss: Surrounded stitched edges guard against surface peeling for maximum durability
- Accurate plus Precise: Optimized for both laser and optical gaming mice
- Superior control: Textile weave surface designed for pixel precise targeting and low friction tracking
- No fray, No fuss: Surrounded stitched edges guard against surface peeling for maximum durability
- Accurate plus Precise: Optimized for both laser and optical gaming mice
- Zero slip: Anti-skid rubber base helps it stay securely in place
Our top pick is the Corsair MM300 gaming desk mat*, and here’s why.
Its quality is excellent, without a doubt, because it is very durable and does what it’s meant to do. It also looks and feels very well-made. Moreover, the Corsair MM300 is designed for better speed than control.
It is made of cloth and a rubber base to maintain grip and make contact with your mouse feel smooth. As for dimensions, its shape is rectangular and comes in a range of sizes such as S, M, XL, Extended and Extended XL.
Regardless of your desk size or the space, you have to offer, and you can fit this desk pad on any surface area and enjoy a smooth gaming experience for fast-paced PC games.
You can find it for a little under $20, but you can also buy a handful of accessories or even a gaming keyboard along with it.
It is the perfect gaming desk pad if you need something simple, affordable, and can get the job done.
#2 The Razer Goliathus*
Razer Goliathus Extended Chroma Gaming Mousepad: Customizable Chroma RGB Lighting - Soft,...
- Ultimate Personalization & Gaming Immersion with Razer Chroma: Fully syncs with popular games, Razer hardware, Philips Hue, and gear from 30 plus partners; supports 16.8 million colors
- Designed for Control: A softer, micro-textured cloth surface gives more tactile feedback, allowing for higher precision in fast-paced games
- Ultimate Personalization & Gaming Immersion with Razer Chroma: Fully syncs with popular games, Razer hardware, Philips Hue, and gear from 30 plus partners; supports 16.8 million colors
- Designed for Control: A softer, micro-textured cloth surface gives more tactile feedback, allowing for higher precision in fast-paced games
- Nonslip Rubber Base: Made of natural-foam rubber for keeping the Goliathus Chroma Extended mouse mat in place
If you are looking for a classy yet stylish desk mat that offers balanced control and speed for your gaming mouse, the Razer Goliathus is the perfect one for you.
It is a Chroma Extended mouse pad, which means it offers ample space and has an RGB lighting strip along the edges. It is made of a soft cloth on the surface and a non slip rubber base to provide you with smooth contact and grip at the same time.
You will find it in 4 color options: classic black, mercury white, quartz pink and grey, and a Halo Infinite Edition one as well. The pad can fully sync with the most popular games and hardware from Razer, Phillips Hue, and gear from over 30 partners. You would also appreciate that it can support over 16 million colors!
The micro-textured cloth gives you the control you need with tactile feedback for greater precision in intense, fast gaming. The non slip rubber base is made of natural foam rubber, which will keep your mat in place while allowing you to play with as much speed as you want.
For under $40, you can buy the Razer Goliathus, and you will also find various accessories to go with it.
#3 Logitech G840 XL*
Logitech G840 XL Cloth Gaming Mouse Pad, Thin Pad, Stable Rubber Base,...
- Extra Large Mouse Pad – Consistent height across your desktop allows you to place your keyboard in far more positions, without interfering with your mouse, for added comfort and options
- Performance-Tuned Surface – Provides peak accuracy and consistency for gaming mice by providing optimal sensor imagery to translating mouse movement into cursor movement even at high speeds
- Extra Large Mouse Pad – Consistent height across your desktop allows you to place your keyboard in far more positions, without interfering with your mouse, for added comfort and options
- Performance-Tuned Surface – Provides peak accuracy and consistency for gaming mice by providing optimal sensor imagery to translating mouse movement into cursor movement even at high speeds
- Moderate Surface Friction – Delivers the feedback required to “feel” mouse movement—allowing you to accurately target using muscle memory and optimize both high-speed flicks and low-speed control
- Rubber base keeps it in place – Low DPI gamers make sweeping, fast hand movements. The rubber base keeps the it in place preventing the cloth from bunching up to maintain smooth mouse movement
- Durable Tube for Transport – G840 is durable and flexible enough to roll up into a small roll and place back into the included transport tube. Take mouse and keyboard comfort with you
Logitech G840 XL is a cloth gaming mouse pad that is thin and sleek with a performance-tuned surface area. Offers moderate surface friction for increased control and a stable anti-slip rubber base. It also comes with a durable tube for easy transportation if a competitive gamer often competes abroad!
The size is XL, so it can cover a large surface area, giving you plenty of space to place your keyboard and hardware. It prevents the issue of a keyboard interfering with your gaming mouse and has the added benefit of being very comfortable. Moreover, the cloth surface provides great accuracy and consistency for your gaming mouse. It gives your mouse optimal sensor imagery to translate mouse to cursor movements at higher speeds.
The moderate surface friction also helps you maintain precision and control in your movements. It gives you the feedback you need to feel your mouse movements so you can make the most out of fast-paced gameplay or low-speed control.
For less than $50, you can get yourself the beautifully made Logitech G840 XL gaming desk pad and enhance your gaming experience even further.
#4 VEGAN OPTION: Deskadia Vegan Leather Desk Pad*
Deskadia Natural Friendly Cork & Vegan Leather Double-Sided Desk Mat 47"X 23"...
- Top Notch Choice: Keep your desk and other flat surfaces in tip-top shape with our durable, multifunctional and stylish desk mat, ideal for any office & home. Not only does it protect your surfaces from scratches, spills and stains, but its smooth, yet anti-slip quality reduces writing fatigue and the tension in your wrist so that you can study, surf, draw, create, and game with ease. Suitable for all kinds of mouse, be it trackball, optical, etc.
- Top Notch Choice: Keep your desk and other flat surfaces in tip-top shape with our durable, multifunctional and stylish desk mat, ideal for any office & home. Not only does it protect your surfaces from scratches, spills and stains, but its smooth, yet anti-slip quality reduces writing fatigue and the tension in your wrist so that you can study, surf, draw, create, and game with ease. Suitable for all kinds of mouse, be it trackball, optical, etc.
- Premium Fabric: Made from an entire piece of smooth, soft, durable, and high-quality Vegan Leather. Simple and elegant. Upgraded reinforcements ensures softer and more rounded edges, thus eliminating the chance of scratching your skin. Anti-slip and strong static absorption. It maintains a comfortable temperature even during the cold weather of winter.
- Close to Nature: Natural cork and Vegan leather both proven to withstand time and wear without fading. Switch it up anytime to change the atmosphere of your room! Its quality appearance makes writing, drawing, browsing, surfing, working and gaming that much more enjoyable and comfortable.
- Versatile: The fine thickness and the large size is more than enough to accommodate your laptop, mouse, keyboard and journal! Perfect for a variety of surfaces and uses, while optimizing productivity.
- Super easy to clean: This desk mat is made of waterproof, oil-proof, heatproof vegan leather that is super easy to clean. Simply take a wet cloth to wipe up any stains. Odorless and perfect for protecting your flat surfaces from scratches and stains.
We could not write this review without considering our vegan users and gamers!
The Deskadia Vegan Leather desk pad is a great alternative to most non-vegan, popular gaming desk mats and pads. It is made with natural, eco-friendly cork and vegan leather on either side. You can find it in various color combinations to suit your gaming desk, and it remains sleek and classy without taking away the attention from your whole gaming setup.
The surface is soft, smooth, easy to clean, and waterproof. So no matter what you end up spilling on your desk, you will have one less thing to worry about cleaning. It will also help protect your gaming or office desk from scratches and is suitable for all mice types.
You will also appreciate that it is nature-friendly and extremely durable, with the ability to withstand wear and tear much longer than conventional gaming mats and pads. It is versatile and can be used for various purposes and support all kinds of setups, devices, or hardware.
It is not only waterproof, heat-proof, oil-proof and durable, but it is also affordable! You can get your own and enjoy it for years to come without having to spend half as much as you would on other gaming desk pads and mats.
My name is Tracy and I’m a passionate blogger about everything involving the latest tech, programming, gaming, gadgets, hardware or software.