Customer Reviews

SteelSeries SX Gaming Mouse Pad (Black)

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

Packaging:
The pad is covered by a plastic clamshell, which comes inside a very stylish cardboard sleeve that bares just enough of the clamshell to show you the pad itself.
Either Amazon packaging, storage or delivery is a problem because the pad did not lie completely flat on the table. I am talking about a 2 mm offset on the upper right corner. With careful manipulation, you can get it flat again, but I am surprised that even with the nice packaging from SteelSeries, the metal pad is still susceptible to slight bends.
Included in the package you will receive a set of Glide MS mouse feet, a steel series catalogue, a pamphlet about SteelSeries Security and an oily cloth to help keep your pad clean and smooth. The mouse feet are a nice addition if you want to go the extra mile to get the maximum smooth glide.

Size:
The SX is not a large mouse pad, but it is bigger than any of the freebies you get from trade shows or bundled with games like WoW. I would say it's basically your average size now, i.e., approximately 12"x10".

Product Finish:
If you look close enough, you can see the anodized fiber polished finish. You will notice right away that the finish easily accumulates dust, dirt, fingerprints and the like especially moisture created marks such as sweat. These, however, can be cleaned up very easily with the supplied oily cloth or any water based cleaner if you don't really want to add more glide (I used the Monster cleaner for screens with their supplied blue cloth).
Scratches aren't a prominent problem, but the SteelSeries SX is quite vulnerable to permanent surface marks if you are going to travel with it (not a problem for me, but likely an issue for gamers).
The underside of the SX, and in many regards one of the most crucial parts of any mouse pad, is your basic rubber pad that can be found on the bottom of most cloth mouse pads. Since the aluminum construction of the SX is completely rigid, it stands to reason that any frictional force inherited by the mouse pad from the mouse would be transferred directly to this rubber subsurface with a greater magnitude than that of cloth pads. Cloth pads can be skewed horizontally from top to bottom, meaning some of the frictional force is transferred into that motion, making it easier for the underside to grip the desk, table, or what have you. This whole concept here is rendered irrelevant, however, because there is so little friction on the SX. I did notice that the grip was better over flat smooth surfaces (e.g., glass, aluminum) than it was over faux wooden finish because of the irregularity of the surface. In general, due to the little friction, the grip to the desk is very firm and it won't be compromised unless you are actually trying to push the pad off the desk.

Performance:
I have used this pad with the Logitech MX Revolution and Ikari Laser mice over a period of about a month and I cannot find any faults with it. From web browsing to graphics work to games this is the best mouse pad I have ever had the pleasure of using. The surface is "really, really smooth" as stated in the specifications.
Note: The Ikari Laser mouse was set to Low: 800 CPI and High: 1600 CPI. Any CPI setting higher than 1600 was too erratic for me for precise and slow movements.
It does take some getting used to if you are switching from nothing or a very bad pad. I tended to overcompensate a lot at first seeing as I'm used to a little more resistance in my mouse pad. However, I noticed that when you put pressure on the mouse you get more resistance thanks to the texture of the pad. This is very useful for those of you who like detailed graphics work or sniping in a game. After a few minutes however I quickly got used to it.

Durability:
Not once did I think about the quality of the surface degrading, nor did I encounter any defects in the surface. This is an inherent advantage of using a comparably strong material like aluminum instead of the plastic that is found on virtually all hard pads. Defects in stronger materials are far less frequent, and the chance of them becoming deformed is also greatly reduced. I would also attribute the flatness of the SX to the uniformly distributed rubber backing, which does not allow bowing of any sort, except for the initial problem I mentioned above.
If you use mice with Teflon feet/skates, you will be happy to know that the wear on the skates after normal everyday use is very low.

Comfort:
This mat is quite easy on the wrist. All the edges on the SX are filed down and are grate free, which means that you won't hurt your wrist on minor imperfections in the mat.
Since the mat is made of aluminum it feels quite cold. On of the problems that I've experienced with this mat is that after using it for a while, a little moisture builds up where you keep your hand most of the time. This is due to the fact that the aluminum dissipates the heat that you generate and therefore the temperature difference between you and the mat is so high that the water in the air condensates on the cold side. This isn't a major problem in my case because my room temperature is warm and the mat is easy to clean. But if you like your room cool this could evolve into a serious issue because the bigger the temperature difference is, the more condensation will form.
Note: The is mostly an issue for people who like to rest their hand or pinky finger on the mat (a.k.a. claw grip). If you move your hand around with the mouse, this may not be a problem for you.
Something else I noted is that the surface is noisier that cloth or plastic surfaces due to the harder surface. In fact, it becomes quite loud to use when there is a little bit of dirt or dust on it. Of course it easy to clean so this isn't a real problem, but still something you should consider if you are looking for a quiet surface. This is not it.

Price:
At the time of this review, the full price for this mouse pad is USD 59.99, but you can get it for anything between $40.00 and $50.00. If you use your computer a lot and you have already invested more than $50.00 in the mouse, then the price of this mat is reasonable and offers great value.
If you still think the price is too high, then you should look into the SteelSeries S&S, which, to me, is the next best mouse pad.

Pros: Most amazing mousepad I have ever owned. I do heavy FPS gaming and have previously owned a Q-Pad XTR, a Razer Destructor, and an I-2 Icemat (which I still use on my 2nd rig). The tracking on this Steelseries SX is very very smooth as they mention, and it's not so slick that you lose out on precision or control but feels like a balance between the two. I'm a low sensitivity user and coming from using the Destructor before which wore out quite quickly with my G9 mouse I can tell this pad will last a long while. The coating on top of the aluminum surface wears off sort of quickly but the cloth provided with the pad can easily resurface the pad. However if you want as someone mentioned you can just let it wear off and have a consistent yet not as fast of a glide but still smooth. Just be sure your mouse is equipped with some relatively new feet or aftermarket. Just got it today, and love it so far.

Cons: None really with the pad, just takes getting used to a bit. The REAL CON I have is with the packaging done either by Steelseries themselves or Amazon. When I first put the pad on my completely flat desk I noticed the bottom left and top right corners where not laying flat whatsoever. Upon picking up the pad and inspecting it closer I noticed that the sturdy aluminum had actually been bent! In disbelief of spending this much money on a mouse pad I did not want to deal with the hassle of returning it, purchasing a new one, waiting, etc. So I carefully began to attempt bending it back to it's manufactured state. It took about 30-40 minutes of careful rotating and bending sections of the pad to finally achieve it's normal shape. Once it laid flat with all four corners on the desk, and double checking the middle to be sure no lifts or other bends were in the pad I was satisfied.

Whoever packaged this expensive item needs to be fired and/or slapped. Wtf are people so careless nowadays? Yeah, cause it's not theirs. VERY disappointed with the packaging done prior to shipping. I think it's utter bull that something cannot simply be replaced because of a packaging error, and that you must send it back to them, wait 3-5 days for a refund, then hopefully the same item is still in stock and at the same price to repurchase and then wait again for the time of processing/shipping. Fortunately I was able to mend it on my own.

Again, amazing product as the durability and performance on this pad is unmatched thus far even by glass pads. Please in the future work on more reliable packaging in the future. Thanks.

This is a great mouse pad which I have owned since late May 2009.
But before I write down what I like and do no like I wanted to say most of the low reviews are ignorant reviewers, and does not warrant those reviews.

The SteelSeries SX mouse pad, which I will address as SX from now on, requires a break in period.
At first the grinding feel and noise bugged me too which prompted me to thoroughly clean the SX and my Logitech G5 mouse over and over again.
Unfortunately that did not fix the issue. Even using the mouse skates and lubricant did not completely eliminate the problem. The grinding only went away after a certain break in period.
Throughout the breaking in period you will notice a decrease in grinding, friction, and noise.
The grinding feeling and noise, and the unhappiness with friction can be found in most of the negative reviews...

The included mouse skates are not needed if you already have a relatively new mouse with good feet.
For me I picked up a new Cyber Snipa mouse (soon after the SX purchase) and it glided slightly better than my old Logitech G5. As stated above, I had the SX since May 2009 and my Cyber Snipa's feet are not worn at all.
Most importantly there is absolutely no wear on the mouse pad itself!

Many users cite the erratic or impossible use of their optical mouse on the SX. The reason is that particular optical mouse uses older sensors and thus cannot be used on the SX surface.
Honestly, there is no reason to pick up one of the most expensive mouse pads for a low end non gaming optical mouse.

What I like about this mouse pad:
-It is large (almost too big)
-The surface is extremely durable and has an excellent "glide". It is far more durable than the hard plastic mouse pads.
I did not realize why it was more difficult for me to aim (jitters), but once I finally realized it was due to the wear in my Func surface mouse pad I immediately did some mouse pad research.
I am absolutely not going back to a hard plastic mouse pad that can wear out fast. Spend $X now for a SX instead of buying hard plastic mouse pads over and over again.
-Easy to clean as opposed to cloth mouse pads

What I do not like about this mouse pad:
-If you get a small spec of "crap" (crumbs) it can cause a grinding feel and noise. The SX is more sensitive than other mouse pads.
-It is not bendable. This makes it less than idea to carry with you and if it bends it will be tough to flatten it.
-It is taller than other mouse pads making it less comfortable (more strain)
-Can get cold and frequently has condensation (properties of aluminum)
-SteelSeries does not mention a break in period is required. It would save them money due to returns and also prevent customer headaches.

The bottom line:
Superb mouse pad for gamers or non gamers who want extremely durable and low friction characteristics.
However a break in period is needed to obtain that low friction glide and quieter experience.

Pros: This is the smoothest mouse pad I've ever used, and since it is made from aluminum, it should last a lifetime.

Cons: If you have to ask how much a top-of-the-line mouse pad is, then this mouse pad is not for you. The packaging looks nice, but does not protect this sheet of aluminum from getting bent. Expect the surface to not be flat when it arrives, and expect to spend 20 minutes bending it to become flat. Do not think of travelling with this mouse pad unless you have a pelican case for it.

Since this pad is made from aluminum, it is COLD! The high thermal conductivity of aluminum (vs. plastic and cloth) will instantly absorb the warmth from your wrist. I find that I pull my sweater down to keep my wrist from freezing. This, of course, defeats the purpose of having the world's best mouse pad. If they had a heated version of this mouse pad, I'd pay $200 for it.

The surface will scratch and the paint will come off. I did not expect this, especially from a grain of dirt. Which leads me to the next con... the surface reveals every anomaly. Sweat, oils, dust, dirt, dandruff, high fructose corn syrup... whatever is on the surface of this perfect mouse pad will become evident. You must constantly keep the surface clean or the grinding of grit between the mouse and pad will not only drive you crazy, but actually damage the surface of the pad. I use a Steel Series IKARI laser mouse and it has a large surface area of friction pads, so this problem gets magnified. Do not use this pad in life-threatening military situations in the desert, or anywhere sand storms occur.

This pad does not work with all optical mice. Highly suggest you get a SteelSeries mouse to go with this pad. Get a keyboard as well, they're awesome. You won't be disappointed.

Since this is a rigid surface, there is no room for uneven surfaces. My desk is made of different sections (IKEA) and my mouse pad covers a seam between two sections. This does NOT work with this pad. The pad is larger than I expected. Be sure to check the measurements and see if it fits into your ideal mouse pad area. Remember, you can't take a scissors to this pad and trim it!

I was skeptical spending $40 for a mouse pad, but I'm glad I did.
This pad works great with my G9 mouse. Smooth, well built and should last a lifetime. Highly recommend the SteelSeries SX Mouse Pad (Black).

I really love this mousepad. I have a glass topped desk, and a Logitech MX Revolution Cordless Laser Mouse that do not get along as optical mice need to "see" differences in the mousing surface to be responsive, and the glass top, though painted underneath, is perfectly smooth and without any details, so I needed a good mouse pad, and was not about to get one of those cruddy foam pads or anything with some lame logo emblazoned across the front. I also did not want a typical gamer pad, but rather something clean and elegant. This mouse pad fit the bill, though the price is unquestionably ridiculously high, but it was worth it to me. I'd give it five stars except for the price

The mouse works perfectly with it, so there isn't much else to say.

I bought 3 pads from Amazon at the same time, because I was also buying a Fragnstein mouse to use with my PS3 and PC.
When I tested the pads with the mouse, the ONLY one that works properly is this one,the others are great for ordinary laser mice, but do NOT work with the Fragnstein.
The others were the Razor Destructor Pro, and the PC Cyborg V3, both of which are great pads, but do not work with the Fragnstein.
So, save your money if you are looking for a great pad, get this one, it is worth it.
The mouse glides effortlessly, if you move t and let it go, it continues to move, that's fantastic.
Incidentally, I am nearly 50, not a kid, just in my head :-)

First you have to understand, this is not just "another mouse pad". Steel even says on their website it's not cheap and they created it just because they could. It's aimed at gamers who want the best. I find the pad is very smooth and fast as advertised. One thing that really drew me to it in the first place was that it was metal. I've had so many cloth pads that just start constantly clogging with body oils or I had a decent plastic one from BFG but after a bit there were two horizontal worn down strips where the mouse contacted it. Those started building up body oils/sweat/etc. as well.

The SX shows no signs of wear and I've had it for over a year now. I don't use the included stickon feet because my mouse a G5 already had high quality teflon feet that were in good shape. If your mouse has similar, you do NOT need to use the feet. About once every month or two depending on use, I will clean the pad with some ammonia free window cleaner and then use the included "cloth" which is impregnated with a silicon (I believe) product which restores the pad to factory condition. If you take care of the pad like this and are using it with a good quality gaming mouse, you'll be set for a great experience IMO. If you're just looking for a pad for the cheap mouse that came with your PC so you can surf the Net, this is not the pad for you.

I'm not a gamer but do lots of design and coding on a Mac Pro. I originally purchased the pad thinking it would help with the Apple Mighty Mouse but it turns out that Apple's mouse isn't so mighty with their Bluetooth problems in their latest desktops.

Rather than have the expensive pad go to waste while I used a Wacom tablet with its mouse, I picked up an MX Revolution and the pairing between the pad and mouse is like water on ice. Very smooth and accurate. You'll find yourself polishing the pad's surface when you feel a dot of dust under the mouse. It's an enjoyable experience and worth the price if you spend a good deal of time on a desktop.

Also Steel series included a pair of mouse feet that can be added onto just about any mouse -- except for the MX Revolution as the feet will block the charger. Thankfully, the MX already has a large set of teflon pads and doesn't need them.

Couldn't be happier. This is the last mouse pad I will ever have to buy. I've owned their glass line in the past & loved them too but kept dropping them so I went to the unbreakable kind this time & will never have to change again. Perfroms great. I do a lot of gaming & it moves really well.