You may think mouse pads aren’t necessary, but you can’t deny that it does have benefits, even if only to improve your table setup aesthetics.
In recent years, mouse pads, especially big mouse pads, have become popular and trendy. With a lot of us working from home because of the pandemic, it has become a must have to ensure we have a comfortable and aesthetically pleasing work space.
For some mouse pads are considered old school, while some see it as a necessary computer accessory. Is it necessary to use mouse pads? Is there any advantage to them?
Well, we’ve got five benefits to help you reconsider to buying a mouse pad:
- Wrist and hand comfort.
- Protect the surface of your desk.
- Keep your mouse clean.
- Improves gaming experience.
- Wireless and charging technology.
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1. Wrist and hand comfort
Does your wrist and hand feel stiff after a long day of using your mouse? If it does, it’s possible that your wrist doesn’t like being pressed against a hard surface or at an odd angle. A mouse pad can relieve wrist and hand discomfort by allowing it to rest on a soft surface.
But, if you really want comfort and support, you can go for an ergonomic mouse pad. The bottom of them contain cushions that lift your wrist to a more natural angle. It means you won’t have to lean down to operate your mouse, making for a more pleasant experience.
2. Protect the surface of your desk
Dragging your mouse across the same spot on your desk for hours will eventually wear your mouse and your desk down. If you have a high-quality desk surface, such as thick wood or marble, you might not have to deal with this problem as much. However, a lower quality desk, or most desks, will get scratched or wear down more easily.
Mouse pads can help solve this problem, but they too will scuff after some time, but replacing a mouse pad is easier and less expensive than replacing the surface of your desk.
3. Keep your mouse clean
Your mouse will gather up the dirt on your desk over time, including dust, skin, and other grub. This will either stick to your desk, the underside of your mouse, or both. Whatever the case, the mouse’s accuracy will suffer. It’s also disgusting.
A mouse pad can help keep the underside of your mouse clean, not fully, but it’ll prevent most of the contaminants. Mouse pads are also easy to clean. All you need is water and soap. Give a dab and rub, then leave it to air dry. Some mouse pads can even be washed (but make sure to read the manufacturer’s instructions first).
4. Improves gaming experience
For gamers, a mouse pad can help boost your performance. Especially for first-person shooters, you’ll need quick and precise mouse movements. Gaming mouse pads are made to stay in place and provide required friction, ensuring that your aim does not swing off due to an extremely smooth desk surface.
5. Wireless and charging technology
We can all agree that cabled mouse are more accurate and have fewer latency than wireless mouse. But, wireless mouse are super convenient because there are no cables in the way. They’re also more lightweight and adaptable.
Wireless mouse, on the other hand, have the disadvantage of requiring regular charge or battery replacement. If you fail to charge the mouse overnight, you’ll have to plug it in while using the computer, which means you’ll be stuck with a wired mouse for a long, or worse you won’t be able to use it until it’s done charging.
However, there are mouse pads that charge your mouse wirelessly while you’re using it, so you’ll never have to bother about manually charging it again.
Logitech G Powerplay (note that this is only compatible with certain Logitech mouse) and the Corsair MM100. are two such pads. It’s a win-win situation: all the advantages of a mouse pad plus wireless charging.
Final Thoughts
So, do you really need a mouse pad? No, not really. You can work and play games perfectly fine without them.
However, if you try one out, you’ll most likely love the benefits it provides. It’s a low-cost way to improve your on-the-desk life.