Steelpad 4S Gaming Mouse Pad

Provided By: Steelpad
Retail: $17.00
Review Date: February 15th, 2004

Looking for a slick mouse surface that will hold up forever? Look no further than the Steelpad 4S mouse pad. The Steelpad 4S is a metal pad made for gamers. This mouse pad promises a slick surface with a strong reflecting ability. The pad also promotes a non-slippery base to protect against slippage.

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Packaging:

The retail box was a little damaged during shipping, but the mouse pad is made of 3.5 mm thick aluminum, good luck breaking it. There is not much you can do with the packaging of a mouse pad, but the Steelpad 4S comes in a professional looking black box. On the back of the box is information about the mouse pad.

Specifications:

Steelpad 4S, as mentioned before, is made of aluminum that is hardened for extra durability. Breaking a mouse pad is rare but wearing one out is quite common. The 4S will last a very long time.

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The surface is slick. Steelpad calls this process Fiber Polishing. My mouse glided along the surface better than cheap ordinary mouse pads but not as well as the Ice Mat.

Tired of small mouse pads, the Steelpad 4S is the same size as the Steelpad 4D and is one of the largest I have seen. While this may not fit on a small desk or keyboard tray, the pad does allow for a lot of movement. The pad is 11.5 inches by 10 inches, 40 to 50 percent larger than a standard mouse pad.

To prevent against the pad slipping, the 4S uses rubber feet on the bottom side. If you have experienced a mouse pad that doesn't stay put, you know the pains it can cause. You want to move left but suddenly there is no pad there and your mouse hits the desk causing your cursor to jump.

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Padsurfer:

Included with the Steelpad 4S, as is with all Steelpad's products, is Steelpad 's Padsurfer. Padsurfer is a Teflon tape with a very slick surface on one side. Apply the tape to the feet of your mouse to improve the slickness of the mouse. The mouse will now glide very easy over the mouse pad surface.

Padsurfer is great for mice that have seen a lot of use. The pads on the mouse become worn over time and the mouse will not glide as easily. Padsurfer is the perfect product for restoring mouse feet. Padsurfer lasts about 4 months with average use.

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Usage:

I used the Steelpad 4S for a couple of days without Padsurfer. The mouse did glide easier on the 4S than my cheap $5 mouse pad. Unfortunately, sometimes my cursor would not move at all on the screen eventhough I move the mouse on the pad. I have a dual optical Logitech mouse. I had this issue with the slick side of the 4D pad previously. I finally tried another mouse, a generic optical Logitech mouse. The Steelpad worked great with this mouse. On Steelpad's web site it states that "Does not work with Logitech Optical mice other than the MX Series".

While working on graphics and playing a games I found the pad to improve my performance a small amount. I found it easier to hit targets quickly by moving the mouse. I was able to draw straighter free hand lines and perform touch up jobs faster with less errors in PhotoShop. I would say less than the slick 4D side and the Ice Mat.

Once again, padsurfer is the money. It takes effort to install but the effort is well worth it. I recommend using a razor blade. The tape must be cut, peeled from its backing and placed over the feet. Once installed, the mouse flies across the mouse pad. I could easily work on graphics and whip around to catch targets in games. I have tested Padsurfer for a couple of months now, and I can say it lasts about 3 to 4 months based on average use. I have read on some sites that state under heavy use, the tape lasts about a month. The tape costs $3 to $4 by itself. Each piece of tape should do 4 to 5 mice.

The material of the Steelpad 4S does not hold heat. If you have used gel wrist pads or let your wrist wrest on some soft mouse pads, you will notice after hours of use that your wrist is sweating. The Steelpad is very cool to the touch, refreshing. Of course, if you have the proper ergonomic setup your wrist should never rest against the mouse pad.

Conclusion:

I cannot give the Steelpad 4S a great rating because it did not very well work with my Logitech Dual Optical mouse. For the other standard optical mouse, this pad worked great better than any $5 mouse pad at your local computer store. The surface is slick, although I found the $40 Ice Mat and $25 Steelpad 4D to have better surfaces. I do like the rubber feet versus the mesh mat of the 4D. I also like the cool feel of the aluminum. If you are a serious gamer I would recommend getting the Steelpad 4D over the 4S.

Pros:

• Padsurfer restores mice and improves quickness
• Large surface area allows for more movement
• Surface provides better gliding over standard mouse pads

Cons:

• Expensive
• Does not work with some Logitech mice

Rating:
Good

(Ratings Possible Terrible, Very Bad, Bad, Fair, Good, Very Good, Excellent)