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Thus, if you want the smooth side, you have to buy the smooth pad and likewise for the rough. The smooth pad is for ball mice, while the rough is for optical. This is not set in stone for you can use either pad for an optical or ball mouse if you like. </p> <p align="center"><a href="atruereview/thunderpad9/04.jpg"><img src="atruereview/thunderpad9/04th.jpg" alt="Thunder 9 Gaming Pad" border="0" width="250" height="198"></a><br> <font size="-1">Click on image for larger picture</font> <p align="left">The pads are very sturdy. You need a lot of force to break one. The surfaces (rough or smooth) are exactly like the Thunder 8 gaming pad. In the upper left of the surface is the a Thunder 9 logo. The bottom right has X-Ray's company logo and web site address. The rest of the surface is black but the light reflects very well off the slight texture. This texture is more pronounced on the rough pad. </p> <p align="center"><a href="atruereview/thunderpad9/05.jpg"><img src="atruereview/thunderpad9/05th.jpg" alt="Thunder 9 Gaming Pad" border="0" width="250" height="138"></a><br> <font size="-1">Click on image for larger picture</font> </p> <div align="left"> <p>A honey combed underside is very shinny. So shinny, that I couldn't keep objects from reflecting in it when taking the picture. There are eleven rubber feet on the underside that keep the pad from sliding on a desk.</p> <p><strong>Usage:</strong></p> <p>The large size of the Thunder 9 is more appealing to me over the Flexiglow and Thunder 8 gaming pads. I like big sizes for when using dual monitors. It gets rid of the need to pick up the mouse to slide over to the other monitor.</p> <p>I would rank the Thunder 9 as being exactly like the Thunder 8 for gaming surface. Therefore, it is as good as other gaming pads like the <a href="http://www.atruereview.com/fxgamepad/index.php">Flexiglow FX GamePad</a> and <a href="http://www.atruereview.com/steelpad4s/index.php">Steelpad 4S</a>. </p> <p>The rough pad provided solid control but felt a bit weird. It feels like you hand is getting sand-papered off. Of course, you can tell I don't have the proper ergonomic form when I use a mouse. Actually, it was better with a wrist pad but sometimes my finger rubbed against the rough surface. My <a href="atruereview/thunderpad9/../xraider/index.php">Flexiglow X-Raider</a> mouse glided easily on the pad. There were no hang ups. Of course, this mouse is very light and quick. Therefore, I also used my standard Logitech mouse. It glided better than on a desk surface or a cheap pad. </p> <p align="center"><a href="atruereview/thunderpad9/07.jpg"><img src="atruereview/thunderpad9/07th.jpg" alt="Thunder 9 Gaming Pad" border="0" width="250" height="201"></a><br> <font size="-1">Click on image for larger picture</font></p> <p>The smooth pad was the pad I preferred. On it, my Logitech mouse felt like it was gliding on cushion of air. X-Raider's mouse just flew.</p> <p>If you are worried about Thunder 9 sliding when using it, don't. Thunder 9 was almost immovable. It's large size made it harder to move than its smaller cousin. Both cannot be move from normal mouse use. You have to push on the pad at the right angle to budge it.</p> <p align="left">Thunder 9 also comes with Zero Friction pads. I reviewed these with the Thunder 8 as well. Below were my findings.</p> <p align="left"> I added X-Ray Technologies Zero Friction pads, mousekates as X-Ray calls them, to the bottom of my Logitech mouse for its feet were very worn. This is a simple process. Peel a piece off of the plastic and stick it over the mouse foot. Much easier than other products I have tried, such as those where you cut the footprint out of one solid piece of tape. </p> <p align="center"><a href="atruereview/thunderpad9/06.jpg"><img src="atruereview/thunderpad9/06th.jpg" alt="Thunder 9 Gaming Pad" border="0" width="250" height="134"></a><br> <font size="-1">Click on image for larger picture</font> </p> <p align="left">Once on, the mouse glided very easily on a desk surface. On the Thunder 9 Gaming Pad, I would say it was almost as fluent as the X-Raider mouse. I am only going to give a slight edge to the X-Raider. The Zero Friction pads stuck securely to the bottom of the mouse. After 3 weeks of use, this is still true.</p> <p align="left"><strong>Conclusion:</strong></p> <p align="left">X-Ray Technology's Thunder 9 Gaming Pad is a solid gaming pad. While it comes in multiple surface types, I prefer the smoother surface. There is a noticeable difference in mouse speed with it, and it doesn't feel weird on my hand. The large size of the pad makes it perfect and the reason I would recommend it over the Thunder 8.</p> <p align="left"><strong>Pros:</strong></p> </div> <ul> <li>Large size</li> <li>Zero Friction pads</li> </ul> <p><strong>Cons:</strong></p> <ul> <li>A bit spend if you want to choose sides</li> </ul> <p><strong>Ratings:</strong></p> <p>Excellent</p> <p>(Ratings Possible: Terrible, Very Bad, Bad, Fair, Good, Very Good, Excellent)</p> <div align="left"><a href="atruereview/thunderpad9/index.php"></a> <a href="thunderpad9/index.php">Previous (Introduction & Features)</a></p> </div> </td> </tr> </table> </div> <div id="footer" class="clr"> <div class="rk-1"> <div class="rk-2"> <div id="the-footer"> <script type="text/javascript"> var gaJsHost = (("https:" == document.location.protocol) ? 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