Hardware Review: Razer eXactMat with eXactRest
While a review of a mouse pad might not sound like something you need to read, MMORPG.com hardware reviewer Jeremy Star was pleasantly surprised by his experience with the Razer eXactMat with eXactRest and thinks you might be too!
If you're like me, you've probably never considered spending money on a mouse pad. In the ancient days of PC gaming, I used a cloth mouse pad that came for free with a game for my archaic ball-mouse. With the advent of optical mice, I stopped using a pad at all with my wooden desk, and when I switched desks, I started using a cheap Star Wars mouse pad that my wife bought for me.
Enter Razer with their eXactMat gaming surface. I scoffed when I looked up the price, I laughed when I thought about someone paying more than five dollars for a mouse pad, and I cried when I realized I wished I had owned one all along.
The Hardware - Do I look like chopped liver to you?
The Razer eXactMat with eXactRest is a large - we're talking Goliath - mousing surface made from anodized aluminum. (Which sounds much cooler if you happen to have a British accent.) It has two surfaces: a rough one for control, and a smooth one for speed. Both are anti-reflective, non-slip, and abrasion resistant. The eXactRest is a gel wrist-rest that spans most of the bottom of the pad, which means it's probably three times as long as a normal wrist-rest.
The Technology - Show me the money!
Uh, yeah. It's essentially a large mouse pad. Aside from the two different sides - did I mention they were made from anodized aluminum? - the pad has anti-reflective coating so that optical and laser mice track better, and you don't get blinded by your mouse pad. It's not exactly something designed to impress astrophysicists.
Appearance - Like a large...thing.
;)
Have I mentioned the eXactMat is large? At a little over a foot long and about 10 ½ inches tall, this is not your average sized mousing surface. Even the wrist-rest is oversized, so you can comfortably use the whole surface without fear of the dreaded carpal-tunnel syndrome setting in.
In addition to being large (I did mention that, right?), it is also attractive. The mousing surface is black, with a silvery trim around the edges. The green Razer symbol is found on both sides, as well as on the wrist-rest, and both sides are clearly labeled - one control, the other speed - so you are not guessing which is which. Also, both sides feature four non-slip feet that keep the pad in place while you game, but that are not in the way. (If you do find that you need the small space those feet take up, I strongly suggest you look in to increasing your mouse sensitivity...)
Performance - Sure to please even the most finicky felines.
I tested the eXactMat using a Razer DeathAdder, a Razer Copperhead, a Logitech G5, and an Evoluent Vertical Mouse 3. I played tons of MMORPGs, and even some non-MMORPGs (shocking, I know). Regardless of which mouse or what game, the eXactMat was accurate and smooth. The Speed side is really fast, and the control side gives just enough resistance to make slight, accurate movements a breeze. There's plenty of space to make ridiculously large mouse movements, and for the first time ever, I didn't end up with my thumb pushed up against my keyboard eventually.
Conclusion - The joy of being wrong.
Remember how wrong you were when you were a little child and you thought people of the opposite sex were "icky"? Remember your first tentative kiss, when you expected it to be gross and then realized afterwards that it was the best thing you had ever experienced? I relived those feelings while testing the eXactMat. When I first set my mouse down on the surface, I was thinking that people must be insane to want to spend this kind of money on a mouse pad! After five minutes, I was thinking I am an idiot, I should have tried this a long time ago!
What I think of it:
Obviously, I love it. After years of cloth mouse pads and hard desk surfaces, I have finally discovered the joy of a quality mousing surface. I also enjoy the oversized wrist-rest, as I have always used one, but they were never large enough unless I cut down one meant for a keyboard.
;)
Who I think can benefit the most:
Anyone still using a cloth mouse pad or their desk surface with an optical or laser mouse. Honestly people, you owe it to yourself to try one of these out. Those of you who already use an expensive mousing surface may not feel the need to upgrade, but you may still find this to be better than what you are using.
Final Thoughts:
This is the ultimate mousing surface, bar none. With two sides to choose from, an attractive design, plenty of space, and a comfortable, ergonomic wrist-rest, this is the perfect complement to that expensive gaming mouse.
I give the eXactMat with eXactRest 10 venomous vipers out of 10.
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Great review!
The wrist rest is a nice addition to the pad as the first ones that came out were without it.
I pick up on of these about a year ago, it is one of the best thing i ever bought for my computer. I could feel that i had better control over everything with the Razer eXactMat with eXactRest. The only thing that was bad with the pad is that the little rubber feet came of pretty quick.
I'd have to say this review was pretty much exactly how my experience went. At first, when I saw that thing, I couldn't fathom who would spend that kind of money just on a mouse pad, but then I started reading some of the reviews and I got interested. Finally, I found the mouse/rest combo for such a good price (less than the mat alone normally goes for), that I had to try it, and I can assure you, from the moment I first moved my new Diamondback across it, I never thought twice about the money. It's probably the cheapest performance upgrade I've ever purchased! The only real drawback is the real estate it takes up on your desk, but even though my desk is rather small, and I'm cramming two monitors on it, I managed to find the space for it.
There are some other really great benefits that weren't mentioned. First off, you'll end up keeping your mouse cleaner in the long run, because the pad is very sensitive to debris on its surface. You'll feel them as you move the mouse, allowing you to clean it before it ends up collecting in the optical area of the mouse. Secondly, by having a truly dedicated "mouse zone," you'll end up keeping that portion of your desk cleaner, and correspondingly, the mouse will stay cleaner as well.
You will also probably be as thrilled as I was to find that both mouse surfaces are quite enjoyable to use. I often switch every few months between each one, just to enjoy the different feel of how the mouse moves. Personally, I enjoy the precision that the Control side allows me, but the ease of movement on the Speed side is amazing, also. Trust me, if you went to the effort and expense of buying a gaming mouse, you owe it to yourself to get the full package and get this mouse pad. I can't really recommend the pad, myself (I ended up storing it), because my desk and chair are set up at the perfect height such that I don't need the wrist rest, but for those who sit a bit higher, the wrist rest is very comfortable.
Great review, and a great product!
"mousing surface made from anodized aluminum. (Which sounds much cooler if you happen to have a British accent.)"
Not trying to sound like a pedant (ok, I am), but us Brits would say "aluminium". That extra "i" makes a big difference.
Back on topic, though -- maybe it's my advancing years (32
) but a wrist rest on my mouse mat really makes those long gaming sessions a lot easier. Before I got one, Monday after a weekend WoWing, EQing or whatever, my whole right arm could be aching, but now everything is hunky-dory.
Thanks for the review. I was contemplating buying this because I have a precise mouse, now I just needed a mat that was just as precise. I am a rare breed of digital artists who totally suck with a tablet but my mouse painting is great.
Alright, I'm officially drooling. I'd love one of those. In fact, I'm going to get me one of them things!
Where can you pick up these things? Besides the online store, What retail stores have them available?
I have owned one for some time and I would never replace it with something else. Paired with the death adder mouse, it is absolute gaming heaven. I have used Razer products for a few years now and I was a skeptic at first also. I could not see spending the kind of money I did on a mouse and game pad, however; as a game enthusiast it is one of the most important tools in my arsenal. I have yet to see a Razer product let me down...
I use an Allsop. Cost $20. Well worth the money.
Same thing minus the gell wrist rest. Do wish it had one.
I'll never use a cloth mousepad again.
Edit: I use a Logitech MX Revolution mouse on it. I love my mouse.
I've had one of these for almost 8 months now, and I love it.
I used the Logitech G5 (piece of crap!) for awhile, and then I switched to the Razer Deathadder.
I must say, the Deathadder and eXactmat combo is amazing. Whether I'm going for normal desktop use and internet googling, the smooth side is amazing, with plenty of room!
The CONTROL side is perfect for gaming, whether I'm high sensitivity or low. The mousepad is large enough that I rarely have to lift up my mouse, even for low sensitivity, and when I do, the Deathadder's ability to keep the mouse completely still when I lift it in the air to reposition, this is a KILLER combo for low sensitivity sniping.
*DROOLS*
Pros: Plenty of space, exact rough CONTROL side to prevent unwanted mouse movement, and when paired with the deathadder's ability to lift up in the air without unwanted mouse movement, headshots are mine!!!
Cons: Uncomfortable to turn it vertically because of the weird curves at the end. Would prefer it to be a complete rectangle when the horizontal (normal) position is too big for my surface area.
LONG LIVE RAZER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I got mine at best buy 1 or 2 Christmases ago and i love it. This thing will never break, ever. I only use the control side though lol, the speed is too fast for me.
I bought one with my Habu. I thought it would not make a big diff, but I was very surprised. I do not think I will be without one going forward.
When I bought my Copperhead a long time ago I immidiately bought the mouse pad and the rest as well (they were cheaper together too). All my friends were like: "You are crazy, you should have upgraded your processor or something". But I still feel it was a good deal and I love all things Razer.
Herein witness The Power of Marketing. oh well. If people are comforted by the belief that it can cure cancer AND make them popular then hey, it must be a good thing.
The "Power of Marketing" has nothing to do with anything anybody has said in this thread or what I wrote in the article. Did you read the article?
I have one, got the Razer mouse cheap, and the ExactMat for my 6th Anniversary (my fiancee loves me that much
).
The review was dead-on!!!
It's a bit bigger than my keyboard tray, so the rubber pads also have the effect of holding the keyboard in place.
It took me a little "re-training" in some games (MMO & FPS) to get used to the speed. OMG!! The Speed!!!! For some games & Programs, I actually toned down the Mouse Speed.
No more 'moving the mouse off the pad' screw-ups!!!
LOVE IT!!!
Only downside- mine has started to pick up a "grit" movement. Kinda like if I'm moving it over a grain of sand. I checked. Haven't seen anything out of the ordinary. My thinking is, its one of the pads that is causing the 'grit' feeling.
this thing is like 30 dollars for the pad
I do need a new mouse and i saw a combo for 34 so i might give it a shot.
you guys better be right about this
I'm rather cynical. As far as i'm concerned, the review is too bias for my liking. I am currently not happy with my current mouse surface since changing tables, but I don't feel i can trust this review. I think I'd rather read a review on the product from a independent site. That mmorpg is receiving razer products for use in competitions in combination with that the site has written a review for a razer product (and no other) as far as I'm concerned (although i hope i'm wrong) gives me reason to doubt the integrity of the article.. I didn't feel as though the review was bias neutral from the way things were described. The mouse pad looks alright but i can't certify the quality, myself.
I am rather disappointed at this mousepad. I've had it for not too long, and already the smooth "SPEED" side has worn out. This makes the mousepad now feel like the sensitivity is high when moving around, but when the mouse goes over the worn out areas, it feels like the sensitivity drops from 2000 to 500dpi AND I have trouble moving the mouse itself, because it gets "stuck". The mouse and mouse laser has a lot of trouble going over the worn out areas.
Fortunately I now use ONLY the control side, which I'm afraid will also wear out soon, but doesn't show any signs of it.
Whatever material they used for the SPEED side is NOT durable enough. If it can't last for AT LEAST a year, it's rather pathetic if you ask me.
For so much money, I expect this to last at least a year or three.....