As PC gamers, our gaming mice become an extension of our arms, getting out of the way and allow us to react. The perfect mouse movement is a mixture of speed and control and every movement has to be reliable so you can nail the shot, every single time. Razer thinks they have the solution with its new Gigantus V2 Mouse Mat. Available in standard mouse pad size all the way up to a 3XL desk mat, should this be your next upgrade?
Specifications
- Current Price: $9.99 - $49.99
- Custom Printing: $19.99 -
- Available in four different sizes: Medium, Large, XXL, 3XL
- Textured micro-weave cloth surface
- Thick, high-density rubber foam
- Anti-slip base
- Dimensions:
- Medium: 360 x 275 x 3mm / 14.17 x 10.83 x 0.12in
- Large: 450 x 400 x 3mm / 17.72 x 15.75 x 0.12in
- XXL: 940 x 410 x 4mm / 37 x 16.14 x 0.15in
- 3XL: 1,200 x 550 x 4mm / 47.24 x 21.65 x 0.15in
- Warranty: 1-Year
Over the years, mouse mats have become… bigger. When I first got into PC gaming, way back in the early 2000s, a mouse mat was utilitarian. It was small enough for only basic mouse movements and often branded with whatever company had given it to you for free. As pc gaming has taken off, we now have mats suited to big sweeps, mats big enough to hold a keyboard too, and some mats large enough to cover entire desks. They’ve become accessories to accent a desk and enhance our comfort on top of being excellent mouse surfaces.
The Razer Gigantus V2 mouse mats take full advantage of these changing expectations, delivering a soft mouse surface that offers a blend of control and speed and in sizes to meet any gamer’s style needs. Sizes begin at medium and extend all the way up to 3XL in the following sizes (in inches):
- Medium: 14.17 x 10.83 x 0.12in (3mm thick)
- Large: 17.72 x 15.75 x 0.12in (3mm thick)
- XXL: 37 x 16.14 x 0.15in (4mm thick)
- 3XL: 47.24 x 21.65 x 0.15in (4mm thick)
Interestingly, there doesn’t seem to be a small or single XL size available currently. As a result, you get a jump from the 17.7-inch width of the large to 37-inches on the XXL.
Here is a size comparison of the Medium, Large, and XXL sizes.
Note that I wasn’t able to fit the 3XL size into this picture, which is a full ten inches wider than the largest mat pictured above. With a 65% keyboard or TKL, you could easily use the XXL for a mouse and keyboard and have room left over for sweeps. The standard Large size is perfect if you only want a pad for your mouse but need that extra room. The 3XL, then, is made to cover the majority of most desks. It becomes an aesthetic and comfort accessory on top of a mouse mat.
Apart from size and thickness in the larger sizes, the mats are identical in function. They are soft pads, which means they use a stitched top on a rubberized bottom. This inherently makes them lean more toward control than speed due to the flex of the rubberized foam body; however, Razer is describing them in such that it sounds like a hybrid pad — “woven for speed, crafted for control” — but let’s take a closer look at the mouse surface and material used.
The stitching is clearly tight, but let’s look even closer.
Note: The green is due to the lighting and not the pad itself, which is black
In this macro shot, you can tell that Razer is embracing micro-stitches to aid in the overall speed of these pads, without necessarily feeling “fast.”
Let’s look at the sides.
Razer bonds these pads with a high-density, yet quite porous, rubberized foam. There is a slight give when pressed on with a finger, but not nearly so much as you might guess just looking at it. Combined with the micro-weave top surface, you have a mouse pad that offers control while still offering enough speed for high-intensity first-person shooters.
The mats eschew stitched edges and are instead completely flat their entire length. I tend to prefer a stitched edge for long-term durability but admit to finding those edges annoying in actual gaming. The downside to this design — at least on other mats I’ve used over the years — is that the edges tend to separate as the pad ages. Since that usually occurs after months or years of use, I, unfortunately, can’t say if that will be the case here.
Before testing the Gigantus V2, I was using the Razer Firefly V2 on my main desk and the Corsair Polaris MM800. Both are hard mouse pads and are all about speed. I noticed the slow-down right away when switching (years of muscle memory is hard to undo). So, if you’re using a hard mat right now, you should know that this pad will feel slower.
Testing two entirely different type of pads is hardly fair, however, so I tried it side by side with a selection of other soft mats that I’ve been fond of over the years:
- HyperX Fury S Pro
- Cooler Master MP710
- ASRock Phantom Gaming Mouse Pad
- Gigabyte AORUS Mouse Pad
- Antlion Pro Gaming Über-Wide Mousepad
Of this bunch, the Gigantus V2 fell pretty evenly in the middle in speed. Using a mouse throw test (unscientific, but gave a good picture), the fastest of these pads was the Gigabyte AORUS whose surface had an almost glossy sheen. It was tied with the HyperX, and was faster than the ASRock and Antlion. In actual use, the Gigantus V2 easily offered the best control of the bunch.
What we’re left with is a mouse mat that really does feel like a hybrid. It’s slower than a hard mat or speed-centric soft pad, but faster than some others that are similarly designed. I think much of this has to do with the foam backing Razer has used, which was visually unique from any of the other mats I tested against.
The bottom of each mat matches the Razer green of the rest of the foam. It’s printed in a neat hexagon pattern and zoomed in you can easily see the fine texturing on the bottom of each to aid in its grip. I didn’t have any issues with it sliding around on my desk, but it doesn’t feel as “locked” as other pads, either. Repositioning it on purpose is easy but if you’re someone who really pushes down on their mouse or has a slick surface finish, it’s possible you might experience some sliding. Again, on my normal wood-finish desk, this wasn’t a problem.
Another unique thing to be aware of is that these mats can actually be custom printed with game artwork and your own text up to XXL size. It’s also quite affordable at only $10 more than the cost of the pad. Just plan on an extra 5-7 days for printing and shipping.
Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, it’s clear that the Gigantus V2 mouse mats are very good. It offers a good balance of speed and control and, importantly, it feels nice on the wrist, especially the larger, thicker versions. The availability of multiple sizes is also a great option for those of us who want all of our peripherals on a mat to create a symmetrical setup.
