Introduction

I've never traditionally been picky about my mouse pad. Any old felt pad I picked up through some promotion booth would suit me fine, and I was none the wiser. I was often irked by the size of these standard pads, finding them too small for FPS gaming or even normal mouse use in a dual-monitor setup. Let me tell you how the Evo-G MP1 mouse pad has forever changed my feelings about a deceptively important accessory.

Appearance and Features

The Evo-G MP1 came in an aluminum case bearing the Evo-G logo, to keep the pad safe during transport or storage. The case's lid removes completely to reveal the pad, covered on all sides by foam material to protect it.

Inside, I saw the mouse pad itself, which sports a gorgeous metallic look with a red star in the middle that makes me think of something that would appear on the side of a military vehicle. The bottom is a treaded rubber surface to keep traction on its host surface.

Evo-G provides the following features and specifications of the MP1:

Features

• Designed for high gaming performance
• Patented reflection technology
• 20% more upgrade tracking
• Special mid-rough surface
• Super slippery material
• Soft and safe rubber base

Specifications

• Compatible with gaming grade optical and laser
• Surface material: High performance PP
• Dimension: 355mm x 265mm x 3mm
• Base: anti slippery rubber

Performance

For subjective evaluation, I replaced my normal pad with the MP1 for one week. Upon first use, I was amazed at the ease in which my mouse glided across the surface. Using a dual monitor configuration as I normally do, I am very heavy on my use of horizontal mouse movement. I found that constant mouse movement between monitors became less of a burden, thanks to the surface of the MP1.

For a more objective evaluation, I decided to compare the pad with my old one in a few games of Unreal Tournament 2004. I started with a five-minute InstaGib (one-hit kill) game using the MP1 for warming up, then switched to the generic pad. To even things out and clarify any results, I ended with one more game with the MP1. All parameters were the same for the three matches. The results follow.

As you can see, playing with the MP1 both before and after the generic pad yielded better results overall. I must particularly emphasize that not only did this pad make my performance increase, but I could feel the difference in play. Using the old mouse pad after the MP1 made me realize that I would easily overcompensate during aiming and miss the target. The MP1 made following targets with the mouse noticably easier.

The only shortcoming of the MP1 against the generic pad was the traction of the bottom of the mouse pads on the table. The generic pad is thicker, heavier, and has more tread in the rubber on the bottom. I found the MP1 was prone to shifting a bit during sudden strong movements. This didn't present a problem, though, especially with the extensive surface area of the pad, and never had to worry about the mouse escaping the pad.

Final Thoughts & Conclusion

Evo-G has quoted their MP1 model's surface to be "spectacular." I must personnaly concur with this remark, and fully recommend the model to gamers everywhere, for both its superior performance and modest price tag. Thanks to the MP1 mouse pad, Evo-G has shown itself as a prime example of a young company adding something great to an established market.

Pros

• Extremely smooth surface gives great control of mouse movement
• Extensive area of pad assures your mouse won't stray
• Appealing metallic look
• Protective case
• Affordable price

Cons

• Rubber tread on bottom is shallow, mouse pad can move with certain jerks.