Mousepads are one of the most famous and widely used accessories related to computers and laptops. And it is easy to see why using a mouse pad provides you with so many benefits at such a low cost.
Also, you can easily personalize a wide range of hard and soft mousepads to flaunt your interest, making it so hard to resist buying one!
However, the wide range of hard and soft mousepads might confuse you more while trying to pick one for your personal use.
Our hard vs. soft mouse pad guide is here to help you with picking between hard and soft mousepads. Read our take on them to decide which one is better for you.
Why Should I Invest In A Mouse Pad?
Before optical mouses became mainstream, all mouses used to have a trackball that would work swiftly with the help of mousepads.
Now that optical mouses are all the rage, mousepads are considered more as an accessory. However, using a mouse pad still offers a lot of benefits.
Soft mousepads also offer comfort to your wrists, something that will save you from a lot of physical pain when you are working.
Hard mouse pads help you with sharp movements when you are playing games online. So, a little investment in mouse pads certainly goes a long way.
Hard Mouse Pad Review
Top Features
- It offers you precision in movements
- Relatively cheaper
- While gaming, it gives you constant control
Offers Swift and Fast Movements
Hard mousepads are usually made from plastic or metal to ensure that you can move the mouse without creating much friction.
It is very easy to move the mouse over these smooth and sturdy surfaces freely. You often need to pull the mouse or move the mouse for swift movements in mere seconds, and the hard mouse pads will help you do exactly that.
Designed for Durability
One of the best things about these hard mousepads is that they do not wear out easily due to the plastic material used while making the mouse pad.
But it is tough to clean spilled ink or ink marks from the smooth surface even when using chemical cleaners. And you have to be careful not to use harsh chemicals as these might wear out the mousepad fast.
Hard mousepads tend to chip in the corners so that a worn-out one might lead to small cuts on your hand. Moreover, the surfaces might not be gentle or comforting enough to your hands when using this mouse pad for a long time.
Pros
- Easy to move over a wide area of surface
- Limits too much friction from being created
- It helps the mouse glide on for fast movement
Cons
- Hard to clean ink marks from
Soft Mouse Pad Review
Top Features
- Provides comfort to your wrists
- Compatible with all sorts of mouse
- It comes in a wide range of designs
Built for Comfort
Soft mousepads usually are made from cloth or stretchy fabric and are bendable to carry with you wherever you go easily.
They have been built for comfort, so you will find that they do not put any strain on your hand even when you have been gaming or using your mouse for over a long period of time.
Great for When You Need to Restrict Movements
You might feel more of a drag when maneuvering your mouse over the soft mousepads as the cloth-like material makes it harder for the mouse to glide on the surface comparing to hard mousepads but easier to control or stop movements at once.
Easy to Wash
It is also very easy to clean soft mouse pads as the material used for these mousepads is washable. So, you can easily soak it in the water for a couple of minutes to make the mouse pad feel as good as new.
Pros
- Comfortable for wrists
- Perfect for professionals for office work
- It does not harm smooth tabletops
Cons
- Restricts movements over a large area
Hard Vs. Soft Mouse Pad – A Feature By Feature Comparison
Now that we have looked at the specifications of both mouse pads, it is time for us to compare them feature-by-feature.
And as always, the final decision entirely depends on which qualities you prioritize while purchasing a mouse pad. So, let’s jump right into it!
Construction
If you want a mouse pad that will allow you to make frequent movements over a large surface, such as playing video games or editing photos with your mouse, a hard mouse pad is more suitable for your needs.
Also, in case you usually place your mouse on the top of a desk that has a smooth surface, you do not need to invest in a hard mouse pad as the texture, and the usage of the mouse pad will be very similar to the benefits you get from using the mouse on a desk.
Comfort
When comfort is your utmost priority, you need a mouse pad that will protect your hands from the discomfort of using it on a hard surface.
So, a soft mouse pad will suit you perfectly. These mouse pads will also make it easier for you to stop your mouse at once, so you will find it easy to control.
This makes these mouse pads perfect for small movements when you are working any desk jobs that require you to navigate sites and databases for a long time.
Cost
Finally, let us discuss the price of both mouse pads. When you are on a budget, you will notice that soft mousepads are usually more expensive than hard mousepads.
This is probably due to customization when it comes to soft mousepads, so it is better to opt for a hard mouse pad in this case.
But if you are going to put your mouse pad on a smooth tabletop, saving up for a soft mouse pad might be a better idea. As your smooth tabletop will work fine as the substitute for a hard mousepad, it is not advised to splurge money in this case.
Final Words
Now you know what benefits and features you will exactly get from both types of mouse pads by reading our guide on hard vs. soft mouse pads.
So, you will find it a lot easier to choose which mouse pad works out the best for you between the two of them.
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