Logitech 3M PMS

3M and Logitech

I know it has probably been said before, but I really think somebody was fired for making up that acronym. The PMS (Precision Mousing Surface) was originally made by 3M, and was the first mouse pad with quality gaming written all over it. Most gamers loved the textured surface, but original 3M surface was very thin and had limited durability. Most pads have to be replaced after two or three months of heavy use. Logitech spruced up a pretty good product and created the Logitech Wingman Gaming Mousepad.

Mousernetics

This little guy is an interesting piece of mousing technology. The underside of the pad has the feel of a regular foam mouse pad, except it's far thinner. The top half is completely different from your average mouse pad. Dragging my nail across the pad produced a sound similar to the swooshing of nylon clothing. This pad has quite a bit of texture to it.

If you look at the zoomed in picture, notice that the texture is not randomly placed as it is in the other pads; it resembles a stitch pattern. This generates an extremely predictable movement across the pad no matter where you are on it. Apparently this was revolutionary enough to be patented. The surface is a series of valleys and mountains, designed to trap dirt in the troughs, thereby keeping them out of the mouse. Movement across the pad is rather precise but it is also quite slow, especially after getting used to the smoothness of the Ratpad and Everglide. It feels like I am pushing the mouse through a viscous fluid. In comparison, the other mouse pads have a very free flowing nature to them.

Wingman PMS

Wingman Texture

Tiny Tim?

If you remember the original PMS, it wasn't exactly bred from the heartiest of stock. Those pads had to be pampered. You couldn't toss that thing around and expect it to remain useful. Even if well kept, the pad would eventually wear out. The same durability factor might play into the Logitech version. Our pad started to curl up at the sides slightly after minimal use. I even managed to put scratches in the pad by dragging my nail across it. I think I would be safe in saying that the other two mouse pads will outlast the PMS by years if not a lifetime.

Thinner Pads

One thing the PMS has going for it is the disturbance factor. You can go ahead and lay this on your desk and not really notice it. The other two pads take up are much taller and much more rigid. If you look at the original PMS, it was essentially like having a textured "second skin" on the desk. This pad continues in that tradition of not intruding into the workspace.