Two Sides

Two is better than one

The two sides of the sUrface 1030 feature different textures. One is a slightly rough texture that tracks very quickly, like an Everglide pad. Gamers who prefer the Everglide to the 3M PMS will find this side more to their liking. The other side is a much smoother surface that tracks with more friction. This slower tracking side will appeal more to those gamers who liked the 3M PMS better. For those of you who are curious, Thresh uses the sUrface 1030's smoother side (the 3M-like side) while James and I prefer using the rougher side of the mouse pad (the everglide-like side).

For those of you with optical mice, the sUrface 1030 works just as well as any other mousepad, offering little discernable advantage or disadvantage. The side you choose will be based upon how much friction you want on your mouse feet.

It's about thickness

The sUrface 1030's profile off the table is a compromise between the paper thin (1/16") 3M PMS and the thicker (1/4") Everglide pads. Many complained about Everglide's initial design because the thickness of the pad made them uncomfortable to use. In response, current Everglides feature beveled edges for more comfort, but some still find them too thick.

The sUrface 1030's plastic pad is housed within the rubber base; fully assembled, the pad rises 1/8" off the table. While not as thin and inconspicuous as a PMS, the sUrface 1030 won't ever bubble or curl up off the table. And it's thinner than an Everglide, which we think is a plus.

Thickness comparison between sUrface 1030 and Everglide

A closer look

Dimensions

The sUrface 1030 is a rectangular pad, measuring 10" in width, and 8.5" in height. This gives it more useful mousing area than the kidney bean shaped Everglide attack pad, which is 10" at its widest point and 8" in height at the widest point. The 3M PMS is even smaller at 9" x 7.5" (a slightly irregular trapezoidal shape). The only pads that are larger include the Ratpad and the Everglide Giganta. Overall, we found the size of the sUrface 1030 to be very adequate. The mouse falloff I would experience once in a while with the Everglide attack pad never happens with the sUrface 1030. Even the most frantic low-sensitivity flick players aren't likely to run out of real estate with this mouse pad.

The "everglide" side

We found this side to work great for fast action games like Quake. It's very accurate and even all throughout, and the mouse slides very easily across the surface. It doesn't feel quite as loose as the Everglide, but it is very similar, while giving arguably more precision. Again, James and I tend to prefer this side to the smoother side.

The rough side

Rough side scanned at 600dpi

The "3M PMS" side

This side bites on to the mouse with more friction than the rougher side, much like a 3M PMS. It also seems to track with more precision, which is probably why Dennis (Thresh) prefers to use this side. Depending on the situation, I find myself flipping my mouse pad over to take advantage of the smooth side. For example, whenever I feel like playing some Q3 instagib to hone my rail, I use the smooth side. Sometimes I'll even do it in Counter-Strike if I decide to play an entire map using the AWP sniper rifle.

The smooth side

Smooth side scanned at 600 dpi