Comparison

In the pictures below, you can see the texture of the DM PAD up close, next to some of its more common competitors.


With the Steelseries Qck Heavy


With the Steelseries Qck+


With the QPAD UC 50


With the Steelseries NP+


With the Zowie G-SR Grey


With the Zowie G-SR Blue


With the Zowie G-SR Black


With the Nixeus Type R

Glide

For this section, I decided to try and find a way to objectively measure and rate a mouse pad's glide. By the way of a table, I set up an incline where I can set the angle of inclination in fine steps to see at which point the mouse glides down the pad on its own. For this test, I used the same mouse (G Pro with Hyperglides) on all tested pads to ensure consistent results. With every new inclination, I also reset the mouse by hand to its original spot, and I made sure I didn't give it any initial movement and watched for whether it had moved on its own. This obviously only tests for static friction, but it should give you an idea of where the surface lands.

Unfortunately, all surfaces where really close together, so it's not like there is a clear winner. However some pads consistently required a lower angle than others for the mouse to move on its own.



So what you can see is that the DM PAD L and XL only require a 6° inclination to allow for the mouse to move on its own. This is the case both for the DM PAD L that is fresh out of the box and the DM PAD XL, which I have been using as my main mouse pad since early May this year, so for roughly three months now. I can thus confidently say that with regular use and basic cleaning, like dusting the pad off or using a lint roller, the pad keeps its glide, which leads me to the next item, build quality.

Build Quality

The build quality of the DM PADs is really solid. The stitching is well done, the surface has a good glide and keeps it well, the pad becomes flat after just a few hours out of the box, and the backing has no air bubbles. There is very little to argue about here. One could say that the edges of the Zowie G-SR Black have a finer stitching, but the one here does its job just as well.


Here, you can see the 3-month-old XL pad next to the brand new L pad.