Gaming performance

I have tested these mouse mats with both the IntelliMouse Explorer 3.0 and the Razer Copperhead, and they both perform brilliantly on all the mats when it comes to tracking and precision. It was pretty hard for me to test, but I think that the Razer Copperhead has some trouble with the rough surface of the Archetype but I haven't been able to confirm it. If you have a laser mouse such as the G5, make sure you have updated the firmware. There have been some problems with older versions in regard to tracking on non-reflective surfaces such as the rough side on the Func pads.

I tested the mouse mats in various FPS games such as CS:S and Battlefield 2. I must say that I really like the amount of friction that the smooth side of the Archetype 1030 and surface1030 has, it's balanced so that you can make reflex shots and always make spot-on stops, the rough side is a bit too fast for my style of gaming. I couldn't really get the same feel for the mouse on that side. Gaming on the smooth side for me was a real treat, tracking was nothing but exceptional and the amount of friction was just right for my style of play.

If you want the lowest friction at all cost, go for the rough side. This should work if you play with an extremely low sensitivity, because then you are less dependent on making quick stops.

The thing about testing a mouse mat is that it's really subjective, these in-game tests only represent my view on how I think a mouse mat should be.

Photoshop performance

In PS the smooth surface is ideal for manipulating one pixel at a time. Because it's so smooth, editing even the smallest detail is easy and fast, it feels as if the mouse is hovering over the surface with just a little friction. The rough side works less well, since you feel the surface grain through the mouse and that makes it hard to hit only one pixel, because the mouse jerks a bit. It is so little that you only feel it if you really focus on it. Even though the rough side still has excellent tracking, the smooth surface is just a little bit better in Photoshop. So if you are a Photoshop master, the surface1030 or any other Func pad with a smooth surface will be a good investment.