Type: Peripheral - Mousemat
Brand: Cooler Master CM Storm
Price: £25.55
Purchased From: CCL Computers
Overall Rating: 5/5
- Appearance
- Build Quality
- Value for Money
You know it's time to change mousemat when the entire top surface has delaminated, resulting in your mouse cursor jittering around as though it's had one too many caffeinated drinks. That and the fact my one was also a calender for 2011. I figured if I was going to update I may as well upgrade and get something befitting the gaming system I am putting together.
Considering all my other peripherals were either black and red colour scheme or CM Storm brand, I figured I needed to go along the same lines to get them all to match - slightly OCD in that respect. I considered many, but finally settled on (surprise surprise) the CM Storm Power-RX.
The first thing that strikes you about the Power-RX is the sheer size. At 45 x 35cm, you certainly need a lot of space on your desk for it to fit comfortably.
Secondly, and arguably more importantly, you notice the material. The Power-RX is made from a black rubber coated cloth top surface bonded to an anti-slip red silicon underlayer. The top surface has a strange texture to it - best way to describe it is that it feels slightly oily to the touch (but is of course perfectly dry), reminiscent of almost wetsuit material.
Interestingly enough, one feature that you may not have seen in a mousemat before is that it is 100% waterproof. I was a bit wary of testing it out for this review, but I bit the bullet and sloshed a bit of water on top. Lo and behold, it worked exactly as it should, the water beading on the surface ready to be mopped up leaving no trace. Spilt a drink? Not a problem, you can literally rinse this mouse pad under the tap before hurrying back to see if your mouse, not waterproof, is ruined. One less thing to worry about though eh?
Although supplied rolled up in a tube for delivery, the flexibility of the materials in the Power-RX means it flattens out almost instantly ready for use.
Design wise, it is simple but effective. The SM Storm logo adorns a segment at the top, while the words Power-RX adorn the bottom. The restricted colour scheme of red, black and white work excellently to give a smart, clean look but one that most certainly befits a gaming item.
In use, the Power-RX make mouse movement effortless. The low friction surface allows the mouse to glide smoothly with pinpoint precision, especially at high mouse DPI. It is suitable for both optical and laser mice so there should be no compatibility issues. There is no sign of any cursor jiggle, so would be perfect for those gamers who demand total accuracy. The silicon base layer might as well glue itself to your desktop - it's going nowhere.My desk top is made from polished aluminium, but the Power-RX has no trouble holding fast refusing to budge an inch.
Price wise its a bit on the hefty side at £25, but in my opinion this is totally justified and most certainly worth every penny. The Power-RX feels like it has had a lot of though and craftsmanship put in to making an excellent gaming mouse pad. If you're looking to upgrade and have the space, the Power-RX is up to the challenge.
