Flat color matte board = Precise mousing surface

[Captain Slug]

Santa came way too early for me. I got myself a new mouse and 17" monitor today and I needed a different mousing surface. Not wanting to spend any money (or wait a month for one) I decided to test out different flat surfaces I have lying around. Keep in mind that I prefer BALL MICE because they don't track when you lift them up (and they're less flaky or picky about the surfaces you use). But these results should apply to optical mice as well.

I tried each surface for atleast 2 days. I do a wide variety of tasks but here's essentially what I do on a daily basis.
- 3D Modelling (requires precision and speed control)
- First Person Shooters (UT mainly, requires loose/free movement)
- Graphics work (also requires precision)
- other stuff

I need the best of both worlds; Low resistance, even texture, some texture (for optical tracking), and the ability to comfortably drag my hand a little if I need to slow down the mouse for precise work. Here's how each surface faired.

Materials tested = Conclusions
_______________________________________

Aluminum/Steel = slippery and very trackable, but likes to grab my hand. Only usable when wearing gloves. It also gather fingerprints faster than any other surface. This lead to more frequent mouse cleaning. It's good for use in summer (because it's cold) but will give you corpse-hands in winter.

Plastic (PVC, Polycarbonate, or arcylic) = not very slippery, but is very trackable. Slows down mouse quite a bit but doesn't grip my hand as much. This is the best choice for detail work, but not for gaming (it's slower). Other plastics (Urethane, ABS, Nylon) are not good for tracking because they're in they seem to be close enough to the teflon mix that they grip the mouse feet a little. They also "grab" my hand alot.
Avoid plastic unless it was specifically made for mice.

Glass = Has all the benefits of Aluminum/Steel (tracking and reduced friction), but all the annoying side effects of plastic (won't let go of my hand). Another noticable down side is how noisy it can be.

Textured Plastic (ratpadz, fUnc, EverGlide, etc.) = These are great for mousing, but their biggest downfalls are their silly pricing ($20 for a hunk of plastic?) and the fact that they're so thick. If you reach the end of the surface your mouse plummets off the side.
Performance is the best available for a commercial made product and these are ideal for gaming on-the-go. They're also sturdier than the other available types.

Cork = Although it's very trackable, it has too much of a mushy feel. It also "tickles" my hand too much.

Generic rubber/fabric mouse pad = Although usable it is far from ideal. It also feels extremely mushy and "tickles" my hand and pinky finger asleep.

Finished, furniture quality wood = This was my favorite surface for quite a long time and it works as well as paper products. You will however need to find a way of securing it with either rubber or felt feet. The only downside being that they're heavy and you may need to make your own (you wouldn't want to use one with unfinished wood because you could easily get splinters). Whenever I'm at school I prefer using the desk over the stupid cloth mousepads they have.

Regular white copy paper = This was suprisingly good. Very trackable, slippery, and didn't grab or "tickle" my hand. The problem was that it's so thin and slippery that I couldn't keep it from sliding around WITH the mouse. Taping it down near the edges might be acceptable, but would be very ugly.

Cardboard (thin grade) = This had all the benefits of paper without the unwanted side effect. But after a few days of use the main work area became dimpled and bumpy.

Flat Color Matte Board (almost any color you want) = Not only is this one of the cheapest options, but suprisingly enough it works better than any other material I've tried. It doesn't resist movement at all
and is soft enough to not "tickle" my hands. Since it's extra thick I was able to stick it to the tray on my desk without adding lumpy areas to my mousing area.

UPDATE: The Matte board decayed and warped from the excessive friction of using a mouse on it
__________________________________

The NEW Verdict
I now used finished/tique wood with a light finish, or a sheet of galvanized metal. The metal doesn't work great with optical mice but it works wonderfull with ball mice. I bought a small sheet of galvanized steel in the air conditioning/ducting isle of Home Depot. The finished/tique piece of wood I'm using are from two different desks. One is tique finish particle board, the other is a lightly finished piece of Oak. These work extremely well and don't grab my hand at all.

[kooshball]

what's a matte board?
would they have it in walmart?
thx
great post btw!!

koosh

[BaldHeadedDork]

Great idea, Slug. Thanks for doing the research.


BHD

[Twist]

Nice work! Saves me time/work and is very helpful.

Are there any surfaces you missed? (maybe/maybe not?)

[[OC]Lucifer]

Just buy a trackball, you move the mouse ball, not the mouse :D

[Twinkle]

trackballs suck for gaming. I use to have one, I gave it back to my dad and whent optical.

[MrSelfDestruct]

I use a laminated piece of paper that I had laying around for my optical mouse. I just looped some tape on the bottom and stuck it to my desk. Works very good, mouse slips around very eaisly, cheap too. :D

[Penguin4x4]

Originally posted by Captain Slug

Textured Plastic (ratpadz, fUnc, EverGlide, etc.) = These are great for mousing, but their biggest downfalls are their silly pricing ($20 for a hunk of plastic?) and the fact that they're so thick. If you reach the end of the surface your mouse plummets off the side.

OK, but how does it perform?

[[OC]Lucifer]

Trackballs rock for gaming, you just have to take time to get used to them.

[Twinkle]

I had used that trackball for at least 3 years up to that point...

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Penguin4x4
OK, but how does it perform?
Edited

Originally posted by Twist
Are there any surfaces you missed? (maybe/maybe not?)
I can't beleive I forgot one of my favorites! Finished wood.

Originally posted by kooshball
what's a matte board?
A Matte board is used for framing prints in a picture frame. It's a very thick (1/16th") piece of acid free paper. I recommend using the flat color matte boards because textured of satin matte boards will obviously not work as well. Matte board also has enough of a texture to it that an optical mouse has few tracking problems. I prefer to use any color except black or bright white.

Originally posted by [OC]Lucifer
Just buy a trackball, you move the mouse ball, not the mouse :D
I have arthritis and trackballs will aggravate my fingers faster than any other form of interface device. I spent more time cleaning my first trackball mouse than I have since spent cleaning my entire collection of regular mice.
Trackballs are optimal for real time strategy games and precision graphics/CAD work. But I will never own another one.

Originally posted by MrSelfDestruct
I use a laminated piece of paper that I had laying around for my optical mouse. I just looped some tape on the bottom and stuck it to my desk. Works very good, mouse slips around very eaisly, cheap too. :D
I've never tried that, but I assume if you can secure it properly that it should work as well as textured plastic surfaces.

[[OC]Lucifer]

Sorry about the arthritus. My Dad has that too. I dont have it, (yet) :eh?:

[DaveSauce]

I have heard that a large piece of tile works well for mousing....i forget where....

Anyway, I did that whole trackball thing for years...my first optical was a piece of crap and stopped clicking after a while. However, I now own a Logitech and it is the best mouse i have ever used.

And perhaps the best part...dont have to clean it every 2 days!

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by DaveSauce
I have heard that a large piece of tile works well for mousing....i forget where....

That should prove to have noise problems similar to glass mouse pads. I don't have any flat tile to try at the moment though.

[Doc_Skurlock]

I used a microsoft trackball, the real nice one with five or six buttons. It was real nice, you used your thumb and it was like a regular mouse, but the ball was above. Yeah, it had to be cleaned regularly, but I didn't mind that. I played cs with it for forever, but went to a dual optical logitech. The best thing the trackballs are for are laptops. You guys ever sit in a crowded airplane seat and try to use a regular mouse? I used my trackball with no problems, and I hate using the built in mouse/pad.
Doc

[X2sandman]

quote:
Originally posted by [OC]Lucifer
Just buy a trackball, you move the mouse ball, not the mouse

I have arthritis and trackballs will aggravate my fingers faster than any other form of interface device. I spent more time cleaning my first trackball mouse than I have since spent cleaning my entire collection of regular mice.
Trackballs are optimal for real time strategy games and precision graphics/CAD work. But I will never own another one.

Somthing fishy is going on here, he has arthritis, yet is a professional thumbwrestler.... Must be a result from those strenuous matches:)

[Doc_Skurlock]

LOL
Doc

[CrazyBorne]

I like my Func pad, perfect for gaming.

[Doc_Skurlock]

func pad eh? Show me.
Doc

[Doofie27cp2]

i use a finishedwood surace, works great. Using ibm optical mouse. also works good

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by X2sandman
Somthing fishy is going on here, he has arthritis, yet is a professional thumbwrestler.... Must be a result from those strenuous matches:)

Hey look everybody! It's the ONLY person who's actually read my profile! :eek: *gasp

[X2sandman]

well i am your stalker and all...:)

[Penguin4x4]

Arthritis @ 20? Tsk Tsk, :D:D

Oh and I have a new one for your to try:

Venerred Particle board.(Its Crap, :D:D)

And for some reason(must be my mouse) finished wood is terrible for a roller ball mouse,

[TimDgsr]

Originally posted by Penguin4x4
Arthritis @ 20? Tsk Tsk, :D:D


yeah, how did that happen?

[X2sandman]

Well from what i can see from 200 yrds away with my 100x telescope, he likes to thumbwrestle, twiddle his thums, play with playdough and tenderize meat which are all very finger strenuos tasks.

[Doc_Skurlock]

200 yards eh? 100x telescope eh? You aren't a stalker, you're a peeping tom. LOL
Doc

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by X2sandman
Well from what i can see from 200 yrds away with my 100x telescope, he likes to thumbwrestle, twiddle his thums, play with playdough and tenderize meat which are all very finger strenuos tasks.

Wow, that's some telescope. It can see all the way from Maine to Virginia AND through my curtain covered windows...

I was born with Hyper-Mobility arthritis. I have double-jointed shoulders, knees, thumbs, and elbows.
It's aggravated by repetitive tasks, heat, and barometric pressure changes (drastic weather changes).

Therefore I suck at sports, I don't like the heat, I'm terrible at most handi-work, and it's easy to dislocate things...
I'm genetically forced into being a geek. :)

[Doc_Skurlock]

genetically. WOW, we should all be so lucky.
LOL
Doc

[Doc_Skurlock]

yeah, yeah, lets see, lets see. I wonder if that is where your nickname came from, cause basically you're boneless. Sorry slug, bad joke. It's cool you can do that ****. I am just an average guy. I'm funny........looking. Hey, we all have a special talent. Yeah, that's it, special. I can do the fat bully from the Simpsons and the other fat kid that is the smart one. So I guess that is my special talent. Back the mouse pad surface, anymore research done?
Doc

[CrystalMethod]

If you use an optical you may want to find yourself some "line tech". It makes a great nousing surface. It's originally meant for technical drawing with technical pens, but it's impregnated with ceramic and makes the perfect surface for optical mice.

[Doc_Skurlock]

line tech? Got a link or a store? I'll look on google, but it'd make things a wee bit easier if you could show us what you're talking about.
Doc

[X2sandman]

FYI, MA= Massachusetts

[CrystalMethod]

This is the only real link I can give you. I can't find a link to who actually manufactures the stuff.
http://www.currys.com/artistsmaterial/prodinfo.asp?SubcatID=773&catID=4

[Doc_Skurlock]

hey thanks. It's a start.
Doc

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by X2sandman
FYI, MA= Massachusetts

Oh yeah, duh. ME = Maine

[Doc_Skurlock]

too much thumbwrestling has fried your brain.
Doc

[thef0x82]

Originally posted by Captain Slug
Keep in mind that I prefer BALL MICE because they don't track when you lift them up (and they're less flaky or picky about the surfaces you use). But these results should apply to optical mice as well.


I've got a Logitech MX300 mouse (optical). It doesn't track when I lift it up. I'm not sure about it being picky about the surface I use though. I've still got a normal mousepad underneath so I don't wear down the surface of the desk. It's an old Gateway pad so it's got the cowprint on it. My mouse doesn't give me any trouble.

[illig]

IMHO the absolute best ball-mousing surface is a table matt they sell at Target... it's a thin plastic matt that you put on the table under your plate ( i'm guessing to prevent damage to the wood?) and the one at Target (only place i've seen them) is textured to prevent sliding on the table

essentially you get a thin textured plastic pad... which means it has all the benefits of ratpadz, etc. without the drawback (thickness) for about $3.99 :D and it's about twice as big!

I used one all the time until i switched to neutered mice... and with my neutered mouse almost any surface works...

[thef0x82]

lol

neutered mice...

Optical right?

[Penguin4x4]

Originally posted by Doc_Skurlock
too much thumbwrestling has fried your brain.
Doc

Well that and shocking the **** outta himself every few months, ;):D:D:D

[Doc_Skurlock]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Yeah, I think I remember that post about feeling a slight tickle when he was working on a power supply. LOL. Oh man, these forums are so much fun. I laugh all the time. That's pretty cool illig. I'll have to check it out.
My Logitech dual optical mouse doesn't do anything when I pick it up, it just sits there. No cursor movement or nothing.
I've heard neutered mice don't work as well. That true?
Doc

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Penguin4x4
Well that and shocking the **** outta himself every few months, ;):D:D:D

:p
Here's a pic (albeit a distant one) on my new mouse and mousing surface.
http://www.planetunreal.com/identitycrisis/cabins/cs/modding/0_d2.jpg

[[OC]Lucifer]

It looks like a professional workstation!

[ZathrothATL]

Thanks for the review. Thought ive never heard of matte board. Im heading over to micheals tommorow to pick up some scraps. Thanks!

[Penguin4x4]

Oh, and anyone ever used those over sized coaster mousepads OEM's give you? The Reall thin ones with the plastic covering? Those are actually pretty good too.

[Doc_Skurlock]

dude, that's kinda cramped man. How do you deal with that small a space?
Doc

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Doc_Skurlock
dude, that's kinda cramped man. How do you deal with that small a space?
Doc

I'm skinny. Very skinny.
The distance from the desk to the wall is the same distance as from my elbow to my fingertips.

[weponhead]

I use my pretty much unfinished pine desktop "this end up corner desk" for my mousing surface with my optical at first i used the func pad that came with my computer , but this is better .. heh im either sanding it very very little over time or adding a coat of teflon to my desk cuz its getting polished from the use , i can see a reflection in it ... lol like 3000 grit sandpaper or something hehe , and i liked my func pad , the only problem i have had with my mouse is if a piece of cat hair gets under the tracking light hehe
:D so for now i like my desk which i have stabbed a few times with my pocket knife and a few other things ... oh and hey , if your working on a PSU just put on some rubber sole shoes , and dont ground yourself then you can touch the hot part of the caps and then touch someone else and shock theyre socks off :D *disclamer i am not responsible for any injurys caused by the afformentioned idea*

[Doc_Skurlock]

that would explain the arthritis captain slug, get a bigger space dude. Seriously. You oughta see my setup, I have a huge wraparound work area looking thing.
Doc

[Captain Slug]

Originally posted by Doc_Skurlock
that would explain the arthritis captain slug,

:p
I was born with it silly head. The desk fits me comfortably.

[Doc_Skurlock]

lol, silly head. That's cool I suppose. My desk fits me. I'll have to take a picture of my work area. I've got two printers, a scanner, a ps2, mail machine, two monitors, two computers, all acoutrements that come with two computers and a basketball thing. :)
Doc

[Mpegger]

I dont know if you had the chance to test the 3M Precise Mousing Surface (http://www.3m.com/ergonomics/precisemousepads.jhtml), but its worked great for me. 3 years and still going strong. Its fairly thin, has a grippy surface underneath to prevent sliding, and keeps the mouse ball very clean. I can't even remember the last time I opened up the mouse to clean it out.

My only complaint about it, is that over time it does tend curl up around the outer area of where you actually use your mouse. But even with that slight curl, the mouse doesn't skip a beat at all. Sure it may fall under the expensive mouse pad catergory, but to me, it has been well worth the investment. I'll never let my mouse's ball drag over any other surface again. :D :beer:

[Doc_Skurlock]

lol. As if you have any control over what surface the mouse ball WANTS to be drug over. LOL. Sorry, it's 4am and I'm tired.
Doc

[Daegon]

I've got one of those 3m precise thingies too.. but i use it downstairs with the ball mouse(i've got a logitech optical that i use on my bed!) its really good, and comfy i've got excactly the one in this picture http://multimedia.mmm.com/mws/mediawebserver.dyn?cccccc4jvorcx2DcQ2DcccqE7od&C7lh- and the little wave things are realy cool:)

[thef0x82]

Originally posted by Daegon
I've got one of those 3m precise thingies too.. but i use it downstairs with the ball mouse(i've got a logitech optical that i use on my bed!) its really good, and comfy i've got excactly the one in this picture http://multimedia.mmm.com/mws/mediawebserver.dyn?cccccc4jvorcx2DcQ2DcccqE7od&C7lh- and the little wave things are realy cool:)

Bad linky

[whiteemcee]

I've had numerous trackballs.. and liked them up until i got my wireless logitech keyboard and mouse set.. i'll never go back to a trackball now!!

[Kingdom]

So this test is done while doing what ? moving the cursor around the desktop ?


U get what u pay for, ppl use 100 of dollars on memory, motherboards dvd drives etc. and then they use copy paper as a mousepad...

Really looses some of the experience having such a sucky interaction with the computer, kinda like a top notch computer on a 5 year old 15" monitor.

[CPFitz14]

Hmm.............maybe you could test the type of wood that always seems to give you splinters.:D

Just kidding.:D Nice little test you did here.

My logitech cordless optical(the free one) seems to work great on anything for me. I am using it on my carpet right now. I use it on my bed, on my pants:D, never on a mousepad, usually just my desk.

-CPFitz-

[Doc_Skurlock]

Interesting..............
Doc

[Captain Slug]

I just switched back to metal since it's colder (yeah, I'm nuts like that). I've been doing ALOT of graphical work and the cold helps loosten up my joints.
The downside being I now have hands as warm as a corpse...

[Doc_Skurlock]

LOL
Doc

[Captain Slug]

Updated with new results

Originally posted by Kingdom
So this test is done while doing what ? moving the cursor around the desktop ?

I tried each surface for atleast 2 days. I do a wide variety of tasks but here's essentially what I do on a daily basis.
- 3D Modelling (requires precision and speed control)
- First Person Shooters (UT mainly, requires loose/free movement)
- Graphics work (also requires precision)
- other stuff

If a surface prevented me from getting anything done or slipped around too much I ditch it pretty quickly. Some people prefer a mouse that glides around like it's floating on air, but since I need to do very small precise movements at times I need atleast some ability to control resistance. Finished wood or glavanized steel allow me to do that and I can get them in any size I want for cheap.

[Th0r]

They should make this sticky

[Doc_Skurlock]

I agree.
Doc