Everglide Giganta Mouse Surface
When I had heard that Ratpadz had been released I quipped to a friend that
I thought the mousepad wars had started. Little did I know how true that was
at the time. Kyle Bennet had seen an idea and improved on it in a linear fashion.
There was no exponential explosion in technology here, just recognition that
an idea could be improved on. Obviously the folks at Everglide took his challenge
seriously. Previously they had their original pad and what was then the new
"Attack Pad". The second volley of this war has been fired and Everglide
has answered to Kyle's shot across their bow and released the "Giganta".
Features:
- 9.5 inches tall
x 11.5 inches wide
- Durable hard plastic
construction
- Several rubber feet
to hold it in place
- Easy Maintenance
First Impressions:
The "Limited Edition
Giganta" was shipped to me for evaluation. The only thing that distinguishes
the normal version from the reviewed unit is color. The normal pad is shipped
in black with the same graphic on the pad as the blue unit I evaluated. Other
than the less than rectangular shape the other major identifier of this pad
is its cutout at the bottom. The Ratpad cutout extends throughout the bottom
of the board while the Giganta cutout is the same as the older Attack Pad
cutout. I'll be quite honest and state that I prefer the cutout on the Ratpad.
I found it more comfortable with extended game play. But the cutout comparison
isn't quite complete. Here's where Everglide scores a point in this department
too. They offer a padded wrist rest for $7.95 at their site that fits the
shape of the cutout on their boards. While I didn't have the wrist rest for
testing someone with chronic wrist pain may find that a great help for him
or her.
A quick look at my Ratpad
review shows the
Ratpad and Everglide share identical measurements. That's on paper. Look at
my pictures and you'll see the Giganta laying in its glory on top of the Ratpad.
This clearly demonstrates that the rectangular shape of the Ratpad extends
past the Giganta in a few areas. I won't argue with the shape of the Giganta
as it is aesthetically pleasing, but couldn't it be just a little larger?
Not
being one to sit idly on this subject I spent countless hours without sleep
thinking about this very problem and then the solution hit me like a ton of
bricks. 11.5" x 9.5" fits in a legal sized envelope that can be
shipped through the Postal Service. That's right folks, the size of your precision
mousing surface was determined long ago by what a mailman can fit easily in
his bag and the cost of $3.20 in postage. Before I incite a riot keep in mind
that those dimensions are actually large and very adequate for the job.
Very close visual inspection
reveals that the grain on the Giganta isn't as rough as on the Ratpad. That
would probably account for my sensation that it was easier to play games using
the Ratpad than the Giganta. Another interesting note - both pads have been
through equal washes in the kitchen sink - the Giganta developed a couple
of scratches on its surface while the Ratpad continues to look brand new.
This has not affected the use of the Giganta in any way but it is a concern
for long time use. I noticed the Giganta only features 5 rubber feet on its
bottom while the Ratpad is equipped with 8. The Giganta didn't move at all
for me in testing, but it seems that would be a great place not to economize.
The
Test:
Whenever I evaluate a
product like this the problem occurs to me: How will I explain the sensations
I feel through my fingertips adequately to someone who is reading a review?
My answer is to frag away for a few hours and descrive my experience. I found
the Giganta to be comfortable in Quake III and a vast improvement over a normal
cloth mousepad. The surface is excellent, but I think the Ratpad and its coarser
grain is slightly better. A strange problem I experienced involved the shape
of the pad. I just couldn't get over those two points sticking out the bottom
of the Giganta. My wrist could not comfortably "float" over this
area. A strange bonus to the weird cutout is that I learned to anchor my wrist
to those points while using a railgun. That improved my stability quite a
bit and helped me to score some impressive railgun scores. I'll say it now
clearly: If you are an avid railgunner then go with the Giganta, everyone
else will prefer the Ratpad. I didn't have the optional wrist rest so I can't
comment if that would make a significant difference in gaming performance.
Pros:
- It's big!
- A railgunner's delight
- Stayed absolutely still
even after a couple of hours of heated battle
- They offer an optional
wrist rest pad
Cons:
- The cutout shape is
not for everyone
- The surface appears
to be less sturdy than the Ratpad
This is a good product
and when compared to a regular mousepad it is a fantastic one. Unfortunately
for Everglide the Ratpad pulls ahead in a few areas. The cutout probably won't
change, and it may actually be superior if you are willing to spend the extra
cash for the optional wrist rest. Initially I thought I would have experienced
identical surfaces with these pads but there is indeed a small, but noticable,
difference. The regular Giganta retails for $18.95 at their site, which is
identical to the Ratpad. The limited edition unit is $21.95. I don't have
a problem with recommending this product, especially to someone who is using
a regular mousepad. However, for my purposes I preferred the Ratpad.
Reference: Everglide
