Every gaming setup needs a mouse pad and while some gamers prefer having a smaller mouse pad just for under their mouse, others prefer an extra-large mouse pad that sits under their keyboard as well as their mouse. The purpose of an XL mouse pad can be two-fold. Not only does it provide a surface for your mouse, but it also adds some dynamics to your desk surface. The XL mouse pad could be a simple black one or one with some design on it to make it stand out.
'XL mouse pads' is a broad window that encompasses multiple different sizes, all of which are bigger than the standard mouse pad size. They can have RGB lighting, a unique stitch pattern, a stylish design that makes your gaming setup pop even more. Most top-tier brands have gaming mouse pads in different sizes, but this is an accessory where the brand doesn’t matter as much as with some of the other popular gaming peripherals.
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That said, having so many options to choose from makes it a bit tricky to find the right one for your setup. Fortunately, Game ZXC has put together a handy guide to help you out.
Game ZXC's Picks for the Best XL Mouse Pads for Gaming
Corsair MM350 PRO
The Corsair MM350 PRO is the perfect XL mouse pad that measures 930x400x4mm and comes with anti-fray precision-stitching. The surface is a micro-weave cloth that has a stain-resistant coating. The design is the company's logo all over it but there is a plane black version available as well.
- Dimensions
- 930x400x4mm
- Lighting Modes
- No
- Brand
- Corsair
- Material
- Micro-weave cloth
- Great value
- Clean stitching
- Stain-resistant coating
- Some retailers only have the grey version with the company logo design
Extra-large mouse pads are mostly cloth surfaces as having a hard slab on your desk would be much more challenging to manage. The best cloth XL mouse pad is the Corsair MM350 PRO, and it offers great value even when not on sale. Mouse pads are typically inexpensive investments, but depending on the brand and the features, the price can rise fairly quickly. Fortunately, that’s not the case here as the MM350 PRO is a simple XL mouse pad that offers great value.
It measures 930x400x4mm and is made from a micro-weave cloth that is spill proof. Corsair has also added a stain-resistant coating on the MM350 PRO. The stitching is also anti-fray precision-stitching, which is highly durable and should stay intact over long durations. The micro-weave gives it a more dense surface which enables smoother movements of the mouse with little friction.
The Corsair MM350 PRO is available in plain black and one with the company logo all over it. However, not all retailers have the plain black one available, so you may be stuck with the gray with the company logo design.
Razer Strider Chroma
The Razer Strider Chroma is a premium XL gaming mouse pad that has a hybrid surface. Razer has found the perfect mix between a hard surface mouse pad and a cloth mouse pad. It also comes with RGB lighting and there are 19 zones that can be controlled through the Razer software. There is also a grippy surface at the bottom.
- Specs
- Hybrid surface
- Dimensions
- 900x390x4mm
- Lighting Modes
- 19 zone RGB lighting
- Brand
- Razer
- Power Source
- USB Type-A
- Material
- Polyester
- Impressive hybrid surface
- 19 zone RGB lighting
- Seamless edges
- On the expensive side
- Extra cable to manage
Arguably the most unique branded mouse pad on the market, the Razer Strider Chroma is an all-black extended gaming mouse pad with RGB lighting all around. It is a premium offering that stands out from the competition thanks to its hybrid surface which blends together a soft and hard mouse pad feel. Hard surfaces offer less friction than cloth mouse pads, but Razer has been able to achieve a similar effect with a cloth surface.
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Being an XL mouse pad, the Razer Strider Chroma measures 900x390x4mm and is available in only one size. Coming to lighting, there are 19 lighting zones all around the mouse pad, and they can be controlled through Razer Synapse. Do note that there will be a wire going from the mouse pad to your PC so that’s another cable that will need managing. Fortunately, it's all the way over to the left side, so it will not affect your mouse movements.
Because of the RGB strip all around, in some cases the edges feel raised, but that’s not the case here. The Razer Strider Chrome comes with an anti-slip base that keeps it in place no matter how quick your mouse flicks are. It is also water-resistant, which is perfect for those who like to have beverages around their setup. You’ll still have to be careful about dropping liquids on your peripherals.
SteelSeries QcK Prism Cloth
The QcK Prism series from SteelSeries is an extended mouse pad with impressive RGB lighting all around. It has a high thread count cloth top surface and a non-slip rubberized base to prevent it from slipping. There are only two lighting zones and the lights can be integrated with various games.
- Dimensions
- 900x300x4mm
- Lighting Modes
- 2 lighting zones
- Brand
- SteelSeries
- Power Source
- USB Type-A
- Material
- Cloth
- Impressive RGB lighting game integration
- Discord notifications
- Audio visualizer
- Only two zones of RGB lighting
The QcK Prism series from SteelSeries, which is available in all sizes starting from a medium all the way up to 5XL, takes RGB lighting to the next level. The XL version measures 900x300x4mm, and it is a cloth surface with a silicon rubber base material. The company says the mouse pad has a high thread count and has been tested by the top mouse sensor manufacturers to ensure the best tracking and accuracy.
What sets the QcK Prism series apart is the RGB lighting effects that can be enabled through the SteelSeries Engine software. While there are only two lighting zones, the lights can be integrated with various games to indicate things, like health level and other game alerts. It can be synced with audio to act as an audio visualizer, too. The SteelSeries QcK Prism XL mouse pad can notify you about Discord alerts as well, making it much more interactive than a standard mouse pad overall.
This mouse pad also has a cable attached to the left side which stays out of the way, but is still another cable to manage. Even though there are RGB lights all around, the SteelSeries QcK Prism is still washable and extremely durable. With the impressive RGB lighting and effects, the SteelSeries QcK Prism Cloth is the best RGB XL mouse pad on the market.
Lenovo Legion Gaming XL Cloth Mouse Pad
The Legion Gaming XL Cloth Mouse Pad from Lenovo is a budget-friendly option that measures 900x300x3mm. It has a microfibre top surface and a non-slip rubberized base. There is a single all-black color option that has the Legion branding in a corner.
- Dimensions
- 900x300x3mm
- Lighting Modes
- No
- Brand
- Lenovo
- Material
- Microfibre top surface
- Very affordable
- Optimized for laser and optical mice
- Water-repellant surface
- 3mm thickness may be less for some
- Only one color available
The Legion brand is Lenovo’s gaming arm, and it is home to its gaming laptops and other peripherals. The Legion Gaming XL Cloth Mouse Pad is a basic cheap XL mouse pad that measures 900x300x3mm. It is available in a single black color and has relatively large Legion branding in the bottom right corner. It has a microfiber top surface and a non-slip rubberized base to keep it in place.
The top surface is water-repellent, and the microfiber creates a dense surface for more accurate mouse tracking and smoother flicks. The Legion Gaming XL mouse pad comes with a braided locked edge design which essentially prevents the stitches from coming apart and increasing durability.
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It is a simple and straightforward XL mouse pad for gaming. It does not have any RGB lighting or different colors to choose from. When on sale, it can be purchased for under $10, making it a no-brainer. Even if you end up not liking how it fits or feels, or if it suffers from wear and tear sooner than you expected, it won’t pinch as badly as some of the more expensive options.
The Legion branding may not be appealing to everyone, so that’s something to keep in mind with the Lenovo Legion Gaming XL Cloth Mouse Pad.
GIM Wireless Charging RGB Gaming Mouse Pad
The GIM Wireless Charging RGB Gaming Mouse Pad is a versatile offering in the gaming mouse pad space. It integrates a 15W wireless charger on the left edge of the mouse which leaves plenty of space for the keyboard and mouse. There is also RGB lighting all around the mouse pad.
- Dimensions
- 800x300x4mm
- Lighting Modes
- 10
- Brand
- GIM
- Power Source
- USB Type-A
- Material
- Cloth
- 15W wireless charger
- RGB lighting with 10 modes
- Lighting can be controller without software
- Wireless charging pad is raised above the cloth surface
Adding wireless charging to a mouse pad would be the logical upgrade to the desk accessory. The GIM Wireless Charging RGB Gaming Mouse Pad does just that. You get a large 800x300x4mm cloth mouse pad that not only has wireless charging built in, but also RGB lighting all around. Plus, there is just one extra cable that needs to be managed.
This mouse pad has a Qi wireless charging pad fixed to the left side with a button to control the lights around the entire edge. It is a 15W charger which is not the fastest when it comes to wireless charging, but is still respectable. Coming to RGB lighting, there are 10 modes that can be cycled through using the touch button, and you can turn the lights completely off as well.
The GIM Wireless Charging RGB Gaming Mouse Pad comes with a rubber base to keep it in place. Do note that the wireless charging pad is slightly raised above the surface of the mouse pad, but it is to the far left which should give you plenty of usable surface area.
Glorious Elements Air XL Mouse Pad
The Elements Air XL Mouse Pad from Glorious is a hard surface gaming mouse pad that measures 380x430mm and is larger than the standard square-shaped mouse pads. It has a hard polycarbonate top surface and is also very thin at just 0.5mm.
- Dimensions
- 380x430x0.5mm
- Lighting Modes
- None
- Brand
- Glorious
- Material
- Hard polycarbonate
- Almost frictionless surface
- Very thin at just 0.5mm
- Adhesive base to keep it in place
- Square-like shape may not be for everyone
- May feel sharp against the wrist
Hard mouse pads are not as common as cloth surfaces, as not all gamers prefer having a slightly raised hard surface under their mouse. Hard surfaces allow for less friction and smoother movements overall, but they can also cause sliding in some cases. The Glorious Elements Air Mousepad XL is a larger than standard hard surface gaming mouse pad that measures 380x430mm. It is not like the other XL mouse pads that stretch from left to right, so you will not be able to place your keyboard on top it while still having enough room for mouse movements. It is more of a dedicated mouse pad for your gaming mouse.
It is made of a hard polycarbonate, which not only offers a frictionless surface but is also much more durable than cloth mouse pads. It does come with an adhesive base that helps it stay in place. This means you can place it in the position you prefer and then rest assured that it’s not going to go anywhere. Furthermore, the adhesive does not make a permanent fixture on your desk as it can be easily removed and leaves no residue.
Being a hard mouse pad allows it to be super-thin at just 0.5mm, which is significantly thinner than all cloth XL mouse pads. Even though it is not as big as the other horizontal mouse pads, it still offers a large area for your mouse. It also has minimal branding, which is good since, unfortunately, there isn’t a stealth version of this mouse pad that blends the branding with the black surface.
What to Look for in an XL Gaming Mouse Pad
Consider these key factors to find an XL mouse pad that will be perfect for your PC gaming setup:
Size and Shape: While most desks should be able to accommodate standard XL mouse pads, there are a few size options available to gamers. Some can go as big as 4XL to even 5XL, while others can have the same length as XL but extra width. You can even find more square-like XL mouse pads, but they won’t be big enough to place your keyboard on them.
Hard vs Soft: There are a few types of surfaces available in mouse pads, but for gaming, soft cloth, hard glass, or metal are recommended (felt and leather are some other options). Hard surface mouse pads have less friction compared to cloth mouse pads, but they are not as popular in the gaming community as cloth ones.
Lighting: Some gaming mouse pads come with RGB lighting around the edge, and they can be either controlled through software or through a button. Some mouse pads have RGB zones while others come with individually addressable LEDs for more unique effects. Some even come with game integrations. It should be noted that the RGB gaming mouse pads come with a cable that needs to be connected to your computer.
Base & Grip: Game mouse pads and mouse pads in general should have a grippy base so that they don’t move around when moving your mouse aggressively. XL mouse pads don’t really suffer from this issue as they are generally weighed down by the keyboard. Most mouse pads come with a rubber base that keeps them planted.
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FAQ
Q: Are XL mouse pads worth it?
XL mouse pads provide a much larger area for moving your mouse and that is essential for gaming, especially competitive gaming. They also cover a larger portion of the desk, in a way, highlighting the peripherals. They can have a design on them as well for added pop on the tabletop.
Q: Can you wash XL mouse pads?
Most cloth XL mouse pads can be washed either using a wet cloth or just putting them in the washer. Hard mouse pads can just be wiped with a damp cloth.