Working on your computer for several hours is exhausting. For absolute comfort in front of your screen, using practical and innovative computer equipment is of great importance. Adding a mat to your mouse will optimize the fluidity of your movements when using the mouse without tiring you out.
We are talking about so-called ergonomic mouse pads, with wrist rests, which will support your hand during your intense efforts. A good chair, a good armchair can also be very important.
The best ergonomic mouse pads in our ranking!
What to know before getting your new ergonomic mouse pad!
Here are 3 important things you need to consider before taking action:
- There are several materials your mouse pad can be made from, such as glass, foam, fabric, gel or plastic for example. Each has different technical characteristics and will bring you varying benefits. Your choice should be based on how and why you use the mouse.
- The ergonomic mouse pad with wrist rest is an element of your setup which can enormously improve your performance, whether in gaming or for your work, it is therefore a very important element to take into account and its choice should not be done lightly.
- The risk you take if you don't already have a mouse pad with a wrist rest is that you might develop carpal tunnel syndrome. Here's what you're getting: frequent and sometimes even continuous tingling, loss of strength and therefore difficulty gripping objects, and sensations of electric shocks in the fingers and the whole hand.
We'll talk about all that again at the end of this comparison, in the Buying Guide and FAQ section.
Here is our comparison straight away.
Comparison of the best mouse pads with wrist rest
We have selected for you the best in terms of ergonomic mouse pads on the market. You will definitely find what you are looking for there.
We focus on their quality, and have chosen different price ranges so that they can fit all budgets!
1. Fellowes: Crystal Gel Wrist Rest Mouse Pad
Features and Reviews
Winning every game easily is now possible thanks to the Fellowes gaming mouse pad. This computer accessory stands out for its wrist support. The lower part of the mat accommodates a rectangular rubber structure padded with gel to comfortably place the wrist of the hand.
It provides a sliding and wide space for freely moving a wired or wireless optical mouse thanks to dimensions of 25 x 202 x 235mm. Flexible and ultralight, it is easy to transport and store. This mouse pad model has already satisfied a large number of gamers. It has a rating of 4.4 out of 5 stars thanks to positive reviews from buyers. It is available in 6 themes to choose from: black, blue, chevron, pink, tropical and rainbow.
2. Fellowes: Mouse pad with gel wrist rest
Features and Reviews
Still from the Fellowes brand, this mouse pad with wrist rest is blue in color. It has a surface of 23.3 x 20 x 1.9 cm for sliding the mouse. Better yet, a thick rectangular part filled with gel serves as support for the wrist. This ensures comfortable and smoother use of the mouse.
It is compatible with all mice available on the market. For a wireless mouse, the mat can accommodate the charging station. In terms of maintenance, no product is essential. Cleaning this mouse pad only requires a wipe with a sponge. It is suitable for gamers, bureaucrats and IT professionals alike.
3. 3M Precise: Foam mouse pad ideal for optical mice
Features and Reviews
The MW85B mouse pad designed by the 3M brand is one of the most popular computer accessories. It offers a fine square structure to optimize the fluidity of the computer's pointing. Better yet, it features a thick gel-filled portion to accommodate the user's wrist.
For better handling of the device, the 3M brand offers a large space of 1.91 x 22.23 x 28.89 cm. The 3M mouse pad has many positive reviews from buyers. Which gives it an excellent rating of 4.5 out of 5 stars. The manufacturer offers office use for this type of optical mouse pad.
4. Fellowes: Memory Foam Mouse Pad
Features and Reviews
The Fellowes 9175801 is an inexpensive ergonomic mouse pad with wrist rest. It displays a competitive purchase price. In addition, superior quality equipment is available. It was designed using aluminum to accompany the user for many years.
The wrist rest features a memory foam structure. It easily conforms to the shape of the user's hand to provide exceptional comfort. Not bulky, but providing plenty of room to move the mouse, this Fellowes mouse pad measures 23.5 x 20.16 x 2.54 cm. It is available in gray color.
5. Fellowes: Mini Crystal Gel Wrist Rest
Features and Reviews
The Fellowes brand continues to offer quality products at low prices. This time, the brand is offering a small wrist rest. It includes gel to guarantee optimal comfort for the user, while limiting the risk of carpal tunnel syndrome. As it only accommodates the wrist, it measures only 18 x 122 x 88mm. This model is available in black, blue and purple.
Buying guide for selecting the ideal mouse pad with wrist rest!
After this comparison where we presented the best wrist rest mouse pads of the moment, here is a buying guide. It is intended to be very complete but short and concise, and brings together all the questions you might ask yourself.
With this, you will be ready to find the perfect rug, which will completely meet your expectations!
The advantages of an ergonomic mouse pad with wrist rest
As said in the introduction to this article, the main advantage here is to prevent serious problems that excessive use of the mouse could cause you. Your health is a precious asset.
You could get carpal tunnel syndrome, and the wrist rest is there to prevent that.
Another advantage of the mouse pad with wrist rest is its accessibility. It is an item that is very easily found, whether on the internet or in stores, and which is very accessible in terms of price (although different ranges exist of course). For only ten euros you can get one.
If you are a gamer, you necessarily pay a lot of attention to your performance. And anything that can help improve them and make you better is worth considering.
Well, imagine that your mouse pad with wrist rest is an essential element of any setup. Pro gamers use them almost all the time. Depending on your gaming characteristics and your use of the mouse, there are different characteristics to take into account to make better ratios and have a better playing style, such as the material for example, we will come back to this.
A mouse pad with wrist rest is also recommended for those who do not play the computer but use it for work, for example for office automation. If this is your case, you too spend long hours in front of your PC every day and you do not notice it, you are degrading your grip somewhat and can damage your carpal tunnel. This is not something to take lightly.
The disadvantages that there may be …
The big problem we encounter when looking for a mouse pad with a wrist rest is that they abound on the internet and therefore managing to decide and make a choice is really complicated.
It is to resolve this difficult problem that we have developed this comparison, which I am sure will be very useful to you in your research.
Another drawback is that they will not be foldable like other mats can be. Thus, their transportation can be more complicated.
Your mat must be adapted to your mouse and the way you use it
It's really very important.
Depending on your playing style, you will need to choose a mat that matches what you want and will therefore improve your gameplay.
Read carefully what concerns the material, the surface area and the thickness, because these are the elements that you must take into account the most in order not to sabotage your abilities but on the contrary to benefit 100% from them.
What are the different existing materials and what do they provide?
There are several materials and they all have different characteristics which mean that the carpet does not offer the same advantages.
It is possible to find rugs made from recycled materials, which is a good point.
The main materials are glass, foam, fabric, gel or plastic.
Here is what they will bring you:
The glass mat
Its main quality lies in the design. It is a magnificent product, which attracts even more desire because it is rare and difficult to find. In addition to this, it allows the mouse to glide better than it would on other mats and therefore improves your speed of action. This is the most expensive mouse pad you'll find.
The foam mat
It is not very durable, so choose it if you do not use your computer excessively. It's a good mat for the family computer in the living room that you only use 2 or 3 hours a day. Your mouse will glide well over it if it's slow movements you want and nothing too spontaneous.
The fabric rug
It is what we recommend the most in terms of versatility. Whether for fast or slow movements, it will meet your expectations. It keeps very well over time if it is maintained, because it gets dirty quickly. We will see in a moment how to wash your carpet, and whether they are all washable or not.
The plastic mat
Contrary to what you might believe, he is the most resilient. It slides very well, so your mouse will be completely free and nothing will slow down its movement.
Unlike the foam mat, we recommend this one if you are a fan of movements requiring lightning speed. It is also excellent when it comes to spontaneous movements and allows your mouse to hold very well, for use without any constraints.
The freeze
As you can imagine, gel will constitute the material of the wrist rest in most cases (even if it can be foam). It is an excellent material that works wonders in this role as it offers good support combined with extreme comfort. The gel wrist rest will allow you to use your mouse for long hours in a row without feeling anything special. Your wrist will not be painful or numb and nothing will interfere with your gaming sessions or your work.
The material is an important characteristic, be sure to think about it before making your purchase. But that's not the only thing that matters, let's now see the consequences of the different dimensions of the carpet.
Features that you might appreciate and that we think are more than necessary
Here are 2 characteristics which seem very important and which offer real added value.
The non-slip surface
It's almost an essential... It's the bottom layer of your mat and it prevents it from slipping when you use your mouse. Most mats are equipped with one, but just in case, check that your future purchase has one. Very important.
Reversibility
You were able to understand that each of these different carpet materials brought benefits that were not the same.
What if I told you that it was possible to have 2 materials in 1 mat, for twice as much efficiency? Because there are indeed reversible mouse pads that include a wrist rest. The best is surely the Razer Vespula.
Its first side will offer you the possibility of making rapid movements in complete peace of mind while the second is there to allow you to be as precise as a sniper in your control of the mouse.
The very nice little extras
The memory foam wrist rest is a must-have that will allow you to have maximum comfort while providing maximum support for your wrist. The foam will simply adapt to your wrist and mold itself around it. Ultra-effective.
There are ergonomic mouse pads with wrist rests and integrated ventilation channels . This is a slight space in the center of the wrist rest which forms a small tunnel so that air can circulate and evacuate your perspiration. You will keep your wrist and hand dry and be able to play even longer!
If you don't want a ventilation corridor, you can still take a mouse pad with wrist rest with antibacterial protection . Because when you sweat, bacteria will remain deposited on your carpet and in the long run it will degrade much more quickly and will also smell bad when these bacteria develop. The antibacterial protection is validated and certified by health standards which gives you the guarantee of preventing this from happening.
A final nice feature you might consider would be for your mat to be waterproof . We've all spilled a drink on our computer (or keyboard). This will prevent it from getting dirty, sticking or having to be thrown in the trash after this little mistake. Another considerable advantage: it will make it much easier to wash, we will see that right away.
FAQs!
Are there different sizes?
There are indeed ergonomic mouse pads with more or less large wrist rests.
The most classic ones are around 25 centimeters in diameter and will allow you to excel in everything that involves precision movements. This is what we call size S. It is best suited to small budgets because it is very inexpensive and will surely not cost you more than ten euros, even for a Razer.
For an organic setup, where you want a little order and elements that are more linked together for a better visual result, an XXL mouse pad is a very good recommendation. You can position both your mouse and your keyboard on it and it will have a very nice effect. It's worth thinking about this if you mainly use your mouse to make broad, far-reaching movements.
Depending on your needs, one or the other size will suit you best.
There are 2 others between S and XXL which are M and L. They do not really provide more technical characteristics but above all allow you to gauge whether you want to play on a smaller or larger travel space.
This will depend on your willingness and can be a good compromise to the XXL mat which really takes up a lot of available space on your desk, space that you perhaps do not have.
What about thickness?
A mouse pad can be 2 to 6 millimeters thick.
The first function of the thickness of the mat will be to flatten the surface of your desk if it contains rough spots or holes, even slight ones.
A thick mat will smooth it out better and give you better comfort of use while a thin mat will effectively ensure the continued movement of your mouse if it comes off the mat during a gaming session.
How to do cleaning and maintenance?
As with any object, if you want to avoid changing your carpet too often and want it to last, you need to maintain it and wash it from time to time.
You can put most rugs in the washing machine at 40°.
It is also possible to wash them more quickly by hand with a cloth, lukewarm water and a little soap.
A dirty mat will impact your performance because stains and deposits will reduce the efficiency of mouse movement.
Is it possible to combine ergonomic mouse pad with wrist rest and vertical mouse?
Vertical mice are used more in office than in gaming (even if there are some for gaming), note that they can be used with an ergonomic mouse pad with wrist rest. It's a combination that works.
Will I be able to get a keyboard wrist rest?
In the same way that the wrist rest for the mouse protects you from carpal tunnel syndrome, you can get a wrist rest for your keyboard which will provide good support during phases of intensive use, at the same time as a certain comfort .
Good to know, for even more performance!
You can pair and sync your mouse to your pad for even more efficiency with software like Razer's Synapse 2.0. The carpet will be scanned and its texture analyzed and the speed and precision of movement will be greatly improved!
With this comparison and this Buying Guide, suffice to say that you have all the keys in hand to make your decision!
