Cloth is dead. A new king rises from the ashes... If you are an avid FPS gamer, you might have heard a lot about Skypad, a glass mousepad designed for the top echelon of aimers. From crazy mouse spins to insane target switching clips with the Skypad, this chunk of glass has been taking the internet by storm and with it's latest iteration, the 3.0, it continues to improve on it's initial foundation.
While there has been almost nothing but praise for this mousepad, in this review we will be looking at the Skypad 3.0 from an unbiased perspective from it's strengths, weaknesses, shortcomings and what we would like to see improve in future iterations. We will also be discussing the audience this mousepad is aimed for and if it is finally time to replace that 7 year old Qck that has an unremovable crust of dust and grime built up from the hours of gaming.
Specifications
Height | 30/40cm (L and XL) |
Width | 35/50cm (L and XL) |
Depth | 0.36cm |
Price | $99/119 |
Surface Glide | Speed |
The Skypad 3.0 comes in two sizes, L and XL. For most people we would recommend the XL as the extra bit of space is worth it. The price also differs by $20 for the larger size. You also get the two color options, black and white with different Skypad logos based on your preferences. Skypad also drops custom pads with designs like the Sora pad once in a while so if you are looking for something that stands out a bit more, they offer pads with artistic designs in limited quantities.
The unboxing experience is unique as it comes in a thick cardboard box with it's insides covered in foam to prevent the pad from being damaged during transportation.
The Skypad is held in place by 4 rubbers in each corner of the mousepad, which slightly elevate the pad and do a great job at holding it in place so it doesn't shift when being used.
Performance
The Skypad 3.0 feels like a cloud, with barely any friction stopping you propelling your mouse to other corner of your desk if you wanted to. This thing is fast. Faster than any cloth mousepad and also a lot smoother in surface. If you are coming from a slow control pad, the Skypad will feel like an untamed beast, extremely difficult to control and to get used to initially. But once you tame it, the almost 0 friction and the ability to make surgically precise micro adjustments gets you hooked. What makes it shine is that while the pad is quite fast, it doesn't compromise on control so your mouse isn't just flying everywhere. The pad offers pretty good stopping power, where you can stop the mouse without having to apply too much effort or overshoot the target due to the surface. While some cloth pads offer better stopping power and control, the speed to control ratio of this pad is somewhat remarkable where it makes it more than viable in a competitive environment.
Something you should take note is, this pad is very dependant on personal preference. It is definitely not a one size fits all and plays better in some genres of FPS games compared to others. While the Skypad excels in games like Call of Duty and Warzone, Overwatch and target switching/tracking heavy games, it probably shouldn't be your first pick for tactical FPS shooters such as Counter-Strike or Valorant due to speed of the surface. For someone who prefers lower sensitivities and control, the Skypad will not make them feel at home as it will feel too floaty and uncontrollable especially in Tac-FPS games where large flicks and tracking targets are rarely present. On the contrary, people who live for speed, insane flashy flicks and target switches with pin point tracking will definitely fall in love at first sight with this pad. It is just built for those scenarios where you are being shot from behind and have milliseconds to react. The speed of the surface and the reasonable stopping power that it provides allows you to turn and stop just as quickly.
While the Skypad 3.0 is quieter than the 2.0, it is still a loud mousepad. You will be hearing a lot of scratching and teflon-on-glass contact sounds while using the pad. This is something to consider if you are sensitive to these sounds and might be potentially annoyed by them. Lifting and placing your mouse back down will create an audible thud compared to a cloth mousepad. Playing with headphones and in-game sound makes it virtually undetectable when you are in game from our experience.
The surface is also prone to collecting small particles and inconsistencies such as dust which when your mouse passes over, feels like you are gliding over gravel and can be extremely unpleasant until the mouse feet and pad are both wiped clean with a cloth. This isn't a dealbreaker but if you suddenly notice that it feels like your pad is scratching or you are rubbing a grain of sand against it, make sure to check your mouse feet for anything that might have logged in and wipe the pad to remove the surface of any accumulation present.
One considerable disadvantage of the surface is that because it is made of glass, and humans tend to sweat, your arm and hand will end up sticking to the pad making mouse movements considerably harder. This isn't a design flaw with the Skypad 3.0 and is something that you just have to live with due to the material of the glass. This can get really annoying if you are prone to sweating but the fixes are fairly simple with the most common being purchasing an arm sleeve to use while gaming so you don't stick to the pad and also purchasing an anti-sweating cream if you want to play without an arm sleeve. Also as a very small side note, the pad will feel quite cool on winter days.
Durability
Due to the pad being made out of glass, it doesn't suffer from the same usage durability issues as cloth pads with or without coating. The pad mostly consistently stays the same throughout use, as it ever so slightly breaks in and gets smoother and a tad bit slower with time. After the break-in period, the pad doesn't change in surface feel.
Cleaning the Skypad is extremely easy and it doesn't need to be left out to dry like cloth pads as it can be done with either a dry cloth for removing dust or with a cloth dipped in water and detergent to remove stains and skin build up once in a while.
The pad is also quite durable given the fact that it is made out of glass which you'd normally think to be quite fragile. But the pad can withstand drops however we advise against testing this at home to see how many drops it would take before the Skypad breaks.
While the pad doesn't lose it's durability over time, it is notorious for eating mouse skates up and wearing them down over time. Because of this, users who regularly use the pad may have to buy replacement PTFE skates for their mice. We also strongly advise against using glass/sapphire skates on the Skypad 3.0 as it will damage both the skates and the mousepad while providing a worse experience overall.
Price
At a whopping $99 USD for the Large size and $119 USD for the XL, the Skypad is definitely not a cheap investment to make. Due to the price, it isn't a mousepad that you can buy just to test and put aside if you don't like it as you'll just be a proud owner of a $120 dollar thin glass slab that gathers dust.
While the Skypad is worth it for players who feel like the mousepad could be their new main with the added bonus that the durability is good enough where it will last you multiple years without losing performance, it's best you consider, especially on a low budget, if you really want the pad or not. But if you fit into the category of a fast paced FPS shooter player who grinds Aimlabs to improve their tracking and target switching abilities, this mousepad is definitely a good fit.
You can use code "rA" at checkout for 10% off your purchase on any Skypad products.
Conclusion
The Skypad 3.0 glass pad is a great leap for the mousepad industry as it provides a super smooth surface with a speedy glide and enough control to perform competitively. The durability that the glass surface provides is not found on any cloth pad and you will rarely have to replace your Skypad which is a blessing considering it's steep, wallet-eye-watering price of $119 USD for the XL version. While it has some flaws like inconsistencies such as dust causing the surface to create a scratchy feeling, the loudness of the pad due to the material being glass and sweat causing your hand and arm to stick to the pad, these aren't dealbreakers and the solutions are straight forward.
Overall, we recommend the Skypad 3.0 for its insane speed and cloud-like glide but recommend buyers to make sure that the Skypad fits their needs before purchasing as the product isn't a one size fits all mousepad and is directed towards a niche community in FPS gaming.
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