sUrface Component:
The mousing surface is just slightly smaller than the 10”x8.5” as stated on the site. We are only talking one-sixteenth of an inch short on one side and one-eight of an inch on another. No big deal, 10x8.5 is probably rounded up anyway. Regardless of the minor discrepancies, the sUrface1030 provides ample space for whatever you do with your mouse. The sUrface is slightly smaller than the Ratpad® so it actually has a smaller footprint which is good on a messy desk like mine.The sUrface has two distinct sides to it. One side is rough; one is smooth. The rough side was similar to a Ratpad or a Giganta, but it actually had a little bit more texture to it. This texture helped it perform very well with a ball mouse (ewwww) that I broke out of the closet just to use for a day or so on the sUrface. With my optical mouse I definitely preferred the smooth side of the sUrface to the textured side. Performance on both sides was superb and I had no mouse anomalies while using the sUrface. Performance wise, this is a very good mousing surface, equal in quality to the Ratpad or Everglide pad, and better than the 3M PMS in my opinion. Base:
The sUrface has a rubber base that the mousing surface sits in. The base has unique design that grips the surface of your desk to keep it from sliding unnecessarily. Although this function is probably unnecessary given the fact that the optical mice being used by today’s gamers rarely need a lot of force to move.
One very inconvenient side affect of this two part mousing pad is when you want to move it to a different side of the keyboard or anything other than sliding. Since both the pad and sUrface are flexible, the moment you pick it up off the desk the sUrface will flex and pop out of the base. I found this to be very frustrating and an extreme annoyance. If I switch back to my Ratpad after using the surface it will be for this reason and this reason alone. If the sUrface1030 had some way to fix the mousing surface in the base short of using super glue it would be much more useful for the person with the crowded desk. Cord Clip:
The cord clip, while a good idea, is badly done. The clip is made of metal and has a significant amount of tension. While this is good for securing the mouse cord, the slightest adjustment, or excessive tug can result in damage to your mouse cord. There were two distinct marks left in my Intellimouse Explorer cable after using the mouse clip. The idea is good. I use an aftermarket mouse clip that is hard plastic and simply has a groove for the cord in conjunction with my Everglide Giganta. If you enjoy the perceived “freedom” of movement that results from using a mouse clip, I’d recommend a third party clip, or just being extremely careful with the clip that accompanies the sUrface1030.
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