Mouse pads come in various types and sizes. They can come with or without images, and also be made of cloth or a variety of other materials such as plastic, rubber, and even aluminum.
Mouse pads come mostly in black because when gaming, an all black mouse pad gives the best performance of gaming mice. A solid black mouse pad gives optical mice the best tracking possible, however with today’s technology, even a patterned mouse pad should not noticeably affect your mouse tracking.
In the past, it has been known that the first optical mice performed best on a surface that was flat and was of a solid black color. This is less apparent with the new optical mice with modern technology.
Does the Mouse Pad C
olor Affect Your Mouse?
The color of your mouse pad should not noticeably affect the performance of your mouse. Many people use different colored mouse pads as well as mouse pads with images. Big name brand companies like Logitech and Corsair also have mouse pads that have different images and designs on them.
Feel free to use different colored mouse pads as well as mouse pads with images as long as you have a modern optical mouse.
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Which Color Is Best for a Mouse Pad?
There is no best color for a mouse pad, but black is the universally accepted color for a mouse pad. Most mouse pads come in black because they will show the least amount of dirt as opposed to a white mouse pad.
Does a White Mouse Pad Work?
A white mouse pad will work just fine with an optical mouse. The only real concern with a white mouse pad is that it will track and show dirt easier than a darker mouse pad. This means you will have to clean your mouse pad often to keep your work space clean.
Having a white mouse pad will require a lot more work and maintenance compared to a darker mouse pad. If you plan on purchasing a white mouse pad, just remember that you will need to use additional effort to keep it clean.
How Do I Keep a White Mouse Pad Clean?
Depending on the material of the mouse pad, you can pour a small amount of mild dish soap directly onto the mouse pad. Using a small brush, be sure to scrub the entirety of the mousepad thoroughly to remove stains, oil, and debris that has built up on the surface.
Be sure to rinse the mouse pad thoroughly with water and get it as dry as possible before letting it try on a towel. Be sure to set it with the cloth side down while it is drying for the best results.
Is a White Mouse Pad Good?
Not only does a white mouse pad look good, but it will perform just as good as a black mouse pad. If you have a white laptop and a white mouse, adding a white mouse pad to your setup will make it look that much better.
Are Colored Mouse Pads Bad?
As we stated earlier, if you are using an old mouse, then black is the best color to use for your mouse pad. Older generation optical tracking mice perform best on a solid black surface. Using a colored mousepad may negatively affect the performance of your mouse in terms of precision and accuracy.
If you have a modern optical mouse, then a colored mouse pad is not bad at all. This is a reason why many of the major pc gaming brands now have mouse pads with images on them as they are confident in the performance of today’s mice.
Final Thoughts
Mouse pads come in black because this is the most universally accepted color. Back when the first optical mice were created, they performed best on a solid black surface due to how their optical tracking worked. However, as technology advanced, we now have optical mice that can work perfectly fine on a variety of surfaces and colors regardless if it is a mouse pad or not.
Top brands in the industry like Corsair and Logitech have mouse pads that come in various designs and sizes. You can find mouse pads that are of a solid color, have images, or even have designs and patterns on them.
Mouse pad colors and designs are now mainly personal preference, when before it was almost required for you to have a black mouse pad if you were using an optical mouse.