Pad Academy

Terms to Know

Static Friction - Static friction is the friction in play when moving a mouse from a standstill.

Dynamic Friction - Dynamic friction is the friction in play when an object overcomes static friction, and is simply gliding across a surface.

Stopping Power - Stopping power refers to the same frictional force that we use the term “dynamic friction” for. Stopping power differs from dynamic friction, however, in that stopping power defines the ability of a mouse pad to slow down a moving mouse to a stop. In contrast, dynamic friction is just the resistance a mouse pad gives against a mouse in motion. But again, both stopping power and dynamic friction refer to the same frictional force.

To the right is a graph that demonstrates the relationship between static and dynamic friction. Note: Static friction is almost always greater than dynamic friction. As you can see in the illustration, static friction gives way to kinetic friction. The instant after you first move your mouse, kinetic friction takes over. Mouse pad manufacturers almost always aim to make the transition from static to dynamic friction seamless. This makes the transition smooth and unnoticeable, preventing jumpy swipes. We list the static to dynamic ratio so you can tell just how smooth that change over will be.

Most cloth mouse pads have some sort of variation in speed in the X and Y directions. However, more often than not, that variation is minimal. That said, it’s always better to go for pads with lower XY variation to keep your mouse movements uniform in every aspect. We, however, wouldn’t say a medium-high XY variation is going to drastically change your playstyle (unless you’re more sensitive to that), and we don’t think that that’s something you should outright avoid a mouse pad for.

Some of our pads feature a squishy base material called PORON®. The extra squish from our PORON® base allows you to press into the pad more than a firm pad, which brings in an added amount of stopping power. Stopping power, as explained earlier, is the ability to stop the mouse abruptly and accurately on a target. Essentially, softer bases give you stopping power on tap. 

That is, instead of the pad having a single set stopping power value, it can vary depending on the downward pressure applied to the mouse. While this is true in all pads (pushing down adds stopping power), due to the increased squishiness, pads that utilize PORON® (or other soft bases) have a greater ability to increase stopping power through downward pressure. Everyone is different, and the squishier base may not benefit you personally, but if you learn to utilize it, it could potentially give you an advantage in-game. While soft bases provide added stopping power, firm bases provide less stopping power variation and are a bit quicker in general.

Control pads, at their core, are quite “restrictive.” Instead of having your mouse be free from resistance, control pads “hold onto” the mouse slightly and provide the well-known locked-in feeling. While you may think this would be detrimental because “if the mouse pad slows down my movements, I won’t be fast enough to out-aim the opponent,” having a bit of a locked-in, slightly slower glide is actually favored by most Counter-Strike and Valorant players. Let’s go into detail about why this is the case.

To better understand the concept of friction between different pads, let’s compare moving a hand through air to moving a hand through water.

While you do have less impeded motion when moving your hand through the air, precise actions, like stopping your hand at a set position, with out overshooting, can be more difficult, as you struggle to know exactly when to slow down. Additionally, there’s no speed reduction through higher friction, slowing your hand down for you at a moment’s notice. On top of that, when moving your hand through air, you lack stability in hand movements. There’s no resistance stopping your unintended or shaky motions.

When you move your hand through water, your hand movements are more stable, and deliberate-feeling. The water adds stability to the hand and prevents it from making unintended movements, making it less shaky and more locked-in. Additionally, the water adds resistance so that when you want to stop your hand from moving, it can do so abruptly and accurately without overshooting.

When it comes to friction, having some resistance from the mouse pad is usually preferred by Counter-Strike players. The resistance prevents shakiness and unintended movements from affecting the mouse during gameplay. Additionally, with consistent dynamic friction, you can potentially aim with a more locked-in and deliberate feeling. Just like with the hand in water vs. air example, the high friction pad (like the water) keeps your mouse (or hand) from moving tiny amounts unintended.

Mouse movements (including flicks) are aided by increased resistance as you have an easier time stopping the mouse on target through frictional deceleration. The mouse pad’s higher friction acts as brakes on the mouse, slowing it down to a stop abruptly at your desired, precise points. Without natural “braking” by the mouse pad, when a gamer brings a mouse abruptly to a stop, it’s difficult for the hand/mouse to stop without shakiness. There’s intrensic overshooting/shake when the mouse is stopped, causing less precise stops. The resistance with high friction pads (like water) can bring the mouse (or hand) to a stand-still almost instantly. These points are vital when discussing aiming in precision-based Tactical First Person Shooters, as just millimeters make the difference between a headshot and a miss.

In Counter-Strike specifically, this can lead to more consistent micro-movements when holding an angle. When the enemy peeks a corner and is just millimeters away from the center of your crosshair, you want lower static friction to allow for that quick, unmuddied micro-movement as you flick to them. Additionally, though, you may want a bit of friction (both static and dynamic) to maintain steady control of that flick. Of course, different gamers will prefer different types of mouse pads. Mostly, though, Counter-Strike pro players use control and medium-speed pads to maximize the help they can receive from their pads when aiming.

Whether increased friction truly leads to higher precision, though, can be debated. Almost always, it comes down to personal preference. Some gamers thrive on high-friction surfaces, while others perform better on low-friction. You may even start your gaming journey as a high-friction player and then, over time, feel more precise on lower-friction surfaces (or vice versa). Many pro Counter-Strike players prefer having a more controlled-feeling glide, like that of a control or medium-speed pad. Although you lose the effortless, raw movements, it often feels like you gain precision. If you’ve tried control pads, and they’re too taxing/difficult/restrictive to use due to their higher friction, medium pads are becoming increasingly popular for Counter-Strike/Valorant players. Medium pads tend to have less friction than control pads, but still maintain a good amount of control.