Mionix Alioth 320 Gaming Pad Review

We have another gaming pad to review today, this time from Mionix. Will it stand out from the crowd?

I reviewed the Mionix Saiph 1800 gaming mouse last month and today I have another Mionix product – the Alioth 320. This time the item I am reviewing isn’t a gaming mouse but a gaming pad. Both the Saiph 1800 and Alioth are said to work hand in hand. Judging by the impression I was left with last time, I have high hopes for this gaming pad.

Mionix background (www.mionix.net)

“Mionix was founded in 2007 and our head office is situated in south of Sweden. Our goal is to develop products with high performance and suitability for all type of players. Mionix stands for quality, design and a touch of innovation. Our crew are all specialists with a lot of experience of e-gaming which is a must to be able to bring forward top products to gamers. All Mionix products are also named after visible stars in the sky and the combination of innovation, performance helps you to stay \”light-years ahead of the game\”!”

Gaming mouse pads are an essential tool for any gamer that wants to remain on top form. It’s all very good having a brilliant mouse, but if the surface you are using it on doesn’t work in partnership you will only suffer annoying setbacks causing nothing but irritation and you could end up just walking away rather than making the most out of your games.

A quality pad will support your gaming endeavors, so it is advantageous to invest in a reliable, durable pad. Let’s delay no further and take our first look at Mionix’s latest offering, the Alioth 320.

Features

The below information was taken from www.mionix.net.

Alioth comes from the brightest star in the constellation of Ursa Major. The word “Alioth” origins from the Arabic word Alyat, which means “fat tail of the sheep”. Alioth has a very weak magnetic field for its type of star and the magnetic poles separates different elements in the stars hydrogen fuel. This phenomena causes Alioth to have very strange spectral lines. The spectral lines has been implemented in the design of the surface to avoid data losses in chaotic situations.

New developed coating for maximum glide
Alioth have been processed with a new developed coating to minimize the friction between surface and mouse. The new developed coating allows you to do rapid movements without loosing control.

Optimized dimensions for high mouse sensitivity
The dimensions of Alioth 320 is optimized for gamers that makes minor and more exact movements.

Rubber Backing
Backside is made of a rubber-based material with a ribbed pattern to improve the grip.

Design
The unique striped design improves the sensor performance and reduces data loss and the 3 mm thickness smoothens out the differences irrespective of the surface under the mousepad.

Technical Specification

Material: Durable, smooth and flexible coated cloth
Surface: Glossy, low-friction coating
Dimensions: 320mm x 270mm
Thickness: 3mm
Weight: 146 g
Back: Rubber based back for a firm grip on all types of surfaces
Compatibilty: Infrared, laser & ball
Warranty: 2 years

Closer look

The Alioth 320 comes packaged in a rectangular plastic box. As mentioned previously in the Saiph 1800 review, the packaging Mionix opt for is characterized perfectly. The branding scheme fits gaming merchandise particularly well. The box clearly defines the Alioth giving a short technical rundown

Taking the pad out of the box, it looks fantastic. Visually, this pad will look perfect. Next to a gaming system. The design work on the Alioth has been carefully anticipated, there is an interlaced Mionix logo which sits nicely next to some small typography which says “ALIOTH 320 LIGHT-YEARS AHEAD OF THE GAME – MIONIX.NET”

So far, visually very impressive. I really like the combination of shapes and colours. Aesthetically very pleasing, but the surface is also very smooth and I’m looking forward to seeing how a mouse will interact with the Saiph gaming mouse.

The underside of the pad follows the typical cloth pad standard of being made completely of rubber, allowing it to bond with any surface and reduce unnecessary movement.

Testing and Conclusion

As with all mouse pad testing, the results are very much down to individual preference. There is no hard and fast rule to determine whether a pad is superior to another. However, I will be pairing the Mionix Saiph 1800 gaming mouse along with the Alioth 320 and examining its performance and comfort throughout 30 minutes of some intense gaming. 3 titles have been chosen for this performance test, all 3 titles are taken from different genres so that we really get a feel for a variation of mouse movements. The three titles I will be testing are:

Crysis
Prince of Persia
War Hammer 40,000: Dawn of War II

After a total of one and a half hours of gaming its safe to say that the Alioth 320 stood up to this challenge very well. In each genre – First-person shooter, 3rd person action adventure, real-time strategy the pad suffered no interruptions to glide, the large amount of space on the surface allowed some very wide sweeping movements that are required in Dawn of War II. Whether you are a low or high ‘sense’ gamer, the Alioth 320 will be more than suitable for your needs. The underside of the pad grips the desk comfortably and is hard to move even with strong force. The Saiph 1800 glides perfectly along the Alioth pad and although I tested the Saiph mouse only I couldn’t help but try my Logitech MX-518 and as I imagined, the pleasing performance I experienced with the Saiph was immediately noticeable with the Logitech mouse.

Comfort

The materials used on the Mionix Alioth 320 provide a satisfying surface to have contact with. The surface is extremely smooth, and whilst this does offer some performance gains you would imagine this would only cause moisture to gather but it doesn’t at all. The material is breathable and thick enough for a wide range of uses. Ideal for gaming and desktop tasks.

Conclusion

The Mionix Alioth 320 is easily one of the best looking pads I have ever seen. The intricate detailing and colours will suit nvidia fans down to a tee. Couple the pleasant aesthetics with the outstanding performance and comfort and the Alioth 320 makes for a very successful gaming pad.

The Alioth 320 comes in at a price of £14 (21USD/15.60EUR) which makes this pad even more attractive. I believe it to be a great buy, and would recommend this pad to anyone in the field for needing a new gaming pad. Mionix have once again impressed, producing yet another innovative product.