We take a look at the water/stain resistant pad from SteelSeries and see if it holds true to its claims.
Product on Review: SteelSeries NP+
Manufacturer: SteelSeries
Street Price: £20 At time of review
SteelSeries have always been at the forefront of developing new approaches to the world of gaming. They have an interesting ethos that functionality should play an important role in development of any product and the product on review today certainly has this in mind. The NP+ claims to have stain and water resistant properties allowing it to be easily cleaned. From the outset this is quite an odd characteristic to launch a product with, maybe gamers are notoriously messy eaters and are known for knocking over soft drinks while playing?
SteelSeries take
The SteelSeries NP+ is created from high density compressed textile fibers, resulting in a unique rough glide and feeling of the surface. The compressed fibers add stain and water resistance making it easy to clean off most liquids.
The rough glide and higher friction is unlike any other surface from SteelSeries and is specifically targeted for gamers with preferences for medium to rough glide. The SteelSeries NP+ features a specially designed non-slip rubber base which provides a firm grip and prevents the pad from sliding no matter what surface it’s placed on.
The rough glide and higher friction is unlike any other surface from SteelSeries and is specifically targeted for gamers with preferences for medium to rough glide. The SteelSeries NP+ features a specially designed non-slip rubber base which provides a firm grip and prevents the pad from sliding no matter what surface it’s placed on.
Specifications
– Material: Compressed fiber with rubber base
– Dimensions: 450 x 400 x 4 mm / 17.7 x 15.7 x 0.16 in
– Size: XXL
– Glide: Rough
– Compatibility: Optical, laser, ball
Closer Look
The NP+ is packaged as other pad’s that SteelSeries have delivered to the market and there is nothing unusual – the pad is encased in a clear tube letting you see the thickness and texture.
On the box are various details such as the material and size of this pad, which I can confirm is absolutely massive so you will need a rather large desk to host such a pad. Inside the packaging you just the pad itself, a product range guide and a sticker. It’s fairly absent from any exciting bundle we’ve dealt with in the past.
Moving on to the NP+ pad, as I’ve already said the pad is huge. If you plan on taking this to a LAN event you might be expected to participate in some early morning Yoga class.
If you take the pad out of the tube it does take a while for it to settle and creases to disappear – just place some heavy books on top! The texture of the material used is quite rough – perhaps different from other pads you may have used. Personally I have always preferred hard, plastic type pads rather than cloth, nevertheless the quality of the material used feels good. Compared with other cloth pads, the NP+ is quite thin in thickness.
As far as design goes, the NP+ is minimalistic. There are no design impressions except for the printed logo in the bottom left hand corner. I do like my pads to have a bit of character the NP+ doesn’t seem to have anything dramatically exciting about it. Perhaps SteelSeries will develop coloured options going forward? We have to remember though the intention behind the NP+ is to predominantly provide functionality by way of water and stain resistance.
Testing
Due to the claims that the NP+ is stain and water resistant we will have to perform a series of tests to determine if these claims and indeed true. In order to do this I will spill a substantial amount of water onto the pad to simulate accidental leakage that gamers might partake in.
Not only is it the material’s physical endurance that we want to focus on but the interaction between mouse and pad, observing glide, traction and overall comfort. To ascertain these things I will be using two mice – an optical and a laser equivalent. The notorious Logitech MX-518 and stealthy CM Storm Sentinel. The reason both are tested is due to the difference in sensor, laser mice use lasers to track movement whilst optical mice use LED light. Typically a laser mouse will operate at much higher DPI meaning accuracy is paramount. Laser mice are renowned for being able to operate on all types of surface whilst optical mice can have difficulty on glass objects. So whether you have an optical or laser mouse, we will find out if the NP+ is suitable for both.
Water Resistance
Gaming Perforamnce
Both our optical and laser examples – Logitech MX-518 and CM Storm Sentinel performed brilliantly when coupled with the NP+. Under no circumstances did I encounter any difficulties such as loss in glide or traction. Movements are smooth and whether you are playing FPS or another genre this pad is a good choice. Whilst it is a likeable pad, it might not be for everyone. Not all of us like cloth pads, personally I always go with hard/plastic designed pads.
Conclusion
Having a firm admiration for SteelSeries products, I was very much looking forward to reviewing the NP+. SteelSeries have always brought innovative gaming kit to the table and the NP+ is one of those inventive creations that may not seem to be visually exciting but brings a new genre of pad to the market.
On the face of it, the NP+ isn’t a visually eye-catching pad. It doesn’t capture your attention but then this isn’t the intention behind the pad. The functionality has been paramount in SteelSeries production and they have achieved this because not only does it allow for very spacious, multi-platform mouse usage but it is water resistant too. In the short test I performed, knocking a glass of water onto the pad causes little disruption because the moisture is contained above the pad, on the surface. Spillage can be sorted out quickly.
You may feel this is quite a strange characteristic for a mouse pad to include – you could well be right. It certainly only fits into a small niche. This is the first product of its kind though, perhaps something even better may come of it.
At £20 its fairly well priced, you get what you pay for – size and functionality.
Pros
+ Hold to its claims – water/stain resistant
+ Provides good performance for both optical and laser mice.
Cons
– Lacks style
– Absence of bundled extras
– Risk of damage could be averted by common sense
We would like to thank SteelSeries for providing the NP+ for review. Discuss this review on our forums
