Mousepads, do you use them or do you not? Back in the day when mechanical mice relied on a weighted rubber ball navigating across a slightly coarse surface in order to operate, a mousepad was essential. Nowadays with optical mice you could argue that they are not so much a necessity, providing the work surface can reflect the beam back to the photocell ok. So other than for aesthetics, do you require a mousepad alongside your gaming rig? Well in short, yes you probably do. Mousepads help to stop the small plastic/rubber feet on the underside of the mouse from wearing out when constantly dragging it across your desk. Without a pad, the area you regularly use your mouse on can also become marked and deteriorate through the friction generated between the mouse and the worktop ...