Introduction
Corsair mousepads have been a staple in the gaming scene for years. With that said, it’s been quite some time since the brand has released a new flagship pad, and in an age where many brands are putting out premium mousepads in order to answer to market demands, many were wondering when a new Corsair pad would come out. That day is now here. In our full Corsair MM Pro Control review, you’ll find out if Corsair’s latest pad is worth your time and money.
At A Glance
Corsair MM Pro Control
The Corsair MM Pro Control is a really nice mousepad, but it doesn’t bring anything new to the table. With that said, I should say that it’s all executed really well. From the stitching to the PU base to the consistency of the foam and surface; there are no areas where I thought ‘they made compromises here’.
Pros
- Good finishing
- Consistent base and foam
- Doesn’t need to be handled with extreme care
Cons
- Logo can be in the way and slows down mouse feet quite significantly
Specs
| Height | 49cm |
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| Length | 40cm |
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| Thickness | 4mm |
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| Stitched edges | Yes |
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| Material | Cloth |
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| Static Friction | 46.1 |
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| Static Friction Angle | 7.65 |
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| Glide Difference X/Y | 19 |
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| Dynamic Friction | 1.75 |
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First Impressions
The Corsair MM Pro Control is a very basic mousepad. It’s completely black, with a small CORSAIR tag in the top right and the well-known Corsair sails on the bottom right. Players who want something that catches the eye a little bit more can go for the gray version. That one is a bit more ‘out there’ in terms of looks and size.
Both color versions are available in two sizes: Large (45x40cm) and Medium (32x30cm). I got the Large version to test.
In terms of first impressions, the mousepad delivers. Everything looks nicely executed, the pad lies flat pretty much immediately (it comes rolled in the box), and there are no awkward smells to endure.
Finish and Overall Quality
The stitching on the Corsair MM Pro Control is not fully sub-surface, but rather at equal height. With that said, the stitching is tight, consistent, and does not annoy the skin.
The surface of the pad is, for a control pad, rather smooth and soft to the touch, which is nice. The printing of the logo is slick, the nametag is nicely finished, and the foam feels consistent as well. All in all, this feels like a quality mousepad.
The only thing that I don’t really love about the finishing is the sails logo. This could be moved towards the corner a bit more, in my opinion. This isn’t a huge pad to begin with, and with the logo sitting a bit high, I found myself running into it once or twice during testing. And if you put any amount of pressure on your mouse while running into the logo, you will absolutely be slowed down.
Performance
Glide
The Corsair MM Pro Control is -you guessed it- a control pad. No matter what you’re doing, you’ll be encountering some sort of resistance with this pad. Based on our testing and my experience, it’s not as slow as some dedicated ‘mud pads’ like the ZOWIE G-SR, but it does offer a very similar glide.
What this means in practice is that there’s going to be friction at pretty much all times. If you like a super smooth pad with a glide that absolutely doesn’t restrain you, for example, this will not be it. But if you feel like you’re constantly overshooting your targets with your current pad, something like this might be the answer to that.
Much like other control pads that seem to be made for tactical shooters, there’s a big difference in the X/Y axis. Sliding your mouse vertically notably feels a lot more restrictive than sliding it horizontally. That’s good news for people who play shooter games where you’re mostly moving your mouse horizontally, as that more restrictive Y axis helps your crosshair to stay locked in at the perfect height, making it easier to land flick headshots or keep your aim at head level while clearing corners.
In short, this type of glide isn’t groundbreaking or anything, but of course it’s difficult to really do something unique in a mousepad scene that’s this saturated.
Base and Softness
Corsair only offers one firmness option with this latest release. In terms of the overall softness, I’d say this ranks somewhere between ‘regular-soft’ and ‘medium-soft’. The foam definitely doesn’t have as much give as it does on extra soft pads like the Artisan XSofts or the ZOWIE G-TR, but it’s also not completely firm either. When you apply a good amount of pressure, you can absolutely get the pad to slow down a bit.
The foam on my unit feels consistent. There are no obvious softer spots or areas of the pad that feel different.
The PU base feels good to me as well. Once the pad is laid flat on the desk, it stays exactly where you’ve left it, even after multiple hours of intense flicks.
Everyday Usage
The Corsair MM Pro Control is a mousepad that doesn’t need a ton of babying. You can roll it quite tightly and it’ll return to a completely flat state eventually, for example. The surface is also quite soft, and the stitching is done really well, so I had absolutely no comfort issues.
On top of all of that, Corsair made this surface specifically for easy cleaning. Pretty much all mousepads can be cleaned, but some brands actively discourage people from doing so, as it might damage the fabric. The fact that Corsair has faith in people cleaning the pad multiple times is encouraging for users who tend to spill drinks or make a mess.
Alternatives
Given how the Corsair MM Pro Control is a control pad with stitched edges, there are plenty of alternatives to consider. In this section, I’ll briefly compare to some ‘usual suspects’. If you have any questions about other pads, feel free to reach out in the comments.
Corsair MM Pro Control vs ZOWIE G-SR
In terms of overall glide, both pads feel extremely similar. The MM Pro Control does feel slightly faster to me, but the static-vs-dynamic friction and even the X/Y axis difference is pretty much the same as it is on the G-SR.
See our ZOWIE G-SR (III) review
Corsair MM Pro Control vs Artisan Type-99
Despite both being labeled as control pads, the Type-99 is a lot slower, both in testing as well as in practice. As such, they’re not really direct alternatives. I’d personally see the Type-99 as another option for people who want even more control.
See our Artisan Type-99 review
Corsair MM Pro Control vs Artisan Zero
The Artisan Zero is often labeled as a control pad, but I don’t consider it to be that. The Zero is faster than the MM Pro, and as such isn’t a direct alternative to me.
See our Artisan Zero review
Corsair MM Pro Control vs Xraypad Aqua Control Pro Xsoft
The Xraypad Aqua Control Pro XSoft has a glide that’s very similar to what the MM Pro Control offers. Do note that the XSoft has a much softer base, which can significantly alter the actual in-game feeling when using the pad.
Conclusion
The Corsair MM Pro Control is a really nice mousepad, but it doesn’t bring anything new to the table.
With that said, I should say that it’s all executed really well. From the stitching to the PU base to the consistency of the foam and surface; there are no areas where I thought ‘they made compromises here’.
So, summarizing, if you’re looking for a dedicated control pad, this is a great option to add to your list. The only problem for Corsair is that the aforementioned list is extremely long as it is, so I’m not sure if this pad does enough to set itself apart from the pack of more well-known products for most people.
Still, if this is the beginning of a new direction with premium mousepads for Corsair, I’m excited to see what else they’ll bring to the table.
This product was received for free from the manufacturer and given to our reviewer to test and review. Brands and manufacturers have no editorial control over our reviews. For more information, check out our review FAQ.
Former semi-pro gamer turned writer, product reviewer, and community manager.
