When it comes to gaming mousepads, we are well and truly living in a renaissance era. Ever since premium mousepads such as Artisan have been getting more and more usage in the gaming scene, other brands have followed suit and as a consequence we’ve seen a host of high quality mousepads hitting the market. In this Endgame Gear EM-C review, we’ll take a look at whether or not the German brand’s entry in the world of control pads is worth your attention.
At A Glance
Endgame Gear EM-C
Used by 2 players ()-
soulcas
-
Liazz
The Endgame Gear EM-C is a fantastic addition to the world of high quality control pads, and depending on where you’re living it’s also one of the cheapest PORON-based control pads out there (at the time of writing this review) so it’s great value too.
Pros
- Comes flat-packed
- Great stitching quality
- Sticky base keeps the pad in place at all times
Cons
- Texture can feel a little rough at times
- Humidity/moisture influences the glide somewhat, though not to an extreme degree
Specs
| Height | 49 |
|---|---|
| Length | 41 |
| Thickness | 3mm |
| Stitched edges | Yes |
| Material | Cloth |
| Glide | Control |
| Static Friction | 46.95 |
| Static Friction Angle | 6.47 |
| Glide Difference X/Y | 12 |
| Dynamic Friction | 1.8 |
First Impressions
The Endgame Gear EM-C starts off with a great first impression; the pad comes flat-packed in a neat looking box, meaning that it lays flat immediately. It also looks really clean. I’m not a huge fan of attention-drawing mousepad designs (unless their colors happen to fit the setup that I’m currently rocking) so this black mousepad with a dark grey logo is right up my alley. The logo is small and I didn’t have any issues with it getting in the way of my mouse during gaming.
It’s great to see that Endgame Gear has seemingly learned from their first mousepad release (see: Endgame Gear MPC 450 Review) and toned down the branding, so kudos for that.
Finish and Overall Quality
The Endgame Gear EM-C is a high quality product. The stitching is basically flawless all throughout the mousepad, and the foam is consistent and reliable. The PORON base does a fantastic job; once you put the mousepad in its position, it won’t move on you. It sticks to your desk like it’s part of the desk’s surface, no matter how hard you swipe.
This is a short section because I have basically nothing to remark here: the EM-C feels like a premium mousepad that’s made by a brand with high standards.
Performance
Glide
The EM-C is advertised as a control pad, and it certainly is one. It has a surface that’s on the rougher side and gives you a very controlled glide, with a high amount of static and dynamic friction.
As far as the static friction goes (which basically decides how much force you need to apply in order to get your mouse moving) it’s one of the slowest pads I’ve tested so far, but I never felt as if the EM-C became muddy or overly resistant when gaming.
That might have something to do with the fact that the dynamic friction (stopping power, and how much force is needed to control the mouse once it gets going) is on the higher side, for a dedicated control pad at least.
Due to the rougher texture, this dynamic friction doesn’t really come into play until you’re well and truly into a swipe; when doing smaller aiming motions, you’re still going to feel a lot of control, but once you get going that control goes away a little bit and the pad feels smoother.
When it comes to the overall glide, you can of course compare this pad to other PORON mousepads in the same glide class, such as the Lethal Gaming Gear Saturn Pro (see: Lethal Gaming Gear Saturn Pro Review) and the Artisan Zero, and I’ll make some comparisons further down in this review.
Thickness and Softness
With a thickness of 3mm, the EM-C is basically average. The pad is on the softer side, but due to it being ‘only’ 3mm thick you never really get that feeling as if you can dig in your mouse in order to get some extra control. Once you apply some extra pressure, the surface of the desk comes into play rather quickly, so playing around with the surface to find some extra control whenever you need it isn’t really possible here.
The above is neither a good thing, nor is it a bad thing: whether you like your pads to have that ‘digging action’ or not purely comes down to personal preference, but it’s good to know when deciding on a new pad.
Humidity Resistance
Something to look out for with dedicated control pads is the humidity resistance. Due to the coarser texture that these pads often have, there’s more room for sweat and other substances to settle into the pad, and while the Endgame Gear EM-C isn’t the most humidity-proof control pad I’ve ever used I can’t say that I had any issues with it.
When you’re playing on a hot day (and I’ve had plenty of those this summer) you’ll definitely start to feel the pad getting a little sweaty, but I did not feel as if this had a very noticeable effect on the glide. It can feel a little uncomfortable and warm when the EM-C gets a bit moist, but performance-wise I had no problems during my testing.
Comfort
As I mentioned before, the Endgame Gear EM-C has a texture that’s on the rougher side. I’m used to control pads (which are usually a little rough) so it didn’t bother me, but I can imagine that this is something that becomes irritating after a while if you’re sensitive to these kinds of things or if you prefer a surface that’s a smooth as possible. In short: it’s good to know that this mousepad is on the rougher side, even for a control surface.
Overall comfort levels are great, however. The stitching is barely noticeable and the relative softness of the pad means that it’s a comfy spot to rest your arm on.
Endgame Gear EM-C Alternatives
The most obvious contenders here are the Lethal Gaming Gear Saturn Pro (see: Lethal Gaming Gear Saturn Pro Review) and the Artisan Zero, but I’ve only formally reviewed and tested the Saturn Pro so I’ll compare it to that one.
Endgame Gear EM-C vs Saturn Pro
From my experience, the Saturn Pro has a little less static friction but more dynamic friction. This was also confirmed in my testing (see: How We Test Mousepads) though it’s important to note that both pads are extremely similar as far as their overall glide experience goes, and test/ingame results can depend on environmental factors such as humidity and so on.
Even though both pads offer a very similar glide on paper, they do feel quite different once you start paying attention. The Endgame Gear EM-C’s texture is a little rougher, for example, and the 1mm of extra thickness that the Saturn Pro has going on can really make a world of difference if you’re someone who puts a lot of pressure on their mousepad.
Putting all of that aside: if you’re into control pads, both the EM-C as well as the Saturn Pro are absolutely top tier, and I was able to use both at the same time without needing a ton of time to adjust.
Conclusion
There have been quite some high tier (PORON) mousepad releases over the past couple of months, so the Endgame Gear EM-C is not a truly revolutionary mousepad, but it is a fantastic high tier control pad. It’s finished to an incredibly high standard, feels consistent to use even on the hottest days of the year, and has that ‘tactical shooter’ type of control that has made pads like the Artisan Zero so famous.
All in all, the Endgame Gear EM-C is a fantastic addition to the world of high quality control pads, and depending on where you’re living it’s also one of the cheapest PORON-based control pads out there (at the time of writing this review) so it’s great value too.
The Endgame Gear EM-C comes warmly recommended if you’re looking for a control pad.
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.
