The world of gaming mousepads is evolving at a rapid pace. Just a couple of years ago, it seemed like a ton of gamers used the exact same pads and treated mousepads as an afterthought, but in recent times there’s been a lot of interest in niche and specialized pads, and Fnatic has also noticed that. This Fnatic JET is a mousepad that’s focused on speed and smoothness, and with its holographic finish it also aims to dazzle in the looks department. Read our full Fnatic JET review to find out if it lives up to expectations.
At A Glance
Fnatic JET
The Fnatic JET, while not for me due to how fast it is, is a real hit if you ask me. It basically has all the properties of a glass pad (extremely fast and smooth glide) without the inherent drawbacks, and it costs less than a glass pad to boot.
Pros
- Amazingly smooth and consistent glide
- High quality stitching
- Has glass pad properties without the drawbacks of glass pads
Cons
- Looks dull in low light; the holographic effect only really shines with a lot of light nearby
- Surface is a fingerprint magnet
- Sweaty gamers can have comfort issues due to the non-porous surface
Specs
| Height | 47 |
|---|---|
| Length | 47 |
| Thickness | 3mm |
| Stitched edges | Yes |
| Material | Hybrid |
| Glide | Speed |
| Static Friction | 38.35 |
| Static Friction Angle | 5.5 |
| Glide Difference X/Y | 1.8 |
| Dynamic Friction | 1.08 |
First Impressions
When Fnatic first told me they’d be sending me a holographic mousepad, I immediately got curious. I’ve seen some crazy mousepad designs but none have been actually holographic, so this one breaks new ground for me.
When the mousepad arrived (in its sturdy and spacious box) I noticed that the ‘JET’ on the packaging also had a holographic finish, which made me excited to see the final product, but sadly it didn’t exactly deliver. Yes, it’s holographic, and yes, it changes colors depending on the light that it’s in, but my pad needs a ton of light to actually look ‘RGB-like’ and most of the time it just had a dark purple/brown type of look to it.
Looks don’t really matter with a gaming product, but since there’s a lot of emphasis being put on the aesthetics of this pad I thought I’d mention it. Yes, it looks nice when there’s a lot of light around to reflect off of that surface, but in a regularly lit room with no extra light sources other than the monitor and some background lighting, the JET won’t exactly look as if you’ve found the end of the rainbow.
Luckily, it does lay flat instantly without any bubbling at all, and the whole pad is finished to a high degree. The stitching feels nice and flat and I didn’t find any bothersome irregularities on this front.
Performance
The Fnatic JET is very much a speed pad, so people who are looking for control and stability should probably stay away from this one.
Glide
One of the first things I thought when I first started using this pad is ‘this feels very similar to the Glorious Ice‘ and my testing has confirmed that. The glide is almost the exact same, though the Ice has a tiny bit less static friction.
What this means is that the JET has a very fast and smooth glide. Stopping your glide will be done by your hand instead of the pad, and if you’re making micro-movements (such as when you’re adjusting your crosshair by a couple of millimeters) there’s practically no resistance.
If you’ve never used a pad with this kind of speed then you’ll definitely need to take some time to get used to it. Due to the fact that I’ve been testing a couple of glass pads in recent times, I can say that my adjustment period wasn’t that long but your mileage may vary.
Fnatic also advertises that the X/Y glide is the exact same, and with my copy that rings true. There’s almost always going to be some difference between the vertical and horizontal glide on mousepads (on some pads this is even done on purpose) but with a difference of just 1.80% this is up there with the very best on this front.
This consistent glide along with the extremely fast and drag-free surface makes for a mousepad that feels floaty and resistance-free. If that’s what you’re after, this should be a real winner.
FNATIC JET vs SKYPAD and other speed pads
Glass/speed pads have been enjoying a steady rise in popularity in recent times, so if you’re a brand that’s making mousepads that are focused on speed and smoothness then the competition is getting fiercer, but I believe that the JET can definitely stand up to that competition.
In my experience, the SKYPAD 3.0 feels faster when it comes to static friction but they’re both extremely similar as far as dynamic friction goes. The Pulsar Superglide, on the other hand, has more dynamic friction than both of these pads, though its static friction is on par with what I’m experiencing with the JET.
Of course these results should be taken with a grain of salt: I’m just one person testing one sample pad. The glide of a pad can greatly be influenced by the environment that you’re in, the mouse that you’re using, your playing style, and so forth, but if you’re looking for a glass pad type of glide in a mousepad that isn’t a glass pad, the JET deserves a look.
Foam and stability
The JET is 3mm thick and uses a rather sturdy foam. There’s a little bit of give when you press down on the pad but it’s definitely not to the point where I felt like it helped me get more control if I really pressed my mouse down, so if you’re looking for that kind of spongy experience you should look elsewhere.
The base is made out of textured rubber and it does a good job at holding the mousepad in place. I play on low sensitivities so I’m always doing some violent swipes and I didn’t have any issues with the pad moving around when gaming.
Everyday Usage
The glide of the JET is, quite simply put, amazing if you’re after a super speedy experience, but there are some drawbacks.
The surface, while very smooth and consistent, is an absolute fingerprint magnet, and while the JET’s glide isn’t as impacted by sweat as glass pads are, it can still feel quite gross after a while. My hands get moderately sweaty when I’m gaming and I found myself wiping down the pad quite often simply because I don’t like that feeling of moisture sitting on top of the surface. As I said though: this isn’t so much a performance issue with the JET, it’s more of a comfort thing for me. There is a microfiber cloth included with the mousepad though, so that’s a very nice touch if you ask me.
What I think is really nice with this mousepad is the fact that it gives you the hard pad experience without actually being a hard pad, meaning that it eliminates some of the drawbacks of hard/glass pads. You can roll this one up, for starters, and it also won’t break on you if you drop it or become permanently disfigured if you stuff it against other objects in your bag.
It’s also not as loud: you can definitely hear your mouse feet and hands sliding along the pad but it’s not as noticeable as it is on glass pads, and that ‘mouse slam’ that you do after a big swipe is a lot quieter here.
Sadly I can’t test for durability since I simply can’t use mousepads for months and years on end like consumers do, but I’ve had this mousepad for a number of weeks now and I didn’t notice any signs of the glide (permanently) deteriorating. A quick wash was enough to revive the JET to its original state for me.
Fnatic JET Review – Conclusion
The Fnatic JET, while not for me due to how fast it is, is a real hit. It basically has all the properties of a glass pad (extremely fast and smooth glide) without the inherent drawbacks, and it costs less than a glass pad to boot. And while it’s not the fastest pad that I’ve ever tested (that’s the SKYPAD 3.0) it’s certainly fast enough to satisfy users with a need for speed if you ask me.
As I said, it’s not for me personally. I play tactical shooters and I like stability over speed, so I’m someone who looks more towards control pads (I’m using the Lethal Gaming Gear Saturn Pro as my main right now) but I did thoroughly enjoy my time with this mousepad.
It perhaps doesn’t look as good as I initially expected it to (the whole holographic thing is a bit of a miss for me) but on the performance front, the Fnatic JET absolutely delivers, and if you want a smooth and unobstructed glide then you should take a look at this one.
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.
