Introduction
Gaming mousepads have come a long way. Gone are the days where brands only offered one or two affordable pads and pros went with those. In this day and age, premium, specialized mousepads are the most popular ones in the pro scene, so it only makes sense to see the mainstream brands trying to get in on that action. In our full Razer Gigantus V2 Pro review, we’ll go over all aspects of the new Razer pads to determine whether they’re a good addition to the market.
We will go over all available Gigantus V2 Pro pads in this review.
At A Glance
Razer Gigantus V2 Pro Balance
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The Gigantus V2 Pro mousepads represent a huge step forward in Razer’s mousepad lineup.
Pros
- Interesting foam with a high degree of rebound force
- Very sticky base
- Good finishing
- Nice, ‘middle of the road’ type of experience
Cons
- Might be too big for some desks
- Big, green Razer logo looks out of place
Specs
| Height | 50cm |
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| Length | 48cm |
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| Thickness | 4mm |
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| Stitched edges | Yes |
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| Material | Cloth |
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| Glide | Medium |
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| Static Friction | 42 |
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| Static Friction Angle | 7.8 |
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| Glide Difference X/Y | 5.4 |
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| Dynamic Friction | 2.1 |
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First Impressions
Razer has a number of pads in this Gigantus V2 Pro lineup, ranging from Max Control all the way to Max Speed, though that last one wasn’t available yet at the time of review.
All pads have the exact same look and size and can be told apart by looking at the color-coded nametags that have been applied on the top left. On the bottom right, there’s a pretty big, green Razer logo which, in my opinion, kind of ruins the clean aesthetic that these pads have. I would have much preferred there to be a blacked-out logo, or perhaps a smaller, capitalized ‘RAZER’ on a tag like they had on the Gigantus V2. If they had to keep the big logo due to branding reasons, they could’ve also made it white, which would’ve looked a lot better if you ask me.
In terms of sizing, you can only get these in 50x48cm. This almost (but not quite) square shape is very popular, but I personally don’t like it. I simply don’t need all that height when I’m gaming, and I find that more compact, rectangular pads fit my desk better.
Finish and Overall Quality
The Gigantus V2 Pro pads represent a noticeable quality increase over the regular Gigantus V2. You get stitched edges, a stickier base, and a more premium-feeling foam.
On my pads, I couldn’t find any obvious issues. The stitching does not show any flaws, the foam feels consistent, and the pads lay flat pretty much instantly. The surface (of all versions) is also quite smooth, which is nice.
All in all, the Gigantus V2 Pro feels like a premium pad.
Performance
As mentioned, Razer released no less than five different versions of the Gigantus V2 Pro. This was done so that players can get the glide experience that they want without having to look at different mousepad lines or mousepad brands. All versions offer the same base approach: same size, same stitched edges, same overall design. The only thing that differs is the foam and glide surface.
I quite like this approach. It’s clear and immediately understandable. Are you a control kind of person? Take a look at the Max Control or Control. Simple as that. There’s no need to get a Ph.D. in Gaming Brand Naming Schemes to make sense of this lineup.
Note: the fifth version, the Gigantus V2 Pro Max Speed, was not available at the time of review.
Glide
As mentioned, each pad offers a different glide. It should be noted, however, that all Gigantus V2 Pro pads stay within a certain ‘range’. The slowest ones are quite controlling, but the Speed version, for instance, feels like a medium-fast pad instead of an outright speed pad. That’s good to know before you dive into these pads. The names should be considered as differentiators within the Gigantus V2 Pro line, not as descriptors versus the overall mousepad market.
Razer also advertises that the X/Y glide difference is ‘up to 5%’. In my testing, I found this to hover around 6% on average, which I consider to be close enough to support that claim. None of the Gigantus V2 Pro pads have a big difference between up/down and side-to-side movements. This is not objectively ‘better’ (some people like an X/Y difference to help with flicks in games like VALORANT and CS2) but it can be good to know if you’re looking for a pad that’s consistent on that front.
Foam
The Gigantus V2 Pro pads all use Razer’s proprietary GlideCore foam. This is a super bouncy foam which feels like it resets faster than most foams. As someone who has been into softer pads for the past couple of years, I have to say that the GlideCore foam feels very interesting. Its springiness makes for a very responsive experience, even when using the foams with larger air pockets.
The image below was taken from Razer’s website to give you an idea of how these foams influence the glide.
Source: Razer.com
Base
The base is excellent. Previous versions of the Razer Gigantus had some slippage issues here and there, but those have been fixed. Once you place the pad down, it stays exactly where you left it. Even after a couple of days worth of usage (for both work and gaming) it was right where it has to be, so the base gets full marks from me.
Different Versions
For my review, I have tested all versions (except for the Max Speed, which wasn’t released at the time of review) and will go over them all briefly.
Max Control Version
The Max Control version is the one to go for if you like a very restrained experience. It’s not necessarily the slowest pad on the market in terms of static friction, but it does feel quite ‘magnetic’ when making larger moves or putting pressure on your mouse. Tracking fast-moving targets, for instance, can feel sluggish with this pad.
It’s a good one to go for if you like a foam that really allows mouse feet to dig in, or if you’re heavily invested in tactical shooters, but otherwise I would look towards some of the other options, as this pad can feel very restrictive. This is the one to go for if you want a ‘mud pad’ (I say that lovingly) with a decently smooth surface.
Control Version
The Control version is my personal favorite. It offers a similar restrained experience to the Max Control without being so restrictive on larger mouse movements. The static friction is also a little bit lower, making this a pad that’s still controlling without feeling as if you’re dragging your mouse through molasses.
You still have to put in work to make aiming corrections with this one (especially if you put a lot of pressure on your mouse) though, so it’s absolutely still a control pad. If you like a controlling pad with a soft, bouncy foam, this is a great choice.
Balance Version
The Balance version uses a much firmer type of GlideCore foam than the Control versions. This immediately makes for a pad that feels a lot different.
In terms of the overall experience, I find that the Balance does exactly what it says on the box: it balances things out. With an X/Y difference that’s very low, a foam that has a bit of give, and a glide that’s in the medium category (though it is towards the slower end of that category for me), this is a ‘middle of the road’ experience in many ways.
It doesn’t feel overly slick, nor does it feel like you have to fight the pad for every little move you want to make, though there is some stickiness when starting a mouse move.
This is definitely the one to go for if you’re buying your first serious gaming pad and you’re not sure (yet) what it is that you like.
Speed Version
Obviously, the Speed version is the fastest of the pads I’ve tested, but it’s not a true speed pad in any way. It’s more akin to a medium mousepad that trends towards speed.
What’s noticeable here is that the texture feels a bit more ‘plasticky’ and gritty than on the other pads. This leads to a smoother and more ‘floaty’ aiming sensation, but the overall friction levels aren’t that low. As such, if you’re looking for an ‘icy’ speed pad with no resistance at all, this won’t be it. But if you are looking for a cloth pad with a bit of a slicker touch to it, this is an interesting one.
One note: mouse feet make a huge difference on the Speed version. Mouse feet always affect the glide of course, but the difference between slow stock feet (like on the G Pro X2 SUPERSTRIKE) and faster ones (like on the Viper V4 Pro) becomes extremely apparent here.
Conclusion
The Gigantus V2 Pro mousepads represent a huge step forward in Razer’s mousepad lineup. They are very well-made pads that come in a variety of glides so that there’s something for everyone. The pads lay flat immediately, don’t smell strongly of fabric, and are readily available across the globe. In essence: there’s pretty much nothing wrong here.
If you’re looking to get yourself a higher-quality gaming mousepad, the Gigantus V2 Pro lineup is absolutely a good place to start.
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.
