Introduction
These days, there are tons of absolutely fantastic mousepads on the market, both in the premium segment and the more affordable segment. As such, it’s difficult for brands that are just entering the scene to stand out. SONY INZONE has recently released a set of mousepads that are aimed at the enthusiast market, and we had the chance to try them both. We’ll begin with our full SONY INZONE MAT-D review.
At A Glance
SONY INZONE MAT-D
The SONY INZONE Mat-D is a well-crafted medium pad. It’s not the most unique or original pad out there, but it has no huge objective flaws, so it’s a good option for people who like this type of glide.
Pros
- Fade design looks cool
- Stitching is well-done and doesn’t irritate
Cons
- Very strong rubbery smell for the first day or two
- Base could be stickier
Specs
| Height | 48cm |
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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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| Glide | Medium |
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| Static Friction | 42.3 |
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| Static Friction Angle | 7.32 |
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| Glide Difference X/Y | 7 |
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| Dynamic Friction | 1.79 |
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First Impressions
There are a number of things that catch your attention when you first open the SONY INZONE Mat-D’s box. The first thing is the very pronounced rubbery smell. This is common with cloth pads, but it’s a lot stronger here than it is on most other pads. It also takes quite a bit of time to fully go away, so if you’re sensitive to these kinds of things, I strongly recommend leaving the pad in a dry place for a day or two before placing it on your desk.
The second thing you immediately notice is the color and the design. Rather than going for a full black pad or an anime design, SONY INZONE went with a purple/black fade. To me, this looks really cool. The fade is well done and reacts to light beautifully. This is a cool way to make a mousepad stand out without having to go for ostentatious designs like extremely busy anime drawings. To each their own, of course, but I like this.
Finish and Overall Quality
The Mat-D is a rather nicely finished mousepad. The stitched edges are below the surface and feel consistent. I could not find any big irregularities in the stitching on my copy, and I used this mousepad without any sleeves (gaming or otherwise) without issue.
In terms of branding, SONY INZONE kept it quite minimal. There’s a small INZONE logo on the bottom right of the pad, but that’s it.
All in all, this mousepad looks and feels in line with what the rest of the market offers at this price point.
Performance
Glide
On their website, SONY INZONE specifically mention that this pad is made for Battle Royale games and higher-sens games. With this glide, I can kind of see why. In terms of dynamic friction, this pad finds itself in the middle of the pack compared to other pads that we’ve tested. It takes a little bit to get going, but once it does, the glide feels slick.
Once you’ve come to a stop and are going for micro-corrections, you’ll find a bit of resistance, but nothing that makes the pad feel like a so-called ‘mud pad’ or a dedicated control pad. Very small movements feel quite restrained, while larger finger-adjustment motions with your mouse already start to feel a bit slicker.
What’s also notable is the fact that the X/Y glide difference is only 7%. That’s on the lower side for a cloth pad, so moving up and down feels a little bit easier on this one than it does on an average cloth mousepad.
This all results in a pad that lends itself well to games where you need to keep your head on a swivel at all times while still having enough precision to land headshots, while also giving you enough leeway to track fast-moving enemies. BR games are indeed a good example of this. But obviously, you can also use this for tactical shooters or pretty much any genre that you want to play, as long as the glide suits your personal preferences.
In essence, this is a really solid medium-speed mousepad. That’s perhaps not super exciting, but there is something to be said for nailing the basics.
Base and Softness
The foam that’s underneath the Mat-D’s surface feels medium-firm. You can get most mice (feet) to dig into the surface, thus slowing down the glide somewhat, but it’s not something you’ll notice if you have a very light grip.
I like the balance that they’ve struck here, and this feels like a pretty good middle point that most gamers will be able to work with.
We then come to the base, and that feels okay. I’ve seen stickier pads, but this one isn’t hugely problematic either. If you have a very heavy hand while gaming, you might see this pad move a centimeter or so after a particularly long and hard-fought match, but in my testing the movement wasn’t egregious. As long as you’re not playing on a very slippery desk, this pad will probably be fine.
Everyday Usage
The SONY INZONE Mat-D seems like a reliable and durable pad. The stitching is done well, it is fairly crease-resistant, and the pad also handles humidity decently well.
In terms of long-term comfort, I had no issues here. The surface doesn’t tend to trap hairs and other tiny debris, and it’s soft enough to use for multiple hours in a row. The only thing that really bothered me here was that pervasive smell that I mentioned earlier in the review, but that went away after a couple of days.
Alternatives
In terms of the overall experience, I’d say that the X-raypad Aqua Control (Wave) comes pretty close, though the SONY INZONE Mat-D is a bit faster altogether. If you like this type of glide and you want it to be slower, the ZOWIE G-SR II (specifically the ‘II’ version) offers a similar, though slower, experience. If you want a slightly faster pad, the Xtrfy GP4 (which I tested but never reviewed) can be considered.
Conclusion
The SONY INZONE Mat-D is a well-crafted medium pad. It’s not the most unique or original pad out there, but it has no huge objective flaws, so it’s a good option for people who like this type of glide.
Ultimately, whether I would wholeheartedly recommend this pad or not comes down to the price. At the time of writing, I’m seeing it online (in Europe) for between $35.99 and $80.00. At its lowest price, I’d say it’s a very good purchase if you’re into this kind of glide, but anything higher than $50.00 and we’re starting to get into a price range where there are tons of competitors that arguably offer better value for money.
Whether this pad is worth it to you is of course subjective. Looking beyond price, I can say that this is a good first start, but I’d love to see how these SONY INZONE mousepads develop over time.
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.
