If desk space is a valuable commodity in your working environment, you’ll be better off setting your mouse to a higher sensitivity and opting for a smaller mouse pad to save on space. In this case, you won’t find better than Logitech’s Studio Series. Available in three colours – Graphite, Dark Rose and Blue Grey – the Studio Series is a stylish little number that will add a dash of elegance to any desktop.

The PowerPlay is the most expensive item on this list for a reason. Specifically, it offers one of the most useful features that you could want from your gaming mouse pad – charging your mouse while you play, ensuring that it will never unexpectedly die on you mid-game. This feature does come with some caveats, the first being that it is not cheap. Secondly, this pad is only compatible with the Lightspeed brand of wireless gaming mice from Logitech, comprising of the G502, the G703 and the G903, the latter of which appears in our roundup of the best gaming mice. Syncing your gaming peripherals into your RGB lighting ecosystem is always a satisfying experience, but each new element added does come at the expense of an open USB port to use for other things. This fully-featured gaming mouse pad from Corsair goes some way to correct this issue by including a USB hub, providing two extra ports for the one that it uses. Not only is this a wonderful mouse mat to use, but it also comes with a handful of other benefits such as a useful flap, which can be used to store important documents. We also really liked the bundled wireless charger, which snaps magnetically to the side of the mouse mat and can be used to charge your smartphone up to 15W. It can also simultaneously charge a pair of AirPods or other earbud cases with wireless charging support. Ergonomic wrist rest: If you spend a lot of time at your desk, you’ll already be aware of the importance of an ergonomic setup. A wrist rest provides a soft but supportive place for your wrist to sit, allowing you to keep it in a comfortable position while using your mouse. You can buy these separately, but for the sake of simplicity, as well as ensuring that you have enough space on your desk, a mouse pad with an integrated wrist rest could be the way to go.Wireless charging: A few more premium mouse pads offer integrated wireless charging. Some of these will be universal, giving you a handy spot to juice up your devices while you’re working or gaming, while others are compatible with specific wireless mice, charging them up as you use them. Either way, you’ll need a USB port to plug these mats into, and they also come with the caveat that the space being used to charge devices will naturally restrict your mouse movement. A hard mat, on the other hand, is designed for speed, cutting out any unnecessary friction to keep your mouse movements as nippy as possible. If you feel confident in your ability to stop the mouse on a dime, or if you just generally prefer speed over precision, a hard mouse pad will provide the least amount of resistance. If you’ve got the desk space and a tendency to cover an extensive surface area when using your mouse, you’d be wise to opt for the biggest mouse pad you can get. Logitech’s G840 XL is a full desktop pad that essentially turns every inch of your deskspace into a mouse mat, giving you plenty of room to manoeuvre, as well as the freedom to adjust your setup on the fly. Key specs – Dimensions (HWD): 312 x 344 x 4mm; Material: Polycarbonate, cloth, rubber; Weight: Not specified; Waterproof surface: No; Additional features: Wireless charging (Logitech Lightspeed mice only)

The rumours are true – size does matter. Specifically, you need to be mindful of the space you have to work with when buying a mouse pad; an extra-large mat will be of little use to you if you’re working from a desk with limited surface space. The soft surface is made from 100% recycled polyester, which in addition to being better for the environment, also provides a silky smooth ride for your mouse, with just enough friction to keep movements precise and deliberate. The edges are braided, so fraying is a non-issue and you also get a handy boundary that stops your mouse from skipping off the edge of the pad.While correct positioning can ensure that your wrist is supported when using any of the other entries on this list, the Kensington Duo Gel makes the process a whole lot easier with its built-in wrist rest. As well as being a smooth base for your mouse to glide over, some pads include key features that you may find useful. Here are some of the main ones to look out for: Buying the best mouse pad may not be all that high on your list of priorities when designing the perfect workstation or gaming rig, but you’d ultimately be doing yourself a disservice if you overlook this crucial component. After all, even the best mouse in the world is at the mercy of the surface it sits upon.