The Ratpadz is held to your desk by no less than nine clear rubber stopers. By comparison, the Giganta only had five. The rubber feet are very sticky and ensure the mouse surface won't move on you when the Quaking gets tough.

I tested the Ratpadz the same way I tested the Giganta, by  firing up a game of Quake 3 on the Longest Yard and had a railing contest. Railing requires a good aim and control of the mouse (It also helps when you run the game at 1600x1200 like I do).

Using a MS Intellimouse Explorer the Ratpadz offers fantastic control over the mouse. The mouse glides super smooth on the Ratpadz, allowing you to make very small adjustments to lock in on the guy across the platform. Fragging the bad guys with flying rail shots was a snap to pull off. The surface seems a little rougher than the surface of the Giganta but this had no effect on my Intellimouse.

I like the cut of the Ratpadz more than the Giganta. The arch at the bottom allows you to make maximum use of the mousing surface. The Giganta has a notch that doesn't allow as free a movement. I also like the color of the Ratpadz over the Giganta. Black just looks better than blue with my computer.

Once you have gotten used to the Ratpadz, it's damn hard to go back a cloth pad. The difference is really noticeable. First time users of the Ratpadz may find the mouse movement too slick. However, after getting used to it, there is no going back. A cloth pad feels really sticky after.

The Ratpadz doesn't pick up dust or lint and is washable should it ever get dirty. A bit a warm soapy water or glass cleaner and you'll have a clean pad after a few wipes. You can also toss it in the dishwasher along with the dirty dishes. However, you will lose the logo after a few washes.

Given a choice between the Giganta and Ratpadz, I take the Ratpadz for two reasons. The first is the bottom arch that extends the full length of the pad. This allows me to make full use of the entire surface. The second reason is the color. I like black much better than blue. My Giganta was a limited edition blue pad. The normal Giganta comes in black. If you're a gamer, you owe it yourself to try out the Ratpadz. For just $18.95 it's one of the less expensive devices you can buy to improve your Quake game.

The Goods

• Great control over the mouse

• Dishwasher safe

• Doesn't pick up lint or dust

• Nine rubber stoppers

• Great for Railers

The Bads

• Logo won't last long

Rating: 9.8/10

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