When it comes to shopping for gaming peripherals, the mouse pad is often overlooked as a contributor to the gaming experience. More often than not, users rely on cheap dollar store mouse pads or even just their desks for their expensive gaming mice, the excuse being "it's good enough". How many times have you seen a friend or family member use an ad-infested mouse pad simply because they got it free from somewhere? Yet they are likely the very same users who end up with worn out mouse feet, or frequently need to lift their mouse because it does not track properly. Some desks and cheap pads are just too reflective or feature complicated patterns for sensors to accurately gather surface data. The worst is the dirt and grime that quickly gathers on mouse feet for the desk users. Eventually the smooth feeling, expensive mouse ends up being rough to move around (unless your desk is consistently clean).

ROCCAT is a company that offers a wide range of mouse pads among its lineup of gaming peripherals. In the past several months, we have come across several of ROCCAT's mouse pads, the Hiro and the Sense, each offering unique build materials catered to different price markets. Today, we have the ROCCAT Raivo on review. Contrasting the silicone and cloth-based material found on the Hiro and Sense, respectively, the Raivo features a rigid, semi-flexible micro-dotted granular surface and integrated support plate to ensure longevity and durability. As usual, ROCCAT also delivers a non-slip rubber backing while their cat-inspired logo graces the surface. The pad comes in three colors: Lightning Blue, Stealth Black, and Midnight Black – we have the Stealth Black version on review today.

How does the hard surface of the ROCCAT Raivo compete against other mouse pads on the market? Let's take a closer look as we head into our review.