Whether you’ve just purchased a new computer or need to refresh your accessories collection, there’s a good chance you want new mouse pads. After all, most people want to be able to use their computer mouse more easily, and the best mouse pads help deliver. Mousepads help your mouse glide over your desk area without slipping, which can make your computer pointer go places you don’t want it to. Instead, you’ll get great control over your mouse and increased enjoyment of your new Lenovo laptop or Chromebook.

Unfortunately, sometimes it’s difficult to know what kind of cool mouse pads you need. After all, there’s a lot of selection, including large mouse pads, wrist pads for mice, and much more. In this article, we’ll explain the different kinds of mouse pads available from Lenovo, and when you might choose each. Let’s get started.

Types of Mouse Pads and Wrist Rests

Before you buy the cute mouse pads you or your staff want, it’s important to consider which types are in your best interest. Different people have various needs, both in terms of ergonomics and the space available. For instance, you might not want the best gaming mouse pads in an office, because they are often too large for the space. But before we discuss the features of each product type, let’s look at what Lenovo stocks.

• Mouse pad with wrist support: If you’ve ever seen mouse pads that      appear to have a “bump” or pillow at the bottom of the pad, you know what      these are. You can get mouse pad with wrist rest made out of foam and coat      in fabric, models made with gel wrist supports, and many other options.      However, the best mouse pad with wrist support is one that fits you and      makes you feel comfortable while using the mouse. There’s no point in      having these ergonomic tools unless they are beneficial.

With that said, a mouse pad with wrist support is a great choice for a lot of people to get through their workday. Many office workers struggle with aching hands at the end of the day, and so do content creators. If you want to “work happy,” consider one of these.

• Wrist pad for mouse: If you already have cute mouse pads you      love, but you want some wrist support, then consider a wrist pad for      mouse. These are little gel, bead, or foam-filled pillows that have the      same rubberized backing as mouse pads, but they don’t have the flat pad      extending out from them. Many of them are very plain: they can be shaped      like a kidney, be rectangular, or even take on advanced ergonomic formats.

Often, the best wrist pad for a mouse is the one that fits well for you. For instance, if the wrist rest is too high to comfortably cradle your wrist, then you should consider choosing a different one. At the end of the day, you want a great fit to maximize your comfort. At Lenovo, we have a wide range of these products, so you can choose the perfect one at a great price.

• Gaming mouse pad with wrist rest: If you are a diehard gamer, chances are      that you’ll want a gaming mouse pad with wrist rest. While some gaming      mouse pads don’t have a wrist rest, these are just large mouse pads.      Naturally, the large surface is great for playing games where you need to      move your mouse more than usual, such as click-and-drag gaming commands.      In addition, content creators may benefit from that larger surface, depending      on their art. Either way, short of custom mouse pads large, these gaming      models are a good way to provide a big work surface.

Customizable gaming mouse pads: If you have a corner desk or other nontraditional workspace, customizable gaming mouse pads can work well for you. That’s because their large neoprene surface can be cut with a pen knife or scissors. Create any shape you want or need, and don’t worry about the remaining pad fraying or leaking liquid onto anything. However, you should not choose a gaming mouse pad with a wrist rest for this, as it’s nearly impossible to cut the thicker material.

• “Plain” mouse pads: Finally, at Lenovo, we understand that      basic is often what you need. For this reason, we carry a wide variety of      plain, flat mouse pads. While we don’t sell funny mouse pads by      themselves, you can send some of our mouse pads to a print shop to add      company logos or funny sayings. You can even create custom large mouse      pads by shaping them to fit your space. Or, you can pair these with a wrist      pad for the mouse whenever you want, then take the wrist rest away when      you don’t want it.

• Desk mats: A nice alternative to custom large mouse      pads, a desk mat is large enough to hold your keyboard, mouse, pens and      pencils, coffee mug, and other desk accessories. The beauty of these is      that you can put everything on the same level, and as long as your desk      isn’t smaller than the pad, you don’t need to worry about the pad not      fitting your configuration. At this point, no custom mouse pads large are      necessary, unless you want a logo or to make funny mouse pads in a large      format.

Features of mouse pads and wrist rest

Of course, with the large variety of wrist rests and mouse pads, it’s difficult to decide which one you want. At Lenovo, we want you to be happy with your purchase, so it’s important to know what features are available. This way, you can narrow down your choices on more grounds than just price. Plus, if you decide on custom mouse pads with wrist support, you’ll know what to ask for.

• Non-slip base: All mouse pads or a custom mouse pad      with wrist rest have a non-slip base. This lets the pad stay put on your      desk, much like a rug pad keeps your rug from shifting all over the floor.      There are a couple of different materials used for custom mouse pads large      and other models. The older and more common non-slip base type is a foam      rubber material. The second, a more modern option is a silicone rubber      base that is often shiny and can feel sticky. Both of these options grip      your desk or table well enough to keep the pad in place unless the surface      has a lot of oil. In that case, clean your desk.

• Easy-glide top surface: Next, all cool mouse pads (and those      that are basic) have an easy glide surface. The surface type that most of      us remember is fabric, usually a kind of knit fabric. Fabric works well      because it’s a little bit slippery, yet it stays in place on the backing      and lets your mouse easily move from one end of the pad to another. If you      want custom mouse pads large, most of them will have a fabric surface.

On the other hand, if you want the best mouse pad with wrist support, there’s a high chance it’ll have a textured plastic surface. These have a very subtle texture, similar to a laminate countertop. Your mouse will glide across the surface, but the texture will keep it from sliding, which allows for precise mouse movements. These plastic surfaces are somewhat easier to clean: you can use a sponge and wipe them down similarly to the counters.

• Wrist rests have a pillow: Next, whether you have a mouse pad with      a wrist rest or a standalone wrist rest, your wrists have to sit on      something. The best mouse pad with wrist rest has a cushion made of foam      or gel inserts. For instance, the foam insert on a mouse pad with a fabric      cover will often be placed underneath that fabric. This way, you get the      soft feel of the fabric. Plus, there’s little chance of dirt getting      between the wrist rest and the remainder of the mouse pad, making it more      durable.

On the other hand, some cool mouse pads have a silicone wrist rest. The silicone can be placed underneath the fabric. Alternately, companies that make the best mouse pad with wrist rest will use a rubbery plastic over the pillow. With these models, the best mouse pads surface is usually plastic. Either way, custom mouse pads with wrist support are made as a single piece that stays together.

How to use mouse pads and wrist rests

Finally, when you choose the best wrist pad for mouse, it’s important to consider how you will use it. There are different considerations based on whether you’re using your computer for work, pleasure, or both.

• Business use: For many business environments, a mouse      pad and wrist rest often see heavy use. Many businesses choose to supply      basic mouse pads as standard office supplies, assuming the employee will      buy a wrist rest if they want to. Others may go for a uniform workstation      look and provide a custom mouse pad with a wrist rest, usually featuring      the company slogan or logo.

• Home office use: Similarly, home office mouse pads and      wrist rests keep you comfortable while performing office tasks. For      instance, a lot of clerical jobs require hours of typing or other computer      work. With the right mouse pad, you can not only work happier but help      prevent sore wrists.

• Home/entertainment use: Finally, many      of us use our computers mostly for fun. While normal-sized mouse pads work      fine for casual web browsing, hardcore gamers might want the best gaming      mouse pads. Some of these feature wrists that rest along the whole length,      while others are flat. Either way, the surface was specially designed for      people who need to make small mouse movements.

As you can see, there are a lot of mouse pad and wrist rest options available. At Lenovo, we want our customers to enjoy using our electronics, and comfort is an important part of the equation. Fortunately, by using this guide it’s easy to pick the perfect accessories for any computer.