A mouse can’t perform at its best without a proper surface to track on, so a mousepad is a no-brainer. While most people focus on the surface material and design, they tend to ignore an aspect that I’d consider far more important—thickness.

4
Your Wrists Will Be More Comfortable

Before we go over the benefits of a thick mousepad, let’s quickly define what “thick” in this context means. A mousepad under 2mm is generally considered thin, 3mm is typically considered medium thickness, and 4mm is the minimum I’d consider thick. 6mm is considered very thick, and the benefits of going above this thickness are minimal.

The #1 reason to buy a thicker mousepad is comfort. A thick, soft mousepad provides better support for your wrist and cushioning to reduce pressure against the hard surface of your desk. If you work in an office or game for long hours and aren’t using a thick mousepad, you’re seriously missing out.

To get the most comfort, you don’t just want a thick mousepad; you want a large mousepad (also called an extended or XL mousepad or desk mat) with enough room for both your keyboard and mouse.

Thick desk mats can often eliminate the need for a separate wrist rest, as they provide similar support. Plus, unlike a wrist rest, you don’t have to move it around every time you reposition the keyboard, and it won’t mess up your aim with the mouse.

I can’t overstate how important a thick mousepad is for comfort. You don’t even have to go all that thick to reap the benefits; anything above 4mm will do. I have very sensitive skin, and a 2mm mousepad I got from Temu made my wrists turn red and hurt after only a couple of hours. This is likely a result of constant pressure and friction.

In contrast, I can use my 4mm-thick mousepad for eight to ten hours a day before the skin on my wrists turns red. Stacking two thinner mousepads does help, though, but you don’t get some of the other benefits that I’ll go over in this article.

3
Better Grip and Stability

Thin mousepads are more prone to sliding and lifting off the desk due to their lack of grip and flexibility. They can easily fold over themselves, which is frustrating and could cost you a win during a fast-paced game when you’re frantically moving your mouse.

A thick mousepad doesn’t face these issues. The thick rubber bottom provides a non-slip base that sticks well to most surfaces. It also covers up the bumps and unevenness of a cheap desk while providing a strong grip on the surface.

2
Gaming Mice Track Better

Thin mousepads can have physical imperfections like random bumps and folds on top of not covering the desk’s imperfections, which can disrupt your mouse sensor’s tracking.

High-end gaming mice have an extremely low LOD (Lift-Off Distance), meaning they stop tracking when the sensor is lifted off the surface. This prevents unintended movements during mouse repositioning. However, a thin, uneven mousepad lacks a consistent surface and can introduce random “blind spots” that’ll make your mouse fail to track, skewing your aim.

A thick mousepad solves these issues by providing an even, consistent surface that ensures smooth, accurate, and consistent tracking. Combined with a low-friction “speed” cloth surface, you can move the mouse as fast as you want without facing any interruptions.

Note that some thick, low-quality mousepads (above 6mm) can have random air bubbles and other quality control issues that can diminish the benefits of a thick mousepad by introducing unevenness. Also, the mousepad should be soft but not so soft that your mouse sinks into it. The pad should provide some resistance and feel bouncy. Spending an extra $10 to $20 to get a quality gaming mousepad from a reputable brand like SteelSeries or Glorious is worth it, as these companies spend a lot of time on R&D to ensure the best experience.

1
They Can Last a Long Time

Thick mousepads are inherently more durable. The rubber part of a mousepad wears down over time due to friction with the desk, eventually resulting in an uneven surface. I had to throw away a Razer mousepad because the rubber wore down to the bare cloth.

A large, durable mousepad won’t move much to begin with, and if it does, it has a lot more material to withstand wear before becoming useless. Plus, if it’s made of high-quality rubber, it can withstand thousands of hours of use before it starts to deteriorate. Instead of replacing your mousepad every few years, invest in something good that can last a long time.

Thick mousepads are made of dense rubber (and lots of it), so they can absorb shocks, sounds, and vibrations really well. They dampen the vibrations from your keystrokes, reducing both sound and noise. This also helps with overall stability; for instance, your monitor won’t shake as much when you type. It eliminates unnecessary distractions, allowing you to focus on your work or game.

Although I always listen to music when I work, I still obsess over silence. I wanted my PC to be as quiet as possible, so I built a silent mechanical keyboard for work. My thick mousepad makes it even quieter.

It’s nice to have that “premium” workspace experience, and you won’t even notice how much a thick mousepad does until you remove it and see the difference yourself. If you want to build a super-quiet and fancy workspace, opt for a thick felt desk mat, as the material can absorb even more noise.

Having no mousepad is the worst-case scenario, but a thin mousepad isn’t all that great, either. A thick mousepad is an essential part of your setup that you shouldn’t skip. It’s both more comfortable and performs better, and it doesn’t even have to be expensive. For instance, I found this budget-friendly 4mm KLIM XXL Mousepad for under $10. You won’t know what you’re missing until you try it!