t3ch Review - Razer Goliathus Fragged Control Edition

Jason Tsay Jul 22, 2010 Follow Me Follow Me Follow Me Follow Me Follow Me Follow Me Follow Me Follow Us Exclusive, Gadgets, Gaming, Okay Geek, Okay Geek Review, Peripherals , Reviews

Mousepads; Some people use ‘em and some people don’t, but when it comes to hardcore gamers a good mousepad is a must. Today we’re going to take a look at the Razer Goliathus Fragged Control Edition. For those of you who haven’t heard of Razer before, they are a California based peripheral company that has specialized in making professional gaming products since 1998. So how does this surface perform on the battlefield? Let’s get fraggin’.

Product: Razer Goliathus Fragged Control Edition
What they say it does: “greatly enhances the precision and tactile response of gaming-grade mice without introducing excessive, fatigue-inducing drag and premature surface degradation” (read: more precise mouse control)

My Experience: My initial impression upon seeing the big black cardboard box was: “Whoa, this is serious business!” Testimonials, features, and pictures are printed on the box while a hole on the side lets you “feel the difference” as Razer puts it. The mouse mat comes rolled up inside with no additional tidbits. 

The Razer Goliathus mousepads come in both Speed and Control varieties - the Control uses a textured weave while the Speed uses a tight weave similar to traditional cloth mousepads. Both of these offer 3 different sizes: oversized, standard, and space-efficient. They measure 444mm X 355mm X 4.3mm, 355mm X 254mm X 4mm, and 270mm x 215mm x 4mm respectively. The newer Goliathus mats come with a green “Fragged design” on the black mousepad. At first, I worried the graphic would affect performance in those regions but then I realized that the design was part of the weave and not a printed design on the surface. Each mat has a textured rubber base which grips whatever surface it’s on with ease.

One particular advantage of thick cloth mousepads for gamers is that any imperfections in your your desk will no longer be a tracking hazard. The thickness also acts as a great wrist cushion during long gaming sessions. I have been testing this mousepad for a couple of months now and haven’t really seen any flaws worth mentioning; the unique graphic on the mat didn’t bother me during use and fits in perfectly on my desk. This is a considerably good deal compared to some of Razer’s other mousepads which can cost as much as $50+. It has quite a decent build quality for a cloth mousepad and the design is pretty cool. Mouse movement is very smooth and tracking is super precise during use.

All in all, if you have been using that blue generic mousepad for a long time now and feel that you just aren’t getting those headshots anymore, this is definitely a great upgrade. Though before you hit “buy,” you should understand that mousepads are really just an item of preference. For the audience who enjoys thicker cloth mats this is a perfect choice. For those who need the sheer speed and rigid feel of a hard mat they would be better off with one of Razer’s other mousepads. Razer has a mousemat advisor/guide that I highly recommend you check out to find out what suits you best.

Pro’s: incredibly precise cloth weave, 3 sizes, super grippy base
Con’s: a bit costly (as with all Razer products)
Price: $14.99 - $24.99 (depending on size)
Where to buy it: Razer,  Amazon