5 Things to Know About Mouse Sensor and Mousepad Compatibility

Laser sensors prefer cloth pads Laser mice can have jitter or acceleration issues on hard pads with shiny coatings, like aluminum or some plastics. Cloth or matte hard pads work best.

Optical sensors work on most opaque, textured surfaces Standard cloth pads are ideal. Shiny or glass surfaces confuse optical sensors, so avoid those.

Laser sensors handle glossy and glass surfaces They track on surfaces where optical sensors fail. But this advantage is often offset by poor performance on certain hard pads.

Optical sensors are less picky overall Any decent mousepad works as long as it is not glass or glossy. They are the safer choice for most users.

Cloth pads are the safest bet for both sensor types Unless you know your specific mouse works well on a hard surface, stick with cloth. This covers almost everyone.