Are printed mousepads worse for mouse glide than solid color ones?

Yes, printed mousepads can be a gamble on glide. Cheap printed pads often have a rough or tacky texture from thick ink layers, creating drag and slower, less consistent glide. Higher-end custom prints bond ink into the fabric without raising the surface, so the difference is negligible. Most anime art pads from Amazon or Etsy use cheap blanks with glossy or stiff prints, so if you’re competitive or sensitive to glide, skip the art pad and get a solid color from a known brand.