C.S.I. VulcanO - The QcK Heavy Case

SteelSeries decided to use a rather simple but attractive package to put The SteelPad QcK Heavy in. The mousepad comes in a plastic tube which is covered for about 80 percent by a box. This kind of package enables the user to look into the package itself and see what the product looks like without having to “destroy” the complete box. Because of this “user-friendly” package you can re-use it over and over again as some kind of carrying case when going to events. The box itself is completely covered with information but it looks just fine. It includes specifications of the mousepad itself, a product guide, some pictures who immediately prove the difference between a normal thin mousepad and this Heavy variant ... it even includes the sponsored clans who co-developed the product and a statement from Quake star Anton “Cooller” Singov himself which definitely points out that this mousepad was made to be used by the best: professional gamers. I have got my own sample of this QcK Heavy directly from a SteelSeries salesperson so I can’t really write about the delivery at home although I have had some positive reactions about that as people told me they received it in perfect conditions without any damage to the pad or the package. This is a great plus for SteelSeries as companies who enable people to buy their products online need to be able to guarantee that their stuff comes “unharmed” and this can only be done by selecting high-quality couriers.

Specifications

The official product specifications of the the SteelPad QcK Heavy are as follows:

- XXL-sized cloth mouse pad
- Heavy thickness eliminates uneven surfaces
- Ideal for low sensitivity mouse settings
- Compatible with all mice
- Specially designed non-slip rubber base
- 450 x 400mm (17,7 x 15,7in) - thickness 6mm (0,23in)

The Competition

There are loads of competitors on the market all trying to produce the best cloth mousepad in the world. Just to name a few: QPAD CT Series, Corepad C1 Series, X-Ray Aqua 3, Everglide Titan and many, many more. Let’s try to situate this SteelPad QcK Heavy between all those other cloth pads by reviewing it.

Test Conditions

There is not a lot to say about the test conditions as only the used mouse matters in this case. I mostly tested this mousepad with a Logitech MX518 Gaming-Grade Optical Mouse but in the meanwhile I have also used the Razer Copperhead on this surface. Both felt really great but most of the testing was done with the Logitech MX518. As my main focus will be the SteelPad QcK Heavy I am not going into further detail about how the mouse tested. That will be done in future review.

Test Procedure

I have tested the Steelpad QcK Heavy in the following situations:

Gaming: Call of Duty 2 – Quake 4 – Soldier of Fortune 2
Graphics Tasks: Paint – Photoshop
General use: Internet Explorer – Word – Excel – Powerpoint – Funny Games – ...

I decided to give this mousepad a try in as many different situations as possible to give you a clear view on its performance from fast and slow paced gaming over precision work to general computer use.