Review: Fnatic Dash2 MAX Mousepad

A mousepad is perhaps one of the most overlooked pieces of hardware in both the gaming and office world, and there are many of those who argue whether you even benefit from using a mousepad at all, or whether you should simply slide your mouse over desks with reckless abandon. 

Of course, in competitive gaming, mousepads are extremely important, due to them being the main touch point of your mouse and the desk. Some players opt for smoother, faster surfaces (called ‘speed’ pads) while others enjoy the slower texture models (called ‘control’ pads).

Esports Insider has taken a look at two new premium mousepads released by the esports organisation Fnatic. While many know Fnatic for its League of Legends, Counter-Strike and VALORANT competitive success, the esports organisation also has a peripherals brand called Fnatic Gear, which was created after it acquired peripherals brand FUNC in 2015.

The mousepads on offer today are the company’s latest: the Focus3 and Dash2, with Dash being the speed model and focus being the Control model. Both come in two sizes, large (480x400x6mm) and extra large (480x480x6mm). Both pads are also very, fanatically orange, and no other colours are offered. Fnatic calls them Sunset and Sunrise – our review sample Dash2 is of the Sunset variation. The mousepads have no RGB lighting, so if that’s what you’re after you’re better off looking in the Razer camp. 

The packaging is a large tube that is to be used to transport the mousepads when needed and is a nice touch for those travelling a lot — such as to gaming events. Just make sure to roll it with the orange side facing outward, or you’ll have a wrinkled expensive mousepad on your hands when you open the box. 

Unboxing the mousepad, you are immediately struck with what Fnatic boasts about the most in its marketing materials: the thickness. While most other ‘regular’ mousepads are between 3mm and 5mm thick, the new Max mousepads come in at around 6mm of thickness, making them feel very dense and plush to the touch. If you push your finger into the pad there is a surprising amount of foam to go through before reaching the bottom. 

I mention foam because the base of the mousepads is actually from a material called Poron, which is a type of foam used in gaskets and for vibration absorption. Using foam instead of rubber allows for a much thicker mousepad because the foam itself, while thin, is much thicker than the rubber which is usually used in mousepads. If you’ve never tried a mousepad like this, you’ll probably be surprised — in a good way.

The experience of using the mousepad has generally been very pleasant for me, with the thickness making it almost like a pillow for your wrist rather than a piece of fabric you slide your mouse on. Fnatic boasts that the added thickness makes for a much more comfortable and ergonomic experience and even improves performance, but that claim might be something every player will have to test out for themselves.

For me, using the Dash felt great. The thickness really felt comfortable and made it strange for me to return to a thinner mousepad after it. The build quality is top-notch, the obligatory Fnatic logo is not in the way of typical mouse movements, the mouse glides very easily and with little effort, and you have the opportunity to push into the pad if you so desire. The thickness is really an excellent addition, and makes using the pad an extremely comfortable experience. From testing it consistently in a variety of games, the pad felt comfortable and fast and its surface did not hurt my palm due to friction. Still, the mousepad sadly does not make you any better in games, just more comfortable.

The colour also really shines to make your setup stand out more. That being said, the MAX pads are only available as bright orange and will unavoidably stand out, so make sure you’re comfortable with a little orange in your setup before you buy. 

As far as mousepads go, I’d recommend this one to anyone who’s comfortable with the price tag and the bright design.