Following on in the slew of peripherals and devices from Genesis, weβve come up to one that doesnβt really fit into either category, a mouse/desk mat. With the ever-increasing designs and orders of full-desk mats, it isnβt too strange to see ones that can cover the entirety of a computer table, though many still opt for a simple mouse pad due to their longer use. Letβs see if the Genesis Carbon 500 Ultra Wave desk mat by Genesis holds up the quality of the other Genesis items.
Here are the specifications:
- Double-sided – No
- Material – Fabric (top), Rubber (bottom)
- Colour – Gray, Black
- Illumination – No
- Height – 2.5 mm
- Width – 450 mm
- Length – 1100 mm
To start off, the size, the mat easily takes up a good 75% of my desk, which also holds 2 monitors and 2 consoles. The mat is so large I can also hold my drink coasters as well as other items youβd find on a desk like keys and notepads. It isnβt really designed to also hold a monitor, however, so if you have a smaller desk Iβd advise looking for a smaller mat, as having a monitorβs stand halfway on the mat might cause some slanting issues.
Though my use of the mat I have had no real issues with slipping or grip, it keeps hold of my keyboard nicely yet allows smooth movements of my mouse.Β I do have my mic arm attached to the corner of the mat, keeping it clamped to the desk, however, this isnβt necessary at all since I havenβt had the mat move on the desk at all, aside from the times where I forcefully wanted it to move, its special rubber, non-slip base definitely holds true.
The surface of the mat is smooth and comfortable to hands, easily cleanable with a whip to remove crumbs or dust. I do have one complaint about the mat in its design, that being the stitched rim that goes all around it, as it can cause irritation on your wrist when using a mouse for extended periods of time. One thankful design choice I am thankful for is that the squared colour design of the mat has no indentation or protrusion, like some other low-quality mats do, creating an even finish.
Aesthetic wise, the mat isnβt overly flashy or gaudy, which suits me fine with the ever-increasing number of powered mats with neon lights. A simple fade from grey to black gives the mat a simplistic yet appealing look. The lack of lights and it is a dark design, maybe a drawback for some setups, however, since many products come with lighting around the edges or buttons, making this mat a glaring difference, but again that is totally down to preference.
At a price of around Β£25, the Genesis Carbon 500 Ultra Wave sits at a good price when compared to others of its size, some are cheaper but they tend to be of cheaper materials or designs. If youβre an avid computer user I would advise a wrist rest, like the memory foam mats or bean bags, to take away from the irritations of the outside stitching. If the mat was about Β£5 or so cheaper, itβd be a no-brainer purchase, throwing in another item to solve the stitching may push this over-budget for one of the more throwaway purchases of a gaming setup.
Overall, the Carbon 500 Ultra Wave by Genesis gets a 9/10. There are little to no faults with the desk mat as far as I could tell, the price isnβt too competitive with other companies and could be a bit lower to really push it above the others, and the outer lining does detract a bit from the whole experience. As it is a larger mat, I do advise you make some measurements of your own desk beforehand to make sure it will fit comfortably atop it.
You can grab this mouse mat here for β¬28.69
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