Image: Razer
Razer, the company that invented the RGB-infused “gaming” drink coaster, is no stranger to flamboyant designs. And it’s no stranger to charging a lot more for those designs than pretty much anyone else can get away with. So here we are: While glass mousepads have been a thing for a few years for those PC users who require aesthetics over functionality, Razer’s making one now. It’s called the Atlas, and it’s a hundred freakin’ dollars.
Compared to some of the other bombastic products in Razer’s catalog, like a soundbar that will scan for your head position or a headset with interchangeable animal ears, it’s surprisingly tame. The Atlas is a 450-by-400 millimeter (17.72 x 15.75 inches) pane of tempered glass, set onto a rubber base that gives it a gunmetal look. It’s super-smooth and hard — duh, it’s glass! — but a slightly frosted etching pattern means it works great for optical mice. As opposed to regular transparent glass, which, you know, doesn’t.
No Chroma lighting, no wireless mouse charging. It’s just a sheet of glass and some rubber with a Razer logo etched into it. The company kindly requests that you don’t use the Atlas to start fires like a magnifying glass, or use it as a gigantic sunshade, or smash someone’s skull with it. (No really, all three of those things are contra-indicated on Razer’s spec page for the Atlas!) The fact that the company specifically tells you not to use the mousepad as a blunt weapon indicates that they’re confident the tempered glass will last a while.
Razer
Razer
Razer
Even so, a hundred bucks is pretty ridiculous. Similar unbranded designs will run you about twenty dollars on Amazon, as will a glass cutting board of approximately the same size. I recommend buying the latter and gluing a regular mousepad cloth to the bottom — at least then you can also use it to chop up veggies.
Author: Michael Crider, Staff Writer
Michael is a former graphic designer who’s been building and tweaking desktop computers for longer than he cares to admit. His interests include folk music, football, science fiction, and salsa verde, in no particular order.
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