Packaging



In common with the other members of the updated Aivia peripheral range, the packaging for the Krypton Dual-sided Mousemat is more towards the high-end of the market. This does unfortunately mean that you won't be able to touch the mousing surfaces without cracking the packaging open, but certain sacrifices must be made for the greater good. As you might have gathered, this mousemat is of rigid design rather than intended to be folded up in storage.

The mousemat is packed surrounded by 5mm thick foam. That's slight overkill for an ostensibly non-fragile product, but it should mean that there's no risk of the rubber frame popping off the mat in transit.

Closer Look



This is our first look at the fabric side of the mousemat. The dimensions are fairly wide for a desk-bound mat at 425mm across the widest extent, whilst the height is more modest at only 285m. A rubber layer backs the fabric section, cushioning your hand and the mouse when resting on it. The rubber frame is a not insignificant proportion of the mat, the design of which allows a dual-sided surface with grippy section fixing the mat more firmly in place than otherwise would be the case. Other solutions we have seen include a frame and reversible insert arrangement, maximising the mousing area but with the potential of having an insert which slides in the frame.



The reverse side of the mousemat is a hard textured PVC surface, once again surrounded by a rubber frame. Unlike the more common fabric, this finish is designed for mouse feet which minimise the surface area in contact with the mat. Due to the additional pressure at the point of contact both feet and mousing surface need to be significantly more durable to withstand abrasion, hence the ceramic material used on the alternate Krypton mouse base. The lower resistance to movement experienced by the mouse lends itself to faster movement and hence response times, making it ideal for FPS at a low mouse sensitivity (in-game or otherwise).



The extent of the mousing area is 265mm x 335mm, fairly typical for mid to large size mats released by a large number of peripheral manufacturers. LAN atendees will need to make allowances for the size and inflexibility, but it's roughly the right size to fit in large courier and laptop bags. Only cleaning the rubber frame should present much of an issue in the long run as it will tend to attract dust and grime as a normal part of day-to-day use.