Mionix Ensis 320
Overview
Hardware: PeripheralsWHAT WE LIKED:
Unique styling; sleek aesthetics; excellent performance with laser and optical mice; hybrid speed/control design; durableWHAT WE DISLIKED:
Pricey; Brushed surface can trap small food particlesSummary
When it comes to control versus speed mats, one is not “better’ than the other; they are simply “different”. One may be preferred for a particular use, such as using Photoshop versus gaming, for example, and people may find certain mice work better on certain surfaces. The reality is that the regardless of the type of mousepad, a successful one needs to be durable, smooth (in varying degrees), noiseless, non-slip, comfortable, and allow any mouse to track accurately across the surface. And the Mionix Ensis 320 accomplished those wonderfully.
Mionix is to be commended; they’ve done an excellent job in creating a premium gaming surface that exudes quality and stylish aesthetics. The Ensis 320 is certainly a wonderful exercise in sleek minimalism, and the brushed aluminum finish is second to none. Pragmatics may complain about the propensity for food crumbs to settle into the tiny grooves, but it’s nothing that a shot of compressed air can’t fix once in awhile.
At a price of about $28, the Ensis 320 is in the upper range of gaming surfaces. It’s certainly no cheap piece of plastic like the old days, nor is it priced like one. Considering how long a mousepad should last, it’s not much of a costly premium to splurge on, and you do get something special here; it’s definitely a looker.
Historically, users have had to give up one some functionality with a mousepad by making a choice: speed or control? But those days may be gone with the Ensis 320 as it manages to achieve a successful balance between the two. It’s silky smooth for gaming speed but finely textured when moving a mouse slowly across.
If you’re torn between choosing a control or speed pad then the Mionix Ensis 320 might be the one to consider, as it offers the best of both worlds.
