Kaliber Gaming SURFAS II review: Thin, hard, and textured for gaming performance

Mouse mats have come a long way over the years. Initially, they started as basic rubber mats with a fabric coating in a pretty standard size. Now there are not only multiple sizes but also multiple types of surface finishes for added control, speed, and performance.

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Our Kaliber Gaming by IOGEAR SURFAS II gaming mouse mat review looks at a “tournament-grade” performance mouse pad with a textured polycarbonate surface. Read on for our full review.

Specifications

The Kaliber Gaming SURFAS II we reviewed has the following features and specifications:

• Textured polycarbonate surface for increased accuracy and control
• Ultra-long life surface outlasts cloth mouse pads
• Great for both optical and laser sensors
• Non-slip silicone base keeps pad in place
• Incredibly thin design is less than one millimeter thick!
• Dimensions: 11.8 x 15.75 x .03″ (300 x 400 x 0.87mm)
• Weight: 0.28lb (0.13kg)

What’s in the box

• Kaliber Gaming by IOGEAR SURFAS II Gaming Mouse Mat (GGMM2)
• Warranty Card

Design

The one thing about the Kaliber Gaming by IOGEAR SURFACE II Gaming Mouse Mat is that it comes rolled up in a tube. Other mouse pads that I’ve reviewed in the past with a similar hard finish have come flat. As a result, it takes a while for the SURFAS II to flatten before it can be used. I tried flattening it with heavy boxes for about 4 hours then rolled it reverse and stuck it back in the box for another 4. After that, it was close to flat but not all the way yet. I left a heavy box on it overnight and that seemed to do the trick to mostly flatten it. That being said, over five weeks later and the mouse pad still curls slightly on the far right side. PROTIP: don’t ship hard surface mouse pads rolled in a tube!

That out of the way, the SURFAS II Gaming Mouse Mat is pretty standard in size, measuring 400mm x 300mm. It is extremely thin, not even a millimetre thick. The underside has a non-silicone base which does a great job of keeping the mouse mat in place. The polycarbonate surface is textured slightly which is supposed to offer increased accuracy and control for both optical and laser sensor gaming mice. Because it is so thin, IOGEAR does mention it rolls up easily for travel and tournament use. However, given how long it takes to flatten, I’d likely recommend against doing so. I do still find this an odd packaging decision. While it’s not necessarily a design choice, I did dock marks from the design for this because shipping it rolled does affect the design of the mouse mat by not allowing it to lay completely flat.

As far as branding is concerned, the mouse mat is pretty heavily branded but not in a negative way. The Kaliber Gaming logo is relatively small in the lower-left corner, the KG icon is large in the upper right, and a few hexagons round out the design on the upper left of the mouse mat.

Performance

For the most part, the Kaliber Gaming SURFAS II Gaming Mouse Mat performed well with its textured polycarbonate surface. The silicone base keeps the mouse mat in place when used on a smooth desk. I tested the mouse mat with several optical mice and I had no issues at all with performance or tracking on the mouse pad. In most cases, it felt smoother and quicker than the standard cloth finish design that is prevalent on mouse mats.

Again, there was a slight dock of marks here because, after 5 weeks of being laid out and used, the right side still curls down slightly, which does affect performance slightly.

Price/Value

With an MSRP of US$19.99, the Kaliber Gaming SURFAS II Gaming Mouse Mat is pretty reasonably priced. If it was shipped flat, it’d be a heck of a deal given the textured hard performance surface and how thin the mat is.

Photo Gallery

Wrap-up

If you’ve been shopping around for a performance-based mouse mat, the Kaliber Gaming by IOGEAR SURFAS II Gaming Mouse Mat is almost the perfect choice. Unfortunately, the company decided to package it in a rolled-up state, making it difficult to get the mat to fully flatten — even after weeks of use.

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