Cooler Master isn’t the most popular gaming brand.
And the MP510 isn’t the most used mouse pad.
But I’m a fan of gear from Cooler Master and the MP510 comes recommended from some mouse pad fanatics.
I wanted to give the MP510 a try because I heard it’s different from most mouse pads. I’ve tried cloth pads and I’ve tried hard pads, but the MP510 is something else.
You could say the MP510 is neither a cloth pad nor a hard pad because it uses the special Cordura fabric. Cordura is a coarse material that delivers responsiveness, durability, and water resistance.
And it’s exactly this material that gives the MP510 a different feel from the other mouse pads that I’ve tried.
I would describe the MP510 as more of a hybrid pad, and I’ll cover how this mouse pad performs when gaming in more detail as you read through this review.
For now, let’s start at the beginning with the unboxing.
Unpackaging
The MP510 comes in a box with the purple and black colors that Cooler Master is known for, with the pad rolled up inside.
The MP510 is a classic black mouse pad with anti-fray stitching to prevent it from peeling around the edges. And it features a small yet elegant Cooler Master logo in the top right that glows in the dark.
As simple as the design of the MP510 is, I really like it.
When I placed the MP510 on my desk, it didn’t immediately lay completely flat and there were some bumps in the corners.
As the corners are areas that I usually don’t move my mouse over when gaming, this wasn’t a problem.
It actually took more than a week for the MP510 to lay completely flat. In hindsight, I could have placed some weights on the areas where there were bumps to speed up the process.
Sizing
You can get the MP510 in a few different sizes; small, medium, large, and extra large.
If you’re someone that plays mostly shooter games with relatively low sensitivity, then you’re going to want to get at least the large size.
The sensitivity I use is usually around 20-30cm/360 or 65-80 eDPI in Fortnite and I went with the large size, which has the following dimensions:
- Width: 450 mm
- Height: 350 mm
- Thickness: 3 mm
So the large size has the standard 450 mm width that you would expect from a big pad and offers enough room when moving horizontally.
But the 350 mm height is more than 10% shorter than the 400 mm standard height that you would expect from a mouse pad of this size.
I have no idea why Cooler Master decided to chop off some of the height of the MP510.
For me, the slight loss in vertical length wasn’t a problem, even when doing vertical aiming scenarios. You see, when I’m gaming, I don’t rest my whole arm on the desk (I use more like two-thirds of my arm).
But I did feel the need to move the MP510 a few millimeters further up my desk than I usually would (I typically have my mouse pad right on the edge of my desk), to make sure I had the room I needed.
If you’re someone that rests your whole arm on the desk, use a low sensitivity, and you play games with a lot of verticality, then you may find the 350 mm height of the large size MP510 a problem.
In that case, the extra large MP510 may be more suitable for you. Here are the dimensions of the extra large size:
- Width: 900 mm
- Height: 400 mm
- Thickness: 3 mm
So it has enough width to cover a lot of your desk (more than you’ll ever need when gaming) and has the standard 400 mm height, which should be enough for everyone.
Whatever size you choose, the thickness is 3 mm. I find this is a good thickness for mouse pads in terms of comfort for long gaming sessions and performance.
Now let’s look at the performance of the MP510 mouse pad in more detail.
Performance
The MP510 is a fairly fast mouse pad, but it is not too quick that you lose control. Because of the rough texture of the Cordura fabric, the MP510 has a scratchy feeling as you move your mouse over it.
Of course, the MP510 is faster than your standard control pads, like a SteelSeries QcK or Zowie G-SR-SE. But certainly slower than, say, a hard pad like the Glorious Helios.
So the MP510 is well balanced in its speed and it’s a good choice if you’re looking for something that’s faster than your typical cloth pad.
The friction is also a bit lower than your typical cloth pad.
But the stopping power was good enough for me to be able to stop the mouse when I wanted to. So I could perform well when using the MP510 in heavily click-timing games or practice scenarios.
If you play games that are more focused on tracking aim and reactivity, where a faster pad is preferred, then the MP510 is a top choice.
I feel confident when aiming using the MP510 mouse pad and have good control over my mouse movements in all areas of the pad because the surface is consistent.
So the MP510 offers you medium speed and stopping power. In other words, it’s a well-balanced pad that gives you a feeling that you won’t get from most mouse pads.
The Cordura fabric
Now I want to talk about the Cordura fabric in more detail since it’s not a commonly used material in mouse pads.
The surface of the MP510 is rough and many users have said it can aggravate your skin as your arm and wrist moves over it. Because I’m someone with sensitive skin, this was a concern for me.
Here’s a close-up photo of the MP510, so you can get a good idea of what the Cordura fabric looks like.
Fortunately, I haven’t had any skin problems or flareups as a result of playing with the MP510.
Something notable about the Cordura fabric is that it’s very durable and it’s going to remain consistent for a long time.
You can’t say this for a lot of pads.
For example, cloth pads are prone to losing their glide and feel once you’ve used them for a few months or a year.
But you’ll most likely get a good few years of regular use from the MP510 before you notice any signs of it degrading or losing glide.
The Cordura fabric is also water-resistant, this can help the pad feel consistent even if you have some sweat on your arm, or you are in a humid environment.
Also, the stitched edges of the MP510 can help prevent the mouse pad from fraying, further extending its lifespan.
I noticed that the MP510 can pick up bits of particles and fluff from the air, which get stuck to the mouse pad.
If you’re someone that’s sensitive to anything on your mouse pad and you can feel all those little bumps as you glide your mouse over the surface, don’t worry.
The MP510 is quick and easy to clean. I found that just rubbing it gently with a microfiber cloth (that you can get cheap from most shops) will remove any unwanted particles from the surface of the pad.
Some users have said they can notice a difference in how the MP510 feels in the X and Y axis. For example, some users say the Y axis seems slower than the X axis.
But this is not something that I was able to notice. Even when I was isolating horizontal and vertical movements, I was able to perform well when using the MP510.
Conclusion
The MP510 is a well-made mouse pad that gives you excellent performance and the consistent surface that you need when gaming.
If you’re looking for something that’s faster and offers a different feel and texture from your standard cloth pad, then you should consider getting the MP510.
Because it’s durable and available at an affordable price, the MP510 is one of the best value for money mouse pads that you can get today.
>> Click here to see the latest price of the MP510 mouse pad on Amazon.