Razer Goliathus Control Edition

Written by Travis Huinker on 1/10/2014 for PC  

PC Gaming has always involved a crucial set of accessories in regards to the keyboard and mouse, with the latter being added secondly as computers evolved. The one item that is often ignored when upgrading computer hardware and accessories is the mouse pad. The desk surface or the general rubber mouse pad accomplish the task for most gaming on the PC. Yet, with the continual releases of new mice with more advanced laser technology and higher sensitivities, a mouse pad designed specifically for gaming and daily computer tasks proves a worthwhile upgrade. One particular set of mouse pads designed for gaming comes from Razer with the Goliathus series, in both Control and Speed editions. In this review, the Control edition of the Goliathus is covered in regards to its build quality and performance.

Specifications

• Available in Control and Speed editions
• Available in small, medium, large, and extended sizes
• Optimized for all mouse sensitivities and senors
• Heavily textured weave
• Anti-fraying stitched frame
• Anti-slip rubber base
• Extended sizing:
• Width: 920mm / 36.22"
• Length: 294mm / 11.57"
• Height: 3mm / 0.12"

Build Quality
The Razer Goliathus sent to Gaming Nexus for review was the extended size of the Control edition, which is large enough to fit both a keyboard and mouse with extra space left over. The mouse pad's bottom surface is a rubber base that is coated in a neon Razer green that's well designed to prevent slipping. The Goliathus lays flat without any fuss and most importantly it doesn't move out of place during game sessions. In contrast to the Speed edition of the Goliathus, the Control edition's top surface is composed of micro-textures that provide friction to the mouse. The fabric itself is covered in a Razer logo with an overall green and black design. While not the most subtle accessory to display on a desk, it blends in just enough against a keyboard and mouse.

The fabric weave of the mouse pad is also a great surface for resting wrists upon during extended gaming sessions. The only real downside with the micro-texture material is that it picks up dust and other material over extended use, which is easily solved with regular cleaning. New owners of the Goliathus should expect a strong rubber smell for the first couple of weeks, yet it dissipates after that period. As with other Razer products, the build quality is top notch without any sort of edge fraying or issues with the actual fabric material.

Performance
Testing of the Goliathus was performed with a variety of games ranging from first-person shooters to real-time strategy. The Goliathus is designed in particular to offer more detailed precision rather than fast mouse movements across the surface. Yet, even games tested such as Left 4 Dead 2 and Shadow Warrior that required quicker mouse movement performed exceptionally well. The more impressive performers were games that required more precise mouse movement such as Sid Meier's Civilization V and Path of Exile. It was a huge relief that the mouse never accidentally moved past the intended point. It was often the case with other smoother mouse pad surfaces that precise gestures had to be repeated to get the same results.

The extended size of the mouse pad was also generous in that the mouse wasn't limited to a small area for movement. With smaller mouse pads, mice usually have to be readjusted to avoid falling off the surface. A variety of mouse sensitivity settings were tested and none had issues navigating the micro-texture surface. The higher sensitivity settings performed better in comparison with a generic mouse pad as the Goliathus's surface was able to detect the more precise movements and produce less errors. The massive gains in overall mouse performance and precision in both games and desktop environment tasks make the thought of ever switching back to a generic mouse pad near impossible.

Conclusion
The Razer Goliathus Control edition is a great investment for gamers that are looking to upgrade their PC gaming experience. The performance gains in gaming and desktop environment tasks spoke for themselves in the Goliathus' importance. When upgrading to a gaming mouse, the Goliathus should strongly be considered as a vital accessory to complete the set. The Razer Goliathus Control edition and in particular the extended size is strongly recommended to any PC gamer.