XPG BATTLEGROUND XL PRIME RGB Gaming Mouse Pad Review

TweakTown's Rating: 99%

The Bottom Line

ADATA's XPG has entered the game in a big way, no pun intended. The Battleground XL Prime is huge, it comes with the option of RGB LED lighting with easy to use controls, and best of all, they are the only one taking advantage of CORDURA fabric!

Buy at Amazon

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When we think of XPG and what they have to offer, we find ourselves thinking about the GAMMIX and SPECTRIX lines of DDR4, and the storage which keeps the same branding. Until recently, we did not even have the slightest clue that they were jumping into the peripherals game, but a quick look on their site shows that they are not afraid to enter new markets. What we see now is a full assortment of good from cases, PSUs, headsets, as well as keyboards, mice, and all the things associated with them.

When it comes to mouse surfaces, you have three basic choices. The first and cheapest method is to use the desktop. Now, we know this is not the best solution, as the readability of the sensor can be an issue on shiny surfaces, and you are bound to wear out the finish on the desk over time. The second option is a soft cloth mat, and this seems to be the most significant portion of the market, as it lends to a good experience for the masses, and tends not to cost a lot.

The third option is a hard-card style mat, where they are typically textures so that the sensor can read properly, but the coefficient of drag is significantly reduced. Beyond the types of mats, what is left, but to choose something with a bit of style and maybe a couple of features you do not typically see everywhere else!

Today, XPG has delivered a mouse pad that not only delivers on a couple of options, one of which we have seen in the past, while the other is entirely new to the game. On top of that, in the mouse pad, we have for you now, it fits our desires to cover the majority of the desktop, so that all peripherals can be on the same surface, as well as allowing those who prefer a lower DPI setting to have as much space to move on as possible. With that in mind, it is now time to take a look at the XPG Battleground XL Prime Gaming mouse pad and see if it is time for an upgrade!

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The box for the Battleground XL Prime took a bit of damage in transit, but it is hard to destroy a mouse pad. The front of the box shows the mouse pad, illuminated, on full display, with notifications of its RGB capabilities, the fact that it is spill-proof, and that the cable is detachable. On what we will call the bottom of the box, we see the mouse pad again, this time with notations around it showing the RGB illumination, the detachable cable, the lighting control buttons, its large surface area, the non-slip rubber back, and use of CORDURA fabric for the top!

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The top panel in this image displays the name of it again, along with the pad shown with its 420mm by 900mm dimensions. To the right is a QR-code to get all of the details, along with a product sticker and company information. The lower panel offers up images of the features, and out of them all, only the mention of the two-zone RGB lighting is new.

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In with the mouse pad, you will also find some literature and a sheet of stickers. The back of the sticker sheet has a message offered, where XPG states they are with you every step of the game, and to thank you for buying their gear. The quick start guide provides three features being pointed out, a small specifications chart, and on the back, it explains how to connect and use it. As for the warranty guide, it describes how to clean the mat, the duration of the warranty, what is covered, and where to go should an issue arise.

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To power the mouse pad, XPG offers a detachable cable, which is of standard length and is sleeved with a braided cloth material. Both ends of the cable are gold plated, and the standard USB 2.0 connection goes to the computer, while the mouse pad connects via the USB Micro-B connection at the other end.

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At 420mm by 900mm, this mouse pad takes up a ton of room in our booth and will cover most normal desktops. We like that the control box and connectivity point is at the back edge of the pad, and the half a logo on the left and the XPG name at the right, both presented in bright red, is a nice touch to help dress things up a bit.

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Moving in closer to have a look at the CORDURA nylon top material, we see that this rugged, tear-resistant, water-repellant material is an excellent choice for two reasons. One, it helps with longevity, as CORDURA will last longer than typical cloth topped offerings. Second, the material is slicker than ordinary cloth, which helps reduce friction, making the movement of the mouse even easier!

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Under the CORDURA top, the Battleground XL Prime rests on 4mm of dense foam used to not only soften the feel but with the chevron pattern used liberally on the bottom of the pad, it ensures this large mouse pad will not move on you when in use.

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In this image, we see a few things worth mentioning. First, and most prominent is the control box. On the edge of it, we see where the cable connects to it, and on the top is the button to select the lighting zone, change the colors, or set it into a color cycling while breathing mode. We also see the thick nylon thread used to secure the edges of the mat, and it also holds the fiber optic style light strip. The last thing is the mention of the use of CORDURA, as shown on the tag.

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With options of white, blue, indigo, green, yellow, purple, and red, we chose the one that matched to top, as we felt it looked the best for an image. The "cycle breathing" mode will cycle through the colors mentioned, while the light pulses on and off with a breathing effect at the same time.

While large mousepads are nothing new, and we have even seen illumination added to them in the past, but not in this manner. However, the big selling point to us with the Battleground XL Prime has more to do with the material choice than it does with anything else. While we can appreciate a dual LED-based lighting system, which can have two sides of the pad one color, while the other two are another, while our keyboard and mouse are using a rainbow mode, the only real answer for us was to use the cycle breathing mode.

Even without software in the mix, whatever of the color selections you choose or the single mode offered, we feel that while not fully RGB in the sense most think of, there is enough there to keep you happy. Do we wish there was more, sure, but that usually entails the use of software, and many users have enough of that running with other devices already!

Size does matter, and the Battleground XP Prime is the largest pad that XPG offers currently, and at 420mm by 900mm, the main area of use on the desktop is covered. Its size allows the keyboard and mouse to rest on an even surface, eliminating issues where full-size keyboard has to rest half on and half off, to keep the mouse and keyboard close enough for comfort while gaming. It also reduces the need to lift the mouse as much due to the overabundance of surface area.

However, while we appreciate all of the things that came together to make this product, we applaud XPG for its use of CORDURA fabric. Many a mouse pad has been worn out, many a mouse pad can feel "slow" due to friction, and unless you go with a hard-card style of pad, a spilled drink can be an issue, but not here! What we end up with a terrific blend of both cloth and hard-card styles, which offers a bit of flexibility, yet has reduced drag exponentially. For our needs, desires, and usage, we feel that the XPG solution to mousepads is near perfect!

The kicker for us is that with all of the things we liked about this XPG offering, we feel that the price is justified as well. Currently, on Amazon, we see that the Battleground XL Prime Gaming Mouse Pad will set you back only $49.99. We have witnessed pads in the past require this level of investment, offering half the area, no illumination, and the visual appeal is not as good. With this product from XPG, they covered all of the needs and wants of the masses, all while not sticking it to the customer on price.

Of course, there will be RGB haters and those who do not see the advantages, but from one who sees a lot of what the market has to offer, just for the use of CORDURA fabric alone, this mouse pad is worth the investment. Also, keep in mind, you can leave it unplugged and not have the lighting if that is what is keeping you from making this your next choice in mouse pads. At the end of it all, it takes a newcomer to the market to show us what we have wanted and delivered it at a price that can be appreciated!

Chad's DDR4 Dual-Channel Test System Specifications

• Motherboard: ASRock X299 OCF
• CPU: Intel Core i7 7740X - Buy from Amazon
• Cooler: LEPA NEOllusion - Buy from Amazon
• Video Card: ZOTAC GeForce GTX 970 AMP! Extreme Core
• Storage: Samsung XP941 256GB
• Case: Thermaltake Core P3 - Buy from Amazon
• Power Supply: Corsair RM750 - Buy from Amazon
• OS: Microsoft Windows 10 Home 64-bit - Buy from Amazon
• Software: CPU-Z 1.78.3 x64, Super Pi Mod 1.5XS, 7-Zip 16.04, AIDA64 Engineer 5.92.4300