ARTISAN Mousepads: A Complete Guide to the BEST Mousepads Available 

Hey thanks a lot of stopping in!! Your kind words made my day haha

Hope this video helped you out! Thanks for your time!

can i ask you about the artisan raiden xsoft , comparing it to the mid raiden please

@@FanWrenEvans20nam OMG I'm so sorry dude, never saw your comment. I believe xsoft gives a much more 'spongy' feel to the pad and will most likely sink your mouse into it. That will also make the pad feel more like a control pad than speed. Mid is much harder and less 'spongy', personally my favorite since I lean more towards speed than control myself. Hope that helps!

@@8LAZ3GAMING bro is better the artisan hien xsoft or the artisan ARTISAN Hayate-OTSU xsoft? for games like fortnite, kovvaks (games where aim is everything)

@@Matteo-tl3ip It all comes down to personal preference, most people go for the Hien since it's the most balanced pad of the lineup

@@8LAZ3GAMING i think i ll go with the hien, you know where i can buy it?

Glad it helped you!! Thanks for stopping by today!

Did the video help!? Thanks for viewing!!

Wow thanks a lot for visiting! Appreciate you stopping in. Were you still in latex sales? I’ll keep you in mind 🤙

Thanks for visiting!! Hope this helped!

No way!! Which mousepad did you decide on? Thanks for stopping in, I really appreciate the support 🙏

Thank you for your time!

Awesome! Which Artisan pad did you end up going with?

@@korgy Hayate Otsu V2 Soft, I really like what ppl describe about it, I will have to wait like 2 months for it to arrive but I know it will worth the wait. Atm I'm using a 4 year old QcK xd

@@rjv2722 you know what… I’ve been using the Hayate Otsu Mid for a little bit and was thinking of maining it for the control!!! Get ready to pack away the QCK, that Artisan pad is going to amazing 🔥

How’s the Skypad treating you!!??

@@korgy it's pretty sick. I'm posting my review this afternoon 😁

Lmfao yeah. You have to let me know how those Lethal Gaming pads are!! Trade you for my Raiden haha.

LOVE the Raiden!! Let me know what you think about it!

Thanks for stopping in 🙏

You're amazing! Hahaha thanks again!

Sheesh, thank you so much for the kind words! 🙏

1000% thanks for the support! Artisan on top!!

🙏🙏🙏

Thank you so much for subbing! Hope to put out some more videos in the future!

Hien is solid. I prefer Zero for games like CS. PUBG and Tarkov might work well with Hien though, haven’t played these games much but Hien overall is really balanced. I did warn you about the Hien texture though, hopefully it doesn’t bother you as much as it did for me. I appreciate you checking out the video!! 🙏

@@korgy hien soft or mid for tracking games/flicks?

@@frogidty probably Hien Soft. Soft gives you more control and a more comfortable pad. Personally I prefer mid because harder pads tend to be more consistent for me and predictable to work with. Hope that helps!

@@korgy I like consistent aim

Thank you very much for your time! Good question. I’m just more inclined to faster pads, so I go with the MID versions. Aside from the pad being thicker and more comfortable on SOFT/XSOFT pads, I don’t really notice much difference. Softer pads do offer more control I think, I’m just more twitchy with my aim and harder pads give me more feedback. That’s just me though.

@@korgy Do you play with high or low sense?

Thanks so much for your support! Hope this guide was able to help!

Totally! I agree with you guys, Carlos and Gus, in your reviews. Ahhh I really wanted to like Kou lol

Thank you very much for viewing 🙏

That's a really good question. My gut reaction say to go with the Hayate Kou because it has this buttery, silky smooth, cloth texture, that's just about all it has going for it. Not my favourite Artisan pad beyond that, probably my least favourite that Hayate Kou. But an Artisan mousepad for casual use seems a little excessive since they feel like mouse pads optimized for gaming! Kind of feels akin to buying soccer cleats for casually running errands hahah!

What's the second comfiest after the kou? :)

You are great lol thank you so much! 😂

Thanks for your time! 👊

Turns into a hien

do u have a discord server

@@Nicholastsai28 not yet! Thank you very much for stopping in, I really appreciate the sub 🙏

first mistake was getting then shidenkai

What sort of mousepads do you like currently? My first pick for you is the Hien pad because it’s VERY BALANCED, not too fast, not too slow. I really dislike the texture though, it rubs my skin and feels like burning lol. If you play a lot of Apex, I know a lot of players tend to like the Hayate Otsu because it’s nice for tracking. I would maybe recommend Zero. It’s pretty slow but very precise and feels nice on skin. Overall, hard to choose. They’re all great pads and I think picking one is a tough situation haha.

@@korgy I was thinking the hien as well but I feel the texture might bother me as well but I think going with a zero starting off would probably be best and I’m really interested in trying a slower pad so thank you for the help!

Definitely get the XL size, the value and versatility in having a larger pad is better than having a smaller pad, I feel. You also mentioned playing at a low sens which means you’ll need more space to glide so XL makes sense. In terms of softness, I’m a big fan of the mid pads. To me mid hardness is more consistent and doesn’t encourage bad behaviours like digging your wrist into your pad. Although in terms of comfort, xsoft is pretty damn comfortable and feels nice on the skin. In terms of a “safe option” xsoft is very safe if you’re unsure. Overall XL and mid is my recommendation. Hope that helps!

@@korgy thanks man I will see if i can actually order one cause I dont want to watch more videos and get confused again!

Thanks for stopping in! I play at 1600 dpi too and control pads like Zero and even XTEN Control feel amazing. I would strongly recommend the largest pad you could get (XL) versus any Artisan large pads. Try to pick up the Artisan Zero Classic in XL if it’s still in stock? It’s pretty much a Zero FX without stitched edges. I’m a huge fan of FAST pads like I briefly mentioned near the end of this video, Shidenkai and Skypad. In fact, I’m back to maining Skypad even though it’s freakin FAST. Hard pads like this are more consistent for me. Hard pads might not be for you though, you also play at a pretty high EDPI so your aim will probably be all over the place. All in all go with Zero Soft, even Mid would be OK I think. Look into XTEN also if it’s in the budget. High DPI and control pads feel evenly balanced to me so it’s a really good combination overall. Hope that helps!!

@@korgy thank you so much for the fast and detailed reply! I bought it :)

@@blinkHQ before you make your decision, check out reviews on LGG’s pads. They’re supposed to be Artisan competitors/clones. From what I’ve heard, they offer practically the same quality, down to the edge stitching. Also a much lower price. I’ve never had nor tried an Artisan, so my opinion is based off of other’s reviews. Same with the LGG pads, as they are for pre-order, so only reviewers have them at the moment. I was looking to dive into one of the Artisan pads, but I really wanted more of a “desk pad”. I love the larger sizes of mouse pads, so I needed something that would replace my Glorious 3XL pad. LGG offers those larger sizes, except on one of the four pads they are coming out with. If it’s not what I expected, then I’ll just have to spend the money on an Artisan and see what I’m missing and if it’s as “end-game” as some make it out to be.

@@korgy Do you have any opinions you care to share, about durability? Most mousepads I have, I am happy with, but overtime they turn into garbage, slow and resistant. Especially when it gets warmer/more humid, they turn to garbage. Do the Shidenkai and Skypad you mentioned have this as well?

Cut your dpi to 400 and then go as fast as possible.

Honestly I think going with another Artisan purely for casual browsing and stuff is silly and complete overkill lol. You could get a nice desk mat for much cheaper instead of paying a premium for Artisan pads. It’s kinda like buying a Formula 1 car to get to school or to do your groceries hahah. But… with that said I find it really weird RU-vidrs like MKBHD use a freakin Hien at his studio (it has such an irritating surface for regular use). Even though there’s a huge demand for Artisan Zeros right now, that would be the nicest pad to have and probably the softest. It’s hard to maintain and ensure it’s dust and lint free, but its soft and comfortable. If I wanted a pad to ruin with everyday use, I kinda would pick the Hayate Kou; it sucks for gaming, usually always available and pretty soft. Hayate Otsu would be nice too if you want a pretty durable/tough surface to use, it’s kinda “rope-y” but not as irritating as Hien. I can’t really recommend Raiden for casual use because again there’s still a possibility your mouse will spinout randomly when just chilling (despite what all the trolls say about it not spinning out - it does occasionally). Hope that helps!

@@korgy thanks so much!

Ok so I had a similar upbringing as you with “plastic mousepads” lol. Here’s a wild recommendation: XTEN SPEED/HARD or XTEN G-CLOTH/BALANCE from Japan. I’ve been using these pads mostly for work but it does remind me of those old school plastic pads. The only problem is these pads can only be found in small sizes (at least for me). I’ve been meaning to talk about these pads in a video but I’ve been so busy with work. Seeing as this is an Artisan review though, I agree with you Hayate Otsu would probably be the next closest option to those plastic pads. The weaves are really solid and tight so it should have the same durability. I haven’t used the Otsu too much but I hear it can start to wear out which kinda sucks. I’ve been using the YUKI Aim pad which I hear is like the Aqua Control pads; that YUKI pad to me has a similar top texture to the Hayate Otsu but kinda more clothy if that makes sense. Almost like Artisan Hien texture without the abrasive material which is really nice. Skypads are next-level, I freaking love the Skypad 2.0 but it’s pretty out of control. Skypad 3 is even more ridiculous (in terms of speed and is actually way too fast for me). Skypad 2 I mained for a long time but I got tired of it making my aim too jittery and shaky: it gives a really good 1-to-1 aim though. Skypad 3 has a really smooth top texture, almost no feedback. And it sometimes doesn’t play well with certain mouse skates. Didn’t really feel like a great upgrade from 2.0 to be honest. I hear some great things about that TJ exclusives Cerapad though, maybe that’s our endgame pad between me and you. Hope that kinda helps, sorry for rambling haha.

@@korgy I will have to try one of these mousepads you recommended for sure. I think you should try a mousepad company pad as well. It’s really my favorite pad Soo far and I’ve tried about 5-10 pads so far. I think it’s also alot to do with the mouse/feet. I used glorious model o for awhile and recently been using the Logitech wireless g pro super light. I sometimes feel the wireless hurts my aim sometimes . My favorite mouse ever was the air ninja from finalmouse (red) but the scroll wheel broke within 6months and they are dumb expensive to replace.

just pre-ordered a mid hien from LGG for my glass skates cause I've heard other people say its a god combo too. Is it still good a month later?

@@lilpopss It's really good, but ended up being too fast for me

Haha I’m still a RU-vid noob. Thanks so much for stopping by!! 🙏

Hey that’s a tough choice. I think Hien might be a good starting pad as it’s considered pretty fast but has a great balance. The material is pretty rough though and can irritate your skin. I still think it’s a great balanced pad though and worth considering as first pick for something like Fortnite. If you think the ropey Hien texture would bother you, I think Hayate Otsu would be good. It’s a nice durable top texture, with slightly slower and controlled speed. Ahh! Tough choice you got there!

Oh. My. God. Glorious ice is so freaking bad. I actually bought it when it first released and it’s the most annoying and inconsistent pad I owned. If you like that pad, Artisan Raiden would be the best alternative, but be weary about spinning out with mice with 3360 sensors. I really love the Raiden though.

@@korgy Ye, I have considered the Hien and Hayate Otsu, but I cant find it in stock anywhere. Do you know where I can find it in stock?

@@korgy Maybe the Odin Infinity Hybrid Mousepad?

@@victorthomsen hmm… just going to have to lookout for when they become in stock on Artisan website or Lethal Gaming Gear (sometimes they do preorders). Haven’t tried the Odin pads, you’ll have to let me know what you think.

Late response but, the Zero is the closest to the QCK and is usually the one recommended for tac shooter games. However, it’s faster than a QCK is but it’s the slowest of these pads. It also doesn’t come in the red color that you like unfortunately.

Tommy Huynh thanks for the info Tommy! I ended up getting an extra large, soft zero, and I love it. Took some time to get used to and unfortunately it's not red, but it is the best pad I've ever used. I tried things like the GSR-SE not knowing there were "fast" cloth pads, so the zero is a healthy balance once you get used to that extra speed that the QCK doesn't have

I am very compelled to recommend Hien for you - only if you are prepared for the skin irritation involved, the texture is very rope-y like I mentioned in the video. RTS requires a good amount of speed but you also need precision when you’re micro managing units. Hien would give you the best balance, I think. I’ve come to realize that Zero is pretty fast for a “control” pad but you don’t want to pick up a slower pad like Zero and feel limited in terms of the speed, that’s why I recommend Hien. Zero is always a strong pick and versatile though. Just slightly slower than Hien (in my opinion) is Hayate Otsu which to me is a really durable, slightly faster pad with some control. Hayate Otsu might be my second pick after Hien. Lastly, this is a stretch: I might even recommend Raiden. Feels great, very fast but gives just enough control - like a touch of control. The only problem is the unreliability of the pad causing spin outs on older gaming mice with 3360 sensors. A pad like this would help you control units very quickly on the complete opposite end of the map, and it gives just enough control and precision. The only issue is if you play on older mice like I mentioned, your mouse will just randomly spin out. Raiden is also very hard to find in stock in XL too. My hunch is you’ll like pick up a Zero anyway which again isn’t a bad pad at all but that’s just my 2 cents.

@@korgy Holy molly, what a reply! Thank you so much!! I had to laugh though, you're right, I did decide to get a Zero. LOL I really resonated with your recommendation of hien, so I think I'll actually keep it in the back of my mind and likely try it after a few months with getting to know the Zero. (Subtle luxury of living in Japan, cost is not an issue) I appreciated the last suggestion, though the quick pads do seem a little foreign to me. I also use kind of an old mouse(looking to upgrade at some point..) I'll let you know how it goes!

Soft is OK. Soft is not my first choice but I think you are going to be OK. I think you buy wrong if you got size L only. It should be XL in my opinion. In the end, it’s still a good mousepad but I think anything less than XL is too small.

Weird enough, if you bought yours through Artisan Japan, I’ve seen them take up to 4-5 days to ship pads out because of the current demand. After that it comes in pretty quick with DHL 2-4 days in my experience (prepare to get owned by customs and taxes at the door). Great pickup though! 👍

Hien is a pretty durable pad, I think you’ll be OK. Personally, I prefer to keep everything off the pad just to extend the life of the pad but really I don’t think there’s anything wrong with putting things on top of the pad, especially Hien. Treat your stuff nice and they’ll last a long time! 👍

Raiden is worth ?

@@Phenom_- yeah! it's super super soft, so alot softer then a hien, texture feels interesting. It's very fast. VERY. but it still has a tiny bit of stopping power i feel like, this doesnt hinder any movement no matter how soft and with how little weight is behind ur action, it will register. this can be a bad or good thing so interpret as u will.

Hmm. To be honest, I haven’t tried those other hard pads you mentioned like the G440. Raiden is pretty controlled compared to hard pads like SkyPAD though that’s why I love it. But extreme fast pads like SkyPAD are just so fun to play on lol. SkyPAD is fast and precise, Raiden is fast too but a touch more controlled than a fast pad. A soft pad I think is just going to be inherently more controlled than most hard pads. I know Lethal Gaming Gear just restocked SkyPAD’s actually so that might be a good place to start. Shipping to Canada is pretty painless but you will get pinched with duties at the door which you can pay in advance using the couriers website (usually another $30-$50 CAD). To your earlier point, you’re going to feel particles and debris on the SkyPAD as well. I don’t think you can avoid this with fast, hard pads. Luckily I play in a cool, dry room so like you mentioned just clearing the pad with a microfiber cloth is usually good enough. It’s funny because you want the hard pad experience with the speed, etc. but it also sounds like you want a cloth-y kind of pad too. Shidenkai might be really be good for you Cyrus, sounds like you would do a good enough job caring for it as well. Can’t go wrong with either, you’re actually considering all 3 of my favorites lol; Raiden, Shidenkai and SkyPAD.

I think if you really like feedback Hien is better. But I’m warning you, the surface is pretty rough so you will get ALOT of feedback and it will be very irritating - for me anyway. On the other hand, I think you would really like XTEN Control. I review it in my new videos. It gives you good feedback and good control (like Zero control) but not as annoying as Hien.

@@korgyMy hien soft is not that abrasive. It's rough to the touch but not bothering my palm or wrist at all. It actually kinda smooth. It give my mouse a feedback which is what i like. Unlike on my Otsu.

Wow, really? I've been using mine lightly for the past couple of weeks and it feels OK so far. I think I know what you mean about it slowing down though. Are you in a humid environment?

@korgy yes I’m in a humid environment

@@theisokid1553 wash it with handsoap for like 1 min and youre good

My otsu v2 soft also feels muddy where i use my mouse after just a week of use. I replaced it with hien soft, and it didn't disappoint me.

@@H3SO88 Hayate soft is bad I heard xsoft would do a better job

Thanks for the feedback. I actually spent a great deal of time talking about texture which I had to cut for the sake of time lol, hope this video helped though! Appreciate you taking the time to stop in 🙏

@@korgy well there is definitely comfort talk, i know the zero has the tighest weave, im not sure which are the next in line for dragging your wrist/forearm on the pads. FX zero almost never in stock

I’m going to be checking out the classic Zero when it gets shipped out from Artisan Japan, hopefully soon. Maybe you’ll want to check that out too. I know what you mean about the FX Zero never being in stock though haha.

@@korgy I got it now, the surface material is very good, however the stitching is also good at least technically yet its abrasive. My old QCK I could rub a newborn baby with it and wouldnt even notice it , while the zerois like @300 grit, forearm gets red after 1 hour of flicking. Its either most reviewer play on an insanely high sens where they never lift the mouse from the pad or just mhmhmh bad.

if you are used to the qck you will love the zero soft

Can’t go wrong with Artisan Zero!! XL and Mid is my personal preference. Be careful though, this setup attracts a lot of dust and hair (the mousepad traps a lot of debris)!

@@korgy Thank you for your advice! I've got Hayate Mid on the way right now, so i will try it first then i will order Zero for comparison. It is easy to sell an Artisan mouse pad in my country, even it is a second hand. No big deal

I actually reviewed the Zero Classic in one of my newer videos. It’s pretty much an FX pad without stitched edges. Great option if you can’t find any of the FX Artisan mousepads 👍👍

I have not tried MPC450 yet. Artisan Raiden is fast though, be careful! Not too fast, but faster.

Noooo. Too small? That’s crazy!! I thought the XL Artisans were plenty big already lol

@@korgy Idk for you it might be fine, but for me i wish it was 5 cm more on each side, i mean i CAN use it, but i have noticed i restrict some of my 180 turns in game.

This is a great question (I also play at 1600 dpi). I think most of these mousepads are overkill for LoL especially. In my opinion, I recommend Hayate Otsu/Hien for the most balanced and consistent mousepads. These pads have a rough texture though, so be careful. They feel like rope and can be irritating on skin. If you’re looking for control and a soft pad, Zero feels awesome. Hope that helps!

Hmm… I think for sweaty players the Hayate Otsu might be nice for you. These are all cloth pads for the most part so I don’t think any pad is going to be resistant to sweat. Hien is nice but very abrasive and that skin irritation may cause you to sweat more so Hayate Otsu is a good balance and very durable (for me at least). I can say do not get Shidenkai or any hard pad because once you start sweating, you will wipe your sweat all over the pad because the pad does not absorb the liquid. You will slide everywhere. Maybe a soft pad like Zero would be nice for you too if you like precise, kind of slow, careful aim too.

TJ Exclusive’s Cerapad!

I have not tried Longteng. I think you can, why not? 👍

No

I think Hien would be a good option. Not my personal favourite because of the fabric but like I mentioned very balanced. I also haven't really played Rainbow Six, so tough for me to say. I have heard Hayate Otsu is great for R6, maybe look into that pad too if you know the Hien material would irritate you like it did for me.

@@korgy Okay thank you👍

How is the zero x soft?

@@pcguy6757 really nice. It’s hard to describe because it’s very unique compared to the other cloth pads I’ve used. The x soft is almost like a plush cushion that’s speedy. I’ve bought 15+ pads over the years and the zero is probably my favorite.

hien i have the hayate otsu and its slower than the hien as i have tried my friends one before