RGB-lit products have certainly become the norm nowadays, with more and more products getting in on the trend. It was only a matter of time until gaming mouse pads received the RGB treatment. In fact, hardware designer Razer has decided to implement its Chroma lighting in the form of a soft mouse pad -- dubbed the Goliathus Chroma -- which had the potential to either be a component that ties a battlestation together or a complete disaster.

Visually, the Goliathus Chroma’s mouse pad is simplistic in design; the specific measurements are 10” x 14.” Instead of sharp corners on each side, Razer opted for rounded edges. The choice not only offers a softer impact on the workspace.

Circling back to the mousepad itself, the material is a lovely soft cloth with a micro-textured surface. The construction offers the right amount of balance and speed along with a non-slippery rubber base below the product.

Since the design itself is rather basic, there is not much to talk about regarding the actual look of the mousepad, other than the stitching on the ends of the product. One significant disappointment I have with the product is the actual location of the USB cable that illuminates the Goliathus Chroma. Placing that wire in the left-hand corner of the product seems weird, and favors the right-handed public. It may have been more practical to put it in the middle of the top of the mousepad (much like keyboards are). This is by no means a significant flaw but can hinder a gaming space if you don't have a ton of surface area to work with.

As I mentioned earlier, the Razer Goliathus Chroma mouse has a simple design with just one USB 3.0 port you simply connect it to your computer. From there, owners can install Razer Synapse 3 software (if you want to use the RGB lighting, of course) and you are pretty much set to go. When it comes to the Razer Synapse 3 and its purpose for the product, there is not much to explain. Once you boot up the program, you have access to everything regarding the mat’s RGB lighting. This ranges from adjusting the brightness of the colors or the pattern in which you can display the millions of colors.

[pullquote]"...if you are looking for something to tie together the RGB visuals of your workspace, the Goliathus Chroma is the mousepad for you."[/pullquote]

When it comes to performance, the Razer Goliathus Chroma mouse mat was designed to have balance for control and speed. During my time, I tried the mouse out by playing Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, Fallout 4, and The Swords of Ditto (just to name a few). The overall performance on it was smooth like butter, and it is hands down one of the softest mousepads available on the market. Of course, as mentioned earlier, the cord clutter got in the way and was very inconvenient while in the middle of a decisive battle or the middle of an online match, so a better location for the cable would have been a lot nicer.

As a medium-sized mousepad, the Razer Goliathus Chroma mousepad is $39.99, which can be a pricey set-back turnoff for those looking for the minimum. What makes the Goliathus Chroma mousepad stand out from the rest (aside from the RGB lighting) is that it offers a harmonious balance between speed and balance. While it is fun to have the best of both words (plus RGB lighting) the $40 price tag may scare off more than a fair share of consumers who could care less about aesthetics. But if you are looking for something to tie together the RGB visuals of your workspace, the Goliathus Chroma is the mousepad for you.

Goliathus Chroma
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