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Product:
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PCXMods X-Trac Zoom Optical Mouse Pad |
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Price:
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$21 (CAN) / $14.95 (U.S)
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Supplied By:
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PCXMods
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Author:
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Shennon
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Date:
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April 18th, 2003
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Rating:
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Click image for larger view
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Click image for larger view
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In the popular Half-Life mod, Counterstrike using the popular Podbot,
I found again that I didn’t get the same feeling with the X-Trac Zoom as I did with the Compad and
Ratpadz. I attribute some of my results to my lack of skill but performance overall was admirable.
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Click image for larger view
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The final game I tested the X-Trac Zoom with was Unreal Tournament 2k3. The scores were consistent with
all surfaces, but I had a few more deaths with the X-Trac Zoom over the SpeedPad and Ratpadz. In both game
tests, the X-Trac Zoom did provide some decent performance and game play was extremely smooth.
For the secondary test, I will be using a freeware utility called
Mouse Rate Checker v1.1b
by Oliver Tscherwitschke. This little program measures and displays the sample rate of a mouse in Hz and tells you
how often (per second) the mouse sends information to your computer. The mice I will be using are the
Microsoft USB IntelliMouse Explorer and Logitech OEM USB Pilot Wheel Optical.
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Click image for larger view
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Click image for larger view
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The X-Trac Zoom scored relatively close to the reported scores that were posted in the Ratpadz and
Compad SpeedPad reviews posted last year. There was only a 1-2 Hz difference between the Microsoft USB
IntelliMouse Explorer and the Logitech OEM USB Pilot Wheel Optical. This is a good indication on how
well designed the surfaces of both the X-Trac Pro HS and X-Trac Zoom are in comparison to the SpeedPad
and Ratpad for optical mouse tracking.
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Conclusion:
The PCXMods website states that the X-Trac Zoom, due to its thickness, cannot be folded or bent which
would ruin the surface. Without the foam under-pad there is no support for the surface material,
consumers need to be very careful handling the product at a LAN party or gaming event. Being almost
indistinguishable from the desk surface, the X-Trac Zoom's lack of a lower arch was not as noticeable
as I swept my hand across unlike the X-Trac HS Pro, which I felt, the edge on the heel of my palm
during intense gaming. As with the Ratpadz, the Icemat Mousing Surface and the Speed-Pad and the X-Trac
Pro HS, the X-Trac Zoom proves to be a reliable mouse pad during the games based on my reaction times
to the bots through the friction of the mouse against the pad. Overall, I am giving the X-Trac Zoom
Optical Mouse Pad a final score of an 8.5 out of 10
and would recommend it to people looking for a inexpensive and accurate alternative to the higher priced
gaming pads. If you have any questions regarding this review be sure to visit the
PCXMods website for more information or
discuss them in our forums.
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Pros:
- Excellent mouse tracking capabilities with optical mice
- Thin enough to sit comfortably under the keyboard
- Price cheaper than the solid plastic counterparts
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Cons:
- Size (depends on personal preference)
- Priced slightly more than the X-Trac Pro HS
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