Speedlink Fieris Illuminated Gaming Mousepad Review

Introduction & Specification

Aye up Play3r people. Look down at your desk, do you have a mouse mat or as the latest industry buzzword goes a ‘Gaming Surface’? I reckon you probably do, even if you’re not a gamer a decent mat enhances mousing around be it editing video or images, accurate tracking is improved with something decent under the mouse.

Speedlink have been around for decades providing a variety of peripherals, often found in supermarkets their budget range has been a great help for anyone with that sudden keyboard failure on a Sunday lunchtime. Of course, they are not only in the budget market, they have a premium gaming range that is well priced, albeit very red.

I don’t often get to review mouse mats, as they are generally a run of the mill item unless you are incredibly particular about the material and tracking capabilities, you will find any mat from a decent brand more than suitable for the normies among us. Speedlink have sent through something with a little extra though, an LED illuminated mat which offers more than run of the mill. Before we get to the pretty pictures let’s have a look at those specs, yes it really has a spec sheet.

Specifications

• Gaming Mousepad
• Breathtaking red glow
• Ultra precise
• Smooth textile surface for minimal friction
• Connects to and powered by the USB port
• Outstanding gliding performance
• Grippy non-slip backing for maximum slip-resistance
• Compatible with all optical and laser sensors
• 35.5cm long, 25.5cm wide, 0.4cm thick
• USB cable included (150cm)

A Closer Look

Well here we have a rather substantial box for a mouse mat, normally they are rolled up or just in cellophane. The images are a good indication that there is more to this than just textured cloth.

The back of the box is Speedlink’s usual fare of detail in loads of languages, we also get some info on how the mat supports both optical and laser sensors. What no ball mouse support?

Once we unwrap the contents you can see we get a mousemat, an incredibly red USB cable with gold plated connectors and an info guide.

The Speedlink Fieris itself is a medium size and has quite a smooth material feel to it, more slidey than say a SteelSeries QcK, it is slightly thicker than many gaming mats but thinner than the traditional foam backed style. The Fieris is also quite a bit more rigid, this will not roll up. A plastic block is situated at the top right hand corner with an illuminating Speedlink logo and USB connection. The Fieris name is embossed into the bottom left corner of the mouse mat.

Underneath the Fieris mousemat, the material is rubber with an intricate pattern, which while it looks nice is maybe a little unnecessary considering that it won’t be seen. The rubber does, however, offer incredible grip and will stop the mat sliding away under intensive use.

The USB port has a micro USB connection, there is unfortunately no throughput for either power or data which is a shame as it would be a fantastic opportunity to provide a port for a phone which is closer than the PC case.

So plugging in the mousemat the connector proudly displays the Speedlink logo in red, there are no other colour options here which is in keeping with Speedlink’s red gaming theme.

Here we have the main attraction of the Speedlink Fieris, the red LED illumination sandwiched between the cloth and the rubber, the LED lights are based on the right-hand side of the mat meaning there is a gradient of the light towards the left.

Performance & Testing

Speedlink is presenting us with a medium sized mouse mat with the Fieris, the smooth surface and rubber grip should offer some good mousing performance while offering the spectacle of red illumination. The overall quality of the mat seems to be very good.

General Use

Using the mat with the various applications within windows, I find the tracking to be accurate making good use of the sensor on my FUNC MS-3, moving around the desktop at 1800 DPI I had no issues with cropping images or flicking through application menus. The Speedlink Fieris offers a comfortable day to day mat solution.

Gaming

Playing through FPS and RTS games which rely on mouse accuracy, I found the Speedlink Fieris to be easily as good as my standard Steelseries QcK, no issues placing units in Ashes of the Singularity and plenty of accuracy in Playerunknown’s Battlegrounds or Counterstrike Global Offensive. The red illumination adds to identifying desk areas quickly in a darkened room, this could be useful for some.

Conclusion

Speedlink have made a themed collection of peripherals aimed at the gamer, the Fieris continues this red and black theming offering a little light-up bling to go with the rest of the desktop.

Performance

Out of the box the Speedlink Fieris mat delivers a great surface work with and a feeling of quality. The grippy rubber underside offers stability, while the red illumination is not completely even it still looks effective.

Design

Sticking to a medium size, Speedlink are offering a solution that suits the vast majority of desktops. The shape and appearance are striking, especially when lit up, it is a shame that only red is available for the lighting but it is in keeping with Speedlink’s overall gaming peripheral theme. The lack of a USB throughput is a missed opportunity to add further functionality to what is essentially a basic desktop accessory, so adding another cable and using up a USB port just for a light may seem superfluous.

Value

Available between £26 and £32 at the time of writing, I do find the Speedlink Fieris to be a bit pricey considering what it offers. RGB mats are available for around the same price, spending more on the Corsair mat grabs you a USB passthrough for your mouse or phone. Expect non-illuminated performance to be available in the £10-15 bracket. With that in mind, the Speedlink Fieris is not the best value, but if you are looking for that specific red theme for your desktop maybe to match other Speedlink peripherals, you may be willing to spend the extra over a plain mat.

Final Thoughts

The Speedlink Fieris is a great mousing surface to use, even without plugging in the red LED. The rubber underside prevents any possible slipping and the material texture offers excellent sensor tracking. The pricing is just too high for what is on offer and is asking for dedication from those after a red themed setup especially when RGB alternatives are available. I will award the Speedlink Fieris a bronze however as the quality is very good.