Introduction to Zero
Some day in September, I read from Artisan’s Facebook page about the "HIENKAI" monitoring campaign!! that they are making a new mousepad that is similar to QcK in feel but has better performance and quality. I immediately signed up for it for the want of testing something new before everyone. The campaign basically requires us to buy the pre-production Zero from their web shop at a discounted price, and to post a review after testing it for Artisan to improve their products. And here it is, my beta tester Artisan ZERO XSoft M.
(my QcK mini shows some wears from two months of use.)
QcK is the entry-level pad of Steelseries. Some say “if you have no idea which pad to get, get QcK!” However, Artisan think that QcK is not good enough for eSports and probably does not deserve its popularity among FPS players, who Artisan thinks can improve their level by using better mousepads.
(Apologies for my clumsy expressions - English is not my mother tongue)
Who are Artisan?
Artisan is a professional mousepad manufacturer and researcher. Plus, every Artisan mousepad is purely made in Japan, which I take it as an assurance of quality.
There are a few lines in Artisan g.3 mousepads: Hien, Hayabusa, Hayate, Shiden, Shidenkai and Raiden, and Zero is a new member which is still being tested. Each product has its own special surface cloth. Within each product, there are usually a few hardness to choose from, ranging from Hard, Mid, Soft, to XSoft, giving different touch and operatibility, while VE stands for “value edition” with the hardness of Soft and using a cheaper, yet still strong, anti-slip bottom layer.
Zero Testing Setup
Mice:
1. Logitech G500 - 900DPI / Gaming - 1800DPI (All steps: 400, 900, 1800, 3600, 5700)
2. Roccat Savu - 800DPI / Gaming - 1600DPI (All steps: 400, 800, 1600, 4000)
3. Razer Salmosa Asia Pro-Gaming Edition - 800DPI / Gaming - 1800DPI (All steps: 800, 1800)
Mousepads for comparison: SS QcK mini, Artisan Hien
O/S: Windows XP (SP2, SP3), Windows Pointer Speed = 6/11, “Enhanced Precision” unchecked.
Applications being tested: Word, browsing the Internet, LoL, MS Paint (Sorry I don’t play much FPS)
Specifications of Zero
Descriptions: Feeling close to QcK, Glide is faster than QcK, slower than Hien; Easy operability priority than the initial motion
Specifications:
1. Surface: knit ( polyester twisted yarn )
2. Middle layer: Single-bubble rubber foam by a special structure
3. Anti-slip: Embossing
4. Size: M - 31.5 x 24.5 x 4 mm / L: 42 x 33 x 4 mm
5. Hardness: XSoft
Zero Compatibility
Compatibility (From Official Site)
O - Kana, Kinzu V2, Sensei, G300, MX518, EC1/2
X - DA 3.5G, IE3.0, G500
V - EC Evo, AM (only work in higher sensitivity)
However, I don’t find any serious problem affecting the use of G500, Savu and Salmosa on Zero. For detailed comparions with other mousepads, please read on.
Zero on Hands and Build Quality
First impression: it feels like neoprene. The surface material feels just like QcK but less sticky and the texture is more pronounced. It is more flexible than surface material used in Hien/Shiden.
The XSoft middle-layer of Zero is very dense yet tender and bouncy. As I press my finger against Zero, the touch feels like memory foam/neoprene, but it returns to its shape upon release of finger.
Smooth surface and the tender middle layer makes it very comfy for the wrist. Moreover, this combination makes zero easy to be rolled up for ease of carry like QcK.
The bottom layer is the usual “Emboss” anti-slip layer. Once you lay Zero flat on the desk and sweep its surface, the mousepad is like firmly stuck on the desk surface and cannot be pushed around. To move it, I would need to peel the whole thing off the desk first. This “sticky” effect is more pronounced on smooth surfaces (which allows air-tight chambers to be formed inside the Emboss texture), but even on less smooth surface like Galant, the anti-slip effect is still great. The anti-slip ability of QcK mini, 4HD, I-2 and 5L pale in comparison. If your mousepad does not stick firmly to your desk, Artisan could be your choice of vendor of your next mousepad!
Build quality is one of the greatest attribute of Artisan mousepads. First, the flat card box package allow the pad to be stored flat unlike many other mousepads which are rolled up, and it stays completely flat upon the first time you take it out of the box. Second, the edges are very nicely cut and there is no frays whatsoever. Excellent build plus the fine textures of Zero makes it feel like an art work.
However, Zero (or other Artisan's mousepads) are quite edgy at the edge thanks to the sharp cut. Some might prefer the edge of their mousepad to be smoother, like the Goliathus's stitched edge.
Lift off Distance
Below is the Lift-off distance of my 3 mice on different mousepads.
Zero Operability
Initial motion - in between QcK mini and Hien Mid. In the slope test, the initial friction of zero is right between the two.
Glide: Also between QcK mini and Hien Mid. Moreover, it does not seems to be directional unlike Hien (which has more friction for vertical motions than horizontal motions).
Smoothness: In quicker movements, QcK mini feels sticky and slows down mouse movement, but it is absent on Zero and Hien.
Stopping: The stopping motion on Zero XSoft feels more snappy than that on Hien Mid, which is in turn more snappy than QcK mini.
Summary: Just as Artisan’s description, Zero is close to QcK but faster motion. With similar smooth texture of traditional cloth pad that QcK uses, Zero offers lower friction and a faster initial motion and glide. It is made to be an easily acceptable surface with slicker performance than QcK. I prefer the mouse movement on Zero to that on QcK
Drawing Tests
The following tests are drawn in MS Paint of Windows XP using the pencil tool (which has a single pixel thickness and there is no anti-aliasing) with polling rate of 1000Hz.
1. Drawing circles slowly
This tests jitters and operability in precise motions, which can be more important for drawing applications and unit selection in RTS games, as well as aiming heads in FPS. At 800-900DPI, every mousepad works well, except as I used Savu on Hien the texture somehow caused me to move the mouse in straight line occasionally, causing the “angle snapping” effect. At 1600-1800DPI, slight jitters appear on all 3 clothpads but not on 4HD. At 3600-4000DPI, the jitter is so great in the Savu + QcK mini and G500 + Zero combination to perform any precise motion. Otherwise the jitters on the three cloth pads are still quite pronounced, and less on 4HD.
2. Drawing circles quickly
This tests jitters and operability in quicker motions. At 800-1800DPI, most combinations work fine, except Savu on Zero shows some slight jitters. There is a bit more jitter at 3600-4000DPI, except that the jitter is unbearable with the Savu + Zero combination.
3. Drawing Straight Lines
This tests prediction and jitters. All combinations are stable at 800-900DPI, and even without angle-snapping I could draw reasonable straight lines on Savu and G500. At 1600-1800DPI, there is no problem except slight jitter in two of the lines drawn by Savu on Zero. At 3600-4000DPI, there are jitters here and there, but the vertical lines of Savu on Zero show serious jitters.
Summary: In terms of operability in precise motions, the difference is easily felt at higher sensitivity settings like 3600-4000DPI, which I rank it 4HD>Hien>Zero>QcK. However, both Savu and G500 exhibit serious jitter problems on Zero at the highest DPI setting that I tested. Thus I would say that high sensitivity users (around 3000DPI or above) should be cautious about getting this mousepad and there are safer choices elsewhere.
Conclusion: Artisan’s Zero Point Breakthrough?
I can confirm that Zero is a product that is based on the touch of QcK with improved qualities in terms of initial motion and glide speed. While it does not improve tracking of mice (note the jitters at high DPI), Zero has faster glide, better operability in precise movements and better build quality than QcK. Purely from the quality and feel of the pad, I can’t imagine anyone choosing QcK over Zero, except those who prefer more friction on their pads. Users who love the glide of hard pads but miss the touch of QcK are also potential owners of Zero.
However, if you are not fans of QcK’s texture, then, among the pads I have tested, Hien is an all-round better pad than Zero, while 4HD is the pad with better operability and that allows the mouse sensor to track better (except for it being too slippery to stop precisely). There are many other good mousepads that are priced similarly, like Goliathus, Taito and Talent. Too bad I don’t own them and cannot compare them with Zero. Nor do I have any PTE/PixArt mice to test.
Moreover, some common mice (like DA 3.5G, IE3.0, EC Evo, G500, etc) have compatibility issues with Zero. I find this acceptable for premium products like Hayabusa because premium users do not mind picking a suitable mouse for a good pad (and they probably have a collection of mice to choose from). However, I do not understand how an entry-level mousepad like Zero can be this picky, as the target customers are less likely to pick a mouse to fit the mousepad. In all fairness, however, I don’t find much problem with G500 or my other mice on Zero except some jitters at high DPI.
Can Artisan absorb the current QcK users? With the limited exposure of the brand “Artisan” to gamers, it is hard for Artisan to compete with SS or other famous gaming gear manufacturers, who have already established their position in the mousepad market. It is a challenge for Artisan to promote itself and increase its market share. Let’s see whether Artisan can make a breakthrough in the entry-level mousepad market with Zero and make themselves known to the gamer audience.
Edited by raisinbun - 10/4/12 at 2:28am
Some day in September, I read from Artisan’s Facebook page about the "HIENKAI" monitoring campaign!! that they are making a new mousepad that is similar to QcK in feel but has better performance and quality. I immediately signed up for it for the want of testing something new before everyone. The campaign basically requires us to buy the pre-production Zero from their web shop at a discounted price, and to post a review after testing it for Artisan to improve their products. And here it is, my beta tester Artisan ZERO XSoft M.
(my QcK mini shows some wears from two months of use.)
QcK is the entry-level pad of Steelseries. Some say “if you have no idea which pad to get, get QcK!” However, Artisan think that QcK is not good enough for eSports and probably does not deserve its popularity among FPS players, who Artisan thinks can improve their level by using better mousepads.
(Apologies for my clumsy expressions - English is not my mother tongue)
Who are Artisan?
Artisan is a professional mousepad manufacturer and researcher. Plus, every Artisan mousepad is purely made in Japan, which I take it as an assurance of quality.
There are a few lines in Artisan g.3 mousepads: Hien, Hayabusa, Hayate, Shiden, Shidenkai and Raiden, and Zero is a new member which is still being tested. Each product has its own special surface cloth. Within each product, there are usually a few hardness to choose from, ranging from Hard, Mid, Soft, to XSoft, giving different touch and operatibility, while VE stands for “value edition” with the hardness of Soft and using a cheaper, yet still strong, anti-slip bottom layer.
Zero Testing Setup
Mice:
1. Logitech G500 - 900DPI / Gaming - 1800DPI (All steps: 400, 900, 1800, 3600, 5700)
2. Roccat Savu - 800DPI / Gaming - 1600DPI (All steps: 400, 800, 1600, 4000)
3. Razer Salmosa Asia Pro-Gaming Edition - 800DPI / Gaming - 1800DPI (All steps: 800, 1800)
Mousepads for comparison: SS QcK mini, Artisan Hien
O/S: Windows XP (SP2, SP3), Windows Pointer Speed = 6/11, “Enhanced Precision” unchecked.
Applications being tested: Word, browsing the Internet, LoL, MS Paint (Sorry I don’t play much FPS)
Specifications of Zero
Descriptions: Feeling close to QcK, Glide is faster than QcK, slower than Hien; Easy operability priority than the initial motion
Specifications:
1. Surface: knit ( polyester twisted yarn )
2. Middle layer: Single-bubble rubber foam by a special structure
3. Anti-slip: Embossing
4. Size: M - 31.5 x 24.5 x 4 mm / L: 42 x 33 x 4 mm
5. Hardness: XSoft
Zero Compatibility
Compatibility (From Official Site)
O - Kana, Kinzu V2, Sensei, G300, MX518, EC1/2
X - DA 3.5G, IE3.0, G500
V - EC Evo, AM (only work in higher sensitivity)
However, I don’t find any serious problem affecting the use of G500, Savu and Salmosa on Zero. For detailed comparions with other mousepads, please read on.
Zero on Hands and Build Quality
First impression: it feels like neoprene. The surface material feels just like QcK but less sticky and the texture is more pronounced. It is more flexible than surface material used in Hien/Shiden.
The XSoft middle-layer of Zero is very dense yet tender and bouncy. As I press my finger against Zero, the touch feels like memory foam/neoprene, but it returns to its shape upon release of finger.
Smooth surface and the tender middle layer makes it very comfy for the wrist. Moreover, this combination makes zero easy to be rolled up for ease of carry like QcK.
The bottom layer is the usual “Emboss” anti-slip layer. Once you lay Zero flat on the desk and sweep its surface, the mousepad is like firmly stuck on the desk surface and cannot be pushed around. To move it, I would need to peel the whole thing off the desk first. This “sticky” effect is more pronounced on smooth surfaces (which allows air-tight chambers to be formed inside the Emboss texture), but even on less smooth surface like Galant, the anti-slip effect is still great. The anti-slip ability of QcK mini, 4HD, I-2 and 5L pale in comparison. If your mousepad does not stick firmly to your desk, Artisan could be your choice of vendor of your next mousepad!
Build quality is one of the greatest attribute of Artisan mousepads. First, the flat card box package allow the pad to be stored flat unlike many other mousepads which are rolled up, and it stays completely flat upon the first time you take it out of the box. Second, the edges are very nicely cut and there is no frays whatsoever. Excellent build plus the fine textures of Zero makes it feel like an art work.
However, Zero (or other Artisan's mousepads) are quite edgy at the edge thanks to the sharp cut. Some might prefer the edge of their mousepad to be smoother, like the Goliathus's stitched edge.
Lift off Distance
Below is the Lift-off distance of my 3 mice on different mousepads.
Code:
LOD G500 Savu Salmosa
Zero <3mm <4mm <5mm
QcK mini <5mm <5mm <5mm
Hien <2mm <6mm <6mm
ShidenK <3mm <4mm <4mm
4HD <2mm <2mm <3mm
Zero Operability
Initial motion - in between QcK mini and Hien Mid. In the slope test, the initial friction of zero is right between the two.
Code:
Slope Test Zero QcK-mini Hien-Mid
Savu 8deg 9deg 7deg
G500 10deg 11deg 9deg
Salmosa 6deg 7deg 6deg
Glide: Also between QcK mini and Hien Mid. Moreover, it does not seems to be directional unlike Hien (which has more friction for vertical motions than horizontal motions).
Smoothness: In quicker movements, QcK mini feels sticky and slows down mouse movement, but it is absent on Zero and Hien.
Stopping: The stopping motion on Zero XSoft feels more snappy than that on Hien Mid, which is in turn more snappy than QcK mini.
Summary: Just as Artisan’s description, Zero is close to QcK but faster motion. With similar smooth texture of traditional cloth pad that QcK uses, Zero offers lower friction and a faster initial motion and glide. It is made to be an easily acceptable surface with slicker performance than QcK. I prefer the mouse movement on Zero to that on QcK
Drawing Tests
The following tests are drawn in MS Paint of Windows XP using the pencil tool (which has a single pixel thickness and there is no anti-aliasing) with polling rate of 1000Hz.
1. Drawing circles slowly
This tests jitters and operability in precise motions, which can be more important for drawing applications and unit selection in RTS games, as well as aiming heads in FPS. At 800-900DPI, every mousepad works well, except as I used Savu on Hien the texture somehow caused me to move the mouse in straight line occasionally, causing the “angle snapping” effect. At 1600-1800DPI, slight jitters appear on all 3 clothpads but not on 4HD. At 3600-4000DPI, the jitter is so great in the Savu + QcK mini and G500 + Zero combination to perform any precise motion. Otherwise the jitters on the three cloth pads are still quite pronounced, and less on 4HD.
2. Drawing circles quickly
This tests jitters and operability in quicker motions. At 800-1800DPI, most combinations work fine, except Savu on Zero shows some slight jitters. There is a bit more jitter at 3600-4000DPI, except that the jitter is unbearable with the Savu + Zero combination.
3. Drawing Straight Lines
This tests prediction and jitters. All combinations are stable at 800-900DPI, and even without angle-snapping I could draw reasonable straight lines on Savu and G500. At 1600-1800DPI, there is no problem except slight jitter in two of the lines drawn by Savu on Zero. At 3600-4000DPI, there are jitters here and there, but the vertical lines of Savu on Zero show serious jitters.
Summary: In terms of operability in precise motions, the difference is easily felt at higher sensitivity settings like 3600-4000DPI, which I rank it 4HD>Hien>Zero>QcK. However, both Savu and G500 exhibit serious jitter problems on Zero at the highest DPI setting that I tested. Thus I would say that high sensitivity users (around 3000DPI or above) should be cautious about getting this mousepad and there are safer choices elsewhere.
Conclusion: Artisan’s Zero Point Breakthrough?
I can confirm that Zero is a product that is based on the touch of QcK with improved qualities in terms of initial motion and glide speed. While it does not improve tracking of mice (note the jitters at high DPI), Zero has faster glide, better operability in precise movements and better build quality than QcK. Purely from the quality and feel of the pad, I can’t imagine anyone choosing QcK over Zero, except those who prefer more friction on their pads. Users who love the glide of hard pads but miss the touch of QcK are also potential owners of Zero.
However, if you are not fans of QcK’s texture, then, among the pads I have tested, Hien is an all-round better pad than Zero, while 4HD is the pad with better operability and that allows the mouse sensor to track better (except for it being too slippery to stop precisely). There are many other good mousepads that are priced similarly, like Goliathus, Taito and Talent. Too bad I don’t own them and cannot compare them with Zero. Nor do I have any PTE/PixArt mice to test.
Moreover, some common mice (like DA 3.5G, IE3.0, EC Evo, G500, etc) have compatibility issues with Zero. I find this acceptable for premium products like Hayabusa because premium users do not mind picking a suitable mouse for a good pad (and they probably have a collection of mice to choose from). However, I do not understand how an entry-level mousepad like Zero can be this picky, as the target customers are less likely to pick a mouse to fit the mousepad. In all fairness, however, I don’t find much problem with G500 or my other mice on Zero except some jitters at high DPI.
Can Artisan absorb the current QcK users? With the limited exposure of the brand “Artisan” to gamers, it is hard for Artisan to compete with SS or other famous gaming gear manufacturers, who have already established their position in the mousepad market. It is a challenge for Artisan to promote itself and increase its market share. Let’s see whether Artisan can make a breakthrough in the entry-level mousepad market with Zero and make themselves known to the gamer audience.
Edited by raisinbun - 10/4/12 at 2:28am
