ZOWIE G-TFX
I recently acquired the new Zowie G-TFX mousepad and would like to give my impressions of it here. I'll try to describe the glide, the feeling and also some comparison pictures with other pads.
The G-TFX comes in plain black, stitched edges and the Zowie logo on a little patch of cloth stitched onto the pad.
Size
The dimensions of the G-TFX are 485 x 400 x 3.5 mm. For comparison a Qck Heavy is 450 x 400 x 6 mm, so the G-TFX is a bit wider. It's also wider than the new G-SR, however that's due to the stitched edges so the usable surface seems to be the same.
With the ZA11 to compare
Material
Top material is the same as the G-TF Speed. It has a rough feel to it but the glide is faster than on normal cloth pads.
Close up of the top material
The G-TFX has the same new rubber base that the G-SR already introduced.
I already praised that rubber backing in my original G-SR review and there are more comparison pictures with other rubber backings there too.
Build quality
I don't see any compartment where this beauty is lacking in terms of build quality, with the stitched edges fraying is basically impossible, the rubber backing is top notch, the surface is very resistant in itself. As the surface is not simple cloth the glide doesn't change as much and also much slower than with normal cloth pads.
Speed + Control
The top surface, as already mentioned, is very similar to the G-TF series. I already owned the G-TF speed, so here is a comparison between the two:
G-TFX on the left, G-TF speed on the right
I don't know what exactly that material is, but it doesn't feel like cloth, rather a rough form of rubber. What I can say though is that the surface is very fast and has very little static friction. It's almost like a hard pad but soft at the same time. In other words: when you glide your hand over it it softly you could think it was a hard pad, but then you also push in with your fingers and realise that it is in fact a soft pad.
All of my mice tracked perfectly fine on the surface, which is no surprise for new mice with sensors that are rarely picky with any mouse pad. See the ZA11 for reference:
I was pleasantly surprised though to see that the pickiest mouse I have, the Razer Abyssus (original version) did not jitter at all on this pad!
Conclusion and critique
There is really not much to criticize here, what the pad wants to deliver it delivers flawlessly. The only thing that keeps me from using it over the G-SR is that I prefer the feel of the G-SR surface over this one. But if you liked the G-TF and wished for a version with a better backing and bigger size: here it is!
It's durable, it's fast, it's all black. Simply a great pad.
Comparisons with other pads (Pictures)
I recently acquired the new Zowie G-TFX mousepad and would like to give my impressions of it here. I'll try to describe the glide, the feeling and also some comparison pictures with other pads.
The G-TFX comes in plain black, stitched edges and the Zowie logo on a little patch of cloth stitched onto the pad.
Size
The dimensions of the G-TFX are 485 x 400 x 3.5 mm. For comparison a Qck Heavy is 450 x 400 x 6 mm, so the G-TFX is a bit wider. It's also wider than the new G-SR, however that's due to the stitched edges so the usable surface seems to be the same.
With the ZA11 to compare
Material
Top material is the same as the G-TF Speed. It has a rough feel to it but the glide is faster than on normal cloth pads.
Close up of the top material
The G-TFX has the same new rubber base that the G-SR already introduced.
I already praised that rubber backing in my original G-SR review and there are more comparison pictures with other rubber backings there too.
Build quality
I don't see any compartment where this beauty is lacking in terms of build quality, with the stitched edges fraying is basically impossible, the rubber backing is top notch, the surface is very resistant in itself. As the surface is not simple cloth the glide doesn't change as much and also much slower than with normal cloth pads.
Speed + Control
The top surface, as already mentioned, is very similar to the G-TF series. I already owned the G-TF speed, so here is a comparison between the two:
G-TFX on the left, G-TF speed on the right
I don't know what exactly that material is, but it doesn't feel like cloth, rather a rough form of rubber. What I can say though is that the surface is very fast and has very little static friction. It's almost like a hard pad but soft at the same time. In other words: when you glide your hand over it it softly you could think it was a hard pad, but then you also push in with your fingers and realise that it is in fact a soft pad.
All of my mice tracked perfectly fine on the surface, which is no surprise for new mice with sensors that are rarely picky with any mouse pad. See the ZA11 for reference:
I was pleasantly surprised though to see that the pickiest mouse I have, the Razer Abyssus (original version) did not jitter at all on this pad!
Conclusion and critique
There is really not much to criticize here, what the pad wants to deliver it delivers flawlessly. The only thing that keeps me from using it over the G-SR is that I prefer the feel of the G-SR surface over this one. But if you liked the G-TF and wished for a version with a better backing and bigger size: here it is!
It's durable, it's fast, it's all black. Simply a great pad.
Comparisons with other pads (Pictures)