In the world of mousepads, there is a LOT of marketing. Every mousepad seems to advertise "The perfect balance of speed and stopping power". It's hard to find an option that is reputable and reasonably priced (looking at you, Shidenkai). After years of using an AmazonBasics mousepad, I wanted to upgrade and was looking around.I had heard very good things about the HK Gaming Ceres Mousepad, so I decided to try it out.
Most notably, that it was made of the same material as the Thor mousepad, a famous one for its speed. So, I dropped $8 on Amazon, and within 4 days, the mousepad was at my door. As with most mousepads, it was scrunched inside a thin rectangular box. Thankfully, the mousepad stopped curling on my desk within a few hours.
When swiping side to side, this mousepad is not that much faster. I would say maybe a 20% increase in speed. Personally, the mousepad did not make me hit flick reaction shots better, but it did help me aim better. However, this is not saying much as the mousepad I was using before was not good. The braid around the side of the mousepad is good; it doesn't rub against your arm uncomfortably, because it is loose. This has a flip side, however. If you accidentally drop a piece of velcro on the braid, and then pull it off, the braid will be torn slightly.
Overall, for $8, this is a great starting mousepad. Although it is not super fast as promised, it feels great and is a super solid option all around. It also comes in four different sizes, including a deskmat size.