Fnatic Asphalt & Focus 2 Mouse Mat Review

By Meng Vang

Manufacturer: Fnatic PTY Ltd.
Product Name: Asphalt Mouse Pad M, Focus 2 M
Model Number: FG-MP-5060455781850, FG-MP-5060455780624
UPC: 5060455781850, 5060455780624
Price As Tested: €19.99 (Fnatic), $9.99 (Best Buy)

Full Disclosure: The product sample used in this article has been provided by Fnatic PTY Ltd.

When it comes to competitive gaming, having the right mouse mat is just as important as having the right mouse and keyboard. Because Fnatic is an eSports company, they supply gaming peripherals and accessories to take on some of the most competitive electronic sports tournaments. The company has sent us two of their mouse mats: the Asphalt and the Focus 2 M. Both of these feature a cloth top with a non-slip grip, and share the same size at 380 x 290 x 3 mm. As for the Focus 2, it does come in different sizes, which ranges from the smaller M size to a large desk size mat. Benchmark Reviews will take a look at these mouse mats and compare the two together.

The Asphalt mouse mat is available on the Fnatic website for €19.99 (Fnatic). Taking a look at the packaging, it looks rather primitive with just a few stickers around the cylinder-like tube.

The Focus 2 M sells for an affordable $9.99 (Best Buy) and comes in a retail box with its features and specifications listed around it. We can also see from the size indication that we have the M version.

Taking a look at the Asphalt mouse mat, it has the company name in the corner with the company logo as the main decal with an orange and blue theme. The corners would need some time to flatten out because it is packaged differently compared to the Focus 2 M.

The Focus 2 M skips all of the fancy designs with only the company name in the corner. Its cloth material is very similar to the Asphalt making both mouse pads suitable for both laser and optical sensors.

Both mouse mats share a similar bottom grip design and had no trouble gripping the table.

In the next section, we will test these mouse mats to see how well they perform using different types of gaming mice.

Both mouse mats had a very similar design that provided great tracking performance for different sized mice with different sensors. The Logitech G Pro was a smaller sized mouse and had no trouble moving around without hitting the edges. The modified PMW 3360 optical sensor (3366) tracked perfectly fine without any evidence of skipping. Gliding around was very smooth because the surface did not catch onto the Teflon feet of the mouse.

Even for a larger mice like the ASUS ROG Spatha, both mouse mats provided adequate room to move around, but a bit more space could have been better. The ADNS 9800 laser sensor tracked beautifully on the cloth surface even at very low movement speeds.

As for a medium-sized mouse, both mouse mats had no problems accommodating the Clutch 2 gaming mouse with its PMW 3360 optical sensor. It tracked very smoothly and accurately just like the smaller Logitech G Pro.

Although the bottom rubberized grips were not exactly the same, the two mouse mats provided enough grip without moving around too much. I found that the Focus 2 M had a slightly better grip than the Asphalt. Taking a closer look at the side of the two mouse mats, the Asphalt had a softer material than the spongy texture on the Focus 2 M. This did not affect the way the mice performed.

Let’s end this review with my final thoughts and a conclusion in the next section.

The Asphalt and Focus 2 M are both affordable mouse mats that are capable of lasting quite some time. Their soft cloth material is smooth and provides great tracking performance without any noticeable tracking issues. During heavy gaming sessions, the mouse mats stayed stationary thanks to the non-slip grip surface, but I did notice the grip to be better on the Focus 2 M. The Focus 2 does come in three other variants if you prefer a larger mouse mat.

In terms of performance, the Asphalt and Focus 2 M provided great tracking performance for both laser and optical sensors. The cloth material is soft to the touch, which provides smooth tracking without any drag or performance issues.

As for the Focus 2 mouse mats, they all come in black without any sort of fancy designs. I personally like this just because black matches well with most setups, especially if we consider the many RGB peripherals in today’s market. The Asphalt does have an orange and blue theme, but the design does not look too overdone.

For the price, I do not expect the best out of these two mouse mats when it comes to construction. Although they are both made of cloth, they should not have any issues holding up over time. Sugary drinks and water may cause damage to the material, so just be sure not to spill anything on the mats if you plan on keeping them a long time.

As of September 2018, the Focus 2 M currently sells for $9.99 (Best Buy), and the Asphalt is available on the Fnatic website for €19.99 (Fnatic). As mentioned earlier, the Focus 2 does come in three larger sizes but at a premium price. If you are in the market for something simple that gets to the point, the Focus 2 M is a great and affordable mouse mat. The Asphalt, although it may not match every setup, should appeal more to the die-hard Fnatic fans.
+ Great value
+ Smooth cloth surface
+ Great for optical and laser gaming mice
+ Focus 2 is available in M, L, SQR, and Desk sizes
– Asphalt mat needed time to flatten out due to packaging

• Performance: 9.75
• Appearance: 9.25
• Construction: 9.00
• Functionality: 9.75
• Value: 9.25

Quality Recognition: Benchmark Reviews Golden Tachometer Award.