Steelseries QcK Warhammer Online Age of Reckoning Mouse Pad A mouse pad is very useful when you still have a mouse with a ball in it. It provides better grip for the ball on the surface, so you can work more conveniently with your mouse. For the newer optical and laser mice it is important to have an entirely flat surface to work on. Not all mouse pads provide this, so have a close look at the surface of the pad before buying it if you intend to use it with the latter kind.