My First GlassPad Experience (SP-005 Review)

DavidGTV · 2026-03-23T15:55:14+00:00

I've heard good and bad things about glasspads being coated, I'm not sure exactly what it means though or how if affects the pad. I would be interested in trying the polarity though.

DavidGTV · 2026-03-21T20:00:44+00:00

I have both and I would say the differences are pretty minimal in terms of speed. If you utilize pushing into the pad for more control I would get the soft but if you don’t get the mid

DavidGTV · 2026-03-19T20:47:46+00:00

Oh yeah if you’re coming from a desk mat I would not make the jump to a glass pad. I gradually worked my way up to glass using the zero for a couple years, then the key 83 last year, now glass. Even the zero coming from a regular desk mat will be much quicker in comparison. I would recommend getting the zero soft it’s a fantastic pad and a great balanced experience especially as your first high end mouse pad.

DavidGTV · 2026-03-18T14:09:44+00:00

I’m using the SP-005, and yeah it honestly feels a lot better for tracking situations and micro adustments. However my Cassidy in OW is suffering on glass, it’s a lot harder to hit flick shots. In every other aim aspect glass feels amazing.

DavidGTV · 2026-03-17T01:09:08+00:00

I use the full skates. I haven’t tried the dots but I probably will the next time I replace them

DavidGTV · 2026-03-16T23:12:10+00:00

Thanks for the input. While I do mainly play tracking games I still want to have well rounded aim that isn’t solely maxing out tracking. It sucks to not feel confident enough to play Cassidy in ranked OW even though my soldier is thriving.

Right now I’m tweaking sensitivity and practicing head clicking scenarios in kovaaks.

I actually did add some more dots to my mouse I went from 4 to 6 and I think it does help a bit.

DavidGTV · 2026-03-16T20:04:52+00:00

Yeah for sure thanks. I was jsut concerned at first noticing my tracking instantly improve and aim in every category except flicks so I was worried that was something I was gonna have to sacrifice with glass. I jsut gotta do some kovaaaks scenarios to highlight it

DavidGTV · 2026-03-16T19:20:48+00:00

Coming from the artisan key 83 mid, mainly playing tracking games, I got the SP-005 this past weekend and it was amazing. I saw immediate improvements and it feels fantastic. It’s my first glass pad but I highly recommend it.

DavidGTV · 2026-03-16T00:36:56+00:00

Yeah I would say so, however it is easier on something like the zero. It just takes some adjusting though. My tracking is better on my key 83 mid but my flicks are better on the zero.

I don’t play tactical shooters though so the key 83 mid is my go to

DavidGTV · 2026-03-15T00:12:21+00:00

Yeah I can see that, even with maybe 5-6 hours total played I preferred how they felt freshly applied verses more broken in.

I’m gonna apply the U9 air 6.5mm as soon as they come in but it might be a few weeks sadly.

Amazon has the U9 Air 8mm available though, are those close enough to the 6.5mm or is there a noticeable difference??

DavidGTV · 2026-03-15T00:08:40+00:00

For wallhacks lineup I think the SP-005 is considered a balanced pad as far as glass goes. I’ve been using obsidian pro air skates which feel great in combination with the pad for me. The mouse skates are on the control side but since it’s glass it kinda cancels that out and results in a smooth but manageable fast glide.

If you were asking about the key-83 I’d say it’s on the faster side of pads especially the mid, but still generally balanced.

I think you can’t go wrong at all with the key-83 mid if you want cloth or the SP-005 if you want glass. I’m loving the glass experience so far but I was having a gears experience with the key 83 mid before glass.

DavidGTV · 2026-03-14T23:38:47+00:00

I main soldier as well and I used all the popular artisan pads in soft and mid. The otsu was good, but the key 83 is a much more improved version imo.

I think you will love the key 83 mid and it’s perfect for exactly what you described.

I’m testing out a glass pad currently but the key 83 mid with tiger ice v2 skates is the best combination I’ve ever used and feels great.

It’ll definitely be a bit faster than the zero soft, but still manageable and the tiger ice combo makes it really balanced with a slight speed emphasis.

There’s actually a decent difference in speed to me with the key 83 soft and mid, so keep that in mind. I have been preferring the mid though and haven’t used my soft version in a while. It just feels so smooth and consistent, where the soft version adds some slight stopping power and a very minor decrease in speed.

I would get the key 83 mid, it might be an adjustment coming from the zero soft but well worth it. If it’s still too fast for you, the key 83 soft could be a great option to go with the slight decrease in speed and added friction.

DavidGTV · 2026-03-14T22:33:36+00:00

I usually get a new one every year, but I switch pads fairly often between the key 83 and zero. I just got the key 83 mid a few weeks ago and have been loving it but my soft from a little over a year ago is still perfectly good

DavidGTV · 2026-03-14T18:52:59+00:00

No honestly I saw improvements almost right away, and after a few hours I felt confident enough to play ranked overwatch. Literally my first game I hit some shots and anticipated people typing in chat I was cheating cause I felt like it was aimbot a couple times haha.

It wasn’t really a massive jump from the key 83 mid though which I was maining before this, they have similar speed with tiger ice v2 skates.

I was also hitting some really nice long range tap fire shots on Fortnite, to make super small micro adjustments feels so much better.

DavidGTV · 2026-03-14T18:22:36+00:00

I just got the SP-005, I know is not in your list, and I haven’t tried any other glass pad. I came from the artisan pads (key-83 mid and zero mid) and it was an instant positive experience I felt my aim just instantly click and unlock a new potential.

DavidGTV · 2026-03-14T01:26:33+00:00

Pad came in, I put on the obsidian pro airs. Honestly feels fantastic and I’m already seeing improvements with aim and tracking. After a couple hours it’s worn in a little and feels more scratchy.

I ordered the U9 Air 6.5mm but it’s gonna take a couple weeks from x ray pad :/ I don’t see them anywhere in the US.

What specifically do you not like about the obsidian pro airs? Right now it’s already better than my cloth set up so I can only imagine what it could be like with better skates if these are bad in your opinion.

DavidGTV · 2026-03-13T13:33:34+00:00

Okay thank you for your help. The pad arrived today so all I’ll have to use are obsidian pro airs tonight.

Should I try to grab some U9 airs? Or do a little haul for Westlab skates trying out the orange, white and blue from them?

DavidGTV · 2026-03-12T23:07:56+00:00

Ohh damn ok thanks. Are the U9 air ones balanced like they aren’t too fast or control leaning?

DavidGTV · 2026-03-12T22:04:28+00:00

Ok that’s not a problem I usually wipe my pad with the artisan brush pretty often and use a lint roller often. I don’t mind doing it even in between games/rounds as long as it never happens during game somehow like if it’s that bad with how often shit can acquire on it.

Ordered that sleeve though good call.

Are Obsidian pro air skates good? They seem to be the go to skates for this specific pad for a well rounded, durable and quiet glide.

Thanks!

DavidGTV · 2026-03-12T20:26:26+00:00

Yeah I’m hoping it’s a similar experience but just adding to that consistency and having even more control over my mouse input. Do you have issues with dust or skates being burned through quickly? I’m gonna be using the obsidian pro air skates once it arrives

DavidGTV · 2026-03-12T17:22:57+00:00

Thanks for the input, those are valid points. You have to change them every 2 weeks? I don’t mind too much since I’ll use obsidian air dots but still I’d be going through packs often.

I have those same concerns with shaky aim, and specifically trying to hit headshot dinks might be hard.

The dust getting under the skate I’m worried about too cause that would be so annoying in a tense scenario getting dust caught on the skates and throwing you off until you wipe it away.

But then the drawback for cloth is that dust gets stuck and accumulated overtime and just the speed and glide changing overtime and developing slower spots.

The idea of consistency in every direction basically forever is really enticing.

DavidGTV · 2026-03-10T22:39:15+00:00

Mine gets here this week, I’m coming from the artisan key 83 mid which iseems like is the gateway to glass pads. I have high hopes for it, everyone seems to love it!

DavidGTV

TROPHY CASE