Now that pretty much every part of a gaming PC can be optioned with factory-fitted RGB LED illumination, manufacturers have started looking at accessories. One need look no further than Cooler Master's just-introduced MasterAccessory RGB Hard Gaming mouse pad for evidence of this trend. The top of the pad has a black low-friction silicone mousing surface set off by an aluminum bracket. The edges of the mouse pad are lit up by color-changing LEDs that can display nine different illumination patterns.
The RGB Hard Gaming pad needs power, so it attaches to the host PC with a 5.2' (1.6 m) braided USB cable. The silicone mousing surface is backed with a layer of steel. Metal would slide around on top of a desk during intense gaming sessions, so the the pad has five rubber pads to keep it firmly in place. Cooler Master doesn't mention compatibility with Asus' Aura Sync or other RGB LED management software, though. Buyers can coordinate the RGB Hard Gaming mouse pad with their other light-up doo-dads manually using a small touch-sensitive "button" near the top edge.
Cooler Master's MasterAccessory RGB Hard Gaming mouse pad is available now from Newegg for $30. The company offers two-year warranty coverage.