Instead of an even track with the optical mouse as you see it on the monitor this pad makes it hard for the mouse to read movement giving a skip & jump visual. Difficult to home in on a spot on the screen drag items etc.
I like the look of the mouse pad but wasn't expecting it to have a texture to it. I thought it was just a photo of cork but it's actual cork from what I could tell. The texture caused the mouse to not track very well so I exchanged it for a smoother pad.
I was using the desk top surface before purchasing this mouse pad. The difference is remarkable and it blends nicely with my office decor. Not sure why other reviewers had problems with it but I am very happy with the pad's performance.
Light color background is very good for optic mouses but the black holes do not reflect light so the mouse's movement on the computer screen is choppy.