I didn’t notice any significant difference on the pad comparing X and Y axis, all good on that front. The mousepad is perfectly consistent across all areas, just be sure to keep it clean. What are your options for now then? Well if you are willing you can spend around 100 Euros on getting the mousepad and enjoying your experience. Alternatively, if you are on a tighter budget you can try the Odin Infinity XL which I would consider Hien’s little brother. Until this point the Artisan Hien mid gaming mousepad has received unending praises, but here is where the narrative changes a bit. I found the Soft Hien plenty fast, but not insanely fast like the SkyPad 3.0 for example. There was still plenty of stopping power to play tactile shooters like CS:GO and Valorant. Artisan’s reputation is one of quality. While no cloth mousepad will last forever, you should get really good mileage out of the Artisan Hien. The pad should maintain its plushness and the stitching should generally hold up. Hien Vs. Other Artisan Pads Zero

The Artisan Hien comes in small mediu, large and extra large, here are the corresponding dimensions. S The Kou is a medium speed pad with a large X-Y differential, the Y-axis is much faster than the X-axis on this mousepad. Finger tip grippers might like this aspect of the mouse pad, but I think it’s more a niche pad. RaidenThe Otsu is slightly slower than the Hien with a smooth texture for the folks that find the Hien texture too much. Kou Classic Artisan pads don’t have a stitched edge while FX Artisan’s do. I recommend spending the extra money for the FX version to prevent any potential fraying on the mouse pad. The stitching on Artisan pads is excellent and do a great job of staying out of the way. Conclusion

Artisan Hien is the 2nd most popular mousepad. Well-constructed mousepad. Has a little bit of rough texture. If you’re not sure about more speed or more control, we would suggest the Hien. It will be your endgame mousepad. The glide is also not influenced by humidity or perspiration. Plug'n'play kind of mousepad. The Hien held up very well over the 30 hours I played with the pad. I don’t expect the Hien to degrade much over time as long as you clean it. The Artisan Hien is a mouse pad to consider if you don’t know if you want to go super fast but know you don’t like control pads. I was worried how the texture would trap dirt and grime, but so far so good. Design & Dimensions Surface Artisan mousepads have 3 different levels of firmness when it comes to each model. They are Mid, Soft, and Extra Soft. These 3 give different feelings when using the mousepad. Some things to consider with this is firmness & speed + stopping power. For example, Xsoft has more cushion which gives more control and stopping power. The mid-mousepad is thinner and harder which improves speed.

Focus on input box

Some people do find the texture too much for their skin or that it snags on sleeves, I didn’t find that an issue at all, I love the texture. Stitching The Hien is a fast pad especially if you bought it in medium softness like I did. This is a big perk of the hybrid surface which has low static and kinetic friction. This allows you to move your mouse with ease from a full-stop and continue your glide seamlessly while micro-adjusting your aim. The Raiden pad is the speed demon of the family. This pad is even faster Hien’s mid-speed. For the folks that really want that glass-pad experience. Classic vs FX A good practice to maintain the speed of your Hien is to clean it regularly with a microfiber cloth and rotate the mousepad around so you break in the entire surface of the pad without creating slow spots.