Matrova Yin. New surface, New roads!

Introduction: Hello ! I am strevlo and today I will be posting my findings and thoughts after a month of playing and testing the Matrova Yin (Textured) Balance Glass Pad. I am new to reviewing so if there's ever any questions that you may have after my review or something you feel I didnt touch on, please feel free to ask me any time! DISCLAIMER I bought the Yin of my own money and intention of trying a "controlled/balance" glass pad, thus everything that you will read from my review will be completely my own honest thoughts.

Matrova Yin specs:

• Dimensions: 490 mm × 420 mm (Standard XL gaming surface) I will have images attached showing its size comparison to wallhack sp-04 and 05 attached below.
• Thickness: 1.5 mm (Ultra-slim profile) its extremely thin! The thinness of the pad and its rounded out edges is a nice bonus cause youll never feel the pad on your arm, especially after many hours of consistent gaming.
• Material: Tempered glass. Its glass however it feels nothing like i've felt from another glass pad.
• Surface Treatment: Uncoated (etched/textured bare glass) Uncoated so can be clean with some simple water a pinch of soap!
• Surface Texture: Engineered balance texture offering distinct tactile feedback without a topical coating layer to wear down over time. Now this is why we are gathered here!

Surface: First glance: The textured surface of Yin is something that you must experience first hand. At first glance when I unboxed the Yin it looked like a normal glass pad from afar. * I must state that I did order a custom Yin, so the first thing I was greeted by was the amazing picture quality of the image of my choosing. * Upon taking a closer look at the surface of the pad you can instantly see the texture that is seemingly weaved across the whole pad. I have seen others describe it as the texture of plywood, and I must say that is the most accurate description that one can give. From the view of your desk looking down you'll just seen the amazing art, however close up you'll see intricate black plywood like texture.

Smoothness: The Yin is smooth to the touch, despite its textured surface. It is not sticky to the skin (However my room is usually around 70°F or 21°C) so it is still recommended to use a sleeve, I would always use a clean sleeve as everyday consistency is important to me. Now in terms of smoothness in game play, I never once caught myself thinking it was not smooth in terms of glide, however it is not as buttery smooth as something you would find on a WH SP-05 or even 04. However this is NOT a negative and ill tell you why.

FRICTION: Now this is what separates Yin from other glasspads I have used! Static Friction: The static friction on the yin is low. Which is ideal as it gives you the option of being as fast as you need to be while seemingly being effortless. I can compare the yin being as fast as the wallhack sp-04, from the start of your glide and through your initial swipes the Yin will move as easily as you want it to do so. This makes tracking in games and performing quick and needed 180s/flicks EFFORTLESS. NOT INTENTIONLESS meaning you control your aim.

Stopping Power/Dynamic Friction: To add on to controlling your aim, the stopping power and dynamic friction can be labeled as "moderate" on the Yin. However in my month of use in games like: Valorant, CS 2, Rainbow 6 Siege, Marvel Rivals and Kovaaks, it was not only enough its what changed the game for me. I mained a WH sp-04 since release and thought consistency is all that matters when it comes to aiming. Now with the stopping power of the Yin, which is significant compared to the wallhack glass pads I own. The ability to stop on a dime due to the texture the Yin has ESPECIALLY with the right skates, its night and day difference. Now to speak on the dynamic friction of the pad, I did state that it could be considered moderate. I state this because it is not as smooth as a wallhack, and its also not as rough as sandpaper or as slow as a "mudpad". Its a in-between that can be adjusted to your preference with the right skates.

Skate influence: Now I only tested the Matrova Yin with 2 skates. wallhack uhmw-pe neutral and Westlab Yellow.

• Wallhack uhmw-pe neutral: With these skates I still felt the stopping power and slower dynamic friction that I desired. However in terms of stopping power it seem lackluster, it felt just a tad bit more control in micro and tracking than my wallhack sp-04. -Westlab Yellow: With these skates ALONE! You have upped the stopping power and dynamic friction to exactly what you'd expect from a balanced glass pad. (controlled like in my opinion). This is due to getting more texture feedback from the yin, it will be noticeable in all movements of your mouse. From a simple glide, to a micro adjustment, to any flick you do, these skates will let you feel the connection of your mouse to the glasspad. Now if you dont like texture feedback this wont be for you, however you would be doing yourself a great dis service by not trying this pad with controlled skates. Honorable mention: -One of the representatives in the official Matrova discord @brandtedtier really vouched for Westlab Grey skates as being the best option for those seeking a controlled experience with the Yin. I unfortunately wasnt able to get some myself, however he has given great advice when it comes to anything peripheral wise so I couldnt make this review without suggesting the best possible skates option.

Price: -At the time of this review the price of Yin is 60$ USD, and 70$ UDS for a custom ! for shipping cost, I paid around 20$ for shipping to the US. This makes the Yin super competitive when it comes to the normal glasspad market. For the price and build quality, Matrova Yin is beyond recommendation.

Points to keep in mind: -Shipping: Shipping will take a while, it took over a month and half to arrive, and even a month in general to get tacking information. However this is something the company is already trying to actively improve, and if you ever need an update, the staff in the offical Matrova Discord is more than happy to help! -Anti-slip base: The anti-slip base does its job most of the time, however if your room is prone to dust it will slip on occasion, and you must keep your desk and the base under your glasspad clean at all times. -Packaging: Now the packaging has a lot left to be desired, my package arrived dent and with a hole. Now its not to say that Matrova has complete control over shipping/delivery handlers, yet I would just like to see more protection for the glasspads in general. The packaging is very similar to the early days packaging you can find for wallhack/skypad 03 models, just a box with soft padding for protection.

Conclusion: The Matrova Yin has been nothing but a blast in the games that I personally enjoy. It has opened my eyes in terms of what a specialized glasspad can do for your aim. If you have any intention of trying something more balanced/controlled or even something brand new please do yourself a favor and try the Yin. Images: (site didnt let me upload photos no matter what I tried) https://imgur.com/a/C5EOIr6