While carbon fiber mousepads are certainly pointless, I have to disagree with the notion that optical mice don't benefit from mousepads. You don't have to be a FPS/RTS PC gamer to appreciate the ability to track precisely and comfortably a mousepad would provide. It makes the whole process of using a mouse a lot more smoother, than compared to say, the back of a notebook or just a regular desk. Mousepads in general also help you preserve the feet of your mice for longer.