Glass mousepads chip pretty easily.

Yes. Glass is glass. Even tempered glass — which most glass mousepads are — will chip or crack if you drop it on a hard floor or whack the edge against something metal or stone.

The edges are the weak point. Drop it on tile or concrete and you’re likely looking at a small chip, maybe a crack that spreads. A hard plastic or metal corner of a keyboard tray? Same story. Some manufacturers use a stronger glass or a reinforced edge, but it’s still glass.

I have a glass pad myself. It’s fine on my desk. But I’d never take it to a LAN party or toss it in a bag with a metal water bottle. One bad bump and you’ve got a sharp-edged defect that ruins the glide.

If you’re careful and keep it on a clean, stable surface, it’ll last. If you’re clumsy or move your setup around often, stick to cloth or hard plastic.