Modern mouse sensors don't care about color.

Not really. At least not with any decent gaming or office mouse made in the last decade.

Older optical sensors (think early 2000s, cheap office mice) sometimes struggled on glossy or very light surfaces because they relied on seeing microscopic texture through contrast. A black mousepad often worked better because it absorbed more light, giving the sensor a clearer image of the surface. White or reflective pads could confuse those sensors.

But modern sensors — from Logitech’s HERO, Razer’s Focus Pro, to even the basic ones in a $30 Logitech G203 — use much higher DPI, better processing, and often infrared light that doesn’t care about color. They track equally well on white, black, or even glass (if designed for it). I’ve used a white Artisan Hien and a black Steelseries QcK back to back. Zero difference in tracking.

The only exception is if the mousepad has a glossy finish that reflects like a mirror, regardless of color. That can cause issues. But a matte white pad works fine.

Don’t stress it. Pick the color you like better.