Glorious O2 Wireless review: fast as lighting, pretty as a picture
Glorious O2 Wireless: Two-minute review
When Glorious reached out to me about its new Glorious O2 Wireless gaming mouse, it was hard not to jump at the chance. The brand may not be as widely known as the likes of Razer and Logitech, but it has nurtured a cult status among enthusiasts, especially with its keyboards, one of which I’m in the process of building; a prestigious stamp of approval, knowing how particular the enthusiast communities can be. And, it’s high time that I jump on the Glorious bandwagon.
Expectations are high when it comes to the Glorious O2 Wireless, however, as its predecessor, the O Wireless, set a lofty standard, garnering top marks from publications and YouTubers alike. It’s got big shoes to fill, so it’s not just a matter of whether or not it’s a great gaming mouse in its own right but also if it’s good enough to carry on the legacy.
In truth, I have not had the pleasure of testing the original O myself, and I cannot speak for other reviewers who have had that pleasure. But, what I can say is that the O2 Wireless is slightly (more specifically 1g) lighter and longer-lasting then its predecessor. And, it comes with a new and improved optical sensor as well as Bluetooth connectivity.
Obviously, none of those improvements are necessarily going to automatically make it a better version, but I thought I’d list those anyway for anyone who’s wondering.
In its own right, the Glorious O2 Wireless is, for lack of a better word, impressive. Though lightweight, it doesn’t feel cheap or flimsy. On the contrary, the hard plastic case feels premium, and its holey design is well-executed, especially with the vivid RGB lighting that the brand thoughtfully lined inside.
I’m not usually a big fan of lightweight gaming mice with holes on them, but I don’t mind them on this one. It does help that Glorious also lined its sides with more lighting zones, which are just as bright as the ones inside, and finished the design off with subtle and elegant branding.
Could Glorious have made a lightweight mouse without putting all those holes (on both the palm rest and the bottom panel) that exposes its internals to dust and debris? Razer has proven that with the 64g Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro, which is incidentally a personal favorite, and the 58g Razer Viper V2 Pro. But both are also pricier than this $99 (about £80 / AU$150) offering. And none have RGB lighting or as long of a battery life.
And, Glorious has on offer many of the features those other mice have, including app support. The Glorious Core app may not be as intricate as Razer’s software, but it lets you adjust lighting, set key binding, and change settings.
You can remap all six of the Glorious O2 Wireless’ buttons to other mouse functions, keyboard functions, macros, multimedia shortcuts and more. And, you can customize its lighting and change settings like the DPI, polling rate, debounce time, and lift-off distance, as well as personalize three profiles, all of which you can save in the mouse’ onboard storage. Better yet, you can do all that in a much cleaner, much more user-friendly interface.
If you’re lazy like me and don’t want to bother with the app when changing your RGB lighting, you’ll also be pleased to know that RGB can be adjusted on-the-fly using physical button shortcuts. Press and hold the DPI and scroll wheel then press the right button for brightness, the left button for color, and the side buttons for the lighting effects.
Just bear in mind that the Glorious O2 Wireless is a little front-heavy. It felt weird to me in the beginning as I’ve been using the extremely well-balanced DeathAdder V3 Pro, but I didn’t find that to get in the way of gaming. This really boils down to your preference – if you like a gaming mouse with just a little more heft for better control, you’ll appreciate this bit. If you’re like me and want your mouse well-balanced… well, you’ll get used to it.
Speaking of control, while its glide pads work well on both mouse pads and desk surfaces, they do have less grippage, allowing them to glide easier, which in turn should increase your speed during sessions. Not that it needs it with that 26,000 DPI. I still maintain that anything above 1,600 DPI is a gimmick, but then again, I’m not really a pro gamer.
If you are a pro gamer, by the way, it also works whether you’re connected wirelessly via the 2.4GHz dongle or Bluetooth or want to use the cable because you don’t want to take any chances during a competition. The cable that comes with the mouse is extremely flexible and easy to handle. Plus, you can always invest in the Glorious Mouse Bungee, $14.99 (about £12 / AU$22), which works well in lessening cable drag and essentially giving you that wireless gaming mouse experience while keeping you tethered.
That brand-new BAMF 2.0 optical sensor works flawlessly and is incredibly fast. I have not perceived any lags during gaming, and my presses and movements have been accurate even at faster speeds when playing Cyberpunk 2077 and Kena: Bridge of Spirits.
I also very much enjoyed the clicky switches used here. All five buttons are satisfying and effortless to press, though the side and DPI buttons do have slightly more resistance than the left and right ones. Finally, the scroll wheel is easy to turn, offering good control without giving your index finger a proper workout.
The battery life is something to behold. While its rivals top out at around 90 to 100 hours, the Glorious O2 Wireless gives you up to 110 hours of gaming when connected to the 2.4GHz wireless receiver and up
Glorious O2 Wireless: Price & availability
- How much does it cost? $99 (about £80 / AU$150)
- When is it available? Available now
- Where can you get it? Available in the US, UK, and Australia
The Glorious O2 Wireless will set you back $99 (about £80 / AU$150), which may be slightly more expensive than its predecessor but is certainly more affordable than many of its lightweight rivals. That’s not the only thing that makes it a better value. It’s also got vibrant RGB lighting inside and out, as well as a longer battery life.
Now available for purchase at GloriousGaming.com, it’s available in the United States as well as the UK and Australia. International customers may, however, have to wait up to 20 days for delivery, depending on their location.
- Value: 5 / 5
Glorious O2 Wireless: Specs
Should you buy the Glorious O2 Wireless?
Buy it if...
You want a high-performance gaming mouse for less
The 26,000 DPI may be overkill to most people, but if you want a fast, responsive, and accurate gaming mouse, you’ll want the Glorious O2 Wireless, especially since it’s surprisingly affordable.
You like pretty peripherals
While its rivals are slim on design features, the Glorious O2 Wireless goes all out on RGB lighting, making it a very attractive proposition, especially if you love RGB.
Don't buy it if...
You absolutely need an incredibly balanced mouse
It’s a little front-heavy, which isn’t so much a deal-breaker as it is a matter of preference (or something you can get used to). But, if you want something better balanced, look elsewhere.
Glorious O2 Wireless: Also consider
How I tested the Glorious O2 Wireless
- Tested the Glorious O2 Wireless for a week
- Used it for gaming and productivity
- Tested it with faster-paced games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Kena: Bridge of Spirits
I spent a week handling the Glorious O2 Wireless, checking out its features, testing its shortcuts and app, and seeing what it’s made of in gaming. Cyberpunk 2077 and Kena: Bridge of Spirits were my games of choice during testing, the former due to its fast-paced moments and the latter being one of my favorite games to play right now.
I also used it for productivity, meaning I was using it for work just to see how it’ll fare as a dual-purpose mouse. After all, not many of us enjoy switching out our mice every time we switch gears from work to play or vice versa.
As a former freelance tech journalist and now an editor in the TechRadar Computing team, I’ve spent years testing computing peripherals including gaming mice. I also handle most of the buying guides on peripherals.
First reviewed March 2023
0 comments:
Post a Comment