Glorious Model O2 Wireless Gaming Mouse review

The Model O2 isn’t a radical overhaul of Glorious’ first gaming mouse. But it doesn’t have to be. The second iteration provides several modest improvements, cementing its position near the top of the mid-priced market.

The Glorious Model O made an impressive debut three years ago. Effectively, it was the gaming mouse equivalent of an exotic sports car, flaunting an eye-catching appearance, an impossibly light weight, and RGB effects that commanded attention. But first impressions aren’t too helpful when assessing factors like ergonomics and durability. Fortunately, I can speak to the feel and long-term durability of the device since it became a fixture in my commuter bag.

Across the last three years, I haven’t pampered it. It’s been jostled quite a bit inside my backpack, dropped a few times, and has been used enthusiastically during gaming. Save for some almost imperceptible scratches on the Model O’s Teflon feet, it is indistinguishable from the day I took the mouse out of its retail box. It’s spent quite a bit of time in windy cities, facing the threat of dust inside the partially open chassis. And while I cleaned my Model O after noticing a worrisome accumulation of tiny particles, functionality has never been compromised. Save for a lower MSRP, there didn’t seem much reason for revision. Glorious pretty much nailed it their first time out.

More Options for Wireless Connectivity

Undoubtedly, the market team listened to fastidious consumers with the Model O2 Wireless model exhibiting several minor improvements. These additions position the new model at $64.99, about $15 more than the original mouse. But you’re getting the option for 2.4 GHz wireless with the bundled dongle, allowing for effortless, lag-free connections. But if you don’t need millisecond precision, Bluetooth is the way to go. The Model O2 uses the Bluetooth 5.2 Low Energy (or LE) standard, resulting in a purported 210 hours of battery life before needing a recharge.

We attempted to test that spec for ourselves, chaining the device to an oscillating electric fan, since the “Glorious Core” companion app only allows for a sleep mode without lighting. We were able to get a bit over seven days of use, which is roughly 168 hours. In most real-world situations, a user probably isn’t constantly moving the mouse, which might explain the discrepancy.

When using linking via the dongle, you can expect a battery life about half as long. Pleasingly, the Model 02 is a speedy charger, replenishing a depleted internal battery in about two hours. But we would have appreciated seeing the charge level automatically signaled by the mouse’s LEDs instead of only through the app – which can be inaccurate. (Technically, you can remap one of the mouse buttons to do this, but who wants to do that?)

Less than Glorious App Functionality  

At present, the Glorious Core app has a few bugs to extinguish. We observed battery life jump from 0% to 65% after seconds of charging. Making a connection was a needlessly convoluted process, such as asking for an introductory sync when a connection has already been made or asking the mouse to be brought to within 10 in/22 cm of the receiver. Thankfully, the range when using 2.5Gz or Bluetooth is much further, providing owners with at least 20 feet of reach. Despite that a wired connection was confirmed in the app, a firmware update was refused. And the lack of a true sleep mode is a puzzling omission. But despite all of its quirks, you can’t ditch the app if you want to personalize the Model O2’s full spectrum RPG lighting.

Fortunately, features like lighting, key binding, and performance settings all work as they should. You can select qualities like eight different lighting effects or apply a single color with a few simple clicks. Given the Model O2’s meager set of six buttons, it’s possible to program macros or key inputs, but I’d recommend a dedicated MMO mouse if that’s a favored genre.

From Spreadsheets to Shooters, O2 Excels

When it comes to gaming, the Model O2 is impressive. Both right and left clicks offer just enough tactile feedback and resistance against accidental triggering, while the notched mouse wheel allows for nimble rotations, making weapon changes instantaneous. The upgrade to a BAMF 2.0 optical sensor might sound impressive on paper, but when tested, no one could tell the difference. What was noticed was that Glorious has deepened the grooves on the left and right click buttons, which tarnished the integrity of our sensor testing. At least we learned that the new indentations were favored 3 to 1. There was universal approval of the Model O2’s PTFT “G-Skates”, which floated across mousepads.

Our qualms with the original O2 were nominal. There was a sticker that left some tacky residue on the 6.5-foot braided cable that’s bundled with the peripheral. Thankfully, that’s been removed. But the DPI light on the bottom of the mouse lingers. Glorious, could you temporarily override the lateral lighting instead of making us peer underneath? Interestingly, the brand’s logo of a bearded man with flowing hair is a bit more inconspicuous now. There’s a tiny, simplified icon on the front that is inconspicuous enough for office use. Well, at least if you don’t have the ‘rave’ light setting activated.

Tech-Specs
Colors: matte white, matte black
Sensor: Glorious BAMF 2.0 Optical
Number of Buttons: 6
Max Tracking Speed: 650+ IPS
Weight: 68 grams
Acceleration: 50G
Max DPI: 26,000
Polling Rate: 1000hz (1ms)
Lift off Distance: 1-2 mm
Cable Type: Ascended Cord (ultra-flexible)
Connector: USB 2.0
Cable Length: 2 m / 6.5 ft
Mouse Feet Type: G-Skates Premium Mouse Feet, 100% PTFE
Remappable DPI: Yes (requires software)
LED Color: 16.8 million color RGB (8 effects)
OS: Windows 7+, Mac, and Linux
Warranty: 2 years