Whenever I think about mice and which one lands amongst my personal list of favorites, the World of Warcraft: Cataclysm mouse still reigns as my favorite. I chalk it up to sheer bulk and easy-access to a litany of buttons, making it stand above the rest to the point that, if I could buy a new one, I would in an instant. But, the more time has gone on, the more I realized the age of massive mice is over. That proverbial ship has sailed to the East along with the elves of Middle Earth. Instead, we are living in an age of sleek and lightweight mice that put precision and response at the forefront. Considering these factors, I can say that Glorious Gaming seems to be leading that charge with their newest weapon within the mouse arsenal: the Model D 2.
When I reviewed the array of mice in the past, there was one particular type that was missing, and that was size. My hands are rather big, with eczema-riddled sausage fingers. Finding a mouse with curves that perfectly meshed with my palms is quite difficult to find; luckily, the Model D 2 came in clutch for me. It doesn’t have an elaborate contour like some of the other mice in the past, nor does it have a design that promotes the claw and fingertip style players. The Model D 2 comes in for palm-players who are looking for a more relaxed feel. Within my month’s-long time with the Model D 2, I’m finding myself more enamored by it.
Technical Specifics
Okay, let’s get the boring technical details out of the way. The Model D 2 is a lightweight mouse that is sleek yet maintains a comfortable ergonomic feel that is ideal for competitive and casual gaming enthusiasts alike. It features the same hexagonal aesthetic as the previous Glorious Gaming models, but it has that lifted rear end for a nice and comfortable feel.
You have your standard left and right clicks as well as a sleek scroll wheel with several indents that feels natural and easy to control. Two side buttons found on the inner left side give you easy access to various programmable commands. The one closest to the rear is perfectly placed, but the one placed closer to the front takes a bit of effort to get to, so, depending on the game you play, you might want to program that one to an ability that you don’t use as often but can be there for when you need it in a pinch. There is a button at the top, just below the scroll wheel, that changes DPI sensitivity on the fly, which can also be pre-programmed.
Operating on both the 2.4 GHz RF and Bluetooth 5.2 LE wireless protocols, you get up to 110 and 210 hours of playtime on a single full charge, respectively, without enabling any RGB effects. Depending on the effects and brightness levels, the lifespan could greatly diminish, making you search for the lightweight charging cable. This always puts me at odds here, simply because if you are looking for unique aesthetics, you might as well keep it plugged in at all times.
Glorious Gaming’s internal BAMF 2.0 26k optical sensor gives you multiple sensitivity settings, up to 26,000 DPI, which can be adjusted when paired with their free-to-download Glorious CORE software. This sensor also gives the mouse a max speed of 650 IPS, 50G max acceleration, and a polling rate of 1000 Hz (1 ms), making this fantastic for fast-paced twitch shooters and other games where maintaining accuracy is essential. It also has a max lift-off distance of 1 to 2 mm and an adjustable debounce time up to 16 ms for added precision.
An included USB-A to USB-C cable allows you to recharge the internal battery for long-lasting performance or to use the mouse in wired mode. It also plugs into the wireless receiver to give you the 2.4 GHz RF wireless connection. Of course, like the receivers of the past, it does have a friction-promoting bottom that keeps the receiver still on your desk. Personally, I use it in wired mode as that is often the most reliable for me. Plus, the cable is so lightweight that you don’t even notice it unless it snags on something, which is super rare depending on how you keep your desktop.
Handles Like a Dream
I don’t often say that anything handles like a dream. I typically save that moniker for racing games where I finally unlock the Audi R8, a car that I would commit many crimes to own. But I digress. I’d say after a month of use, the Model D 2 handles like a dream, but one that I am on the verge of a cold-sweat wakening.
The lightweight nature of the mouse is great! It feels like I am handling a cloud. This could be due to the lack of plastic within the outer shell thanks to the hexagonal aesthetic and the smooth gliding feet at the bottom. Either way, it is incredibly smooth, which is key because, when it comes to a well designed mouse, you have to ensure the weight reduction works with the optical sensor to ensure that precision gaming enthusiasts need, and it performs very well in that realm.
The adjustable dpi sensitivity settings is awesome and allows you to quickly change levels on the fly. You can also create multiple thresholds and fine-tune them to your preference. Each level is associated with a color, which is great, but the major drawback is having the color indicator present on the bottom of the mouse. This means inexperienced folks must physically pick up the mouse and view it to get an idea of what setting they are on. Familiar players won’t have this issue as they should know exactly what the setting is on by moving the mouse cursor. But, for those who do not, it is probably best to have a single setting that suits your many titles, or have two that can be quickly swapped depending on the situation.
I have also been spoiled by scroll wheels of the past. I told you already how my fingers are damned with the curse of eczema, which means my grip on all mice without a rubberized wheel coating is non-existent. The only thing that could make this mouse absolutely perfect for me would be an infinite scroll concept, similar to the Logitech G Hero series mice or, perhaps, some sort of 4-way scrolling. Although, that would elevate the mouse outside of the pro-gaming demographic and into an all-around mouse, which, honestly, wouldn’t be a bad idea for Glorious Gaming to pursue: a mouse that can do it all while feeling large and hefty is more of a dream than me ever winning the lottery.
My only other qualm is the cable as it is lightweight and thin, which I do like as thick braided cables seem to be invading my gaming space and present my cats with a fun new toy to play with. But it still has this extra bit of plastic on it. It is designed to fit into these Model mice specifically and nothing else. I don’t know if there is a lack of extra strands that would be found in other mice or if the coating is just too thin; either way, it is always odd to see a universal standard connector transformed into a proprietary style. This has been a constant in their design, and I guess don’t fix what isn’t broken in this case.
There are a few other additions to this mouse that I really enjoy, including the integrated RGB. With two strips on the sides of the mouse, you have a nice and subtle touch of color which can be customized with the software I mentioned before. I do also appreciate how this mouse is compatible across multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, and Linux systems, making it incredibly versatile no matter where you are playing. Granted, there may be some changes when you go from one platform to another, so be aware of that.
Conclusion
All in all, I find the Model D 2 to be an incredible upgrade from Glorious Gaming’s mice of the past in terms of size and feel. I have used plenty of other lightweight gaming mice out there, and, for the price of $64.99 and $99.99 USD for the wired and wireless versions, respectively, I can say that what you get here is a pretty good deal. There are also black and white variants to match your desktop’s unique style. I think it rests at the sweet spot for a mouse that is stylish without sacrificing performance.
