Glorious Model D Lightweight Gaming Mouse Review
Glorious Model D Lightweight Gaming Mouse – Conclusion
The familiar ergo shape of the D just fits so well in my hand and it is the most comfortable gaming mouse I’ve ever used. The Model D blows the G403, my previous daily driver, out of the water. Glorious has only been in the game for a short time, but I am telling you, the build quality, performance, presentation, everything about this mouse just screams quality. I’ve seen companies who have made mice for years now who struggle to produce a product that feels as quality as the Model D.
The build quality of the Model D was solid. None of my buttons exhibited play or wobble and the main buttons offer very little in the way of pre or post travel, while the clicks are very crisp and consistent. The side buttons on the Model D offer a nice, tactile response. The side buttons have a little amount of pre travel and post travel that is more pronounced on the rear button than the front, though it never caused issues or caused the buttons to get caught in the frame. The click on the Model D scroll wheel is crisp and consistent and the wheel offers a very smooth, yet tactile response on each step. The honeycomb frame is solid and giving it a good squeeze didn’t cause any of the buttons to actuate. Giving the Model D a shake didn’t cause it to exhibit any rattle. I mean ZERO rattle was exhibited by the Model D. For a company on just its third mouse, Glorious is doing a damn good job of QC.
The Pixart 3360 sensor on the Model D is tried and true, offering no acceleration or smoothing in lower DPI ranges. In game, the Model D let me hit flick shots with ease and the combination of it being lightweight and fitting my hand so well made it absolutely comfortable to use for hours on end. I’ve tried using aim software like Aimbooster and AimLab, only to find that my Model D lets me perform better than any of my other mice, including the G403 that I’ve been used to for years. The Model D has almost perfect glide with the stock PTFE feet, offering a smooth glide without being overly slick. On my SteelSeries QCK+, the Glorious Model D tracked and glided like a champ. Adding the additional large G-Skates actually didn’t feel as smooth to me, so I removed them after trying them out for a while. I think the issue may be the channels between the feet that exist possibly causing drag or inconsistency. If you get the Model D, be sure try out the extra G-Skates since there’s no harm in trying and seeing which suits you best.
The lighting on the Model D could be better, as I noticed inconsistency in the side panel RGB, namely in that you could see variations in brightness due to the LED spacing. While the effects available are nice, Glorious really needs to open up the lighting customization in the software. The RGB lighting on the Model D can be cycled off at a hardware level, without the Glorious software being installed.
At $49.99, the Glorious Model D is a ridiculously good deal and is my new favorite mouse. The presentation, build quality and performance of the Glorious Model D are something I’d expect out of a multiple year veteran of the mouse industry, not a relatively small newcomer who has only had two previous releases. Glorious improved upon the Model O by listening to customer feedback, looking at the issues with the O and taking action. This is something that I like to see from a company and it shows that Glorious pays attention to the people who buy their products and are actively working to make products that consumers want at a reasonable price.
I want to address a couple of questions I’ve had from people who knew I was reviewing the mouse:
Question One: What if sweat gets in the mouse, or other debris?
Answer: The Model D has a coated PCB that is protected from sweat or other debris. Unless you pour liquid directly into the mouse or have hyperhidrosis of the hands, you’ll be just fine. Cleaning out the Model D is actually really simple, you can just blow it out with compressed air.
Question Two: Do you get a honeycomb pattern on your hand or feel the holes in use? Is there discomfort?
Nope. I’ve used the Model D for hours on end and there is no discomfort. In fact, it’s one of the most comfortable mice I’ve ever used. I guess if you were to press your hand into the mouse really hard, you could get a pattern to show up, but for my play style and grip, it was never a factor. Good question, though!
Legit Bottom Line: The Glorious Model D offers amazing performance, build quality, comfort and a unique look. For most users, the Model D will be an excellent choice, as it performs so well and has a shape suitable for most hand sizes and grip styles.