I just tested this $99 mouse that’s great for gaming — but it’s left me with mixed feelings

Gaming tech giant Glorious is well-known for creating great keyboards and mice that give you the edge, but the Glorious Model D2 has left me with mixed feelings. There are a lot of things this mouse gets right. You get 26,000 DPI and a 1,000Hz polling rate, both of which give you an edge in FPS games and RPGs. User-friendly software makes customization a walk in the park.

The mouse itself is very comfortable, too — for right-handed people, at least. Sadly, there’s no left-handed version, and trypophobes beware: the perforated design may not please you. And while you get a 2.4GHz dongle for wireless connectivity, there’s no slot on the mouse to store it.

Is it the best wireless gaming mouse for you? Read my full Glorious Model D2 review to find out.

Glorious Model D2 review: Cheat sheet

• What is it? A super lightweight gaming mouse with a right-handed ergonomic design
• Who is it for? For gamers needing a lightweight mouse
• How much does it cost? The Glorious Model D2 is available for $99 / £89
• What do we like? The lightweight yet sturdy build, comfortable design, user-friendly companion software and great gaming performance
• What don’t we like? No left-handed version, no onboard dongle storage and the divisive design

Glorious Model D2 review: Specs

Glorious Model D2 review: The ups

From its lightweight yet sturdy design to its 26,000 DPI and 1,000Hz that deliver fantastic gaming performance, the Glorious Model D2 gets a lot right.

Light as a feather

If you’re looking for a lightweight gaming mouse, they rarely come lighter than the Glorious Model D2. This mouse weighs just 2.32oz. That’s lighter than the Glorious Model O2 ($99), which weighs 2.39oz, but slightly heavier than the Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 ($159), which weighs 2.11oz.

But don’t let that fool you into believing the mouse isn’t sturdy. It’s made of high-quality plastic that feels pleasant to touch. The Model D2 is also fitted with PTFE skates — a low friction, hydrophobic material that’s resistant to wear and chemicals. These help the mouse glide effortlessly across a variety of surfaces, such as glass, wood and plastic.

Ergonomic and comfortable

The Glorious Model D2 is a very comfortable mouse, sporting a right-handed ergonomic design. It measures 5 x 2.6 x 1.7 inches, so, for someone with medium-sized hands like me, it’s just the right size. The mouse can be used with either a palm or claw grip, according to Glorious, and both were comfortable in my testing.

The left- and right-click buttons are wide enough for my fingers to comfortably sit on, and pressing anywhere registers the command. The side buttons, located on the left edge of the mouse, give good tactile feedback, too.

Overall, the Model D2 is extremely comfortable, for right-handed people at least.

Great for gaming

The Glorious Model D2 is a fantastic mouse for FPS games and RPGs. The mouse utilizes the Glorious BAMF 2.0 Sensor, which delivers a maximum DPI of 26,000. The 1,000Hz polling rate negates any latency issues, too. If you want 8K polling, you’ll have to spend extra on the likes of the Fnatic x Lamzu Maya 8K ($119), but you don’t always need that high a polling rate. 1,000Hz should suffice for most players.

There’s a dedicated DPI button between the left- and right-click buttons, which lets you cycle between six presets. I appreciate this as it lets you quickly swap between a low or high DPI on the fly, depending on the game you’re playing. For instance, in Counter-Strike 2, I swapped to a lower DPI (400) when using a sniper rifle so I could slow down my movement to aim more accurately.

But in a fast-paced scenario, such as being surrounded by enemies in Hitman, I pressed the button to switch to a higher DPI (10,000) so that I could quickly turn and slash enemies with my knife. Taking headshots in quick succession was easy as pie, thanks to the lightning-fast DPI. With my silencer pistol equipped and the Model D2 at hand, Agent 47 became unstoppable.

The Model D2 fares well in games that require precise mouse control, such as Baldur’s Gate 3. Being able to rapidly click where you want your character to move is made easy by the crisp optical switches.

User-friendly companion software

If you want to customize the Glorious Model D2, you’ll need to download Glorious Core 2.1 on either a Windows or macOS machine. When I reviewed the Model O2, I marked it down for its Windows-only companion software, so it’s nice to see that a macOS version is available now.

The software is very easy to use, and this is where you can change the RGB lighting, remap the six buttons, adjust the DPI and polling rate, and update the mouse’s firmware. The Model D2’s memory can store up to three custom profiles, so you can set one for work and for playing RPGs and FPS titles, for example.

Glorious Model D2 review: The downs

While the Glorious Model D2 does a lot of things right, it has a few shortcomings. Its design won’t please everyone, it doesn’t come with a dongle slot, and there’s no left-handed variant.

Divisive design

The Glorious Model D2’s design is divisive, to say the least. It sports a perforated honeycomb design that may not be for everyone. I, personally, am not a fan of honeycomb mice because I don’t like the fact that you can see dust and grime build up over time. If you’re trypophobic, I’d recommend avoiding the Model D2.

There are similarly priced alternatives with solid designs out there, like the Fnatic x Lamzu Maya 8K, the Keychron M7 ($49) and the Keychron M3 Mini 4K Metal ($99).

No left-handed version

To my left-handed comrades, I hate to break it to you, but there’s no left-handed variant of the Glorious Model D2, which may make you consider other options. There are no thumb buttons on the right side of the mouse, as is the case with all other mice Glorious has to offer.

This seems like a missed opportunity to me. If you’re a leftie and need a left-handed gaming mouse, consider the Roccat Kova Aimo ($50).

No slot for dongle

You’d be surprised by how many mice I test that come with 2.4GHz dongles for wireless connectivity but without anywhere to store them on their body. And yes, it’s very easy to lose the dongle and not always the easiest to find a replacement. The Glorious Model D2 suffers from the same problem, just like the Model O2.

Mice that are half the price, like the Corsair Harpoon RGB Wireless ($50) and the Logitech G305 ($60), have slots on their underside where you can store their dongles. I wish the Model D2 did, too. I can see not doing so for weight-saving reasons, but I’d rather take a slightly heavier build with dongle storage than none at all.

Glorious Model D2 review: Verdict

The Glorious Model D2 isn’t the best gaming mouse I’ve tried, but it isn’t the worst either. It boasts 26,000 DPI and 1,000Hz polling, which make it great for RPGs and FPS titles. It fared very well in my testing, and I found its right-handed ergonomic design very comfortable. Its companion software is intuitive and straightforward to use, making customization a breeze.

But it isn’t the most aesthetically pleasing design — especially if you don’t like perforated mice. I’m also not sold on the fact that there isn’t a left-handed version of the mouse. Oh, there’s no slot to stash the 2.4GHz dongle into either.

At the end of the day, the Model D2 is a middle-of-the-road mouse that will impress some and leave others feeling short-changed.