Glorious Model O 2 Mini Wireless review: “a super versatile pointer for smaller hands”

Glorious is keen to make sure there’s a gaming mouse in its arsenal for every hand shape and size, and it’s starting with the Glorious Model O 2 Mini Wireless. I’ve never liked mini mice - you’d think I would, my hands are relatively small and I prefer a slim n’ light chassis compared to chunkier, button-laden powerhouses.

In reality, though, their minute frames and frequentlyfiddly buttons often make for a cramped experience, and my speed and precision suffers. I wouldn’t put the Glorious Model O 2 Mini Wireless in this camp. Despite its name, it’s a far cry from the squat mini mice on the market right now. In fact, you’d be forgiven for mistaking this rodent for previous Model O and Model D releases, but its ever so slightly more svelt design makes it a must-see for those after a more compact shape without the sacrifices.

That doesn’t mean it’s without competition. At $99.99 / £89.99, it’s muscling its way into a lineup of some of the best gaming mouse models on the market. The excellent value Razer DeathAdder V3 Hyperspeed ($99.99 / £99.99) is available at the same rate, after all, and the Endgame Gear OP1 8K packs a much harder performance punch by sacrificing wireless connectivity at $74.99 / £69.99. Not only that, but Glorious has mice posing a threat within its own collection; the Glorious Model D 2 Wireless matches the O 2 Mini’s $99.99 MSRP.

Design

With the Glorious Model O 2 Mini Wireless sitting right next to the D 2, it’s clear this brand has found a recipe and stuck to it. The cutouts lining the rear hump, RGB strips across each side, heavier cutouts framing the main click buttons, and even the Glorious stamp in the center have all carried over from other models in the range. So much so, that from photography alone I’d struggle to tell the difference.

The O 2 Mini does make its own changes. The D2 features hexagonal cut-outs along the back panel, whereas the newer model shrinks things down to circles. I’ve never been a massive fan of honeycomb designs, I appreciate they keep weight down and add breathability during longer sessions, but I’ve always hated the feel of that holed texture against my palm. It’s a problem that’s subsided in recent years, and brands have worked out ways to keep the main chassis feeling smooth while still keeping these vents in action. The Model D 2, for example, is perfectly comfortable with its larger grills - the Model O 2 Mini Wireless’s smaller circular holes even more so. That’s likely more down to the shape of the mouse than the cutouts themselves, though.

The highest point (the very top of the dome) measures in at 355mm on the Model O 2 Mini Wireless, compared to the 430mm height on the Model D. That’s a much shorter slope, with a narrower 623mm width at the rear (compared to 680mm). As a result, the Model O 2 Mini fits a claw and fingertip grip much better than a palm hold, which means my hand was generally hovering over this back panel anyway.

Those aren’t exactly tiny measurements, but they do err on the ‘mini’ side of the market compared to similar models. Out of my comparison pool, the Model O 2 Mini has the lowest dome of the pack, and while it’s 1mm longer than the Endgame Gear OP1 8K, it’s slightly more compact than the Razer DeathAdder V3 Hyperspeed across all dimensions, and considerably so when held next to the D 2. It neatly nestles into my hand with all buttons easily accessible at a twitch reflex, making for a particularly nimble hold.

I still wouldn’t necessarily class this as a ‘mini’ mouse, though - and doing so may be doing a disservice to this fantastic form factor. Yes, it’s smaller than the majority of slimline pointers on the market, but compared to compact options like the Logitech G705 it’s a giant.

There’s another benefit to shrinking that waistline and cutting those holes; the Glorious Model O 2 Mini manages to keep its weight down to 57g - impressive for a wireless gaming mouse with a strong battery life. In-hand, its weight is well distributed with no pulling to the rear, as is sometimes seen in mid-range devices, and its handling in lift-off and high-DPI situations is similar to that of a far more premium pointer. It’s not the lightest in the pack, though, the DeathAdder V3 Hyperspeed has it beat with its 55g form factor (and no honeycomb structure), while the wired Endgame Gear OP1 8K drops things down to 50g without a battery to consider.

Like the other mice in this comparison pool, the O 2 Mini keeps things lightweight without sacrificing build quality. Everything feels sturdy in the hand, with no creaks or flexing from additional pressure placed at the sides or along the top of the main chassis. The plastic construction keeps things zippy but every join is neat with no harsh edges. My only concern is one shared across other honeycomb mice, but particularly with the array of holes on the bottom of the Model O 2 Mini. They could quickly gather dust and debris during regular use, clogging up the inside of the mouse without an easy way to clean. Still, I’ve been using this device for a couple of months now and I haven’t noticed any buildup.

Features

One of my favorite things about the Razer DeathAdder V3 Hyperspeed (and the reason it still sits among the best mice available) is the fact that its spec sheet is lean. You’re not paying for fancy DPI or polling features that everyday players won’t make use of. The exact same is true of the Glorious Model O 2 Mini Wireless. It packs the brand’s BAMF 2.0 optical sensor (at 26K DPI, 650 IPS), space for three onboard profiles, 2.4GHz and Bluetooth wireless connectivity, a maximum polling rate of 1,000Hz, adjustable lift-off distance and debounce settings, and customizable RGB lighting. You’re not getting the 8K wireless polling of more premium mice like the Razer Viper V3 Pro, but if you’re an everyday player you likely won’t need (or notice) it.

Instead, you’re getting all the personalization options you need to keep your usual macros to hand with a slick optical sensor at the helm and a few extra tweaks on the side. In fact, that sensor is actually faster than the DeathAdder V3 Hyperspeed when it comes to inches-per-second tracking speed, with Razer’s option tapping out at 500 IPS. That means faster movements are tracked with more accuracy on Glorious’s pointer.

The Model O 2 also beats the DeathAdder in the connection department. While the former is limited to Razer’s 2.4GHz dongle and a wired mode, Glorious adds support for Bluetooth as well. This isn’t going to be as fast as the receiver input, but makes for a more versatile package overall - especially if you also need a mouse for productivity on the go.

Glorious advertises its battery at 110 hours on 2.4GHz and 210 hours in Bluetooth mode. On paper, that beats far more expensive mice (both the $159.99 / £159.99 Razer Viper V3 Pro and Logitech G Pro X Superlight 2 will die after 95 hours on 2.4GHz). There’s a problem here, though. The software is a little… janky in how it handles the battery. During my complete battery run downs I often rely on an app’s battery indicator to measure performance day to day, but Core either told me I was at 100% on another random percentage for a full day at a time. I was never able to get a truly accurate read due to this issue, but I was able to run the mouse via 2.4GHz on 50% brightness for around a week and a half of work and play. That’s about the same as the DeathAdder V3 Hyperspeed, even though Razer’s mouse has a slightly lower advertised battery life.

I wasn’t the biggest fan of the Glorious Core software while reviewing the Glorious GMMK 3 keyboard, but menus are far more streamlined when dealing with a mouse. In fact, other than the DPI tab, I’d say this was one of the more intuitive programs on the market - and it’s all clutter-free without those horrible ads (I’m looking at you SteelSeries).

There are five sections, with the first acting as a homepage displaying firmware updates, battery life, and the option to switch between the three onboard profiles available. The Settings tab is straightforward, allowing for polling rate configuration (up to 1,000Hz in increments of 125Hz, 250Hz, and 500Hz), lift-off distance (choose between 1mm and 2mm), and debounce time (a sliding scale up to 16ms). Those ranges aren’t the largest in the world, Razer will give you a more granular level of detail, but I was able to cover everything I usually would at a basic level for day to day play.

There’s only one zone of RGB lighting in those strips, but there are a range of different effects to choose from. These LEDs are bright, crisp, and changing colors are represented with an impressive clarity as well. I’m also a big fan of the way these lights dance across the inside of the pointer (visible due to those honeycomb holes). It’s the subtlety of this effect that I most admire, the SteelSeries Aerox 5 attempted something similar, but ended up with blobs of color that look clunky and cheap by comparison.

Keybinding is as smooth a process as any, with six programmable inputs spread across the two main clicks, two side buttons, scroll wheel, and DPI shifter button located in the center. I kept this middle clicker firmly set to DPI, it’s a blessing it’s there at all with so many similarly priced mice abandoning the feature or awkwardly placing it on the bottom panel. Both the Endgame Gear OP 1 8K and the Razer DeathAdder V3 Hyperspeed omit this clicker, and it’s a shame.

Unfortunately, the DPI settings slider is less than straightforward. At first glance everything looks painless, six settings are available to cycle through, each indicated by its own color also represented on the bottom of the mouse when selected. However, there’s no way to individually edit the DPI settings of each preset once added - clicking on the actual number simply sets it as the default operating mode, and the scale presented at the bottom is simply for initial setup, there’s no sliding these markers around once you’re done. That means every time I want to tweak a DPI setting I found myself deleting the whole roster, only to go through and re-set them one by one.

Performance

Glorious’s BAMF sensor holds up well in-game, and its own brand main click switches offer a crisp but still smooth feel that I particularly enjoyed. Coming from the heavier clackers of the Glorious Series 2 Pro, these nifty switches felt like a rest but still managed to offer a level of tension to be satisfying with every snap. It makes for comfortable and bouncy repeat presses, with the strength to avoid accidental clicks baked in.

Tracking was super reliable and precise across a range of different DPI settings. I was able to maintain my regular level of accuracy across Apex Legends during faster scenarios, and was impressed with the responsive acceleration considering the size and weight of the mouse at hand. Faster flicks were registered well and tracking accuracy was maintained at high-speed. That’s all compounded by a set of particularly smooth PTFE feet that glide with a slick floating feel and for effortless motion in both claw and fingertip grips.

The lower hump of the chassis also means I was able to keep a better sense of control while in a claw grip. The narrower design often means more strain is placed on the pinky and thumb, but with a little extra space between my palm and the main body I found I was able to pivot the sensor quickly and easily using these two fingers. It makes finer mouse sweeps a lot more controlled, perfect for lining up headshots on a moving target. A mouse with a higher dome often gets in the way of this motion, knocking against the side of my palm before I’m able to get through a full wiggle.

The 1,000Hz polling rate never held me back in-game - inputs were never missed and tracking was as reliable as I’ll need it to be at my own play speed. I’d argue most players will be at this level as well, it’s only once you’re at the top of an esports competitive league that you’ll really feel the benefits of a faster 4,000Hz or 8,000Hz rate. However, if you’re getting near to that level it’s worth noting that the Endgame Gear OP1 8K’s rate is much faster.

Should you buy the Glorious Model O 2 Mini Wireless?

Every now and then I come across a gaming mouse that feels like it should stick around past its reviewing phase. I keep all mice firmly tucked away and rotate through them when I’m not reviewing a new model, but some are so well-tuned to my own playstyle and grip preferences that I tend to keep them out of their boxes a little longer than necessary. The Glorious Model O 2 Mini Wireless is one of those mice, and if your needs match up to mine you’ll be pleasantly surprised by this compact pointer.

The skinny, low-profile form factor is one my small-medium / small hands can easily wrap around while still maintaining a high-level of control. If you sometimes struggle to hit side buttons or place unnecessary strain on your pinky and ring finger (a common side-effect of using a mouse too large) during longer sessions, I’d recommend the O 2 Mini over the other mice in this competition pool straight away.

Outside of that form factor, things get a little more complicated. The 26K DPI sensor and 1,000Hz polling rate served me particularly well in my current playlist of single-player action adventure titles (Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Ghostwire Tokyo, and Fallout 4) and held up for my casual Apex Legends and CS2 testing as well. Those are specs that will provide better players than me with plenty of runway to improve their accuracy and speed, while still sticking to a price that makes sense if you have a more casual library as well. Still, if you’re a regular at the top of the pack and have your sights set on improving every fraction of your competitive gameplay, the Endgame Gear OP1 8K provides better value for money overall with its 8K polling rate, lower weight, and wired design.

The real match up here is between the Glorious Model O 2 Mini Wireless and the Razer DeathAdder V3 Hyperspeed. Both offer the same thing fundamentally, a well-priced mid-range mouse that drops high-end features everyday players won’t use while still offering a comfortable, speedy, and customizable experience. Their sensor performance is similar, though the Model O 2 Mini Wireless does benefit from a faster IPS speed. The DeathAdder is, however, slightly lighter without needing the honeycomb cutouts. At the end of the day, if you’re not concerned about finding the right form factor for a smaller hand, Razer does offer slightly more bang for your buck when it comes to the useful sensor features that are included.

The mouse’s Dynamic Sensitivity setting became invaluable in my testing, allowing the sensor to read its own tracking speed and adjust DPI as necessary. That, plus the nifty sensor orientation smarts, makes it the better value in this price range overall - assuming you prefer a taller dome design. If you’re not fussed with these extra tweaks, the onboard DPI shifter, and RGB lighting may turn the tide in Glorious’s favor.

How I tested the Glorious Model O 2 Mini Wireless

I used the Glorious Model O 2 Mini Wireless as my go-to gaming mouse over a period of two months. During that time I was testing for comparison with the Razer BlackShark V3 Hyperspeed, Endgame Gear OP1 8K, and Glorious Model D 2. I primarily played across Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Ghostwire Tokyo, and Fallout 4, with dedicated testing in Apex Legends and CS2. For more information on how we test gaming mice, check out the full GamesRadar+ Hardware Policy.

For alternative brands, check out the best Razer mice and the best Logitech gaming mouse models available. Or, take a look at the best mouse pads for gaming to truly optimize your setup.