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ASUS ROG Gladius II Mouse Review

Rating: 8.5.

The ASUS ROG Gladius II is the long-awaited successor to the original Gladius mouse which we reviewed in 2014. Back with a vengeance, the Gladius II sports a new sensor, support for ASUS' Aura lighting technology, and hot-swappable Omron switches. Priced at £79.99, is this the new go-to gaming mouse?

Given its appearance, pricing and feature-set, the ASUS ROG Gladius II is a mouse that goes head-to-head with Razer's DeathAdder Elite, and I will be very interested to see how that battle plays out. Read on for our full review, where we look at the Gladius II's build quality, features and performance before giving our final verdict.

Specification

  • Connectivity Technology: Wired
  • Tracking: Optical
  • Dimensions: L 126 x W 67 x H 45 mm
  • Weight: 110 g without cable
  • Resolution: 12000dpi
  • Cable: 1 x 2-meter braided USB cable, 1 x 1-meter regular rubber USB cable
  • Switches: 2 x extra Japanese-made Omron switches
  • Compatible switch list for ROG switch socket: Omron D2F Series switches: D2F, D2F-F, D2F-01, D2F-01F. Omron D2FC Series switches: D2FC-3M, D2FC-F-7N, D2FC-F-7N(10M), D2FC-F-7N(20M)

The ASUS ROG Gladius II ships in a box with all the usual ROG styling, while a large product photo is visible from the front.

Inside, ROG has included a manual and carry pouch, while there are also two USB cables (one braided and one rubber) so you can choose which one best suits you. Most interesting are the two extra Omron switches, as the Gladius II actually lets you change-out the mouse's switches if you so desire. We look at this in more detail below.

Getting our first look at the Gladius II, it is immediately obvious this mouse is designed to be an ergonomic, fast-paced FPS gaming mouse – it is very similar to the Razer DeathAdder Elite in that regard. Don't be fooled by the shape, too, as this is mouse is not ambidextrous but is exclusively for right-handers.

At the bottom of the mouse is the ROG logo, which is one of 3 lighting zones spread across the Gladius II's body.

Moving to the left-hand side of the Gladius II, here we find the usual ‘forward' and ‘back' buttons as well as a third button just below these, which ROG calls the ‘DPI target thumb button.' Essentially, this works like a sniper button as it temporarily lowers (or raises) the mouse's DPI for as long as you hold the button. Surrounding these buttons is a large rubber section to help you grip, and the rubber is styled with ROG's trademark Mayan-inspired detailing.

The right-hand side of the mouse is less busy, featuring just a rubber pad to help your fourth finger grip.

At the front end of the Gladius II we get a look at the mouse's scroll wheel. This sports more of the same Mayan-detailed rubber, while the wheel is also the second of the three RGB lighting zones.

Just behind the wheel we find a simple DPI cycle button, while the very front of the mouse has a small cut-out which is where the USB cables plug-in to the device.

The underside of the mouse features the last of the RGB lighting zones, as there is actually a strip of LEDs that run around the outside of the Gladius II. These LEDs should create an ‘underglow' effect when the mouse is plugged in.

Here we also get a look at the optical sensor, the Pixart PMW 3360 sensor. This sensor is very popular among enthusiasts thanks to its precise tracking and complete lack of acceleration, so it is good to see it included here.

Before moving on, it is worth just paying some attention to the Omron switches. ROG actually includes two spare switches, and these can be easily installed should you wish – perhaps your original switches have worn out, or perhaps you might prefer the feel of the extra pair of switches.

The pre-installed switches are Omron's D2FC-F-K(50M) model, while the spares are the D2F-01F model. I talk about how these switches actually feel and perform on the next page

To change the switches, four screws can be accessed on the underside of the mouse by removing the little rubber covers.

Once those have been removed, the outer-shell of the mouse pops off, giving access to the innards.

The D2FC-F-K(50M) switches are installed out-of-the-box, and to remove them, simply pull the switch upwards. You can then slot in the replacement switches, and it really is as easy as that. Job done!

Lastly, it is also worth pointing out that the switches actually have different colour contact points so they are not easily confused.To test the Gladius II, I used it as my daily driver for nearly two weeks, giving me plenty of time to get an idea for how it feels and performs. During this time, I used it while performing a variety of different tasks, including gaming, photo editing and general usage.

First, let's take a look at the ROG Armoury software.

Above you can see a small gallery of the 6 different pages that are available within the Armoury software. All-in-all, the software is very good and it gives you control over all the key areas like button assignment, DPI stages and RGB lighting.

However, there are just a couple of minor things I want to mention. First, you can only set two DPI stages per profile. This is a bit disappointing as I personally use 4 different stages on a daily basis, so having this limited to just two is a bit frustrating.

Secondly, I can't help but feel Razer Synapse (in my opinion, the best software suite around at the minute) is a bit more nuanced and intricate. For example, Synapse gives you lots of additional information about your mouse, including movement heatmaps, mouse clicks and distance travelled stats, while its lighting control is also a bit more comprehensive. Armoury is far from bad – in fact, it is a good piece of software – but I don't think it is quite the complete package yet. Admittedly, this is to be expected considering Razer has been in the peripheral market a lot longer than ROG, but it is still worth mentioning.

That being said, one feature in the Gladius II's favour is its support for Aura Sync, which lets you sync the RGB lighting across multiple ASUS and ROG products. Sadly, I don't have anything else Aura-compatible on-hand, but I've seen it work before with the Claymore and Spatha peripherals, and it really looks great.

Speaking of the RGB lighting, this is one area where the Gladius II gets the upper-hand over the DeathAdder Elite. The colours are vibrant and accurate, while brightness uniformity is very good. However, the star of the show is undoubtedly the underglow effect, as it looks amazing and really lights up your desk well. I would expect many other peripheral manufacturers to follow-suit and start implementing similar ‘underglow' lighting solutions, it really is that good.

Anyway, let's move on to the physical testing of the Gladius II.

I'll start by mentioning the comfort of the mouse. It is a very well-designed piece of kit in this regard, as I found it fits my hand very well and provides great support for either palm or claw grips. I particularly appreciate the contoured mouse buttons, as my fingers fit perfectly in the small grooves.

It is also worth talking about the weight of the Gladius II, as this mouse weighs in at 110g (not including the cable). Super-hardcore FPS gamers may think this is too heavy, but for me, it is pretty much perfect – it still allows fast movements, but it also feels sturdy and solid in your hand.

Elsewhere, it is good to see the addition of the sniper button on the mouse's left-hand side. This button is perfectly positioned for your thumb to press without stretching and it is definitely a good feature to have. If you find it getting in your way, it can also be disabled using the Armoury software – but I enjoyed using it while gaming.

As I mentioned above, one of my issues with the Gladius II is the lack of DPI stages. I make use of 4 different stages on a daily basis (two low-res stages for Photoshop, one for gaming and one for general Windows use) so this limit is annoying. You can set different DPI stages for each of the 3 profiles, but this means you will have to switching between profiles and DPI stages on a regular basis to use more than two different stages. In an ideal world, the Gladius II would support multiple DPI stages per profile while having two dedicated DPI buttons (one for stepping up, one for stepping down). As it stands, the current limit of 2 stages per profile – which admittedly could be a non-issue for some people – is the biggest problem I have with this mouse.

I also want to talk a bit about the different switches. I swapped out one of the original switches and replaced it with one of the spares, that way allowing me to compare the two switch types side-by-side. The differences are definitely very subtle, but I do feel that the spare switches are a bit faster and lighter – the original switches have slightly heavier tactile feedback, which just makes them feel slightly slower. The differences are still very small, but it is definitely worth trying out the switches to see what you prefer. In any case, it is great to have this level of customisation available to end-users.

Lastly, it is no surprise that I had no issues tracking while using the Gladius II. The Pixart PMW 3360 sensor is a class unit, and one that I have used in plenty of different mice with no issues previously. It is capable of reaching up to 12000 DPI, and whether I was using it at 400 or 4000 DPI, it was pixel-perfect throughout my testing.All-in-all, the ASUS ROG Gladius II is an excellent mouse with a lot going for it.

For starters, it is well-designed, with a very ergonomic shape which lends itself to both palm and claw grips. I also think its 110g weight is perfect, while having replacement Omron switches included in the box is a lovely touch.

The Gladius II's RGB lighting is arguably its best feature, and I would say it is definitely class-leading. Aside from having three independent lighting zones, the underglow effect is the star of the show as it is simply mesmerising and really helps the mouse stand out. This alone makes the Gladius II an appealing proposition.

However, I did say at the beginning of this review that the Gladius II is up against stiff competition from the Razer DeathAdder Elite, and software is one area where I feel Razer has the advantage. ROG Armoury is a very decent piece of software, but I do think Razer Synapse is generally a bit comprehensive and gives you a bit more control. For example, my biggest issue with Armoury is that it only lets users set two DPI stages, whereas Synapse lets you set up to 5.

Pricing is also worth talking about, as the Gladius II comes in at £79.99, which is actually £10 more than what the DeathAdder Elite currently retails for. For this amount of money, I do think that the Gladius II makes more sense if you already own a few of the Aura-compatible products from ASUS, as you can then sync all the lighting between the devices.

However, it is my opinion that the DeathAdder Elite is just about the overall better package considering it is £10 cheaper, offers superior software and supports multiple DPI stages.

That being said, the ROG Gladius II is still a great mouse. It is very comfortable, performs well and has lovely RGB lighting. If it were £10-15 cheaper, it would probably edge ahead of the DeathAdder Elite, but it remains very enticing at £79.99.

You can buy one from Overclockers UK for £79.99 inc. VAT HERE.

Discuss on our Facebook page, over HERE.

Pros

  • Very comfortable.
  • Replacement switches are included.
  • RGB lighting is top-notch.
  • Pixart PMW 3360 sensor.
  • Sniper button is a good addition.

Cons

  • ROG Armoury is not quite as comprehensive as Razer Synapse.
  • Can only set 2 DPI stages.

KitGuru says: The Gladius II features excellent RGB lighting, a top-quality sensor and replacement switches, all of which adds up to make a great mouse. It is just pipped to the post by the DeathAdder Elite, though, as that mouse is £10 cheaper and offers support for multiple DPI stages.

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7 comments

  1. Nice review. Question: Can you rebind the sniper key in the software to a different key? I usually use the sniper button for melee in FPS and the last couple of mice with 3 thumb buttons did not allow me to rebind the sniper button.

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  6. Good mouse until i saw that thumb button. Thanks for ruining the mouse like the corsair M65.

  7. Yes you can via the ROG Armoury software

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