Asus announced the ROG Gladius II Wireless Gaming Mouse back at Computex in June. The new eSports professional targeted rodent works in wired or wireless modes and is very similar to the wired-only version of this mouse except for, obviously, the wireless functionality and an extra 20g in weight (it is 130g in total due to its 800mAh battery). HEXUS reviewed the wired version of this mouse 17 months ago and it gained an Approved award, with its only notable drawbacks being the price and ‘marmite’ DPI target button.
Official highlights of the Asus ROG Gladius II Wireless Gaming Mouse are as follows:
- Dual wireless connectivity via 1ms 2.4GHz and low latency Bluetooth (BLE)
- Right-handed ergonomics co-designed with pro gamers for ultimate comfort
- Industry-leading optical sensor with 16000dpi and 400ips for exceptional performance
- ROG-exclusive socket design enables easy switch-replacements to customize click force
- Customisable RGB lighting powered by ASUS Aura Sync
Thanks to its use of a dual-wireless interface (2.4GHz wireless and Bluetooth) this rodent can connect to “almost any laptop or PC”. The 2.4GHz connection requires the included Asus dongle and is claimed to be very fast (1ms) with great range (300ft). However, if you forgot or misplaced your USB dongle you can use the Bluetooth wireless over short ranges with many modern laptops. There is a dedicated button to switch wireless connection modes.
Asus says it has upgraded the sensor “to compensate for the lack of wired power” and this new wireless gaming mouse packs the fourth generation Pixart PMW3390 with up to 16,000 dpi (last year’s wired model packs the Pixart PMW3360 optical sensor with a maximum DPI of 12,000). Asus equipped a newer MCU that improves power efficiency and addresses some complaints about the older MCU in Asus Spatha wireless gaming mice.
As mentioned above, Asus equips an 800mAh rechargeable battery, and it is centrally located for balance, says Asus. This facilitates 24 hours of play with the lighting features off. Asus has reduced the number of RGB LEDs that consume power, most notably the light ring on the bottom of the Gladius II. Two RGB lighting zones remain.
The main buttons are durable Omron D2FC-F-K switches that can withstand 50 million clicks to and inherit the push-fit switch socket familiar from other ROG gaming mice for replacements or tactile alternatives.
TechPowerUp reports that this gaming mouse has now been, or is about to be, introduced to retail. (At Computex Asus said it would ship in Q3). Unfortunately we don’t have any hard dates and prices but it is expected to be price competitive to the Logitech G Pro Wireless which is sold for around $140.