The Glorious Model I aims to be a giant killer. With a design that immediately brings to mind the legendary Logitech G502 and, more recently the Razer Basilisk V3, but shaves off precious grams to weigh in at only 69 grams. If you’ve been looking for a finger-friendly shape with a glides-on-air feel, the Glorious Model I is definitely worth a closer look. But does its real-life performance live up to the hype? Find out in this review.
Specifications
- Current Price: $59.99 (Glorious)
- Weight: 69 g ± 2.5 g:
- Number of Buttons: 9
- Switch Type (Main): Glorious Switches Rated for 80 Million Clicks
- Sensor: Glorious BAMF Sensor
- DPI Range: 100 - 19000
- Default DPI Settings: 400 (yellow), 800 (blue), 1600 (red), 3200 (green)
- Dedicated DPI Indicator: Yes (Bottom of Mouse)
- Remappable DPI Buttons: Yes (Requires Software)
- Max Tracking Speed: 400 IPS
- Acceleration: 50 G
- Polling Rate: Default 1,000 Hz (1 ms)
- Min Lift-Off Distance (LOD): 1 mm
- Cable Type: Ascended Cord (Ultra Flexible)
- Connector: USB-A (2.0)
- Cable Length: 2 m / 6.5 ft
- G-Skates Premium Mouse Feet: Rounded Pure PTFE Feet
- Mouse Feet Thickness: 0.81 mm
- LED Color: 16.8 million color RGB (8 Pre-Installed Effects)
- LED Adjustable Without Software: Yes
- LED Can Be Disabled: Yes
- OS: Windows, Mac, and Linux (USB Port Required)
- Glorious CORE Software: Optional (For More Settings and Options)
- Core Software Compatibility: Windows 7 or Newer
- Warranty: 2 Years
Glorious Model I - What Is It?
The Model I is the latest mouse from Glorious. A new mouse release from this team is exciting as it was their mice that really pushed the company into the mainstream consciousness. The Model O and Model D were popular releases, each catering to different grip styles. We’ve reviewed several over the years and have been impressed with each of them. They’re solid mice that look good, weigh little, perform great, and don’t break the bank. It’s a solid approach to a PC gaming market that seems intent on pushing prices mouse prices higher with every major release.
The Model I continues this trend and manages to surprise. With Glorious’s continued effort to shave grams, most of us expected its latest mouse to be its smallest yet, but instead it’s the exact opposite: the Model I is the largest mouse of its entire line-up. Instead of slimming down, Glorious has added a full thumb rest and an additional three buttons to the design. Despite that, it weighs the same as the Glossy Model D at 69 grams and only two grams more than the Model O.
It takes clear inspiration from the Logitech G502 in its overall shape (and more recently, the Razer Basilisk V3). As an unabashed fan of both mice, I was excited to see Glorious adopt this design. It wasn’t what I expected to see, but it was anything but disappointing. The Logitech G502 is one of the most comfortable mice on the market. If anything, that made it more exciting.
Where the Model I breaks the model is its shell design. Like the Model O and Model D, it uses the honeycomb design on the palm rest. The grid allows the mouse to be lighter and more air to move under your palm, but it’s still solid as a rock. There’s no flex when squeezed from the sides, and Glorious has added a brace beneath the grid, so it won’t flex under your palm either. The only movement you’ll see is when you deliberately press down behind the let and right buttons, but even then it’s minor and something you’ll never normally do.
And because someone always says it: no, these holes will not cause your mouse to fail early. The internals have been treated and are safe from dust and sweat. Just don’t go pouring water into it.
The Model I has a total of nine buttons. There are five buttons on top: left, right, middle mouse, and DPI up and down. On the left side are another four buttons: forward, backward, home, and a sniper button that lowers DPI when held. Each of these are programmable and can be saved across three profiles in the Glorious CORE software. The sniper and back buttons are also replaceable. Glorious also includes replaceable buttons so you can choose the contour and texture that feels best to you.
Flip it over and you’ll find another latticework of honeycomb holes. Six PTFE G-Skates line the outside and lend the Model I an easy, fast glide. These skates look similar to others but have been subtly customized. The edges have been rounded off, so even if you put the mouse back down at an angle, you won’t need to worry about the edge of the skate catching on your mouse pad. There’s also an RGB indicator to display what DPI step you’re currently using.
The Model I is also quite nice to look at. There are RGB strips on the left and right sides and around the mouse wheel. On the right side is the bearded Glorious mascot in all his streamy-haired glory. The Model I is available in matte black or white, both of which look very good. The white model has the edge, however, with its contrasting black buttons.
Under the hood, it uses Glorious’s BAMF sensor and offers respectable specs. The DPI ranges from 100-19000 and has a maximum speed of 400 IPS with 50G acceleration. These aren’t industry leading, but honestly, mouse specs have gotten so high that they’ll never hit their limits anyway. Even at 19K DPI, few people will actually use it. The switches fall into the same category. They’re rated for 80 million clicks, which isn’t the highest out there, but is on the upper edge and still very good.
With that background out of the way, let’s get into how it feels to use and performs under pressure!
Glorious Model I - Performance and Impressions
The Model I is an interesting mouse. At a glance, it looks very similar to the G502 and Basilisk V3, but in actual use does manage to feel slightly different. Let’s start with the high points.
The Model I really does glide like it’s floating on air. At only 69 grams, gaming with it is almost effortless. Paired with the G-Skates and a proper DPI setting, it becomes incredibly responsive, reacting to even small twitch movements with accuracy that you don’t even need to consider in the moment. The stock cable is soft and flexible. It doesn’t resist movement at all, which makes the Model I feel almost wireless despite still being tethered.
The sensor also did an exceptional job of tracking, no matter how big or fast the swipe. I wasn’t able to get it to spin out and even angled landings didn’t throw it off. The BAMF sensor is high fidelity enough that you can count on it to see you through intense matches.
I also really like the switches that Glorious uses here. They’re very tactile and have a satisfying click. They’re not quite as crisp as Logitech or Razer, but still feel good to use. Functionally, this is a very good mouse.
The shape did throw me off, though. The contour of the palm rest is shallower than the G502 or Basilisk. Using a palm grip, this made my hand sit further back on the mouse. I always felt like my hand was sitting too far back and that I couldn’t get on the mousewheel or sniper buttons quite far enough to feel natural. I was always able to reach every button and use the wheel, but even moving my hand up the mouse didn’t work since the shape just made me slide back down the minute I relaxed my hand. I felt like I had to keep a claw grip to really stay in the position I wanted, which isn’t the case with either competing mice.
This isn’t a dealbreaker, but is definitely something to keep in mind. If you have medium to small hands and prefer a palm grip, the Model I may not be the best choice, despite being the lightest of the three.
Final Thoughts
The Model I is a good mouse. It has a lot going for it: it’s responsive, lightweight, and plays almost like it’s wireless. The contour is just a bit too steep for my size hand and a palm grip to work well. Still, if you have larger hands, or use a claw grip, this is a solid pick for gamers who need those extra buttons and crave thumb support.
The product described in this review was provided by the manufacturer for evaluation purposes.
