ASUS ROG Gladius II Gaming Mouse

ASUS released their ROG Gladius II mouse, an update the original and make it more relevant for FPS (first-person shooter) games. Visually, there’s not much to distinguish between the new model and its predecessor.

The Gladius’ layout, texture, and contours have mostly stayed the same, because the design simply works. But of course, ROG isn’t just going to rely on amazing lighting effects alone to sway you. Beneath the surface, you’ll find an optical sensor with double the resolution, switches that can survive more than twice as many clicks, and a new DPI switch you don’t need to click twice—more on that later. First, let’s take a look at why you’ll be ready to get more frags using the Gladius II from the get-go.

The feel of the new Gladius remains largely unchanged from its predecessor, which is perfect if the original already feels like second nature. From the separated main buttons that yields a faster response to the Mayan-patterned rubber grips make grasping comfortable, you couldn’t feel more at home. If you’re new to the Gladius, it’s time to try your hand on a better right-handed wired mouse catered specifically for FPS gaming. The time you’ve spent calibrating and customizing your mouse means familiarity is an important aspect when looking for a new one, so our Armoury software excels at providing the options you need for a smooth transition no matter what you’re upgrading from.

The Gladius II minimizes distractions by avoiding an overwhelming number of buttons, wheels, and switches. What you see here is what you need: left and right mouse buttons, a scroll wheel with an Alps encoder that doubles as a middle button, back and forward thumb buttons that can be pressed easily by sliding or rolling your thumb, a DPI switch, and a new DPI target button for your thumb. All of these can be reprogrammed within the Armoury software.

All the latest ROG peripherals now feature Aura Sync, which means the new edition of the Gladius can display millions of colors across three areas: the scroll wheel, the ROG logo, and around the base. Best of all, owners of other Aura Sync-capable ROG products such as motherboards, graphics cards, and the Claymore keyboard can synchronize lighting effects with the Gladius II for a dream setup done the right way. RGB lighting is far less likely to induce an epileptic fit if you don’t have 20 lights flashing at random.

Aura Sync effects are all about making your system look better; as an interior designer would tell you, the aesthetics and lighting in your room can set the mood. You can get in the mood before you play and feel more impact in everything you do with the Music effect, which requires an Aura Sync motherboard and triggers the lighting to match your PC’s audio output. It may even reveal enemies in your proximity before you see them on your screen.

The Gladius II comes with two Micro-USB cables: one braided for desktops and a shorter one for laptops while you’re on the go. Cable management fanatics will really appreciate not needing to undo the cable from their meticulous desktop setups. The bottom of the mouse has a handy quick-release switch to detach the cable. A handy carrying pouch and an ROG logo sticker are also bundled.