Each year e-sports become even more popular. One of the results is that more and more gamers are being exposed to quality products that can give them an edge during play. As I have become involved with the e-sports teams at the high school where I teach, I have come to realize the importance of quality peripherals for PC gaming. The right keyboard and mouse can be the difference between the glory of victory and the ignominy of defeat. As we began setting up an e-sports lab for our school, our team, which won the North American high school championship for Blizzard’s Overwatch, began looking at various keyboards and mice they wanted. During this process, I first became acquainted with Glorious, a company based in Dallas, Texas, and their gaming products.
Glorious GMMK Gaming Keyboard
The GMMK is a fully modular mechanical gaming keyboard. It features an aluminum body and comes installed with Gateron brown switches and a 16.8 million color RGB backlight for every single key. Since it is modular, you can easily remove the keycaps and switches to customize the keyboard to your style. In fact, the keycap puller holder is built right into the underside of the body and a switch puller tool is also included. The lighting offers multiple effects and unlike some other keyboards, no software is needed that can interfere with your gaming performance. The GMMK has full NKRO N-key rollover, which means the keyboard can register any and all keys pressed at the same time, which prevents ghosting and a 1000 Hz polling rate. The keyboard features a braided USB cable. There are three models available: a full size 104 key, a tenkeyless, and a compact.
The GMMK sells for around $109. It can be purchased directly from Glorious. It is also available from Amazon.
Glorious Model O Mouse
The Model O Mouse is a very light gaming mouse with a mass of only 67 grams. The Model O-, designed for small to medium hands, is even lighter at 58 grams. It features six buttons: four on the top and two on the left side. The honeycomb shell is one of the ways the mouse stays light. However, it also provides ventilation to keep your palms cool and dry. Glorious’s proprietary Ascended cord is a braided cable that is extremely flexible, so it feels like you are using a wireless mouse since there is no pull or pushback as found in stiffer cords. The Model O also features premium G-skates on the bottom that provide a smooth glide across your mousepad. The Pixart 3360 sensor on the bottom is considered the industry standard for e-sports. The mouse also has a dedicated DPI indicator that can be set to any value with free software available from Glorious. The software also allows you to customize the LED effects on the mouse. The Model O Mouse comes in matte black, glossy black, matte white, and glossy white.
The Model O mouse sells for around $50. It can be purchased directly from Glorious. It is also available from Amazon.
Glorious Mousepads
How many times have you been playing a game and your mouse gets to the edge of the mousepad and you have to pick it up and reposition it? I always thought that was just the way it was. However, while watching e-sports athletes play, I was surprised at the size of their mousepads. Some were larger than a typical mousepad so the mouse had more area in which to move while others cover the entire table, so not only was the mouse on the pad but the keyboard as well. The Glorious stitch cloth mousepads come in 7 different sizes and 3 different colors. Black has a white Glorious logo in the corner, the white mousepad has a black logo in the corner, and stealth has a smaller, subdued logo in the corner. As for sizes, the Large is 11×13 inches, the XL is 16×18 inches, the XL Extended is 14×24 inches, Extended is 11×36 inches, XXL Extended is 18×36 inches, and the 3XL is 24×48 inches.
The stitch cloth mousepads range in price from $12 to $49 depending on the size. The Glorious website sells these directly to the public. Amazon also carries these mousepads in a variety of sizes.
Why You Should Get Glorious Peripherals
I spend a lot of time using a keyboard, whether I am writing articles, typing lessons and materials as a teacher, or playing video games. I have never really liked the newer membrane keyboards that are similar to what one finds on a laptop. I like a keyboard that feels like you are typing. Of course, that may because I learned to type my freshman year in high school on a manual typewriter. Yes, electric typewriters did exist and almost all of my papers in high school were typed on an electric typewriter, but the typing classroom had manual typewriters. Even my early desktop computers had keyboards with feel. That was because they were mechanical keyboards where each key had its own switch. The GMMK mechanical keyboard has a good feel to it. Its aluminum body provides a sturdy platform that does not give when you press the keys. The switches on the keys also require a bit more movement than a membrane keyboard, which is great for gaming. Since it is modular, you can easily swap out switches as well as keycaps. In fact, Glorious even offers a sample pack with 14 different switches. Then once you determine which you like the best, you can order a pack of 120 to customize your keyboard.
Since I have already dated myself with my typing class reference, I might as well continue that I remember the first mouse I used when my high school calculus teacher showed us an Apple Macintosh which included a new peripheral called a mouse. Since that time decades ago, the mouse has improved greatly. I really like the Model O mouse. At first, I was unsure of the hex design. However, it is comfortable, provides a bit of grip, and my hand does not get sweaty when using it for long periods. It slides smoothly across a mousepad—I might even say it glides. It even looks great with the LED lights on it as they cycle through the rainbow of colors. However, my favorite feature is the Ascended cord. It is so light and flexible that it does not provide any resistance and I truly feel like I am using a wireless mouse. I have already told my son to get his own Model O mouse. I am not sharing it.
For this review, I had the opportunity to try out the 3XL mouse pad. I did not realize how nice it is to have a mousepad that is essentially never-ending. It covers most of my desk. However, I like having the keyboard on the mousepad as well, since it does provide a bit more grip as well as a slight cushioning. While the 3XL may be too large for most people, with all the different sizes and dimensions Glorious offers, there is the right size for just about everyone.
Often when I review a product, I just get to try out that one product. Reviewing a keyboard, mouse, and mousepad by the same company all together really allowed me to appreciate not just a single product but the company as a whole. I am impressed not only by their designs but also by the quality of their products. I recommend the Glorious GMMK modular mechanical keyboard, the Model O mouse, and the stitch cloth mousepads individually as well as collectively. In fact, I suggest getting all three for the complete package. Whether you are an e-sports athlete, a competitive gamer, or a casual gamer who appreciates quality products, you will not be disappointed. They also make great gifts for the gamers in your life this holiday season.
Disclosure: GeekDad received samples of these items for review purposes.
