We recently crowned the Glorious Model O as the best gaming mouse on the market. This ultra-light mouse, weighing only 67 grams, is part of a new breed that use honeycomb-like designs to save weight and flexible cables to minimise drag. The result is a uniquely responsive feel that makes it easy to aim accurately at low DPI settings, while still being able to make bigger ‘flick’ movements to engage enemies behind you. You also get a unique look, making these new mice easy to identify compared to their traditional counterparts.
Given the potential benefits they offer, it’s no surprise that these ultra-lights have caught the attention of esports pros, streamers and enthusiasts alike over the past few months. But who has been driving the adoption of these honeycomb mice, why have they become popular and what’s coming next? We spoke to key individuals behind the scenes to find out.
Let’s start with the basics: why are we even talking about ultra-light mice anyway? One answer lies in the reach of professional gamers on Twitch and YouTube, who are also natural early adopters – and promoters – of PC gaming tech, as we saw with the rise of mechanical keyboards around 2010. Twitch and YouTube star Ninja started using and promoting the Finalmouse Air58 mouse late last year, lending the mouse his name and making it a hot commodity amongst his many fans.
Ultra-light mice have also appeared in the hands of esports pros in games like Counter-Strike and Overwatch, with Vini of Furia Gaming recently sporting a Model O in the team’s second-place ECS CSGO Season 7 finish. We spoke to consultant Lee working for Chinese peripherals firm G-Wolves, who agreed that the trend can be largely attributed to the growing success of fast-paced esports titles.