As enthusiasts, many of us have been guilty of spec chasing at one time or another. From the fastest clock speeds, to the highest refresh rates and even down to the best gaming mouse, it seems like vendors are always pushing us to want more. But during this week’s live episode of The Tom’s Hardware Show, Glorious CEO and founder Shazim Mohammad described a different approach from his company.
When asked about his business philosophy by a viewer, Mohammad pointed to his own experience as a shopper. Before starting Glorious, he found that gaming peripherals were often considered overpriced and overhyped compared to non-gaming alternatives.
Gaming mice are no exception.
“Gaming mice are notorious for this, that they show, ‘Oh, wow 32,000 DPI. 16,000 DPI.’ That’s like BS statistics,” Mohammad said. “No one ever is going to use a mouse at 16,000 DPI for any reason whatsoever. I really hated that, and it’s something I wanted to change when I started off Glorious. ... We want to offer honest products at everyday pricing.”
This year, high-CPI mice have been aplenty. Razer added more 20,000-CPI mice to its lineup, including the Razer DeathAdder V2 and Razer Naga Pro. In September, Logitech boosted the max CPI of mice using its HERO sensor from 16,000 to 25,600 via a software update. We’ve also tested the Cooler Master MM831, which claims up to 32,000 CPI with software (16,000 CPI without). The Glorious Model D-, Model D, Model O- and Model O, meanwhile, go up to 12,000 CPI.
In terms of pricing, Mohammad compared some popular best wireless mouse contenders, like the Logitech G Pro Wireless, to the Glorious Model O Wireless. The G Pro Wireless has an MSRP of $130 as of writing, while the Model O Wireless is $80.
Glorious is currently trying to shake up the market with its GMMK Pro keyboard, which is currently available for pre-order and goes for $170. It’s a 75% barebones keyboard including a gasket mounted plate, CNC aluminum chassis, goat stabilizers and removable USB-C cable. It’s also hot swappable, making it easy to change the mechanical keyboard switches.
The GMMK Pro is Glorious’ attempt to bring a premium, enthusiast-level mechanical keyboard to a more mainstream market.
“[We thought,] ‘What is the the most premium tiered keyboard we can produce that gives you the most amazing typing experience that only has been experienced by the niche keyboard enthusiasts out there?” Mohammad said. “We’ve been trying to bring that, basically, into the consumer market. And hopefully with the GMMK Pro we’ll be able to achieve that.”
Mohammad also discussed the brand’s aforementioned Model O and Model D series of honeycomb-style mice, which have become a hallmark of the Glorious brand. And for those who’ve wondered how one keeps a mouse filled with holes clean, Mohammad has some food for thought.
“Your keyboard’s a lot more filthy than your mouse …,” the exec said. He noted that Glorious mice are made with the “appropriate coatings and protections to prevent dust” and that you can clean them with your typical tools, like an air canister. Further, opening them doesn’t void the warranty.
Mohammad argued keeping a honeycomb mouse clean is no different than taking care of any other mouse or PC component.
“I strongly don’t think that having holes is going to be any more of an issue than not having holes. If you dont clean any of your stuff it’s going to break at some point,” Glorious’ CEO said.
Also on The Tom’s Hardware Show this week was a deep live look at our Cyberpunk 2077 PC benchmarks, settings and performance analysis. Finally, we heard from Daisy Hamption, the 11-year-old founder of Including You, a charity where you can donate unwanted PCs to NYC kids in need of a system for remote learning. Visit Including You’s donation page to learn more.
The Tom’s Hardware Show is live every Thursday at 3 p.m. ET on our YouTube channel, Facebook, Twitch and Periscope and is also available as an audio podcast on Apple, Spotify and all the other major distribution platforms.
