Computex 2018 is just a couple of days away, and ASUS has already started announcing some new products just in time for the event, such as its striking ROG gaming smartphone. But there are also some smaller announcements to speak of, including the company's new gaming mouse, the ROG Gladius II Wireless.
This wireless gaming mouse is similar to its wired counterpart, the Gladius II Origin, but features a whole array of connectivity options. For starters, you can use a regular 2.4GHz RF connection, but the mouse also supports Bluetooth in case you forget or lose the RF dongle. Additionally, when battery life is a major concern, you can plug in the USB charging cable which also turns on wired mode.
The new wireless version also features Pixart's fourth-generation 16,000 DPI sensor, up from the 12,000 of its wired sibling. The company says it worked with Pixart to tweak the sensor for optimal battery usage, and a new microcontroller unit (MCU) is also on board.
The company also removed the light ring around the base of the mouse to allow the 800 mAh battery to last longer on a charge. It still has customizable Aura Sync lighting in the scroll wheel and the ROG logo, however, and these can be matched with other compatible accessories.
Even with the added weight of the battery, the new mouse weighs just 20 grams more than the wired version, and it's rated for 24 hours of play time when the RGB lighting is off.
To go along with its new mouse, the company announced a new mouse pad as well. The Balteus features a hard plastic surface and RGB lighting along the edges, with 15 lighting zones which are also customizable with Aura Sync. A small cylinder at the top features a button to switch between different lighting profiles, as well as USB passthrough to offer an additional USB Type-A port.
Unlike most mouse pads, this one features a vertical design, but the company says it didn't cut down on the width, which is 32 centimeters. The mouse pad is 37 centimeters in length, which ASUS says allows the mouse pad to be used in any position the user is in without having to adjust its placement.
The Balteus mouse pad also comes with optional Qi charging which, unfortunately, doesn't charge the wireless mouse, but it can charge your phone while keeping it in close range. The Qi area is located in the top right corner so there's still plenty of room to use the mouse. This version plugs into the wall with a separate micro-USB cable to power the wireless charging.
The Balteus mousepad is promised "soon", while the new Gladius II Wireless Gaming Mouse is slated for a Q3 release. No pricing details have been announced yet.
