Zowie S2 Divina Review

Zowie has existed for just over a decade now, and their mission hasn’t changed since they were founded way back in late 2008: to bring the best competitive FPS gaming gear to the public, without any unnecessary frills or feature bloat. With the help of Counter-Strike legends such as SpawN, HeatoN, and NEO they created some of the most iconic gaming mice of the past decade, with the EC (Emil ‘HeatoN’ Christensen) and FK (Filip ‘NEO’ Kubski) lines being the most popular ones.

It had been a while since they released a completely new model though, and with the release of the S line the wait is finally over. The S’s shape is designed from the ground up to provide yet another amazing Zowie shape, with all the features that the other Zowie mice are known for, plus an upgraded sensor.

Does this new mouse offer enough to have a substantial spot in Zowie’s lineup or is it a bust? Read our review to find out all of that and more.

At a Glance


ZOWIE S2 Divina Pink

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Staff’s Choice
Pro’s Choice

The S2 isn’t just a refresh of an existing model: it’s an entirely new mouse and design that offers up everything that’s made Zowie such a popular brand in the first place, and more.

Pros

  • Decent cable
  • Angled cable exit is a great way to reduce drag
  • Fantastic new ZOWIE shape
  • Great build quality

Cons

  • Scroll wheel is loud and rigid
  • Glossy coating feels sticky extremely fast

Specs

SensorPMW 3360
DPI400, 800, 1600, 3200
Polling Rate125 / 500 / 1000 Hz
Button SwitchesHuano
ConnectionWired
ShapeAmbidextrous
Length12.2cm
Height3.8cm
Weight82g
Width6cm

First Impressions


Allow me to address the elephant in the room: yes, this mouse is pink. There’s also a light blue version available, but currently there’s no regular black or white version of this mouse to be bought. That’s because this iteration of the S line falls under under Zowie’s Divina line, which is a special line of products that’s made in order to support women in esports and strive for more equality in the esports scene. That doesn’t mean it’s a ‘girls only’ mouse though.

The colors they chose are pretty out there when compared to regular black color schemes, but they’re not super flashy, if that makes any sense. The color on this mouse isn’t a neon ‘in your face’ sort of pink but rather a more subtle and subdued blend of which the actual tint depends on the sort of light you put it in. In order to illustrate that I photographed the mouse using a bunch of different light sources, which is why it might look different from picture to picture.

I’m personally more of a fan of regular black mice if I had to choose, but I don’t really care about the looks of my gaming gear all too much (as long as it performs well it’s fine by me) so the color of this mouse isn’t something that annoys me or anything like that. Real men wear pink anyway.

The S2 is a small-medium sized mouse with an ambidextrous design. What’s immediately noticeable is that Zowie has opted to skip the side buttons on the right side of the mouse which were present on all of their former ambidextrous models. This was done to eliminate any possible interference with grip.

When it comes to the shape you can best compare this to Zowie’s FK model if you’d have stuck the FK shape in some sort of compactor and gently applied pressure on all sides. The S line is a bit taller, wider, and shorter than the FK line, making it more of a ‘ball’ shape than the pretty thin and sleek FK, if that makes any sense whatsoever. It’s a pretty small and ‘compact’ mouse which still fills your palm somewhat, albeit not as drastically as with the ZA12, and that firmly sets the S series apart as having a shape on its own as opposed to being an ‘improved’ version of other mice from Zowie. You can click here to go to Zowie’s mouse comparison page to check out the major differences for yourself.

Packaging


The S2 Divina edition comes in the regular Zowie box, only this time it’s in white as opposed to the regular black. On the box is the outline of the mouse, along with the Zowie and BenQ logos and then (obviously) the name of the mouse.

Inside the box you get the mouse, documentation, a regular Zowie sticker, and a pair of replacement mouse feet. The extra feet are standard for Zowie products, but it’s always much appreciated when companies do include these extra mouse feet as it saves you from having to hunt down replacement feet if/when the feet get worn out after hours and hours of intense gaming.

Shape, Coating, and Mouse Feet


The S2 has, as mentioned before, a pretty short and compact design and true to Zowie tradition it feels amazing to hold in your hand. Due to the slightly larger front sides of the mouse (when compared to the FK line) and the safe design it’s going to be very easy to pick up for all grip types, provided your hands aren’t too large or too small for the mouse.

Thanks to the larger surface area on the sides of the mouse it’s also really easy to change grips on the fly. That’s not something that I (or most people) do during gaming, but it is a testament to how well this new shape accommodates a wide variety of grip styles. I keep saying it when I review Zowie mice, and it keeps ringing true: the shape is undoubtedly one of Zowie’s major strong suits.

The S2 comes with a glossy coating (this is the same for the blue version) and while I’m not personally a fan of glossy coatings I have to say that I don’t really mind this. When I’m gaming my hands get sweaty pretty easily, but I’d be lying if I said that I had any grip issues throughout my testing period. What I did notice is that the surface itself tends to feel sticky and dirty rather easily, but this is the same for most glossy mice that I use and it’s solved with a quick passage of a cleaning cloth so that’s not a real downer as far as I’m concerned.

On the bottom of the mouse you’ll find two large feet (which are the same ones as you’ll find on the FK) and they provide a nice and controlled glide straight out of the box. There’s almost no break in period with these stock feet either, so that’s always a plus.

Recommended Grip Types


The S2 is a small to medium sized mouse with a very safe shape and that trademark ‘it feels so good‘ Zowie shape, so it should suit almost every grip type under the sun if your hands are the right size for this mouse.

The fact that it’s a little ‘boxier’ than the FK models means that people who found the FK either too long or too thin will be really happy with this particular model, but you don’t need to be a Zowie aficionado in order to appreciate this mouse. If nothing else, Zowie are known for their absolutely amazing shapes, and the S line shows that they haven’t lost that touch at all.

If you like everything that you’re reading here but you have larger hands then you can always steer towards the S1 model, which is the exact same as the S2 but with slightly larger dimensions.

Buttons and Scroll Wheel


The main mouse clicks on this mouse feel a tad lighter to me than what you’d get from the older Zowie models, and that’s a bit surprising since they’re still the same Huano switches according to Zowie. Huanos aren’t known to be the lightest switches on the planet but that’s not something that’s to be considered bad; some people prefer stiffer clicks while others swear by hair trigger lightness.

The clicks (while lighter than ‘standard’ Zowie clicks in my opinion) still aren’t the lightest of the bunch, but I never felt fatigued while using them, nor did I miss shots because I didn’t manage to actuate a button in time, so all is well on this front. People who feel like the clicks on other Zowie mice are too heavy will be pleased with these, as will people who are used to Zowie’s heavier Huano clicks. They managed to find a great balance here.

The scroll wheel on Zowie mice will always be polarizing. Zowie makes competitive gear for competitive FPS/shooter gamers, and the mouse wheel is specifically designed to have fewer and more defined steps when compared to most other gaming mice for that reason. This is fantastic if you need to perform accurate operations (such as selecting a weapon from a whole row of weapons) with your scroll wheel, but the stiffness and overall feel of the wheel definitely won’t please everyone. Purely for gaming this is a good mouse wheel though, and the middle mouse button is easy and satisfying to press.

The side buttons are conveniently placed and easily distinguishable when gaming, and they also provide a very nice and crisp click. The travel time seems to be shorter when compared to earlier Zowie models as well.

All in all the buttons on the S2 are great. People who want lighter and snappier clicks on Zowie’s mice will be especially pleased with this new line of mice.

Build Quality and Cable


Doing the usual pressure tests on the S2 Divina yields positive results. There’s no squeaking or annoying rattling whenever you put pressure on the mouse or flick it around, so no issues there at all. I will mention that, when I hold the mouse right next to my ear and shake it around, I can hear a bit of a rattle near the scroll wheel. There’s absolutely no way to hear this during regular usage (certainly not with game sounds coming out of your speakers or headset) so this is an absolute non-issue but I thought I’d mention it.

The cable remains the same as on the other Zowie models. It’s a pretty flexible rubber cable that does its job of staying out of the way quite admirably. Some other companies have started making cables that rival aftermarket cables when it comes to flexibility, so the S2’s cable isn’t the best stock cable on the market, but nevertheless it remains one of the best standard cables out there in my opinion.

Something neat that they’ve done here is the made the cable come out of the mouse at a slight angle so that it doesn’t make contact with the surface that the mouse is on straight away. It seems like a small and inconsequential decision but couple that small angle with a decent mouse bungee and you really notice that the cable hardly touches the pad, depending on how much cable you leave before you ‘bungee it up’.

That’s not to say that you need a bungee to make this mouse usable though. I always test mice with and without a bungee and as is usual with Zowie I didn’t have an issue with the cable in either test scenario.

Another small detail is that they moved the information sticker that’s on the bottom of most mice to a little tab at the end of the mouse cable so that there’s nothing on the bottom of the mouse that shouldn’t be there, leaving as little factors that could affect glide as possible. Will most people notice this change? No. But it is nice to see that Zowie also thinks of the little details in order to squeeze every last bit of performance out of their products.

Sensor and Everyday Performance


I feel like I can be pretty brief here. The days of gaming mice using sensors that can spin out or have acceleration or any of that nonsense are over.

Most new (FPS) gaming mice coming from reputable brands have a flawless sensor and the S2 isn’t any different. The S2 houses the 3360 sensor, which perfectly translates every movement you make on your desk to the game without doing any predicting, snapping and so on. No one to blame but yourself (or lag) if you miss that absolutely crucial headshot on the enemy healer, in other words.

Zowie are famous for their plug and play principles. If you’re a gamer who’s playing at a different LAN tournament every weekend you don’t want to be messing around with an endless stream of software programs to set up all of your peripherals, so Zowie mice are good to go the moment you plug them into your machine. You can change the DPI and polling rate on the bottom of the mouse if you want, and that’s it. No nonsense, just headshots.

Zowie Divina S2 Review – Conclusions


It’s been a while since Zowie released a new mouse, but boy was it worth the wait.

The S2 continues Zowie’s heritage of having absolutely amazing shapes and improves on the older Zowie models by offering a 3360 sensor, as well as by doing some smaller stuff such as angling the cable upwards for minimal contact with the playing surface and moving the information sticker towards the end of the cable. The clicks also feel lighter and snappier, despite Zowie using the same switches as on older models.

Will these small improvements be noticed by the majority of people? Some will, some won’t, but that doesn’t matter. The S2 isn’t just a refresh of an existing model: it’s an entirely new mouse and design that offers up everything that’s made Zowie such a popular brand in the first place, and more.

The coating (only glossy is available at the time of writing this review) and scroll wheel certainly won’t please everyone, but if you can look past that there is a lot to love about this new Zowie mouse, and I absolutely encourage you to check it out for yourself.

This product was received for free from the manufacturer and given to our reviewer to test and review. Brands and manufacturers have no editorial control over our reviews. For more information, check out our review FAQ.

49 Comments
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R

I’m wondering if I should get this mouse? My hand size is 20×10.5; my current main is the GPW. I like the shape, but the only problem with it is that it hurts my palm after a few hours. My grip style is palm.

Max

I wouldn’t necessarily get this if you’re having troubles palming the GPW. Perhaps the Zowie EC series would be a better starting point for your particular search!

Alexander Kirchhof

Hi, my hands are 18.5 x 10.0 (10.5) in size. For my mouse i use mostly claw/fingertip (hard to distinguish for me, but if i had to guess its claw).

Razer Deathadder Essential was too large for me, in a way, that i felt i could not flick at all; now i have the Logitech G305 which i find a tad to small in length and i have trouble reaching mousebutton #5 and generally the buttons are too small for me to reach comfortably.

I do want a mouse that is slightly larger than the G305 up to medium size, but no hump on the back as i dont palmgrip it.

So the S2 is the way to go ? Or even the ZA13/ZA12, as long as the mouse is not as big as the Deathadder or G502.

I should add, that i recently used a mouse finder tool, and when entering the data, three mice came out on top :
Razer Viper Ultimate on #1 , G Pro Wireless on #3 and Razer Viper wired on #5.

Pls help ! Cheers, Alex

Max

Well, those mouse finder tools can definitely be handy but they’re just guidelines, as is everything that I (or any other reviewer) will tell you since a lot comes down to personal preference and everyone is unique in what they like. That said: the S2 could well be a great pick for you. I absolutely love the shape for claw though it might be a bit too big for fingertip but you said you’re more claw.

The Viper Ultimate is pretty flat but if you really don’t want any palm contact it could be the one for you, if you like a bit of palm then the G Pro Wireless is indeed a good pick too.

Something that I haven’t seen you mention is the Endgame Gear XM1. That’s a great mouse for claw/fingertip grip as well and might be right up your alley as far as size is concerned. It’s got a flawless sensor, great cable, it’s light, … It’s a really good gaming mouse but often flies under the radar.

I know this isn’t a ‘take that one’ answer but I don’t like giving out definitive recommendations since, as I said, everyone is different. If you have any more questions feel free to let me know though!

Chris

Hi, I got 8cm by 18cm and using more like palm grip with a bit Claw grip while awping I choosing between the s1 and s2 and need some help.
Coming from EC2 B before

Max

From what I’m reading here I’d say you’re better off with the S2, but that’s just my opinion.

Luke

This is the only review I seen that mentions how sticky it gets…. other than that great mouse…

Max

Well I do have pretty sweaty hands when I’m gaming, something that my colleagues might not have as much trouble with. It really is a great mouse though and I had no trouble using it at all, it’s just that I find that ‘sweaty hands on gloss coatings’ sensation to be a bit uncomfortable.

Kastriot

Im coming from Ec2b and the size is not Bad. I dont like the shape and i cant choose between Zowie Za12 , S1 or S2. My handsize is 20.5cm. Btw i played the za13 long Time ago But it was a bit to small

Max

For your hand size I would go with the S1 based on what your saying here, but I could give some more educated recommendations if I knew your preferred grip style.

joe lui

hi, my hand size is 10cm by 19cm, i don’t know whether the s1 or the s2 is better for me i use a palm grip

Max

I’d go for the S1 in that case, though these things are always just an educated guess so take any advice you get online with a grain of salt since I don’t know your exact preferences etc.

Chanon

i can’t decide s1 or s2 by my hand size.
I have 19cmx9cm, i had the fk2 before and the lenght was fine but it was Abit narrow between my hands. I play mixed claw and palm, what do you suggest me?

Max

I honestly think both could be fine for you, but I’d maybe try to look at the S2 first.

tylan cariñ

loving this site great work, currently using g102, looking for an upgrade i was wondering if i should wait for the glorious model o- or get the s2 instead my hands are 17.5×8.5 claw grip… im pretty comfortable with the shape and size of g102 so i want something similar. thanks in advance

Max

Thanks for the kind words! I’d maybe wait for the Model O- in that case, or perhaps the CM MM710 (though that’s not out yet so I can’t comment on how good that is). There’s also always the G305, that’s a really good mouse as well and it has the same shape and size as the G102 plus the advantage of being wireless and lightweight.

Max

Hey should i ude s1 or s2
Im palm grip and i come frome Logitech 502?
Kind regards max.

Max

Probably the S2 if you like the size of the G502.

Dean

zowie s2 or to get the fk1 not sure could you help me decide thanks in advance!

Max

Depends entirely on your preferences I’m afraid. The FK is flatter and longer than the S, so it really depends on how you grip the mouse and what you personally like.

Dean

Okay thankyou, so what size would I be looking at getting if I got the za series or fk? thanks for helping me decide my new mouse! will update how i like it.

Max

Depends on the size of your hands to be honest.

Dean

Hi, I am 6’1 and I am palm I am not sure whether to go with s1 or fk1+ which would you recommend? I am not sure what my hand measurements are but my hand is bigger than the ec2-b I am using atm

Max

The FK is pretty flat so I wouldn’t really recommend it for palming. It depends on your personal preferences (I can’t say for sure what you’ll love) but I think the S1 is a better fit for palm grip. You could also look at the ZA line from Zowie if you’re a palmer though.

Benjamin

My hand size is 19cm x 9.5cm and uses a fingertip grip . Just wondering what I should get

Max

The S2 should be good for you in that case. There are plenty of other great mice around though, so feel free to browse our review section. I don’t like really say ‘mouse X or mouse Y is perfect for grip X’ since a lot depends on personal preferences and so on. But if your question was on what size of Divina you should get then I would say the S2, unless you want a larger feeling mouse. Then you can also try the S1.

Elias Rasmusen

Thanks a lot

Max

No problem. 🙂

Elias Rasmusen

Thanks a lot, i was also kinda looking at The S1 But i guess the S2 is better for me right?

Max

If you like smaller feeling mice you could go for the S2 but if you like ’em a bit larger the S1 should be fine as well. My hands are about the same size and both mice work for me.

Elias Rasmusen

Hi, I’m going to buy a new Zowie mouse. I have 18×9 cm hands and I use a palmxfingertip hybrid grip should I go for a Zowie S2 or an EC2-A?

Max

That depends on your preferences as both are fine for that size and grip in my opinion. I’d personally favor the S2 in that case though.

Philip T

Nice review of the S2 (it’s my main mouse). I have been enjoying your original content. Also suggest you check out the Havit Low Profile tenkeyless board. I think it’s really good for gaming due to the low-profile clicky Kailh choc switches (less wrist strain than full-height boards). It’s gone under the radar of the mechanical keyboard and gaming communities but in terms of actual in-game performance, I think it’s one of the best.

Max

Hi! Thanks for the kind words, glad you like the content. That certainly looks like an interesting keyboard, I’m gonna take a deeper look at it for sure, thanks for the suggestion!

Dennis Phan

Hello. My hands are 18 cm and my grip style is hybrid. Should i go for s1 or s2? Thanks for reading

Max

Depends on what kind of hybrid to be honest. If you like to rest a lot of your palm on the mouse I’d lean towards the S1 but otherwise I think the S2 is the best option. Keep in mind that this is only a guideline; no reviewer will be able to tell you what mouse or size is perfect from you based on text alone, so take all advice on this front (including mine) with a grain of salt.

James

Hello my grip is claw, I saw a video on YouTube and said that the za model was ideal for the claw grip since the ec was for palm and the fk finger grip.
He also said that the new divine was good with the claw grip but could also be used as a palm grip but they were not designed mainly for a claw grip.
My doubt is that if the za is the ideal for me or better I update with the s2
My hand is 17.5

Max

I would say to go for the S2. It’s perfectly adequate for claw grip. In the end these ‘this mouse is ideal for X grip style’ are only guidelines since everybody is different, so always take those with a grain of salt.

Cody

my hand is almost 22cm long. What mouse would you recommend. I’ve been looking at the S1

Max

If you want to go for an S version then do go for the S1 as the S2 would be way too small for your hands I think.

nininikkk

I have 18 cm x 10 cm hands, should i get the S2 Divina or the S1?

Max

I’d recommend the S2 then but if you like larger mice you could also go for the S1 with your hand size in my opinion.

Niec

I have 19.5 cm x 10.5 cm hands, should i get the S2 Divina or the S1?

Kaid

S1, for sure. I even have the same hand size as yours but I use palm grip so Im using an EC2-B. The S1 is a dream tho for claw or fingertip grip.

Max

Definitely the S1, as Kaid already pointed out. Thanks Kaid, always appreciated when our community helps each other out!

Leopardi

I guess it depends on your grip style. I have 19x10cm and use a claw grip where the mouse is usually 45 degree angled and takes support from the right side of my palm, and the G100s is my dream shape.

Therefore I’d say the S2 is better fit, as the dimensions are very close.

Lukas

Ï have 19.7cm x 10cm and its kind a little bit too high in my opinion.

Gee

Amazing reviews of gaming peripherals with the perspective of a gamer! Have you tried the new-ish Corsair K70 Low Profile? I can’t seem to find good gamer reviews for that!

Max

Thank you very much for the kind words. That’s exactly what we try to do here at ProSettings, we want to offer perspectives from a gamer point of view, so thanks for noticing that! That being said; I don’t currently have the K70 Low Profile on my list of gaming products to be reviewed, but I will make the necessary inquiries to try and get a review unit, so stay tuned!