GMMK Gaming Keyboard review: a modular keyboard perfect for customising

The GMMK Gaming Keyboard is the another best gaming keyboard contender to consider, coming from the seasoned gaming peripheral maker Glorious PC Gaming Race (and the acronym in the device's name is for Glorious Modular Mechanical Keyboard, by the way).

Available in three sizes – full size, tenkeyless and compact – it's the full size model that we're going to be looking at here, complete with a number pad. Apart from the size, the number of keys and the price, the three models in the range are very similar offerings.

The real party trick here is the fully modular approach: any of the 105 keys can be swapped out and replaced, giving you the opportunity to create a full customised setup. You can start from scratch with a base, or buy a pre-built model, like the review unit that we got.

GMMK Gaming Keyboard review: design and setup

The GMMK keyboard – available in white or black – certainly looks the part. It's sturdy and solid, and attaches to your Windows PC via a 6-foot (1.8-metre) braided USB cable that feels as premium as the rest of the hardware. Along the bottom of the keyboard you've got rubber feet and pads that keep the keyboard from slipping around, and there's even a keycap puller slotted in underneath the keyboard, should you want to replace any of the keycaps or switches.

The keyboard base is crafted from sandblasted aluminium which definitely adds a touch of quality to the device, and we like the silver accent around the edge of the keyboard as well. The keys supplied with our review unit were all clearly labelled, with alternative functions printed on them where necessary, and a brighter red colour used for the Escape key that adds a little touch of flair.

Once you've downloaded and installed it, the free RGB lighting software can completely change the appearance of the keyboard of course, but whichever colour scheme you opt for, you'll get a good deal of brightness and clarity on the keys. Perhaps the only aspect of the GMMK Gaming Keyboard that we don't particularly care for is the rather drab strip of status lights on the right, indicating Caps Lock, Number Lock, and so on.

Overall though, this is a keyboard with the design aesthetics and build quality to justify its asking price. Setup couldn't be much simpler either: the input peripheral will start working as soon as you plug it in, and if you want to configure any customisations in regards to lighting or macros, the accompanying software is very straightforward too.

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GMMK Gaming Keyboard review: features and performance

Cherry, Gateron, and Kailh-branded switches can all be plugged into the GMMK Gaming Keyboard thanks to that modular approach we mentioned at the start, but our review model came with Gateron brown switches and black keycaps. They give a punchy, solid typing and gaming experience that we were very taken with, and it's the sort of keyboard we can imagine using long term for both work business and gaming pleasure.

The full NKRO (n-key rollover) and 1000Hz key polling rate on offer here mean that the GMMK Gaming Keyboard can stand up to some serious punishment during gaming, and as much as we battered away at the peripheral during our gaming sessions, the keyboard never missed a beat. Key spacings feel just about perfect too, adding to the overall impression of top-tier quality.

Normal typing feels good on the GMMK Gaming Keyboard too, and not too loud – just quite loud. We all want something different when it comes to a typing experience though, so your mileage may vary here. Again, it's worth mentioning that this is a keyboard that's designed to be modular, so you can pick and choose as far as switches and keycaps go. The default pre-built configuration will work well for a lot of people, we think.

The Windows software which you can get for free from the Glorious PC Gaming Race website doesn't go overboard when it comes to options and features, but there's enough in the way of customisations to keep most people happy. You can save up to three different profiles in the program, so you could have an understated lighting scheme for everyday computing and a more flamboyant one for your gaming, for example.

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GMMK Gaming Keyboard review: price and verdict

There's no doubt that the GMMK Gaming Keyboard ticks a lot of boxes when it comes to a peripheral like this, and the keyboard definitely impressed us with its responsiveness, its durability, and of course its versatility in terms of customization options. When you've got the physical keys set up exactly the way you want them, you can play around with 16.8 million colours for the RGB backlighting.

It is an expensive keyboard though – check the widgets embedded on this page for the latest deals collected from around the web – and if you're not going to bother with the modular options then you might want to opt for something more affordable instead. The accompanying software is fine rather than brilliant, and again this is an area where you might be able to do better elsewhere.

Everything considered, there's little doubt that this is one of the best gaming keyboards you can spend your money on right now, but if you need something even more advanced (and expensive), check out the Pro version. Other gaming peripherals from the Glorious PC Gaming Race company have left a good impression on us, and the GMMK Gaming Keyboard is no different.

Remember that you can customise the switches and keycaps on this keyboard if you don't like the default options on sale, as well as pick it up in three different sizes, so it really does have a lot of bases covered – and gives you a lot more flexibility than many other gaming keyboards. For its modular approach, its build quality, its use of premium materials and its performance under pressure, it's definitely worth a look.

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