The GLORIOUS Modular Mechanical Keyboard, better known as the GMMK, is an overall great keyboard. This full-size keyboard comes with a variety of different switches so you can select the ones that better suit your needs. The board is hot-swappable, meaning you don't have to desolder the switches to put in new ones. It also features full RGB lighting and offers great customizability. You can also get this board in a compact 60% or a TKL format. Unfortunately, its latency is quite high, making it less ideal for fast-paced, competitive gaming.
Our Verdict
The GLORIOUS GMMK is an excellent gaming keyboard, but its high latency might disappoint some gamers. Our unit has Gateron Brown switches that seem to have a bit more pre-travel than other keyboards, although most people shouldn't notice this. That said, this board is hot-swappable, so you can put your favorite mechanical switches without soldering. Every key is macro-programmable, and the RGB lighting is great for gaming in the dark.
- Hot-swappable board.
- Very well-built design.
- Available in different sizes.
- Full customizable RGB backlighting.
- Typical non-ergonomic design.
- Fairly high latency.
The GLORIOUS GMMK is a good office keyboard. Its full-size format gives you access to all necessary keys, including a NumPad. Thanks to its hot-swappable board, you can easily put in or change the switches based on your needs. Unfortunately, it isn't fully compatible with macOS as there are a few keys that don't work, and the customization software is only available for Windows.
- Hot-swappable board.
- Very well-built design.
- Available in different sizes.
- Typical non-ergonomic design.
- Software unavailable for macOS and Linux.
The GLORIOUS GMMK is wired-only and isn't designed to be used with mobile devices.
The GLORIOUS GMMK is a very good programming keyboard. All keys can be remapped, and they feel solid and steady. Typing on this board feels very nice, and you can choose your preferred switches thanks to the hot-swappable board. The board is almost fully compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux, although some non-alphanumerical keys don't work on the latter two.
- Hot-swappable board.
- Very well-built design.
- Available in different sizes.
- Software unavailable for macOS and Linux.
- No wireless connectivity or multi-device pairing.
The GLORIOUS GMMK is bad for use with a home theater PC. You can only use it wired, and the cable isn't detachable, so depending on your setup, it might not be long enough to reach your PC. Additionally, the lack of a trackpad means you need a separate mouse for navigation.
- Very well-built design.
- Available in different sizes.
- No trackpad.
- No wireless connectivity or multi-device pairing.
- Very well-built design.
- Available in different sizes.
Changelog
- Updated Nov 29, 2023: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.3.1, which adds a new estimated PCB latency test to the Single-Key Latency section and a new Analog test to the Switches section of this review. You can see the full changelog here.
- Updated Oct 30, 2023: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.3, which overhauls how key input is evaluated. We've added new tests for Single Key Latency, Multi Key Latency, Data Transmission, and Chord Split. We've also introduced a new Raw Performance usage and adjusted how the Gaming and Office usage scores are calculated. You can see the full changelog here.
- Updated Jun 21, 2023: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.2. This update introduces new Backlight Features and Backlight Clarity test boxes. We've also added a new Switches test box, added additional test comparisons to our Hardware Customizability test box that we introduced with our last Test Bench. For an in-depth look at our changes, you can see our full changelog here.
- Updated May 31, 2023: We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.1. This update adds several new tests addressing Hardware Customization, Macro Keys And Programming, and Wireless Mobile Compatibility. We've also added new objective evaluations to the Typing Noise test, and we've simplified several tests and removed several others that were no longer relevant. For an in-depth look at all our changes, you can see our full changelog here.
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Differences Between Sizes And Variants
This keyboard is available in compact 60%, TKL, or full-size. We reviewed the full-size model, but expect most of the review to be valid for all variants, other than dimensions. Both the TKL and compact 60% models also have a detachable cable, which the full-size doesn't have. Note that since the GLORIOUS GMMK is hot-swappable, your experience will vary depending on which switches you decide to use. There's also a barebones variant called the GLORIOUS GMMK PRO, which doesn't come with any switches or keycaps, giving you plenty of customization.
Popular Keyboard Comparisons
The GLORIOUS GMMK is one of the few keyboards made by well-known brands that's hot-swappable, although this seems to become a bit more popular. This means the switches aren't soldered in the PCB, and you can easily take them out with the included switch puller. You can add any compatible switch and change as often as you want to better suit your needs. If you want more options, check out our recommendations for the best keyboards, the best gaming keyboards, or if you're on a tighter budget, check out the best cheap mechanical keyboards.
The GLORIOUS GMMK and the GLORIOUS GMMK PRO are both wired gaming keyboards, but the GMMK is a full-size prebuilt board, while the GMMK PRO is a 75% barebones board. The GMMK comes with Gateron Brown switches, but you can always switch them out if you want a different feel. On the other hand, the GMMK PRO doesn't come with any switches or keycaps, so you can buy and install whichever ones you want. Also, it has a programmable rotary knob. Both are compatible with easy-to-use customization software to remap keys, set macros, and adjust the backlighting.
The GLORIOUS GMMK and the Ducky Shine 7 are very similar, with the main difference being that the GLORIOUS has hot-swappable switches. That said, the Ducky is available in multiple Cherry MX switches. The Ducky has significantly lower latency, making it a better choice for gaming. We tested a full-size variant of the GLORIOUS, but you can get it in a 60% or TKL size.
The Obinslab Anne Pro 2 and the GLORIOUS GMMK are very different keyboards. The GLORIOUS is wired-only, while the Obinslab is wireless and has multi-device pairing. The GLORIOUS has a hot-swap board that lets you change the switches without soldering, allowing for greater customization. That said, the Obinslab is available in various Cherry MX, Gateron, and Kailh switches. Although we reviewed the full-size variant of the GLORIOUS, it's also available in a compact 60% or TKL size. If you plan on gaming, the Obinslab has significantly lower latency.
The Ducky One 2 Mini V1 and the GLORIOUS GMMK are fairly different boards. While we reviewed the full-size format of the GLORIOUS, it's also available in a compact 60% or TKL layout. The GLORIOUS has a hot-swap board, making it a lot more versatile than the Ducky because you can choose and easily swap the switches without soldering. That said, the Ducky is also available in various switch options. The Ducky comes with better PBT keycaps that feel thicker, and it provides a better typing experience overall. Both keyboards have somewhat high latency, though the Ducky is a bit better.
Test Results
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