WATCH BEFORE YOU BUY: GMMK Pro - HYPE or NOT?

[@ooharloo]

I dig this review! I’m loving my GMMK pro to bits. It’s not for the high end enthusiast for sure. But compared to the Razers and Corsair keyboards, this is truly a better option.

[@AndyVNguyen]

It’s interesting because the Bakeneko was able to slide in as a really good board at a low price point that explicitly cut some minor corners (aesthetics, machining) to provide a high end experience. It just seems Glorious didn’t just do a tad more research and kind of rushed the project.

[@poppygin4807]

@@AndyVNguyen 60% vs a more usable 75% layout. There are 5 people in my office that got the GMMK Pro because they want a customized experience but not willing to sacrifice the F-row and arrows. They also did not want to spend more than $300 for a build. So, this board hit the targeted audience perfectly. For programmers that use IDE heavily, 75% is the smallest that we willing to go to. Sure, there are "better" typing experience at a lower cost, but it is a trade off for productivity. Completely agree that Glorious should have done more research, but they did provide a great alternative at $170; too bad their competitions are 60-65% boards.

[@Tunnelsnakes]

@@poppygin4807 They took the advantage of that segment, seeing that there's not much competition in the budget 75% board market, but unfortunately they didn't use that advantage to the best of their abilities...

[@FF18Cloud]

@@poppygin4807 oh right forgot about eclipse and that f3 key

[@poppygin4807]

@@FF18Cloud I need my F10 to F12 for Visual Studio

[@clivengu]

19:37 "GMMK Pro is more like a one and done grab it and go focus on more productive hobbies honestly" that sentence hit me right at the spot... I don't want to spend thousand of dollars buying different keyboards . I just wan a cool and good keyboard and go on with my life... I guess this is for me. Lol

[@blasstois]

Agree with this too. I like the hotswap capabilities because it allows you to try stuff out because it’s not unreasonable to just give something a shot.

[@antoine7269]

Yeah, it's basically more of a half custom keyboard, for people not wanting to get too deep into the hobby but still have a keyboard they can keep for a very long timle without ever getting bored of it because of the modding possibilities with different plates/switches. I think its not talked about enough that aside from modding possibilities and sound and all, a full aluminum plate and hotswappable switches allow for a much longer lifespan of your keyboard (as long as the PCB holds out)

[@teddyc2985]

This is a good review! I fit right into the group that would like this board as a beginner who doesn't care about everything being perfect. This is how reviews should be, informing the audience about who would like the product and not just as a video people watch to hype themselves up before or after buying it.

[@tetrisguy4208]

Holy shit your friend is so right....i watch reviews for shit i buy all the time....just to hope that i didnt mess up and spend money on something dum or something i dont need.

[@barrylinkiewich9688]

One advantage to watching reviews after the fact is the feedback, like the broken screws... stuff that you'll never find in an instruction manual.

[@darkhaven328]

This wasn't nearly as negative as I expected. I don't think you even needed to make that "don't watch" disclaimer. This was totally fair and honestly accurate. It is definitely a slightly above entry level board that is affordable and has plenty of ways to tweak and have fun with for the price point, but is by no means *end game* for 170 USD lol. The sound is muted but it's gonna be a solid board for most new comers.

[@winitypes]

The best GMMK PRO review I've watched (FULL GMMK PRO review with PROS and CONS) Thank you for the great review Andy it really helps cause I pre-ordered this board and now I know what will be the best modifications will need to do ☺️ PS: I watched the whole stream of your GMMK PRO build ☺️

[@darrenlam4189]

The day vendors start to move towards the in-stock model is the day that my bank account dies. You're spot on about the group buy model and I feel like the hobby is getting too big to be propped up by GBs and Raffles. Thanks for another great vid, Andy!

[@AndyVNguyen]

Some vendors have done it! It's just really hard to land if it's a higher end board. GBs zzzzz. I was never really into it and I still am not

[@bakeraus]

@@AndyVNguyen Same, I'm not into it at all. I find it works for the smaller vendors who aren't able to front a high cost but some of these vendors are now businesses and they could get investment or go to a bank to get a business loan like any other business in retail/distro.

[@lil_syba]

dude you're so conscious of your audience's mindset coming into your vids, i love that. keep it up!

[@mento730]

honestly, it's what I expected, actually even more. For the price point, I did not expect it to be premium by any means. If they pulled it off it would have been a bonus. I bought the board out of curiousity of what Glorious could give me for $170 for their first keyboard of this kind. If this is what we get from their first board, with them taking in our criticism, I can't wait to see what they will come up with on their next one.

[@chainofenkidu9451]

I just picked up my gmmk pro and to the point of the target demographic of the product is pretty spot on, I think a custom mechanical keyboard is cool and all but I have no interest in waiting that long or paying that much for one (it’s call having other hobbies). Gmmk pro is at a decent price that won’t hurt the bank too much and give u a keyboard that’s pretty premium to the uninitiated.

[@AndyVNguyen]

Yessirrrr that’s what it is

[@blasstois]

I agree entirely. It’s nice but not unreasonable. As a fellow “too many hobbier” I agree with this.

[@chainofenkidu9451]

@@blasstois kinda ashamed to admited it, but during the time of this comment I might have fallen a bit deeper into the rabbit hole...

[@sleeper1023]

Please always remain like this. Your objective reviews are always on point and this is what we're here for.

[@Aldarris]

Yo I love how your reviews are outside, its pretty refreshing lol

[@AndyVNguyen]

A little more background noise (usually a fountain) but I think it's worth the tradeoff. Now I'm wondering if I should pull a dynamic mic and use that outside too..

[@MiggyBunny11]

@@AndyVNguyen Tbh I think I like the "natural" part of your recent outside reviews! Thanks for the beautiful and informative video!

[@danielp121]

@@AndyVNguyen I noticed the background noise. But it does not bug/annoys me. Hoping for more "outside of the house"review. 👍🏿

[@GS-xp5jq]

I actually find the fountain noise relaxing and feel that it compliments the smooth music nicely!

[@matrious2485]

@@AndyVNguyen encouraging enthusiasts to touch dat grass

[@nomsfud]

Glorious taking care of you is 100% right. My original GMMK Pro had a stripped standoff screw that was so bad I couldn't remove it. They had me initiate tracking on a return and sent me out s brand new one right away. No shilling, it was a great experience

[@AbeldeBetancourt]

Bad QA

[@nomsfud]

@@AbeldeBetancourt sometimes a stripped screw happens. I'd rather have bad QA and a company that's ready to make the problem right than a terrible product.

[@frebasaurus2331]

dude, this was explained so freaking well and in detail. You perfectly showed who this board is for and who it isnt. Really great review man.

[@TheDredgenProject]

Great review as always. Quite balanced. As all things should be!

[@zu22779]

Glad you kept it 100% bro. I canceled my pre order. Getting higher end stuff now (Jelly, Sirius, Maja). But I do commend Glorious for what they are doing for the industry.

[@lw8882]

BEST explanation of the problems with the gasket in the GMMK pro that I've seen.

[@johnchan4468]

Great detailed and critical (but honest) review. I feel like most reviewers are afraid to be harsh on some of these points as they know their audience won't like hearing that.

[@keebtoys5355]

because most of them are sponsored and this is not

[@jellybeannzz]

man i hope these comments made your day. stay awesome my dude and was nice to see another perspective regarding the board. in the end, its really up to whichever feature that you can bear with

[@skylarryals4837]

After seeing this review and the effort you put into it, I was surprised that I haven't found your channel until now. Great quality content.

[@williamrose4374]

Just got this board with clicky Kalih box whites. Maybe if you're using linear or more quiet tactile switches, the rigidity and "over padding(loosely used.. I think it's great)" might impact the sound profile but if you love the very clicky switches, this will bring down the sound while not taking away from the feel. The sound for me is very premium. This keyboard beats the crap out of anything you get pre-made from a major brand (e.g. razor, corsair, Logitech, etc...). I 10,000% recommend it. If you're a keyboard enthusiast who spends 600 bucks+ on a on board, you probably already know you don't want this. If you're thinking about getting this board and are on the fence, just do it. 10/10. Build quality is unbelievable.

[@AzureBeastKing]

definitely agree with the people who just want a good looking keyboard than a good sounding one, had some of them text me and goes "hey, you know keyboards rigtht? is there a keyboard that looks good and has rgb, and for the switches i want those clicky switches like those on a razer keyboard". pre-ordered these and definitely got the thumbs up from them.

[@AndyVNguyen]

and sometimes they're so used to scratchy mx reds or clickies that ANY reasonably smooth linear sounds amazing to them. and they're all better sounding (no matter the board) than the loudest prebuilt mech

[@tonchok9488]

your videos are honestly underrated, its so calm and soothing and it does not put me to sleep btw congrats on 1000 subs on twitch

[@flyingwhales1991]

I know this is an old video, but I recently bought a gmmk pro for my dad (to which he didn't want). I do think the problem is the housing on the stabs. I used the same wires that came with the board, balanced them, transferred it over to a c3 equalz stab housing I bought a while back, and it's perfect. I also took off the standoffs and the plate foam to give the board some life because it sounds SOOOO MUTED. The c3 equalz housing works on the brass plate so I went with those. Lastly, I used a higher pitched switch: JWICK black lubed and filmed. With cheap pbt keycaps, board sings. I didn't like the sound of ABS keycaps on this particular keyboard. IMO, this is really good for the price. It just needs some work in order to achieve the sound signature you desire.

[@antoine7269]

As a european, one cool feature about the GMMK pro is that you can find it with an ISO layout, wich is great for people who don't want to be stuck with a different layout than what they know just to be able to have a custom board. Haven't got my hands on it yet, but seeing different reviews and users opinions, i think it is a great board for beginners and/or people who want the pros of having a custom board without having to dig too deep into the hobby/their wallet.

[@jlu]

Just wanted to say, I really like your enthusiasm and presentation, seeing keyboard reviews outside with the sound of the environment in the background makes for an enjoyable viewing experience :) PS. I agree with your thoughts on the group buy model, I literally got into custom MKs a week and a half ago, and a KBD67 Lite was what I was gonna go for, but it's out of stock everywhere (even with other entry level boards like Portico, NK65, Ikki68). I'm leaning towards this instead because it will at least (hopefully) be consistently in stock

[@matthieuzglurg6015]

got the GMMK Pro this week and so far, I'm happy. True, the gaskets aren't really working at all since the board is so cramped, but I prefer a firmerboard that does not move up and down too much so I'm okay with this. No really though, the biggest problem of the GMMK Pro is the terrble stock stabs that you absolutely want to replace (I haven't replaced them yet if someone has any suggestions that would not mean fining dozn the board by the way)> I did everhting there was to do with them : cleaned the factory lube ( I mean really cleaned it, with water, soap etc), did very fine wire balancing, removed the horrible piece of tape from the PCB that is making them stick, band aid modded the PCB, holee modded the stems, lubed the stabs housings and stems accordingly, and they somehoz still tick a bit and the space bar still has a bit of rattle. Not the end of the world, it's very subtle but dang it's a weird feeling to have stabilizers this bad. software that goes along is enough for almost everybody, and the rare few that would ned more hqve acces to QMK and Via. It's a decent board overall, clearly not perfect though, and overhyped. Reminds me of Cyberpunk 2077 in a way About the screws : I bought my GMMK Pro through the Amazon warehouse program, so that was an open box. There was clearly proof that the board had been used before it gor returned, maybe it got opened once before I got it. For the modding the stabs, I might have opened the board and disassemble the plate at least 3 times, and so far nothing to report, maybe ou just had a bad screw

[@JL-fh4qw]

If you pretend it's a sandwich mount it's a killer board for the price, otherwise get ready to make a lot of modifications to give it flex. Hopefully they make a true gasket pcb plate combination that can be used in these v1 models

[@ryanxu9983]

yess

[@rks5457]

Nah, they did the right thing in making it more durable and have those standoffs support the pcb better. Those gasket mount boards that give "flex" also flex the pcb and could shoot out soldered hotswap sockets and could eventually crack the board. It's a good mix between what boutique kb companies currently think is the best design for sound and what has been proven to be durable for the life of a keyboard. Enthusiasts have multiple boards and flip and buy all the time so they don't care about long term tests bc they just want the newest board design innovation and the best possible sound. How many long term tests have we seen of enthusiast keyboards? Especially ones that have actually been used as a daily and used hard? We only have customers who could tell us but if you go to any msg board or reddit, they never talk bad about these kb companies or vendors bc they feel like it's a small hobby and don't want to harm anyone's reputation. It's crazy how crappy the quality control and customer service of these kb companies has been in my experience. I got my nephew an nk65 entry edition and the inside lip of the board was cracked, the screw holes were cracked and the plate was warped. I couldn't get a replacement so they gave me a partial refund. So I just kept the damn board and had no gift for my nephew. Same shit with these vendors, as they constantly treat customers like they're doing us a grand gesture instead of like professional store owners. It's a shame and hopefully boards like this get more consumers involved so they can give this niche a swift kick in the ass so they can evolve and move forward instead of the stifled innovation we have right now. 20x holy panda tactile switch copies that sound mildly different... Wow! End rant.

[@schlomoshekelstein908]

what's with this flex obsession with keyboards? why the fuck would u want ur keyboard to flex?

[@TheManicGeek]

Great video man. I have a GMK Pro on my desk atm and I basically agree with your final thoughts on the board. I can't say I had issues with the case screws on my model, but I did have an issue where the plate foam was slightly shifted on my model and caused one of the "gaskets" to get a bit chewed up so I had to use two of the extra gaskets to replace it since it turns out the extra gaskets are half the thickness of the originals. I feel like the gaskets are more there to keep the resonance of the plates in check since the message for the gaskets says they're there for tuning for the sound of the board... such as it is. I'm also using some tactile switches (Halo Trues, 63.5 g spring lubed with G-Lube) so I'm a bit happier with the sound of the board than I might have been with linears, it seems. Also screw these GOAT stabs, spent so much time trying to tune them and they're just kinda not great lol.

[@stanley909]

It did lived up to the hype for me, that's because I kept my expectations relatively low. The only game-changer for me IMO is that it's readily available (when supplies come in) retail. Other than that, it's pretty much like any other custom keyboard out there.

[@AndyVNguyen]

Setting expectations low is a protip for life lol

[@mosk11tto]

Thanks for that analysis of stuffed/muffled sound! And the comparison to id80, that hollower doesn't necessarily equal worse sound.

[@RitzyBusiness]

I am the headphone demographic, what I really like about this keyboard is the south leds and it's weight. For me a board like this is endgame, at least until wooting makes a 75%

[@CaloysKeyboards]

Great video, Andy. I've seen a lot of GMMK Pro reviews and so I didn't really expect much from yet another one. But how you created the narrative with relation to the group buy model and the expectations created by Glorious' marketing was very well done, enlightening, and entertaining. And maybe I'm just not watching the right people but I feel like I don't hear enough about how certain keyboards can make switches sound the same, which you've said of this and also of the KBD67 Lite. Keep it up! You and your guns are kiling it lol

[@thediplomat1124]

I love my gmmk pro and got it when it hit the online store as a staple. I think it's an amazing board for someone getting into keyboard modding!

[@AndyVNguyen]

it's a decent start, but especially today there's so many better options

[@karlomarkodaniel9726]

Best review along with Hypno , so far between the keyboard ytubers i watch. More comprehensive and realizes that the customer buys with their preference. Tbh its a great keeb for first timers out there looking for a fully customizable keyboard. Thanks 👌

[@joshua910]

Felt this was a very balanced review. You gave props when it applied but also drilled down on the areas you had concerns with. For people trying to get into the hobby and navigate through the jungle of noise this kind of content really helps.

[@marginalmeaning]

Great review - very objective and does a great job looking at the whole package. I had one on reserve, but ended up cancelling. Absolutely love the layout, but the reports of how it feels and deadens switch sound characteristics changed my mind. Something I will confirm - their customer service is absolutely fantastic. I couldn't cancel through their account system so I sent them a message, within a day it was resolved after 2 messages. There was no asking to reconsider, no upsell, etc. They just cancelled the reservation and I had a refund in 2 days.

[@notsully473]

I canceled my gmmk pro order and got an id80 and i’m glad I did. Used gat milky yellows, mt3 keycaps, case foam, pcb foam, and durock stabs and it sounds great

[@therealponsoy2843]

I love your straightforward and honest approach to these reviews. Love ya Andy

[@sweetsansui2829]

Another super informative review Andy. Been following you for a month and I just got to say you're my go to guy for making mechanical keyboard purchasing decisions. And thank you for introducing me to the sound world of custom keyboard and turning me into a well-educated keyboard enthusiast. I wanted Jelly Epoch because of you. Although I missed the group buy, I'm sure as long as you continue to make reviews, there will be plenty of well-designed custom keyboards waiting for me to discover. Keep it up and don't worry about haters out there. The group buy rabbit hole has tormented consumers long enough. Just do your thing and sooner or later more people will realize your role does serve a good purpose.

[@cruzkinestudios9882]

Got the GMMK pro during launch and for some weird reason I cant give it up. Something about this board makes this a keeper. Just did an overhaul and can now enjoy the experience with this board and it still sits in my rotation. This is the OG in which many have imitated.

[@AndyVNguyen]

This board is literally an imitation of the satisfaction75 tho lmao. But if you’re happy with it that’s all that matters! Save your money

[@cruzkinestudios9882]

@@AndyVNguyen that’s is true lol. 2019 I believe was the satisfaction 75 group buy. I came into the hobby when GMMK pro was first launched at $99 and maybe that’s why I have an attachment to it. Now, if I can get my hands on the true OG that would be awesome.

[@BANNANA2212]

Great review! I dont mind these longer videos as they are super insightful and I think your perspective is really informative and professional. Glad I held off on the GMMK Pro, but I hope they can fix the issues in a (potential) V2, I think it could be a great product if so. Keep up the good work!

[@BraXdotexe]

As far as mechanical boards go, I've only have a das keyboard before buying a GMMK pro in 10/21. I'm not opposed to other custom keyboard brands now, but I do enjoy this keyboard. I'd still be willing to look at other brands and boards. I feel this board has just opened my eyes to how big of a hobby keyboards were. This video was awesome and very helpful. Hope I don't sound rude or anything, just an open minded unbiased opinion here. Thank you & subbed!

[@raindecastro6138]

Ahhh yes another amazing review good sir! As for someone who always wants to see the pros and cons of products, this hits a good spot.

[@alejo36]

I’m considering buying the GMMK pro, but every review and sound test I’ve seen and heard doesn’t convince me, it sounds very “metallic” if that makes sense, it’s like the whole thing is a pice of metal with switches. All the switches sound the same, and it’s very high pitch, I haven’t heard one that sounds thocky or have any pop. I was trying to understand the mounting system, looking for some way to mod it, and the conclusion was the same as yours, try cutting those legs from the plate, and maybe trying diferente gaskets, thinner ones, but I’m afraid it won’t make a difference and I would end having a keyboard I don’t really like. On the other hand, lately, I’ve been attracted by silent switches, and there are a couple of builds with silents, and I love the way it looks, so probably I will try that combination, but I’m not sure. Excellent review man

[@AndyVNguyen]

Thanks for taking the time for such a detailed response! Yeah I don't know if I'd actually cut the plate because they definitely wouldn't warranty that. Killing one of the plates pushes the cost of this board to $200+ unfortunately. I've had people DM me for advice as to what to do about this board to make it sound better and I don't know if there is anything I can actually recommend barring from yeah straight up cutting chunks off of the plate.

[@underdoglucifer]

Awesome review video that i watch from beginning to the end. No bs straight to the point. I see you face, I fell like actually listening to a person and makes me listen to what you have to say. Awesome job. Thumbs up of course. I dont have the luxury and time to go through your entire stream. I wish you can do more breakdown such as this for many boards.

[@sh3ll602]

damn bro this guy provided all the info i could have possibly ever needed about this board i appreciate your criticisms and knowledge, im just not one of those people that care about having the best sound. this board is worth it to me, because of how easy it is to buy. im thrilled to finally be getting a custom keyboard after so much waiting and searching online. this board clears the confusion for me.

[@AndyVNguyen]

Glad I could help brotha. As long as you're informed, it's all that matters!

[@sh3ll602]

@@AndyVNguyen you definitely deserve more recognition for the video and editing quality, and effort put into your videos :) interacting with your fanbase and reading comments is just going the extra mile. youre for sure an underrated youtuber. keep up the great work

[@barrylinkiewich9688]

As someone new into the hobby and with a GMMK pro on order this review was of interest to me and having watched it, I'm not dissuaded at all. I'm willing and enjoy tinkering and I can see myself messing around with this board for a while, I really appreciate the heads up on the screws, it sounds like they torqued them down way too tightly on final install or the screw holes weren't threaded fully all the way down and they bound up because aluminum does like to gall and bind when given the chance.

[@trevwagner666]

For me its a decent form factor hot swap board that's good enough with various plate materials and i can kind of customize it without having to wait as long as i would for my ideal board from a group buy. it's basically dipping my toes and is a step up from my regular gmmk

[@miguelvillanueva1499]

Great review. I have a gmmk pro, while it's nowhere near perfect I've learned to enjoy it by accepting it is what it is. I do agree that it was overhyped by Glorious and if they would have done a better job to set our expectation from the start it might have been received better by the community. I just felt like I had no options for other boards. I'm pretty new to the custom mech scene and have either missed out on some great boards in group buys or have taken a big fat L's in fcfs sales (looking at the Jelly Epoch). It's pretty discouraging not being able to buy what I want without going through the second-hand market and potentially supporting the flippers. Maybe one day I'll be able to score a premium 65/75% layout board, but it already looks like that won't happen in 2021.

[@AndyVNguyen]

I definitely feel ya there. As it stands right now, the one board that has everyone buzzing is the Bakaneko. I have one here and I can say it obliterates the GMMK Pro, and even swings close to my Unikorn.. but it's a 60% keyboard and that's just a no go for a lot of people.

[@ralph17p]

Mine is arriving today and is my first step into custom keyboards. I must admit, this review didn't worry me. I guess I'm not the typical custom keyboard demographic, judging by the videos I've watched recently. I really don't get the obsession with keyboard sound. For me, less is more. I want to hear my keyboard as little as possible, so I've gone with Gateron Silent White switches, but I might switch it up and go for Dolphins if it's not quiet enough. But my main must-have feature, and something that seems to be mostly ignored by the custom keyboard reviewers I've watched, is programmability. It's almost never mentioned whether a particular custom board uses programmable firmware, what processor or onboard memory is present, how many layers can be configured and so on. My other must-have is UK ISO layout - also something that is fairly thin on the ground when it comes to custom keyboards/keycap sets. I'm too old and use too many different computers that are configured with UK layouts to learn to type American. On those two factors - an ISO model and a QMK support - the GMMK nails it at a decent price. The alternative I considered was the Keychron Q range, but the order was going to be shipped from China vs a supplier that had GMMK in stock for NBD (I clearly wouldn't be in the group buy demographic given my lack of patience with a 10 day lead time). So yeah... I think I'm happy with my choice... although it was a touch expensive (for me, £300 is pricey when you've been used to £30 keyboards)

[@friendlycaspr9799]

For someone coming from only ever owning razer keyboards I'm super exited on this board and how u described it is exactly why I cant wait to get mine in the main. Never built a keyboard before and this will be my way to get into the hobby with a board better then a razer board. Amazing review mate!

[@AndyVNguyen]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@friendlycaspr9799]

@@AndyVNguyen I hope so too!

[@brando_100]

Production quality gets better every video. Keep it up.

[@PapaShuffler]

This is like a college professor grading a 6th grade paper. Still a great value and a great showing from Glorious imo. Now if they would just fill the flex batch orders...🤣

[@AndyVNguyen]

My fiancée said I sounded like a professor! Lol

[@rarityd]

Thank you for the spot on review. I’m a headphones wearing and soft typing gamer. I preferred this board with the fox switches over the glorious panda. That was the only change I made and I’m happy . But that’s just me

[@shaunmontano9720]

I like the perspective, you have a great voice in the hobby and i really appreciate your work.

[@hbfbghnjnghnbnjnhjn]

Love the review, just bought the board and looking for the affirmation bias and still appreciated this review

[@Misoandricegamer]

Thanks for the review, really enjoyed it. Only recently started looking at building a keyboard, haven't jumped in yet, but I dig your breakdown of this board. Cheers!

[@jonavin]

Very fair and balanced review. Please continue to point out flaw so they can improve. I do believe a rev 2 would address some of these issues as the have been continuously improving their other keyboards.

[@Ragnorok64]

Really thorough review. It's also interesting how it highlights the differences in preferences. What you mention about the sounds signature and side lighting are actually things like like, seeing as I put foam or silicone in almost all the boards that I can. I like a more muted sound profile apparently. I guess I am waiting to try out a real super flexible gasket mount one of these days though. I'm guessing a truly flexible gasket built would need to be soldered since I believe I've heard flex is bad for hotswap sockets.

[@normconel2907]

Fantastic review. I really appreciate your balanced approach to your critique. Great insights from your experiences with other premium and budget boards.

[@djartyom1243]

I deffintly fall into that market you mentioned the sound of the switches is not really a issue for me I'm always having music playing or playing games so how it sounds is irrelevant to me I'm more for looks and ease of working on it its something I can buy when I can unlike groupbuys

[@DarknessXX10]

I really liked this detailed review. I kinda already knew I was shooting myself in the foot once I heard people release sound tests, but I’m still gonna wait for it to come in. Gonna be my first custom board lol. Got my Gat Black inks ready too. Hopefully it’s better than I am expecting it to be as of right now

[@johnlopez1717]

Same here! Got my ink blacks already lubed. Just got my email today to place my order.

[@maped4]

Loving the longer style reviews!

[@ethantran7180]

All of your videos are so well produced and in depth keep it up !

[@KarnakOvy8]

About the stabs, doing a holee mode make them really really decent. I holee mode all my stabs for longevity and wanted to give a go on these GOAT stabs. And I kept it in my unit !

[@AndyVNguyen]

holee mod helps a lot!

[@changningxu3458]

I remember the time when I used to think that the GMMK Pro is expensive... I really miss that time... Now i just spent $550 on a keyboard $290 on a set of gmk and $80 on switches... Keyboard building is truely a rabbit hole

[@NarvinCheeWood]

Best review of this board I've seen so far ❤

[@redeye259]

I’m def customer #1 and I’m really excited to pick up this board as my first custom. I’m sold on that knob and 75% layout. Really don’t care that much about sound of the keys as long as they’re not clicky lol

[@AndyVNguyen]

Oof clickies hurt

[@johnsabilla5897]

I too bought a GMMK Pro R1. My PCB just died. Going through their warranty process is like pulling teeth. The board really never got VIA support at least not with RGB control. The CORE windows software was flagged as malicious by my company machine. Get a Keychron Q1 if you really want a 75% mechanical keyboard. Going through their customer support left a bad taste in my mouth, i'm no longer supporting their company. i'm moving on!

[@mortmortmort8908]

"it sucks a little bit" has to be the understatement of the century when talking about group buys.

[@AndyVNguyen]

yeaaaa it kinda got way worse and still has yet to get better

[@wagonet]

great review dude, i wanna see more honest reviews like this.

[@WTFA54]

Jelly sold out as I was pressing pay. I've had good luck with other Cannonkeys releases but idk if I'll be able to get the Sat75 if/when they restock. Polycarb KL-90 GB is, well, a GB. Kinda just leaves the GMMK Pro and a bunch of elbow grease as the most accessible option rn for a decent exploded 75 with that good good rotary encoder lol

[@WTFA54]

well that and Monstargear's upcoming Arrow75 which is another Sat75/KL-90-esque board. But that's projected to release at like $425 + like $30 shipping to the US and is not a priority rn since they're focusing on a new 60% project first.

[@azzammm_07]

relax while watching this highly detailed and compelling video. It is so refreshing af

[@alexcornejo2162]

I feel like if they changed the plate issues like the mounting points basically getting rid of the gasket mount and fixing the lights would make this board be 10x better it’s still a super great value I still haven’t gotten mine and after watching this vid and many other I’m still gonna keep my order not many other 75% boards out that aren’t crazy expensive and exclusive

[@RtsFps1]

The gmmk pro format is something I’ve wanted for years but did not want to spend $400+ on a board. As long as I get it to feel and sound better than some Corsair/Logitech keyboard I am happy.

[@AndyVNguyen]

That it will do. The rift between prebuilts and customs is so large that all you really need is pcb mount stabs and you’ll destroy prebuilts lol

[@MrKaidemvp23]

Oh wow, how you pin point out all the points that are very valid and how I stumble upon this channel looking for solutions. I as a GMMK Pro owner here going to agreed with you. The reason that I made the purchase for this board is that it have a knob, and it is a metal base and top plate. It is far more good enough for me. Still it is not cheap in my country, even for a guy that have 5figure monthly pay checks. So far, I am satisfied with my purchase. The only problem that I am facing is the keyboard having some input lag during gaming session. Which I am not comfortable to flash QMK on this board.

[@AndyVNguyen]

Input lag while gaming? that is really unfortunate. Have you tried changing the polling rate in the glorious core software?

[@MrKaidemvp23]

@@AndyVNguyen ya, I changed lower down to 500hz. Still happening. Found out the culprit to be TaskBarX, uninstalled it and works fine for now.

[@crazypersona100]

You know what we can do with the knobs we can make a molding and do a artisan knob :D

[@sadrequiem]

I actually liked the sound of the ID80 better. Maybe it's the hollowness.

[@abyss_mk]

At the price point it's pretty much competing against the drop boards and nk65. I think for a beginner it's not uncommon to jerry rig entry level boards (grind off stand-offs, modify plate etc). They messed up on the marketing but if it's taken for what it is, it's pretty good for that segment of the market. I'd say its an alternative to the tofu if someone needs F-keys. They could always decide to make an acrylic/PC version later on and different gaskets/plates to address the sound issues.

[@amathine440]

It's competing with the bakeneko, kbd67lite, ikki68 aurora, and portico*

[@abyss_mk]

@@amathine440 well it would be if those were to be permanently in stock and accessible

[@DancesWithWaifus]

Thanks for the warning but I am still buying the board -- it's still the most accessible for me starting out (total noob here), I also want to try that ID80 even if it sounds hollow, I dunno, looked pretty dope to me :)

[@AndyVNguyen]

Try them both!

[@tho4318]

Great review, and some straight honest truth regarding group buy, which is exactly why I'm in the position of considering the readily available GMMK Pro, 75% and hot-swap, exactly what I'm after. The fact that I'm new to building keyboard and want to focus on lubing switch/stabs without having to also worry about soldering, it just seems like potentially 30 - 40% less work to do. For me it's either that or the Idabao ID80 Best type, as I'm not a huge fan of the acrylic look, I already have a KDB75 as my first keyboard, I don't see a point to purely upgrade the case to a v3. That might be one of those projects where I completely upgrade my KDB75 at some stage. I really don't want to settle for a less than 75% board, as I feel like I might need the function row key at some stage lol, I probably don't, maybe I need to hit up some 65% hotswaps.

[@AndyVNguyen]

So you have a kbd75, are not interested in the kbd75v3, and want hotswap to test stabs/switches.. I would look in the 65 market because the options there like the kbd67v3, ikki68 aurora, sun68, kbd67v3 case, and a bunch of other hotswap options are more plentiful and will do the same job i never use frow lol. f5 for refresh maybe? and when i used to work in engineering i think i used f8 for design.

[@irzekk]

Honestly I REALLY appreciate a review like this. Here's the thing: the point you mentioned about switches all sounding the same turned me off. I have this board on pre-order right now and the thing is, I can't find any better option I could get in around the same time, and I decided against going for the Scarlet and now lowkey regret it. Honestly other than that I think the board sounds nice and I'm cool with everything else.

[@changningxu9828]

No, it’s not hype. You might hype for its looks but definitely no hype for the actual keyboard. I didn’t plan to buy this board as I have many other high end board. But I bought it because of its name. My gmmk came with wrongly assembled stabs with over excessive amount of lube. The wire itself was also bent. Took me days to mod the damned stab. The keyboard is stiff no matter what plate you choose. The sound is hollow and clacky (I was using Pom switches which has a deeper thockier sound). I found myself barely using the knob. In my opinion it definitely doesn’t worth the 169 base price. Especially when there’s keychron series with better price to quality ratio. And if you spent more then 169 on other things like different color housing or different color knob then you just fuked up hard no cap. One knob and different color housing puts this board on 300. There are other very good board out there that’s less than 300. The recent freebird tkl was 279… please don’t waste your money and don’t get overhyped by this board. Gmmk is not a good entry level board. If you want to practice building a keyboard then get a rk61 or nk87. It will sound the same as gmmk pro after you mod them. Again. DO NOT, DO NOT buy this board. You won’t regret it.

[@Asian_Import]

I feel like this board isn’t for experienced enthusiasts (y’all are too far deep). This is for beginners wanting an easy order process, easy build, and easy software experience. Beginners will not notice the gasket flaws, as we literally have nothing to compare it to. All I know is that the board is rock-solid, beautifully finished, and has amazing RBG. After building mine I compared it to my Razer, and immediately noticed the Razer’s rough clicks, scratchy springs, and rattling stabs. Stuff that I never noticed before. It was a “wow I finally get it” moment that’s hard to grasp by just watching videos/reviews. It’s a great gateway into the hobby, and Glorious nailed the “one stop shop” aspect, and I think this board will be huge for the the hobby’s growth.

[@4kallday]

That camera looking crisp AF and the lighting on point man. Love the attention to details on your channel!

[@MiggyBunny11]

20:45 I think clicky switches might work best on this board. Those switches need to get muted and more flat than they should LOL

[@keejunk2107]

ngl that one dislike prob the glorious twitter rep

[@ericfayhuynh]

Andy: 3, 4, 5, 6 me looking at his fingers:

[@cherrytofu8939]

Love the addition of some house music in the start!

[@spawn999]

Always show up to your streams, love the vids man keep it up! your reviews are great and honest

[@AndyVNguyen]

Happy to have you, spawn!

[@hamadmusabeh]

i have the gmmk pro , and i agree with your review ,,,it on spot . i got unlucky and faced an issue in the LEDs not working after cycling though the effect and profiles. after opening a case with GMMk and troubleshooting with me , which was prompt and technical , asking me to try different firmwares , they requested me to send them back the board for replacement. not sure if others are facing a similar issue on the LEDs not the best option after giving out your older board :-) so ,, this a good board to start this hobby.

[@mk177]

Good good points. Been a customer of gmmk for boards but passed up and this and got ID80V2 and i had more of what i was looking for.. gmmk feels like it is hiding more of beginner mistakes but that definitely has value too.

[@jamshush]

Maybe its just because im brand new to mechanical keyboards and I havnt even built one yet, but in the sound tests I prefer the GMMK Pro, and considering I cant find any other keyboard thats 75%, with a knob, and comes in an ISO layout version, its definitely the one for me I think

[@AndyVNguyen]

if you throw PE foam into the gmmk pro it can sound like other PE foam boards but you can also throw PE foam into a cheap amazon keyboard and get a similar effect.

[@Luci_71]

i figured out that you can remove the plate and mount the switches using doulbe sided tape, that in addition to stacking gaskets and removving the case form, really make it flex.

[@AndyVNguyen]

that doesn't sound like a keyboard anymore

[@Luci_71]

@@AndyVNguyen lol, its pretty sketchy

[@AndyVNguyen]

lol the irony is sometimes the keyboard case sounds so bad that the plate/pcb sounds better by itself on the table

[@Luci_71]

lmao your so right

[@saiverx]

Thank you for the detailed review

[@Andrew-cp7mc]

Thanks for a very balanced review and helps me decide if I am in the target customer group - I think I am. I want an upgrade for a malfunctioning Keychron K1 and this looks like a good introduction to a customized keyboard.

[@jimmyk9636]

Nice review Andy! Also loving the format of these reviews, well done !

[@johnhanek167]

Beware of Ebay sellers. I bought a GMMK Glorious Full Size that was described as "minty", no box. That much is true, looks as though it was never used. Problem is the GMMK Core software does not see it! Full color control of every key.Finally got tired of all this b/s and bought a couple of bare bones boards on Amazon, brand new in unopened boxes. Waiting for them to arrive and then I'll need to install switches and key caps. Got way too carried away and also purchased 2 new, unopened boxes of the full size Corsair board.

[@Tlow_]

18:22 “you won’t find an aluminum board under 200 dollars” Nk65 and tofu 65: am i a joke to you?!!!