Fake GMK vs Real GMK… Are they Worth It?

[@Voxil]

i was sure that number 1 was the real gmk and liked that the most, suprised to find out it was the clone

[@fwsalman]

You watch him I never knew😁

[@jiga5507]

Same

[@zidiousfn9563]

Same

[@dloh007]

I actually preferred option 1.. lol..

[@cookiemoment8031]

The real gmk sounds the worst

[@tileychannel]

when listening to the sound I actually decided I liked 1 and 3 and was not a fan of 2. Surprised to see that 2 was GMK, guess it's all down to preference

[@2e3crescens]

LOL same. I surprisingly like option 1 the best because the others were too clacky

[@LewisToh]

this hobby is all about personal preference, you do you ! no one should control what keyboard you build !

[@astr0476]

@@2e3crescens SAME LOL

[@khrisp]

i would need laser ears to hear the difference

[@jonesp7385]

​@@2e3crescens If you think about it, the majority of the "high end" stuff is geared towards people that enjoy clack, while the "beginner/entry" stuff tends to appeal more towards the people that enjoy deep/thock. It was kinda expected that GMK would be a clean clack (compared to the deeper sounding clone and plasticcy akkos).

[@Spazza17]

There's no arguing GMK has the sharpest legends by far and the designs are cool, but I'm yet to find a real convincing argument to justify their insane price range and piss poor packaging, especially given the amount of competition that's out there right now. At the end of the day, their thickness is not uncommon, the "rough" texture isn't unique in any way (and it's gonna fade out sooner than any decent PBT set) so I'd say they're only good if you want to support the designers, or if you care about the specific sound signature. All fair if you're balls deep into the hobby, but I'd never suggest anyone on a budget to save up for GMK, since for a daily driver in-stock PBT is most certainly gonna be the more appealing option for most people. Just my two cents though, good vid regardless (P.S: how do these GMK knockoffs sound so good??)

[@LewisToh]

all comes down to personal opinion and preference, wont say youre wrong

[@yos_k]

Hi Osu man

[@corecombat26]

hi italian osu man

[@aujuscrisper5528]

Love your Osu vids

[@kaibeh]

buy gmk to flip 🧠

[@ADEXL]

Based on this video, I'm even more convinced that GMK is not worth it if just for the feel and sound. The difference in feel and sound does not equate to the sharp difference in price for me. However, buying GMK as a collector or trader (like collecting rare Pokemon cards) is another thing altogether. For a normal mech keyboard user, don't think the price is worth it.

[@ciaojay7025]

Overpriced keycaps for daily use. The material they use is cheap

[@Astelch]

I personally would only drop 30-50 on keycaps and that’s super overpriced in my book. Gmk being 150-200 is just crazy.

[@powerhitter033]

This convinced me that GMKs are more overpriced than I thought they were.

[@claudep.1926]

yep Lewis just want to protect his investment LOL

[@TheLostOne156]

over priced and over hype but they do make good quality keycaps however still not worth the price to me atleast.

[@Anti3D-0]

the prices aren't that bad, the delivery time is.

[@do1609]

@@Anti3D-0 140 dollars for 70 pieces of plastic?

[@norman7738]

@@do1609 It's almost like Warhammer

[@regenosis]

The real problem with GMK is the seemingly "monopoly" on designers. There are just by FAR more designers working with GMK than any other manu, which is understandable because GMK has proven track record of quality. And GMK knows this very well. So they have absolutely no problem taking everyone's money and taking on GB orders and sticking them at the end of a 2-year backlog because "mah shortages". I'm not denying GMK quality. I have several GMK sets. But many other manus, barring inevitable qc woes, really are quite great for their price. The "gmk tax" is imo not worth the boost in quality/qc. It's in large part an engineered premium due to the monopoly on GBs.

[@j9ke3r]

yea... about the quality... not the best argument considering the recent downfall

[@justpass6473]

what is the others name?

[@belphegor_dev]

Recent GMK sets shipped with crooked stems, so clones literally have better quality and QA than GMK.

[@kian6758]

I actually like number 1 over 2 and 3. Practically, without considering the moral aspects of purchasing clones (as designers of premium sets get shit on by clone manufacturers), clones would be a better buy. If we're gonna talk future financial value, then fine they may be worth it. But if you're gonna slap them on a keyboard and you prefer sound over aesthetics (especially the intricacies of stuff like how well the print is), clones are probably better. If you have the money though then fine no one's gonna stop you buy all the GMKs you want.

[@YzorYzor]

Same here. I liked 1 the best.

[@7sukuyomi]

same, number 1 sounded the best

[@24kmetal99]

What moral aspect? They are not identical copies, the fonts, color and they even shaped a little different. 😉

[@Fr0stbite1801]

I feel bad for the designers but I like to buy clones because 1) I just want the colorway ok I don't wanna pay a lot of money AND wait 9 months for a GB and 2) I'm gonna be using it, it's a part of my build not a long term investment

[@LewisToh]

awww

[@yoranvandriel3772]

You are lucky with 9 months lead time, currently the lead times span around 1/2 years... Enough reason to not buy GMK, but go to other manufacturers like MW

[@TarunSuresh-xs4zr]

What designers, it’s litterally just color combinations

[@BestFighter8]

That's funny, but in the blind test real GMK had worst sound imo😅

[@LewisToh]

LOL

[@BestFighter8]

@@LewisToh i was like "the second option is prob those cheapest fakes" ooops🤣

[@darkangak]

@@BestFighter8 same lol, number 3 sound the best to me

[@Purvit]

Second had a nice clean clacky sound, not that overrated thoccy sound.

[@Clavinohou]

@@Purvit thoccy is way more satisfyiong to hear imo

[@nathankim9329]

"Thick ABS plastic has no warping" Cries in warped gmk spacebars

[@nucket_]

i actually thought gmk sounded the worst from listening to the blind sound tests xd

[@nucket_]

i rewatched this a year later and concluded that option 2 (gmk) sounded the best to me. goes to show how preference changes over time

[@menthalightfoot4948]

Thanks for making this video. It was extremely balanced & really helps clarify the pros and cons of GMK, especially for someone who wouldn't be able to try them first without putting down $150-170 USD for a set.

[@reddmitchell-petrie2922]

lewis looking like he's being held at gunpoint by gmk reps

[@LewisToh]

what

[@Djenwksnskdidnnwaksn]

It’s about Lewis vids it’s about Lewis he has the best vids

[@ehhzuulaa]

Not a great take in my opinion. Acoustics are very subjective and I'd say majority of it actually boils down to the configuration of your board rather than the caps. The plate, case, switches, mounting type, foam, mods, etc all play a part to create the sound signature you enjoy, which is one of the exciting things in this hobby. Sure you get nicer prints and marginally thicker caps, but does that justify the insane prices and waiting times? Even if you ethically disagree with the thought of buying knockoffs, there are many alternatives nowadays such as PolyCaps and EnjoyPBT that are solving the problems of price and wait times by providing affordable in stock keycaps (or at least much shorter waiting time) while using the more durable PBT material that doesn't shine over time. I suppose a more interesting take would be to compare these alternatives and at least give viewers a chance to decide for themselves what caps they like. People who view your videos of whether GMK sets are worth it are probably those who just dipped their feet into the hobby, seen these insanely priced GMK sets everyone is talking about, and wonder if they are actually worth it. I personally find it kinda misleading that you'd highly recommend a GMK set and only compare it to budget/knockoff sets. It's kinda like saying "You should definitely save up and invest in a GUCCI bag instead of a cheaper one for your needs just because they have more resale value" I know some keyboard enthusiasts view GMK as the top tier option and snob on these alternatives, but I find that it doesn't really celebrate the variety in this hobby. People need to stop viewin GMK as the endgame of caps because it's not. If you explore other profiles or other alternatives, you can still build something you love and sound good without having to shell out maybe 3-5x the amount for a GMK set. Also, instead of just saying that GMK is thicker, have you tried actually measuring? There are alternative ABS and PBT caps that are just as thick as GMK but could cost less than half the price. Of course you are going to get the biggest difference if you compare the highest end GMK with the lowest end knock offs from Taobao.

[@_ExTitus]

keycaps absolutely have an effect on the sound profile of a keyboard. It's just that you don't need to buy gmk sets to get thick ABS keycaps. I think the color options are the main reason for buying a gmk set. I know it's the only reason I bought the GMK Dracula ERR! kit. I'll be buying a Cherry WoB kit to pair with it that isn't from GMK to make a full set. Cheaper that way

[@SkimoStories]

@@_ExTitus people will do anything they can to justify buying GMK keycaps. The legends are definitely the most crisp, that is not something you can argue, but I still think PBT keys serve the same purpose so much better as they tend to retain their texture for longer anyway, and considering I am not looking at the keyboard when I type, I would rather have a solid material than a crisp legend to look at.

[@SkimoStories]

also abs is higher pitched, no question about it

[@j9ke3r]

the long lead times on new GMK sets are just fking pissing me off. the only reason I stopped buying GMKs. I am a man, I have needs, I can't just spend 300$ every other night and get nothing in return.

[@starlightyg8821]

honestly, i liked the akko caps the most for the soundtest! though to be honest the sound difference between it and the real GMKs arent all too different. imo the price is just a little ridiculous since its just so similar to existing products at a fraction of the price, and tbh as someone who daily drives a PBT set [less than 50 sgd for a full set & accessory keys],, i think they work just as well

[@cheesychester9647]

The sound test was surprisingly unconclusional for me. gmk didn't sound nearly as premium as I expected. Good vid tho, subbed

[@osiris6757]

I honestly liked the sounds of Option 1 and 3, but didn't like Option 2 that much. I was honestly surprised with the results! I already knew I wasn't getting authentic GMK caps, but it was interesting to have your point of view on this! Keep up the vids!

[@INKKK_]

Ah yes 98$ for a cable

[@Necturn_]

All this did was cement my opinion that they are 100% not worth it lmao

[@jamesmico862]

Had to stop working on my school activities just to watch my guy Lewis!!!!💙💙

[@LewisToh]

thank you james

[@Jeraldishact26]

imma be honest, the first option (fake gmks) had the nicest acoustics for me

[@moogle9740]

Lol. That segway to cablemod. I'm susbscribing just to see more of that. "They told me to show their cables so I did" Lmao

[@LewisToh]

LOL

[@SagaSynthetics]

The GMK rabbit hole is a hole I don't wanna go down, but here I am. 😂😂

[@josephrogers21]

#2 was my least favorite sounding. 1 and 3 sounded similar to me, but the modifiers sounded deeper on 3 than 1 or 2 which makes it my preference.

[@fabianfrl4332]

7:59 "out of the keyboard hobby" this guy is funny.

[@LewisToh]

indeed

[@branclicks941]

yeah , Lewis I have to say , seeing you progress as a youtuber is fun to watch , editing skills are getting better and the execution on this video was very nice . I didn't hear any difference in the sound test tho :D

[@put_put_pvp2344]

imagine an ant walking around when showing off the cable

[@LewisToh]

LOL

[@evilofalfa]

man i love your new opinion about gmk keycaps about value, because other keyboard enthusiast i watch only talk about print,exclusives and quality

[@nave1218]

The music over the cable mod section was awesome. nice camera angles

[@scratxorgd2397]

Today I learned that GMK doesn't stand for Germany Mechanical Keyboards

[@LewisToh]

YES

[@luqqsssssss]

I kinda wish that gmk would resort to using pbt as one of the materials bcs i don't really like the sound of abs tbh

[@LewisToh]

cant agree on this one, pbt sounds pretty ass sometimes, SOMETIMES

[@luqqsssssss]

@@LewisToh It depends on preference, i like the deep and poppy sound signature. Yes you can do that even with gmk sets nowadays, but its definitely a plus to have a pbt variant, otherwise id need to resort to clones.

[@luqqsssssss]

@@LewisToh Plus i dont buy clones bcs i like SA/ASA/XDA profile and there isnt that much option except for xda

[@pishotohagever5010]

Something that you dont know also gmk keycaps can shine from long time is doesn't matter if the abs is the best I will recommend use IFK keycaps instead of gmk the print is similar to gmk and the shipping dont take long period then gmk

[@poorskills5955]

GMK: Basically most designer clothing brands where the branding makes the price +200% edit: at least their designs are fire

[@LewisToh]

true to the edit

[@MrWizardjr9]

idk even the "budget" keycaps like epbt are only like 20 dollars cheaper so i think its just a effect of low volume runs

[@bean3243]

So, the best GMK is the fake GMK, it sounded so good.

[@suoped8789]

Gmf sounds the deepest, real gmk is higher pitched and akko somewhere in the middle

[@ruckus9168]

The fake gmk non brand sounded the best lol

[@akkad7514]

yoooo blindfold test comparisons actually makes a lot of sense

[@UnlimitedStratos177]

I was surprised that the fake was the one liked! It’s amazing

[@dubtroll]

Was looking for this video. Thank you!

[@screeninja2521]

Never though i'd be so hyped at a cable cinématic

[@FireAarro]

Option 1 and 3 (and most Cherry profile PBT double shot keycaps) are made in the same factory so not surprising the two sets are similar

[@wcg66]

I might be in a minority, but I prefer OEM over Cherry profile. I don’t like the super thin R3 caps. I’ve ordered a clone set of GMK Hammerhead so I’ll see what they’re like. I can’t see myself spending more than a keyboard for overpriced keycaps in a profile I don’t like. EDIT: the Hammerhead clone is pretty damn nice, IMO. For the price they are excellent. Personally, I think the GB setup and multi-year wait times aren't for me.

[@D-One]

4:11 I like the GMK fake font way better than the original actually...

[@planetmoises2405]

what is the background song in the middle of the video?

[@lim3tric640]

While all the points that you make of the hmm keycaps are indeed true, for most pc gamers who play a lot and use their keyboard intensively for long periods of time, the knockoff ones are actually better because of the pbt material

[@horseypeeps5382]

I think one of the biggest differences in sound can be the actual profile. I've started moving away from Cherry and others similar, to MDA, SA, and MT3 styles due to their height and sound possibilities.

[@carlangelo653]

honestly I stopped getting GMK due to the price. Nice keycaps are getting cheaper and cheaper. I still don't buy clones, but there are genuinly more options now for good quality keycaps other than GMK. Brands like akko, epbt, jtk and PBTfans are all good enough for me. I can't justify spending the amount of money on gmk keycaps anymore. Edit: also groupbuys suck. More than once I have bought into a group buy and it arrived when I already decided on a different theme for my setup.

[@stryke1989]

Was filled with accomplishment after easily guessing each sound test accurately. Then filled with immense depression from not touching grass….

[@LewisToh]

nice

[@joshdarksniper]

i like your videos, but to be honest this review sounds biased. Your logic of money loss felt off Some of us resort to PBT Doubleshot clones not because we couldn't afford GMK sets, and we certainly don't think we're "losing" money. Not a lot of people are willing to throw a chunk of hundreds for keycaps that wears down to a shiny and moist-y feeling texture overtime, acoustics from your comparison don't even have that much of a game breaking difference honestly. Just let people enjoy their clones bro.

[@saizero0433]

For the first budget build, I would not recommend buying GMK. Fonts of slightly better quality don't cost 3-4x overpayment. As a material, PBT is still better than ABS (even thick), and clones from the previously mentioned AKKO are much more advantageous in terms of price-performance ratio

[@Boofski]

Im not even that into keyboards but I could easily tell option 2 were the premium keycaps and im surprised so many people in the comments didn’t know that

[@0_IQ_]

GMK keycaps gonna become the next Pokémon cards

[@Bubblykvasir]

I liked the sound of option 2. Was quite surprised. Great video and explanation. Thank you

[@Phoenix-gz7rl]

lewis what youtuber did you refer in the beginning wasn't clear to me at 1:15

[@Amiro05]

Great video lewis, its a nice comparison, i was very doubtful about GMK, but now i might get some gmk keycaps

[@LewisToh]

thanks so much man

[@malaise92]

“You don’t lose the value on the gmk keycaps” IF you don’t use them… they get cheaper when they shine

[@lowbeam5005]

Pro tip: buy gmk, sell for a higher price, buy akko’s (or any decent set). U got back the money from the gmk set and used the rest for another set. Free keycaps

[@ethanpod8139]

Wow I got the cap sounds right! The Akko ones were similar but I could hear that signature nice abs poppy sound!

[@LewisToh]

NICE

[@brocky]

Interestingly I liked the high pitch clack on Option 1 the best.

[@jawshuang8289]

how is the warping on the non gmk keycaps and how do they compare to epbt

[@equiiy2326]

2/5 of my gmk set’s spacebar are warped and I cant fix it, so comparing it to epbt.Epbt takes the dub as you can fix warped keys

[@cengi]

if it's pbt then the warping is very bad

[@Daki-dz6gl]

I loved #1 and wasn't sure about the others, I am pretty surprised

[@JosephBayote]

I liked 2 and 3, they sounded pretty close to me. I prefer the higher pitched or clackier sound

[@Tunnelsnakes]

I was actually able to tell the difference between the sounds. Got used to the higher pitched sound of the GMK ABS material.

[@LynneConnolly]

If the prices were better, I'd probably go for them. Sound, I liked 1 best, although I couldn't hear a lot of difference. At that price, they're not worth it for me.

[@poorskills5955]

hahahaha, my mans said "out of the keyboard hobby" like that will ever happen... (help me please)

[@LewisToh]

LOL

[@antworker3634]

got it on first sound, the fake one has rattle its clearly there and the hollow point was all over the place, the second was on point got it thats its the original one,was surprised the akko performed on sound similarly. both are crisp and sound was fuller on typing.

[@dochidesu]

My understanding from the vid: GMK keycaps are really good and you're paying for quality made keycaps will most likely never lose it's value for a long time. So if you ever want to start a new build, you can use the GMKs you have from your previous one. If you're deep into the rabbit hole and have the funds to get them, go for it. If you're a low spender and still deep into the rabbit hole, saving up for legit GMKs is better than getting knock offs. But if you're really tight on cash and just want nice looking keycaps, go for the clones that you like.

[@joe_ferreira]

They only don't lose value if you don't use them. They shine very easily. If you want a set to use for daily use, buy epbt or CRP Hammer. GMK is a show piece if it is an investment to you.

[@LewisToh]

thats a good summary, and i agree with joe, but if you dont abuse them, im pretty sure they wont shine that bad and you could probably fetch a decent price still, considering the set is high in demand and there won't be any r2s

[@armani722]

@@LewisToh abs shines due to the oil on your skin, it breaks down the plastic, you can't preserve it by being gentle with them unless you wear gloves while you type. Imo this investment mindset is a bad one, I've seen it in a lot of other hobbies and it always boils down to getting lucky with the right one and then you have to actually find a buyer who isn't going to scam you, which is not that easy and usually takes time, and the more the shine, the harder they are to move. And another factor that really goes against Gmk is the insane wait times. If I'm paying these premium prices for a keycap set, I don't want to be waiting 2 years for it. Unless you're super deep into the hobby and have a bunch of keycaps just chilling around for future boards you might build or to switch keycaps out, you probably need the keycap set at least somewhat soon. I definitely wouldn't want my high-end board to be without keycaps for 2 years because I had to wait for GMK. This is the main reason I don't buy GMK right now, until those wait times boil down to something more reasonable (which for me is 6 months MAX), I will just buy clones or other keycap sets.

[@lexzbuddy]

I just looked at the Akko stuff and I'm seriously impressed. I think I just found my next keyboard. I assure you, it will be an upgrade on my 10 year old one.

[@LewisToh]

agreed

[@godibachi]

Oddly you recommend the GMK but after hearing the differences, option 2 “GMk” was my least favorite of the 3. I really liked option 1.

[@Evan-xs8ts]

I see all these people saying they didn't like 2, but I could definitely tell they sounded way better on the modifiers. Idk what they hear.

[@ccclllyyy4958]

The reason for why akko and the gmklones are extremely similar is because they are from the same OEM.It is a chinese manufacturer known as OXD.

[@domiyy]

cablemod vs fake cablemod when

[@LewisToh]

already done

[@domiyy]

@@LewisToh holy shit u actually did LOL

[@zaheedhasib]

The first one sounded the best, I thought that was GMK lol!

[@saint_snow]

Imo its not about sound its about looks and feel. GMK feels nice while looking much better than anything else. I have epbt and I enjoy those for a deeper sound and feel, and gmk for a higher sound while feeling similar.

[@EpicStarman]

I'll be honest, I preferred the 3rd option in the sound test, it was cleaner and a lot less "clacky" than the other two. I guess it's just personal preference, but I don't think GMK is worth it.

[@pusheenpandaa]

was considering getting gmks to just get a sense for the difference (having gotten some diff clones before) and i was v surprised that i didnt like the sound of the gmks at all. great video!

[@senflix596]

really really legendary content *chefs kiss*

[@pspspspspspspspspspspspspspsps]

I legit thought the first soundtest was the GMK keycaps. I guess it just suits me as a person who doesn't spend too much money on keycaps lol

[@rodneydelapena3752]

The akko keycaps letters are worst for me because you can really hear the inconsistency, followed by the GMK, and the fake keycaps sounding the best.

[@LewisToh]

same

[@BorisTheGoose92]

The knockoffs sounded better imo. I also hate when keys start to have that smudginess on them, so I'll still to PBT knockoffs.

[@ojgimpson]

I thought for sure that GMK stood for German Made Keycaps hahaha 😅

[@jammies701]

Want to point out that the sound preferences saying they prefer the sound of the not-GMK sets should take into account the PBT vs. ABS difference. I’m not saying you should go for GMK always, as I usually prefer the PBT sound to ABS. This isn’t a “GMK doesn’t even sound that good” situation. Also, different materials will sound different depending on the switches and case material too Nice vid

[@5hadow124]

I couldn’t choose between the fake ones and the Akko ones because they sounded good

[@scufed]

you know what? i never really knew that most of the cherry keycaps on cheaper site were not real cherry! now I have a more justified idea on why gmk is costly! thanks a lot lewis, keep making the poggers content.

[@LewisToh]

thanks!

[@dualelementss]

I literally like the 20 dollar keycaps sound more than the gmk lol

[@alecuaalecu1]

Thank you for reinforcing my choice on the clones regarding sound XD

[@k0shmarFPS]

very nice Idea to do a blind audio test. I actually prefered the cheap ones lmao

[@peirs3071]

There is absolutely no way I would pay for caps at GMK pricing.

[@ethanpark8605]

what's the song used at 00:40? I hear it everywhere and would just like to know what it is

[@chiuchiuunicorn7763]

I love the sounds of 1st and was shocked to find out what it was. 2nd was okay to me and the last one was ughhh

[@theoneandonly8679]

(The cable mod ad) i thought i watched a mcdonalds add lol😂

[@waynelee317]

as long as they are double shot pbt Im ok with it

[@aj8647]

I like how bart is just behind the video

[@BN99239]

Dang I like the sound of #1 better. It sounds tighter. Option #2 has more echo to me. Option #3 has a very loud spacebar.

[@jalexanderc]

I honestly believe thick pbt keycaps are overall better in feel, sound, and durability (and price!) when compared to abs caps, even when the caps are made by GMK. At this point I see a GMK set moreso as an art piece or collector's item. I built my "endgame" board with a GMK set, took pictures and recorded a sound test, then swapped out the alphas and spacebar for a clone so that I can daily the keyboard without guilt or fear of "ruining" the nice GMK caps with wear and shine.

[@tapptimDunkeln]

The video is a bit old, but can you maybe say how the brightness of the lettering compares in the dark with the keyboard light on? I have the Akko and apart from a couple of keys where the symbol on the key is directly above the LED, you can't see anything shine through even at maximum brightness. The light distributed to the sides of the key is not enough to shine through and the LEDs cannot be soldered through the board design, nor onto the side of the switch, where they would be directly below the symbol. Is it the same with the GMK keys, or do they let the light through better?

[@shadowdragonq4814]

Do older gmk keycaps just stop getting produced after a while? Just wondering bc can't get my hands on one yet but maybe in a few years.

[@LewisToh]

yeah… its a extremely rare thing unless the set is really popular

[@shadowdragonq4814]

@@LewisToh ty, question what happened to the gmk darling bc i dont see any group buys for 2020 and up. Also the aftermarket prices are crazy high. Lastly do you think the gmk frost witch 2 will stop reruning? Ty for answering my comment :)

[@wil-]

*Gets GMK laser* *Sees this keycaps set* Me: Oh sh*t I bought ABS BRRUUUUUUUUUUUU

[@KonvoyChief]

If they're really that good and popular why go thru crowd funding?

[@MrWizardjr9]

well the gmk laser set he showed is a in stock set. for the GB gmk sets afaik you are not really buying from gmk you are buying from a designer who commissioned gmk to manufacture the keycaps. the designer doesnt have the money to purchase the thousands of sets upfront so they need to collect the money first and then pay gmk to make them.