I’m a long-time fan of custom-built mechanical keyboards. I’ve tested and reviewed dozens of them and built several from scratch.
Just when I thought I’d seen it all, Glorious introduced the GMMK 3, which could very well be the most customizable keyboard in the world.
Glorious has made some stellar keyboards in the past. The GMMK 3 is the most ambitious product the brand has ever attempted, though. Thanks to a treasure trove of modular parts and customization options, this keyboard has more than 1 billion unique configurations. It makes keyboard customization accessible, creative, and fun, even for people who are new to the enthusiast keyboard world.
The GMMK 3 is the most ambitious product the brand has ever attempted
Other brands have launched modular keyboards in the past, such as the DROP CSTM80, but nothing with this level of personalization. The GMMK 3 has nine points of modularity, meaning nine different components of it are fully modular with Glorious’s vault of parts for the GMMK 3 line-up.
Whether you’re a gamer, a speed typist, or just want to make your desk setup more fun, there’s a custom GMMK 3 build for you. The question is, does the GMMK 3 match industry-leading customization with industry-leading performance? Is this level of personalization worth the cost of admission? I put the Glorious GMMK 3 to the test to find out.
Glorious GMMK 3: Price and configurations
The GMMK 3 is possibly the most customizable gaming keyboard in the world, so there are a plethora of configurations available. In fact, according to Glorious, there are over 1 billion possible unique combinations.
There are two main routes when choosing a GMMK 3, though: custom designed or pre-built. The base pre-built configuration is $119 for the 65% size, wired version. If you want to max out your gaming performance, you can opt for the GMMK 3 PRO or HE, which support magnetic hall effect switches and offer wireless connectivity.
The GMMK 3 is possibly the most customizable gaming keyboard in the world
If you’re considering adding a GMMK 3 to your desk setup, I highly recommend designing your own rather than choosing a pre-built configuration. You can customize either one with Glorious’s vault of modular parts, but designing your own fully customized model is just plain fun.
You can design your custom keyboard through Glorious Boardsmith, which shows you exactly what it will look like and how much it will cost. You can mix and match parts to get the price or aesthetic you want. There are two case materials available: metal and plastic. It’s important to note that if you select a wireless configuration, you will be limited to only the metal cases. There are more colors available for the metal option, though, so it might be a worthy trade off.
Custom GMMK 3 designs start at $149, but you can get pretty creative with just the base options. The additional costs for upgraded parts are pretty reasonable across the board, too.
Custom GMMK 3 designs start at $149, but you can get pretty creative with just the base options
Beyond the base options, though, a customized GMMK 3 can get pricey quick. My customized review configuration costs $461, which is definitely in the realm of ultra-premium custom keyboards. However, if you stick to a non-HE, wired configuration, you can design hundreds of cool builds for $200 or less with no problem. Choosing a 65% or 75% layout rather than full size can also reduce the cost of a custom build.
As you’re designing your GMMK 3, keep in mind you can always buy different modular parts to swap out afterward. Every single part of this keyboard is modular, so customizing it again with different parts down the road is easy. Don’t worry if you’re building a keyboard for the first time. All custom designed GMMK 3 keyboards come pre-assembled.
Glorious GMMK 3: Design
Regardless of the unique parts and color combo you choose for your GMMK 3, all of them have the same core design with nine modular components:
- Top case
- Bottom case
- Keycaps
- Switches (standard MX or hall effect)
- Rotary knob
- Badge
- Gasket pads
- Switch plate
- Cable
All of these parts are interchangeable with other components from the GMMK 3 line-up. All configurations are fully backlit and feature side light strips, with addressable RGB throughout.
In the top right corner there is a rotary knob, which is preset to control volume. I love knobs in general, but the knob on the GMMK 3 is one of my favorites. It has just the right amount of tactile feedback and the texture on the metal knob has a nice feel to it (plastic knobs are also available).
The Glorious badge is in the top right corner, as well. It’s mostly for looks, but the translucent window in the badge has an LED underneath that shows your keyboard’s battery status (if it’s wireless).
If you like modding your keyboard (or want to try it), the GMMK 3 is a great model for it.
If you flip the GMMK 3 over and remove the rubber grip pads, you can easily unscrew the top case from the bottom case. This makes adding mods and swapping out interior components very easy and straightforward. I added my favorite Band-aid mod under my GMMK 3’s stabilizers. It was one of the smoothest modding experiences I’ve had on a keyboard I didn’t build from scratch. If you like modding your keyboard (or want to try it), the GMMK 3 is a great model for it.
Inside, the GMMK 3 features removable layers of sound-dampening foam, an interchangeable switch plate, and a customizable gasket structure. The gasket pads around the outer edges of the case are removable and interchangeable so you can freely swap out as many as you want to find just the right amount of flex for the sound and feel you prefer.
Just keep in mind, the switch plate material you choose also plays a role here. Brass and aluminum switch plates are stiffer than polycarbonate or FR4, regardless of your gasket pad layout. The switch plate material also impacts how your keyboard sounds (more on that below).
On the back of the case you’ll find the USB Type-C port for wired connections, a switch to go between Windows and Mac, and a switch for swapping between wireless modes (if you have a wireless configuration).
The cable port is centered, rather than offset to the left corner, which some people may not like. It’s ideal for pairing with a coiled cable, which you can add to your build for $40 extra. The coiled cable doesn’t impact performance at all, just aesthetics. That said, it is a very high quality cable. The material is flexible, yet durable. I wish it was a foot or two longer.
Glorious GMMK 3: Keycaps and switches
There are dozens of keycap and switch options for the GMMK 3 including a variety of linear, clicky, and tactile switches. If you’re new to mechanical keyboards and aren’t sure which style is right for you, visit our guide to mechanical keyboard switches for a quick breakdown.
My GMMK 3 configuration includes the Glorious Panda HE tactile switches and Glorious “Celestial Fire” gradient keycaps. I love this keycap set, from the colors to the quality of the plastic. They have a matte finish and feel fantastic for typing and gaming alike. The gradient keycap sets only add $20 to the base GMMK 3 configuration and you get a full-size set, regardless of the size of your GMMK 3, so I’d highly recommend adding them to your custom build.
If you’re customizing your GMMK 3, I also strongly recommend choosing a polycarbonate or FR4 switch plate, especially if you want a smooth, “thocky” typing sound. I went with the standard aluminum switch plate in my build and it completely masked the tactile sound of the Glorious Panda HE switches. They have a quiet, metallic sound in my build that’s a far cry from the deep, smooth tactile sound the original Glorious Holy Panda switches are famous for.
I tried out a few of the Glorious Panda HE switches in another keyboard with an FR4 plate and gasket structure and they sounded fantastic. So, after some investigating, I can safely say the aluminum plate in my GMMK 3 build is the culprit here, not the Glorious Panda HE switches.
It’s definitely worth upgrading to a polycarbonate or FR4 switch plate in Boardsmith. Pre-built GMMK 3 models include an aluminum switch plate, but you can buy a spare switch plate to swap in if you want (which is what I’ll be doing for my GMMK 3).
Glorious GMMK 3: Performance
The Glorious GMMK 3 is a joy to type on. While the sound quality with the aluminum plate was disappointing, the GMMK 3’s overall performance was top-notch. On the Monkeytype typing test, I scored 96 words per minute with 97 percent accuracy, which is on par with my desktop average.
The Glorious Panda HE switches I chose are smooth and fast with just the right amount of tactile feedback. They have a 45 gram actuation force that’s in my sweet spot for both gaming and typing. I was able to type for 10+ hours a day on the GMMK 3 without my fingers or wrists getting tired or cramped.
The GMMK 3 is also a fantastic gaming keyboard. If you choose a configuration with hall effect switches, you can use the Glorious Core app to customize their performance, such as adjusting the actuation point. This is ideal for competitive gamers who want complete control over every keystroke, although it could also be a useful feature for speed typists.
I was able to type for 10+ hours a day on the GMMK 3 without my fingers or wrists getting tired or cramped.
The Glorious Panda HE switches performed superbly in my gaming tests. I’ve been practicing my Minecraft speedrunning skills and the GMMK 3 has quickly become my favorite keyboard for speedrunning. It’s fast and reliable with the rapid-trigger precision I need for quick double taps and tricky parkour maneuvers.
Those same qualities also made the GMMK 3 great for FPS games and shooters like Halo, Roboquest, and Fortnite. If you’re a fan of esports titles, you’ll be especially well served with a hall effect configuration. Regardless of the type of games you like to play, though, the GMMK 3 offers some of the best gaming performance around.
Glorious GMMK 3: Connectivity and battery
One of the few things that disappointed me while testing the GMMK 3 was the battery life. My configuration can connect via the USB Type-C cable or wirelessly with a 2.4GHz USB dongle or Bluetooth.
When connected wirelessly, I had to recharge the battery every 2-3 days with roughly 12-14 hours of use per day. That’s on par with the battery life of other wireless, backlit gaming keyboards like the Alienware Pro Wireless. However, it’s a short enough battery life that I found the GMMK 3’s battery indicator flashing red in the middle of a gaming session multiple times.
It’s nice having the option for wireless connectivity, but if you mainly want to use the GMMK 3 for gaming, it might not be worth the upgrade since you’ll want to have it plugged in while gaming anyway. Alternatively, you can turn off backlighting while gaming to save some battery life.
Aside from the wireless battery life, I had no connection issues with the GMMK 3. All three connection modes (wired, 2.4GHz, and Bluetooth) were consistent, fast, and reliable during my testing. The USB Type-C cable is detachable on all configurations so you can swap it out for any other Type-C cable you prefer.
Glorious GMMK 3: Software
You can customize the GMMK 3 through the Glorious Core app. It has all the standard keyboard customization features you could want including RGB backlighting customization (with preset modes and freestyle customization), switch calibration, polling rate and latency customization, keybind settings, and actuation customization for hall effect switches.
Glorious Core has a fairly basic design, and it’s very easy to navigate and use, which is the most important factor. It never crashed on me or malfunctioned while I was testing the GMMK 3. You don’t have to leave it running in the background for RGB lighting settings to continue working, either.
Bottom line
The Glorious GMMK 3 is a stellar gaming laptop with an unprecedented amount of customization, making it a top pick for anyone from competitive gamers to typing enthusiasts.
While pre-built configurations are available, the GMMK 3’s main draw is the plethora of personalization options available in the Boardsmith keyboard designer. Rather than opting for another basic black or gray gaming keyboard, you can create something completely unique to your style, gaming needs, and typing preferences. If you want to change things up, the GMMK 3 makes it easy with a huge collection of modular parts and a design that welcomes DIY mods.
Of course, all this customization can get pricey if you want premium features like hall effect switches or a full aluminum case. However, there are plenty of creative possibilities with the base components of the GMMK 3 in Boardsmith, so you can easily design a stellar build for well under $200, which is on par with other top-tier gaming keyboards on the market.
The only drawbacks for the GMMK 3 are relatively minor. The wireless battery life could be better, but you can stretch it by turning of the RGB backlight or simply use the keyboard in wired mode. Likewise, the sound quality with the aluminum switch plate leaves something to be desired, but swapping it out for a polycarbonate or FR4 plate doesn’t cost much extra.
Whether you’re looking for a pro-tier gaming keyboard or you want to dive into the world of customized enthusiast keyboards, the Glorious GMMK 3 is tough to beat thanks to the world of personalization it has to offer.
