Introduction

Alright, get the memes out of the way. The company is indeed called Glorious PC Gaming Race, and their own website effectively bathes in the gimmick. The company was formed not long ago by PC gamers wanting to find and then supply quality hardware at decent prices. They have very little else to do with the general impression the so-called Glorious PC Gaming Race has achieved lately, however, with their sole intention being the brand and tight-knit enthusiast gaming community they have cultivated as fans along the way. Indeed, we have already covered one of their products here on TechPowerUp, and I figured it was time to see what the GMMK—the Glorious Modular Mechanical Keyboard—offered in 2019. Thanks again to them for sending us a review sample to examine.


As the name suggests, the GMMK is modular, mechanical, a keyboard, and wants to be glorious all at the same time. I can definitely respect that with the company making it available as both a full-size and a tenkeyless (TKL) form factor product. We have here the full-size version, but everything else should essentially be the same across both options. The modular nature of the keyboard comes via easily swappable switches, a concept we have recently seen adopted by others, but this is arguably what got the GMMK and Glorious PC Gaming Race company itself name and fame alike. We will dissect the keyboard inside and out in the review, beginning with the specifications below.

Specifications

Packaging and Accessories

The Glorious Modular Mechanical Keyboard (GMMK) is the company's first and to date only keyboard. The emphasis, as noted before, was on cutting down the middle man and any such costs by as much as possible, but packaging is still more than barebones here. We get a monochrome wrap on a cardboard box, with the company and product name on the front alongside a diagram and mention of salient features. Mentioned here is also that the version sent is the pre-built keyboard with Gateron Brown switches, but the switch implementation is indeed modular. More marketing features greet us on the back and sides, as do technical specifications. Two double flaps help keep the contents inside in place during transit.


Opening the box, we see the keyboard, but in more packaging—a plastic clamshell and soft foam wrap—to ensure it arrives in good condition. Folded cardboard sheets around it add further protection during shipping and handling. The keyboard cable is non-detachable and folded into the compartment above, with accessories to be found underneath the keyboard. These include a nifty user guide (online copy here), visual guide on how to replace the switches on the keyboard (covered in the user guide also), reminder that Glorious PC Gaming Race sells other products as well now, including wrist pads should you want one to go along with the keyboard; a spare keycap, replacement keyboard rubber pads of different textures and sizes, and the switch puller.


The provided replacement keycap is an otherwise standard Escape key, which has me conclude that the keyboard out of the box uses a novelty keycap in its stead. It is a thick ABS plastic keycap with doubleshot injected legends for longevity, although the mold for the legend injection looks like it was not necessarily someone's first choice. Indeed, it comes off as cheap, and backlighting does not help improve first impressions of the keycap. The switch puller is metal and engraved; one I have seen used before recently, it is likely sourced from a common factory.