For those of you who've always wanted a keyboard built just to your liking but didn't have the time or motivation to do it yourself, Glorious Gaming now has a solution for you. Alongside the release of its new series of GMMK 3 keyboards, Glorious has just launched its Boardsmith online configurator. For a pretty penny, you can now have your very own GMMK 3 keyboard, built exactly to your specifications, hand-assembled by Glorious, and delivered right to your door.
New Release: Glorious GMMK 3 Customizable Keyboards
The Boardsmith configurator gives you tons of aesthetic and functional options. Glorious claims over one billion possible combinations. The options include:
- Layout (65%, 75%, 100%)
- Wired or wireless
- Top and bottom case materials and colors
- Switch type (MX or magnetic HE)
- Switch feel (linear, clicky, or tactile)
- Keycap, knob and badge colors
- Plate material (FR4, PC, brass, or aluminum)
- Gasket feel (PORON/flex or silicone/firm)
Depending on your selection, prices can range from about $130 for the most basic keyboard to north of $400 for all the bells and whistles. The build fee surcharge is only $30 no matter how high-end your keyboard gets. Those of you who have experience building out your own keyboards are probably already aware just how expensive the hobby can get. You could either save money on cheap yet very effective mods or materials or you could spend hundreds on premium construction and high-end switches. The Boardsmith configuration allows you to go either direction, but more importantly, it lets you ignore options that you don't want or need. Your keyboard is then built in-house in Dallas and shipped out within 2-3 weeks. You also get a 2 year warranty, but that can be extended to 3 years if you register.
A special note on the new Glorious HE Switches
Up until now, magnetic HE switches only came in one variant: linear. Magnetic switches feature variable actuation points. That's incompatible with the typical "bump" you feel from a tactile switch since there wuld normally have to be a single pre-set actuation point. The Glorious Panda (Tactile) and Raptor (Clicky) switches are the first non-linear magnetic HE switches we've seen. We've reached out to Glorious to see what voodoo magic they performed to make this possible and will update this section accordingly. My favorite type? Definitely they would be the Lynx switches, because I love the smoothness of linear switches and I don't want to wake anyone up during my late night gaming sessions.
Looking for keyboards with gaming-specific features? Check out the best gaming keyboards of 2024.