In recent years,customizing keyboardshas become more mainstream. Keyboards like the wiredGlorious GMMK 2utilize hot-swappable PCB boards to swap mechanical switches easily. Users can alter the typing experience to provide satisfying clicking feedback or quieter responses for calm workplaces. Normally, this level of customization comes at a steep price. However, for Black Friday, Glorious is selling both the 65% and96% versions of the GMMK 2at newsworthy prices.
With a movement toward streamlined keyboards, many buyers will gravitate toward the 65% GMMK 2. Even though the GMMK 2 is marginally larger than most60% keyboards, the included extra keys enhance productivity. Glorious found a way to sneak arrow and navigation keys onto the right side of the device. Other commands are executed by holding the Function key, with the Glorious Core software allowing extensive remapping.
Glorious Gaming GMMK 2 65 Percent Keyboard
Using the 65% form factor, the Glorious GMMK 2 conserves desktop space without overly compromising functionality. The wired keyboard is extraordinarily well-built with an aluminum frame and sleek brushed metal top plate. While the GMMK 2 ships with pre-lubed Fox linear mechanical switches, owners are welcome to modify the hot-swappable keyboard with 3 or 5-pin alternatives. The keyboard is designed to minimize key wobbling and case pinging with noise-dampening foam. The GMMK 2 works with Windows, macOS, and Linux, with QMK firmware compatibility making it even more versatile.
Glorious sells GMMK 2 bare-bones kits with which gamers and workers can install custom keycaps or switches. The pre-built configurations on sale for Black Friday save buyers some time by shipping with Fox linear switches. Since the GMMK 2 has noise-dampening foam in its frame, the smooth and quiet Fox switches complement the keyboard’s stealthy nature. The included switch stabilizers are lubricated to minimize key wobble. For audiences who preferclicky keyboards, the GMMK 2 also accepts three or five-pin hardware resembling Cherry MX Green switches.
Many buyers find that Glorious keyboards are more durable than similarly priced competitors. The GMMK 2 is no exception, and an aluminum top frame gives the compact peripheral a more weighty feel. Even at 1.9 lbs, the 65% GMMK 2 remains portable, measuring just over a foot wide. The Doubleshot ABS keycaps resist scratching while allowing north-facing LED lighting to shine through interrupted. Unsurprisingly, the keyboard’s per-key lighting effects are also customizable.
The Glorious GMMK 2’s versatility enables it to excel at gaming or work tasks. While it doesn’t have the super high polling rate of thebest wired gaming keyboards, the stock linear switches register inputs in rapid succession. A braided USB-C cable connects to Windows, MacOS, and Linux machines without compatibility issues. Flashing the GMMK 2 with custom QMK firmware personalizes its button mapping and RGB lighting cross-platform or for specific machines.
It’s difficult to find a better Black Friday deal on a keyboard that’s as well-built and customizable as the GMMK 2. Still, buyers should stay alert for potential sales on the newerGlorious GMMK 3. Glorious has targeted competitive gaming with an 8000 Hz polling rate on this keyboard, with some wired and wireless models utilizing swappable Hall Effect switches. The GMMK 3 is even more modifiable, with the option to choose the color and materials used throughout the keyboard.
