Glorious PC Gaming Race GMMK 2 Full-Size ANSI US White Mechanical Keyboard with Fox Switches Keyboard for Modding Enthusiasts. 18 Presets RGB Lighting, Full NKRO and Anti-Ghosting

Product Information

We've added links to the newly-reviewed NuPhy Halo96 [Halo65, Halo75] in the Typing Noise section of this review. For enhanced durability, the Glorious GMMK 2 has doubleshot ABS keycaps. This method of legend printing mould two layers of ABS plastic together for a seamless finish that resists the general wear and tear of use. This ensures your WASD keys will not be shiny at the end of a campaign. The top legends are clear, allowing any RGB lighting to shine through. Additional legends have been printed on the front faces, denoting extra functionality on those keys. Naturally, the GMMK 2 Pre-Built Keyboard comes with pre-installed keycaps and switches. Thanks to the included keycap and switch puller, you are free to swap, change, and customise these too. The hot-swapping technology is still there. We've converted this review to Test Bench 1.3, which overhauls how key input is evaluated. We've added new tests for Single Key Latency, Multi Key Latency, Data Transmission, and Chord Split. We've also introduced a new Raw Performance usage and adjusted how the Gaming and Office usage scores are calculated. You can see the full changelog here.

To create the default GMMK 2 keymap on QMK, run the command below that applies to your board in the QMK MSYS window: QMK for the GMMK 2 uses our official Glorious forked branch that has all of the board's official QMK firmware updates and keymaps. For most of this guide, we will follow the official QMK installation tutorial found here.Now that you have compiled your firmware files, they should be located in the qmk_firmware folder within the .build folder. All your firmware files output here. Select your destination folder location and select 'Create Shortcut' if you want. Begin the installation process. By far the most important aspect of a switch is how it feels though, and I like these foxes. They’re rather smooth out of the box and even though the lubing job isn’t anything close to what an experienced keyboard maker can do by hand I would say that lubing these isn’t a necessity at all. They feel and sound nice straight from the factory, with no audible pinging and no scratchiness on my testing boards. It does take a bit of time to really break them in (there can be some inconsistencies between the feeling of different switches at first) but once you’re past that they really feel quite great.

This review goes over the Compact TKL version of the GMMK 2, which is a creative way of saying this is a 65% form factor keyboard. It has dedicated arrow keys and four other keys from the Ins-Pg Dn cluster, and does so by taking up some room to the right of the alphanumeric section. There are 67 keys on this US ANSI layout rather than the usual 68, and ISO versions will be available separately. The missing key is on the bottom row—instead of three 1u keys to the right of the space bar, we have two 1.25u keys, which results in a somewhat ungainly gap there I would have rather seen filled with a third key. I am sure a dedicated Menu key would have gone well with many. It's not a case of standard keycap sizing throughout either, with R.Shift still shorter than on most other 65% form factors. C:\Users\ \qmk_firmware\keyboards\gmmk\gmmk2\ \ \keymaps\default If I did need to re-lube the stabs, the spacebar would be an easy task. The foam sheet included in the GMMK 2 to help deaden sound has a cut-out for the spacebar stabs. This means users don’t have to disassemble the entire thing, which is great! What’s more, it appears that the GMMK 2 supports screw-in stabilizers here, which many will be happy to hear. Low-key switch Alternatively, please try pressing " FN" and " Spacebar" to enter bootloader mode if " Spacebar" and " B" does not work. If successful, the QMK Toolbox will display a message saying that your keyboard is in bootloader mode.The stabs aren’t the only thing hiding below the keycaps, as Glorious’ new “Fox” switches are debuting with the pre-built versions of the GMMK 2. These linear options have a red stem and transparent housing, which is a nice combination. To my ear and touch, they feel similar to the Glorious Lynx, which I’m a fan of. With that said, while I do love smooth linears and they are admittedly the best for gaming, having a tactile pre-built option would have been good to see. Glorious’ Panda switches are fantastic, though a little pricey when bought on their own. Glorious is one such company that has tried to raise the standards in a bunch of markets (their GMMK Promade some serious waves in the keyboard community, and the Model O was one of the first commonly available ultralight mice) and today we’re taking a look at the newest iteration of their first gaming keyboard.

Now it's time to flash your new firmware file to your GMMK 2. We will highlight the main steps below, but you can refer to the Official QMK Documentation for more specific information regarding flashing here. Note:Windows Defender SmartScreen may stop the program from running. Select 'More info' then 'Run anyway.' Arranged in a UK ISO layout, there are 100 keys on the full-size model and they use the standard OEM profile. This profile creates a nearly flat top, with the keys all pretty much level yet sporting a cylindrical bow to meet the curve of your fingers. This maximises grip as well as providing a natural typing position. Let’s talk about the switches first. The GMMK 2 (the prebuilt version at least; you can also get a barebones version) features Glorious’ new Fox linear switches. Followers of the keyboard world will know that Glorious already have a linear switch in their arsenal in the form of the Lynx, but this is a new one. For now, these Fox switches are exclusive to the GMMK 2 though I of course don’t know what kind of plans Glorious has for the future. Select the correct firmware file with a '.bin' extension. Its name will look like the command you entered in Step 14.

Lube it up

Windows Users:Windows Defender SmartScreen may also stop the program from running. Select 'More info' then 'Run anyway.' Type 'y' and press the right Enter / Ascend key.After a moment, the program will begin cloning the necessary files. Note:Steps 7-12 should be done in one window. Don’t close out your QMK MSYS session until all steps are successfully completed to ensure it’s done properly. You'll also need a simple text editor like Sublimeor Atom, which will allow you to edit simple keymap files. For our testing, we used Sublime. Arranged in a UK ISO layout, the keycaps have an OEM profile. This is the standard profile for mechanical keyboards, where all the keys reach up to the same height. This puts them on a level plane, enhancing comfort. From there, the keys meet the curve of your fingers with a cylindrical bow to maximise on grip. All for that comfortable typing experience. Plus, there is a spare, novelty ESC key adorned with the Glorious branding for that extra je ne sais quoi! CORE Software and Customising