I too had the warping issues with the PC plate, but then again I might have not installed it properly. I went and got an FR4 Plate instead of dealing with the PC plate as I had contacted customer service about it and they sent me the same thing. I followed the instructions they had given as well. Now I am sitting her with 2 PC plates I am never going to use. But your first video helped me mod the GMMK Pro when I had received it. I am happy with it and it is going to be a gift for someone.
Hi Erza! Do you mind telling me which stabilizers did you use with these PC plates? Ever since I posted this video I got a lot of feedback about Glorious PC plate, but it is still not clear to me if the problems with this plate are just random or if there is another factor behind this plate/PCB warping issue. As for your current build with the FR4 plate, how well did the AVX plate work out for your build? And so happy to know the mods worked out for you! :)
@@IOSam Hey there, I built it back in October using C3 v2 Stabilizers and I used the provided screws, now they are just gather dust. Ultimately, the decision to go with the FR4 plate has been working out great and I don't regret it as it was much easier to install as well as having to work with less screws than the already screw heavy board. I didn't realize that the recommended plate foam by Stupidfish would be a beneficial factor for tactile switches and did not get them as I was still unfamiliar as to why they would be beneficial until I heard you explanation on it so figured since I am using tactiles they would b e worth a shot. With the light bars being not held in by screws you can hear them if you shake the keeb but that isn't really an issue. Truly appreciate the information you give in videos.
@@Erza69 Thank you so much for confirming all that!!! At this point, it looks more and more likely that getting a good or a bad PC plate is really just the luck of the draw... Which sucks, of course. This is something Glorious should have addressed already at this late in the game. But happy to know that the FR4 plate (and the thicker Stupid Fish foam) worked well for you (FR4 has been my choice as well since I produced this video and I never looked back). But I agree with you that the light bars rattle a bit, which is why I used the stock screws to secure them a bit better. Overall, after all these mods (silicone sheet, O-rings, FR-4 plate, C3 stabs, Tape and PE foam mods), the keyboard has been utterly transformed!
Always so professional and precise. I know not everyone appreciates the incredibly in depth reviews, but for those of us that do your videos are incredible!
Thank you so much!!! And you're right: these meticulous reviews are not appreciated by the masses. But then, I don't produce these videos for the masses anyway... ;) I'm building this channel for people who are truly curious and motivated to research these topics in depth. I know people like us are not the majority, but I don't care about building a channel with a million fickle subscribers... I much prefer to build a smaller community of nice, curious, smart and reliable folks! So, welcome to this channel (you'll be right at home around here :)! While I don't churn out videos by the pound, I'm sure you'll appreciate the few well researched ones I put out here every once in a while!
If there's one thing I love, it's data gathering. And wow did you get every data point! Always a fan of your videos, Sam. Looking forward to the next (teasing the Bakeneko and Devastating I see)!
Thank you my friend! Always nice to see you here! And yeah... There are lots of nice gear lined up around here as well! ;) Some cool keyboard content ahead for sure!
Funnily enough, I had ordered this FR4 Plate for my GMMK Pro a day before this video came out. Great timing :) Just like your other GMMK Pro video, this one is great and was a great video to follow when I was installing my plate.
@@IOSam There is a slight change in the noise, I think it would be more apparent if I had two next to each other. I don't really notice a change in the typing feel. The biggest change is that I can use Durock stabs instead of the GOAT ones, this is more than worth the price and time it takes to change the plates and lube the stabs. You are defiantly being helpful. As many of us have said in the comments, your reviews are so in-depth and packed with useful information. We appreciate the time you put into making these videos, keep up the good work. :)
@@InactiveEO Thank you my friend! Feedback such as yours is what keep small creators like me in this game! Super helpful to us in return! And yeah... the freedom to use any aftermarket stabs on the AVX FR4 plate is indeed THE BEST reason to go with it! Especially when I see lots of people saying that even though you can force Durocks through the cutouts of the PC plate, that seems to be the actual reason behind the warped PCBs with that plate (people have been filing it by hand to fix that, which is a super boring job!).
Thanks again my friend!!! And you can bet that I’ll keep my eye on the GMMK Pro (and its future successor👀) for anything else interesting coming up in the market for modding and improving it!
Just when I thought my 75% build was unique with my Aqua Kings and reverse pudding caps, here's a guy who's already done a review 3 months prior with the exact same design choices! Thanks for this review as well, it's helped me figure out that a white PC plate on my Lychee G80 may be even better than having an all-black board.
Thank you so much Nadine!!! Your words are very much appreciated! And stay tuned for the review of Glorious new "flex kit" coming for the GMMK Pro pretty soon here in the channel! ;)
Thanks, Sam! Your videos have carried me thru being a keyboard novice, and your original GMMK Pro video convinced me to grab one. I've been experimenting with these three plates as well, so just to share some findings... Both my alu and PC plates from a late 2021 order were giving me problems that I documented to Glorious for replacements. The updated alu plates are indeed fixed and fit my Durock stabs well. The replacement PC plate still caused bowing and janky knob fitment, scratching the case. I confirmed that PC plates have not been updated and that a revision had been deemed unnecessary. I can force it down to tightly fit my Durock stabs, but found that heavier spacebars like MT3 got stuck on the return due to a slight obstruction from the pinched stab housings. The FR4 plate fixed all of those previous issues right out-of-the-box, allowing me to focus on the "fun" aspects of modding. Have you tried removing the plate foam? Since you aren't getting metallic reverb anymore, might that open up the sound a bit?
Hello! And thank you!! So nice to read this!!! Very interesting info you're giving me here! It seems that the tight stabs cutouts are indeed to blame for all the woes of the Glorious PC plate then. Which could explain why I had no issues, since I’m using C3 Equalz (that have very small housings that don’t get “choked” by the plate). If that’s the case, then the only way to make the PC plate work with large stabs housings would be to file the stabs cutouts (which would be a very time-consuming ordeal!). And then there is the tolerance problem of injection molding Polycarbonate… Since it is a material that will shrink to a larger or smaller degree depending on temperature and humidity (when it is cooling down after the injection process). So, it could also be a "luck of the draw" to determine who gets the good and the bad ones... And while I did not try the GMMK Pro without the plate foam, I agree that switches will indeed sound a notch deeper (and louder) without it. I had noticed this on my experience with the Portico (on my previous video). I just wouldn’t do it with tactiles though (that usually suffer from some varying levels of leaf spring ping), but it is totally doable with smooth linears. I shall try it out! ;)
I also had compatibility problems with the stock Alu and PC plates and I bought my GMMK Pro in early 2022, however mine is the ISO version in case that makes a difference. I replaced with the AVX FR4 plate, added extra gasket strips to the bottom case and it’s been flawless in terms of PCB and stab fitment. I use Durock v2 stabs lubed with Krytox XHT-BDZ, StupidFish case foam, PE foam laid over the PCB and no plate foam at all, along with lubed Everglide Aqua Kings linear switches with translucent housings. The board now looks, feels and sounds excellent, punching way above its price point.
after a lot of struggle on my gmmk pro keyboard, i finally managed to get it to a point i where i wouldn't change anything about it because, for my usage, it''s just that good. even after watching this video, that's fantastic btw, I'd still keep my aluminum plate as, for some reason it sounds really good and it feels pretty much the same. (even though I have the PC plate as well... I don't really like it anymore) anyway, keep up the good work ! :D
Thank you!!! And yeah… I totally get it that for most users, there isn’t really a need to change the stock plate. Aluminium is the most popular material for keyboard plates nowadays for a reason: it is very good middle ground between relative softness, durability and sound. Besides, I know for a fact that most people actually prefer the sound of the Alu plate on the GMMK Pro than PC or FR4. So, preference, as usual, has to be the main factor here.
Thanks for the great video. I own a GMMK pro myself and I didn't like the muted sound so much. Today I got a package. It was in an evelope with those air filled bubbles. Because we enthusiasts stuff everything in our keyboards I tried it and put a layer of this evelope under the PCB. It helped to reduce muted sound in the board and together with lubed Akko Yellow switches it gave my board a good clacky less muted sound.
Happy to know it was helpful my friend! First off, great choice of switches (Akko yellows are awesome)! And second, while I have never tried paper with bubble-wrap under my keyboard’s PCB, I think I can kinda understand why I worked they way it did in your case… If you kept the paper layer on the top and the plastic air bubbles in the bottom, you would get a similar effect to a tape mod, where the tape/paper would help to bounce the switches’ sound off the PCB without having the sound waves going all the way down into the case, which is how the tape mod helps to increase the volume (and change the overall sound profile) in keyboards. Very interesting experiment indeed (which is what this hobby is all about :)!
Great video and extended review. I've been playing with this board for a long while now. I've ended up with no PCB or case foam, AVXworks FR4 plate, 2-layer tape mod and 1-layer PE foam and your o-ring case mod. I feel like removing the PCB and case foam really allows the GMMK Pro to breathe. Sound becomes fuller and deeper.
Thank you!!! And yes, it is my experience that removing the plate foam usually makes the switches sound a notch deeper. But I only suggest doing so with very smooth linear switches, since the usual leaf spring ping of most tactile switches could be amplified in that case. As for the case foam, I agree that the stock one is a bit too thick and will remove space for the PCB to flex (which is why I replaced it with a thinner silicone sheet). At any rate, if you use smooth lubed linear switches and double layer of tape, you can get away with no case dampers at all, since much of the switches' sound resonance will be contained by the tape before it reaches the metal base of the case. And, in turn, you'll probably get another 1 or 2 decibels of sound volume out of the board as well.
@@IOSam Absolutely. It really depends on switches like you say. If the springs or leafs are already prone to making pinging noises, it's just amplified. It's also helped me realize some of the switches I have need a spring swap. Doubles as a great test bed for switches. I've been using your mix of lubes. I've completely gone this way for linears and tactiles. And It's actually really been a blessing on the legs of a few tactiles without really compromising the tactile feel much at all. Boba U4T and Sunflower switches are two examples (strong bump at the top). Really helped my leaf ping sound in my U4T as well.
Nice to know!!! I know a lot of people freak out when they see someone lubing stem legs of tactile switches, but there is nothing wrong with it if you prefer a more "subdued" tactile event (instead of the "rumble" you can get from some super tactiles out there). As a side bonus, you get a much smoother and ping-free typing experience, which is always nice in my book.
A great video that I’ve watched more than once. I recently bought a GMMK Pro from an affiliate link off of one of your videos. I hope something came your way. My kb hasn’t arrived yet, but I’ll be back looking over your videos when it’s time to mod! Thank you, love your content! Much appreciated!
Thank you so much my friend!!! Your support of this channel is extremely appreciated and will help to fund more videos like this! 🙏🏼 Enjoy your new keyboard and I hope to see you around for more good stuff in keyboard mods and other PC peripherals that will be coming to the channel this year!
Your effort; information and detail; is outstanding! Keep up the amazing work. Quite an quality channel u got there! One thing to mention though; the fonts / texts on testing sections are bit unreadable. In my opinion that information block requires: - solid or 90% alpha color background - alignment with the labels and values to "columns" (to make the values start at the same horizontal position - if the background is dark, then: the main info with clear light color, and the verbose info with darker color to create contrast from the main info - main info with bigger fatter font, verbose explaining info with smaller thinner font always under the main info - the main info could have those verbose information with abbreviations like Gateron Ink Yellow Linear 67g, LF ... in which LF means Lubed, Filmed Case *Short and direct main case details here (mod abbr. here)* Verbose case details in light text here Switches *Short and direct main switch details here (mod abbr. here)* Verbose switch details in light text here ... and so on ... Just my couple of thoughts about the ONLY downside I found. 😀
Thank you so much for the feedback!!! I had been considering making some improvements to my videos' typography for some time now (to make it more readable in mobile devices for example), and your suggestions came in at the right time! While I don't want to overuse abbreviations and acronyms (that can alienate newcomers to the hobby who might not know what these are), I already have a few extra ideas about how to deal with that problem as well. But you gave me some very good suggestions here! I should be able to implement some changes in my upcoming video already… ⏳
I plan on getting the Keychron Q1 which is a direct competitor of the GMMK pro and a lot (if not all) of the things you mentioned are doable on that one as well. Great video!
Thank you Christian!!! It has been hard to find the time to keep up, but as I improve my video production skills, I'll eventually be able to put out more content more often. As for the views, they'll come with time... Turns out this TH-cam thing is a long game for content creators who prefer to stay on the "light side of the force"... (if you know what I mean ;)
Gmk pro was my first keyboard built. I chose it because of your first vid. I really appreciated it. I went with the brass plate . So I would love to hear what these mods sound like on the brass.
Glad I could help!!! While I have not tried a brass plate on the GMMK Pro (I have tried on other keyboards though) I can tell you that brass plates have a louder metallic ring than aluminium, so they definitely will benefit from dense case and plate foam (such as the ones sold by StupidFish), tape and PE foam mods. These will make wonders to kill the metallic resonance! At any rate, I have a couple of brass plated keyboard reviews coming soon to the channel, where I'll do these mods on them. So you'll be able to verify my claims here on those videos.
Thank you!!! And man... I'm so late on my videos schedule that's not even funny. 🤦♂️ Being away from home for 2 months last year didn't help of course... But I'm working on this Q1 video as I write this, so I can promise you it's coming!
This video definitely made me finally pull the trigger on the GMMK Pro, and getting a fr4 plate as well as doing some of the mods on your first video. However I’m going with some purple panda tactile switches, and still debating on keycaps
I can definitely get behind Tecsee Purple Pandas! I have them here on a NK87 EE and they are fantastic tactiles for an unbeatable price! A great choice for your new GMMK Pro with FR4 plate!!!
I tried a lot combos, nothing really did good trick with flex for me, so i decided to leave it as is. So the best combo is (pe foam switch pads, poli plate, tape mod, small rubber o rings on the screws and the most important, that i haven't seen people do is car sound deadener on the bottom of the case, that makes the sound pop, no hollowness, try it out, the sound is really good. Also i bought a durock stabs, recommended! I have lubed glorious panda tactiles, very important to lube them. If you are lazy just press the key all the way down and apply lube on walls) Deppends on what sound profile you like, but i ended up with clack-pop, closer to pop soft sound, that is pleasing to any ears i gave a sound test. If you would like to hear my gmmk pro, let me know
Yeah, if you want maximum flex, the GMMK Pro is really not the keyboard for you… Not even with the FlexKit (th-cam.com/video/qdMW9bE947w/w-d-xo.html ) you’ll get the same level of “trampoline flex” you can get from so many other custom boards out there. Having said that, it indeed can be made to sound good (although not loud). If you have a video or sound recording of your (very interesting!) configuration that you’re willing to share here, I’d love to hear it!!! And if you go with the PC or AVX FR4 plate, yes... Durock stabs will fit and will work wonderfully! Unfortunately for those who want to keep the Alu plate, the only other aftermarket stabs kit that will fit are C3 Equalz.
@@IOSam Honestly I even like, that gmmk pro is stiff. It's like its specialty. I have wooting 60he, that awaiting kbd fans tofu redux case, to build it and also I ordered cannon keys Bakeneko60 with o ring mount, with baby kangaroo gateron switches, it is going to sound amazing, should be close to 1000 bucks unicorn, also it will be flexible, I'm excited to hear that sound
Awesome videos, you derserve more subscribers!. I built a keyboard recently , first time using GMMK Pro, one thing that I find out and like to share: in order to make it louder, use medical grade 3M plastic surgery tape, instead of masking tape, it will make GMMK louder and remove the metallic reverb due the aluminum plate. give it a try!
Thank you so much Greg!!! Appreciated! (we'll get there eventually :) And thanks for the tip about the medical plastic tape! Would it be something like this? 👉 amzn.to/3vS6pTx Or silicone medical tape like this? 👉 amzn.to/3QnODQE
Thinking about picking this board up and slotting it with Boba U4 silent tactiles, do you think the polycarbonate board is worth it for the flex? I'm very inexperienced and likely won't replace the stabilizers until further down the line if they bother me too much.
Hi Ruby! The PC plate can certainly give you more flex and less noise for a silent build with Bobas U4 (Great silent switches by the way! My favorites in 2022!). I’d still suggest you leave some space between the two halves of the case (with my O-rings mod or at least tightening the screws only half way) to give a bit more space for the plate to flex though. As for the stabs, if you’re keeping the stock ones you should not have any problems fitting the PC plate. But if you ever decide to replace the stabs, I’d strongly suggest you get C3 Equalz from TKC, since I’ve heard a lot of people saying that Durock stabs are difficult to fit and can cause the PC plate to arch and bend your PCB.
Do you know any good place to order samples packs of a variety of switches? I’d like to try putting like 5-10 different single switches from a brand into mine to see which I like best
Hey Caleb! That is a topic more complex than it seems on the surface these days, simply because of the ungodly amount of switch options we currently have on the market, which makes it all but impossible for you to get a switch sample pack that would have all the major brands, types (tactile, linear, silent and clicky), spring weights, etc… So, that means the only way you could get a comprehensible and large sample of different switches, would be to go to a good switch vendor out there and order the smaller switch quantity (usually 10) available for each brand and type you’d like to try. I recommend Divinikey (bit.ly/3HB7Yvm ) in the US, not only for their support of my channel, but also because they do offer a fairly large number of brands (and you can get 5% OFF if you use code IOSAM). Another option, if you are anywhere else in the world, would be KBDFans (kbdfans.com/r?id=vrli7d ), which also has a very large catalogue of switches available. If you have absolutely no idea where to start, my suggestion would be to pick a large brand such as Gateron, Kailh or JWK/Durock (I’d avoid Cherry at this point, since they’re so far behind in terms of smoothness and ping compared to the other brands) and then buy one small quantity of each of their most popular switches to try. To decide which brand to pick, you could either base your decision on the videos you have watched so far, or, if you don’t care about clicky switches, I’d suggest going with JWK/Durock ones (I don’t think they make any clickies) for a slightly smaller subset of very premium switches (when compared to Gateron or Kailh). Another suggestion is to avoid “meme switches” (meaning switches with funky food/weeb/anime names and colors and stuff like that, since those are all usually JWK recolored switches sold for higher prices… Just get standard Durock branded switches and you’ll get the same thing for lower prices).
@@IOSam currently using Kailh white and like them switching from my Corsair garage to the GMMK pro with those was a system shock at how bad my keyboard was so I really want to try the Gateron switches just don’t want to commit to a full set of linear switches till sampling some options but I think you’ve talked me into trying Gateron switches next haha
@@CalebWarta Honestly, you can't go wrong with Gateron today... Even their cheap "Pro"/KS budget line of switches are incredibly smooth and come pre-lubed from the factory. Sure, you can go with their higher tier stuff (Ink, CJ, Oil King, etc), but Gateron has nailed the quality and typing feel of all their switches from top to bottom.
Hey Sam! I randomly found your video. I have been trying to figure out what keyboard to go with as an entry and not too enthusiast but allows upgrades. I am excited for my GMMK pro to arrive :D Your videos will help me make the mods as the sounds you shared put me in a state of awe. Thank you! I wish KBD wasn't so high in shipping! lol I want those pads but man ahahah
Thanks Vlad!!! Glad you found the channel!! If you're in the US, check out the guys at Divinikey, because sometimes they have KBDFans accessories (such as PE foam pads). They charge a bit more than KBDFans store, but the shipping is much cheaper of course (they're based in California).
@@IOSam So far so good! I still have to lube a few more switches(Bottom 3 left are factory lube as an example). Waiting on my keycaps that arrive in June. Also forgot to add tape to the plate, going to try that here in a few days. Overall though I am pleased with my purchased. Here is a quick video: photos.app.goo.gl/7pGzvMcVBVeLW38n6
Amazing video once again. I have a question about what was the final version you chose for this board? I mean did you keep the modifications from the previous gmmk pro video? Which switches, plate and keycaps did you left in board after so many tests? I know this is a question of taste but I'm curious.
Thank you David!!! My final version of the GMMK Pro kept all the case/plate mods (silicone sheet and O-rings) and the same configuration (Gateron Ink Yellows with MT3 W-o-B keycaps) from the end of the first review video plus the AVX Works FR4 plate and the KBDfans PE foam pads from this video. The end result is the clip you can see here: th-cam.com/users/clipUgkx1I2UwhaOJUzP-CHafV6PNURsqImVuTPP It sounds softer and a bit quieter than the same configuration with the stock Aluminium plate. Honestly, this config with the PC plate sounded the best in my opinion, but the FR4 plate felt the best when typing (a bit sharper when bottoming out) than the PC.
I wanna say thank you first off for helping me decide on the gmmk pro over a drop ctrl , what kind of masking tape did you use in this video? Is it worth doing it if you run tactile switches and might end up with stupid fish foam in it anyways ? This will be my first custom mod keyboard and am coming from a Mountain Everest board.
You're very much welcome and thank YOU for checking out my channel!!! :) As for the tape I used there, I went with 3M's Scotch Delicate Surface Masking Tape (amzn.to/3BD0BPP ) which is the best in terms of not leaving any residue behind (if I decide to remove the tape in the future, the PCB won't be all sticky and gummy). But for the effect on the keyboard’s sound, any masking tape will work, naturally. In case you need to know any of the other products and tools I used on that video, I always list EVERYTHING I show in my videos in the video description. So, feel free to check the whole list up there! ;) Oh, and using tape mod with Stupid Fish foam and tactile switches can be totally worth it IF you want to make the sound a bit lower pitch (“bassier”). The tape mod will also increase the volume of the sound by a tiny bit, which might also help (depending on what you want).
the FR4 plate def wins the look points, I really like the design on it though you don't really see it when it is all put together. At some point I will likely try a softer plate to see how it changes the profile but I am still satisfied with the stock plate on my GMMK Pro. Also, nice lava lamp in the background :)
Hey Zeo! Thank you!! I love lava lamps!!! They’re like a legit certificate that you are a real geek! XD As for trying new plates I’m very much on the side of not spending money you don’t need to spend if you’re happy with the product. As I mentioned in the video the changes are there, but are mild. At the end of the day, if you’re happy with the typing feel of the Alu plate and just want to spice things up a bit on your GMMK Pro, I’d recommend you play with the Tape and PE foam mods first… Since these will make a much bigger difference in sound than buying a different plate.
@@smj1195 Awesome! I'll have to share that tip with people now... Just too good to pass up (especially considering how tricky it can be to close the case with the O-rings)!
@@smj1195 Deal! I'll write a Blog post documenting some of the feedback/experiences I'm getting from viewers here and will add your tip in that article as well.
I absolutely am! In fact, working on it right now: instagram.com/p/CUl4z0IM6DI/ I am very late for it, I know... 😬 Second half of last year was too busy and I couldn't keep up. But it will be dropping here in the next few weeks for sure!
@@IOSam glad to hear that! I'm waiting for mine to get to me (it's stuck at the airport in China since 22.03), and I was hoping you'd do a video on q1, so i can follow your guide for modding! Can't wait
@@grabarz941 So hold tight! 😁 I'll be reviewing the first version of the Q1: the one with no volume knob (I say that because I understand the two versions have quite a few differences in their design).
@@arziteezy-726 If you like light linear switches, yes. Glorious Fox is basically their version of Cherry MX Reds or Gateron Reds, but with a fully clear housing for better RGB diffusion. If you ever tried red style switches before, the Fox will be basically the same weight and feeling.
ive tried the O-ring mod, and ive noticed a major issue of extra input; when i type a letter it would type it twice or thrice. I tried to 1) loosen the screws a bit 2) screw them harder,,, but the issue persists. The switches I have are perfect on a different keeb, so no issues on that part
Hi Tommy! Can you confirm if that happens with just one switch, multiple switches or all switches? Also, have you tried different switches on this GMMK Pro? Does the problem go away if you remove the O-rings? Also, what sound damper are you using on the bottom of the keyboard’s case and how thick is it? I ask all these questions because I’ve seen this “key chatter” issue before, but in all cases it was either a problem with extremely overlubed switches (between the metal contacts) or a problem with the keyboard’s PCB/controller. I can’t imagine an O-ring or gasket mod causing chatter on switches unless they are somehow interfering with the distance between the plate and the PCB (and affecting the way the switch sits on the PCB, causing poor contact between the switches’ metal pins and the hot-swap sockets on the other side of the PCB).
I tried the FR4 and Stupidfish Foam. Unfortunately due to the missing middle screws, PE Foam + Stupidfish foam + FR4 did not work on my unit, the switches didn't have good contact with the PCB. I ended up removing the plate foam altogether but I might try using the stock plate foam.
Hey Duy! Thanks for this report! Interesting to know about your issue! May I ask what switches are you using? But yeah… Thinking about it now, I can totally see something like this happening with a thicker and more dense plate foam between the PCB and the Plate with no screws. Did you try installing the switches on the PCB/Plate assembly outside of the keyboard’s case (to see if by pressing the PCB and Plate against each other with your hands would help in getting the switches all the way in)?
@@IOSam yes I assembled the the switches beforehand but it didn't help. The f row, enter, tab etc worked no problem but the middle region requires unreasonable amount of press to register.
@@Lenduya I see. Also, did you get the 3mm or 4mm StupidFish plate foam? I'm asking you cause I might have to write about this in my Blog, to let my viewers know about this issue.
I love the look of the FR4 plate. It always was my favourite but it can’t be used with all switches like Akko. They just wont hold the plate. I ended up getting rid of both my GMMK Pros after they screwed over Alexotos and a few other creators.
Yes… While the polycarbonate housed switches I tried worked out fine, I can totally see situations where different switch designs and softer materials (such as Nylon) would not work well with a screwless plate design such as this. AVX should have put at lest two optional screw holes for the stand-offs for those who need a tighter fit (I’m putting together a list of all the feedback I’m getting from users to summarize these issues on a future blog post). As for Glorious shenanigans copying Alex TKC set… Well, that is part of a much bigger and complicated topic that I know I’ll have to address at some point. I didn’t mind too much when Glorious copied the Invyr Holy Panda design for their Glorious Panda, which everybody and their sister were already doing at that point anyway (Novelkeys with the Yoks, JWK/Durock with the T1s, etc.), and since no one (but another big company: Drop) was really profiting from that design. But the situation with Alex is obviously different… Suffice to say that I evidently side with Alex on this matter.
With the following config (PC Plate, PE foam stickers), did you have any issues with the switches getting pulled out of the sockets, even easier, when trying to pull just keycaps off? I have the GMMK Pro, with a recent batch PC Plate, same PE foam stickers, and the switches (Glorious Pandas) are worryingly easy to pull out of the sockets when just pulling keycaps. Issue wasn't as noticeable with the Alu plate as expected, but I didn't check it prior to sticking the PE foam on, just curious about your experience. As for the sounds, I have a very similar setup and as of right now it sounds amazing, but might have to give the tape mod a whirl and see how I like it. Great vid as always!
Thank you Sir!!! And yes… That has been my experience as well. Although, it depends a bit on the switches used. Switches with nylon housings (such as the Glorious Pandas or the SP Stars I used in my original GMMK Pro review for example) usually don’t sit as well on hot-swap boards, since nylon is very soft and don’t hold the switches as well in the plates’ cutouts. Polycarbonate housed switches (such as the Inks and Aqua Kings I used here) did a bit better in that regard. But having said that, switches of all types are less likely to sit firmly on soft PC plates than on metal ones (especially when used with few or no screws). So its an unfortunate price to pay when using soft plastics in these high friction keyboard parts (reason why “old school” keyboards used steel plates and soldered switches 😆). And the more you swap switches, the looser the plate’s cutouts (and the switches clips) will get with time, which is another fact of life when using hot-swap keyboards… ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
@@IOSam haha definitely knew the PC plate would hold it less and had a feeling the Glorious Pandas were contributing as well. But like I said I did not test it out prior to using the PE foam pads under the switches so I wasn't sure what the main factor was here. Thank you for your inputT So far so good with my setup though. Will just have to be careful when I swap around keycaps. Worst case scenario is I give the alu plate another shot or try out the FR4 plate you had.
Agreed! At the end of the day, as long as the switches/keycaps don't pop off while you're typing (that would be bad), I don't mind switches coming out only when pulling keycaps.
I have already... :) Great video and fantastic guide! I love Scott's videos!! In my particular case I like some mild flex, but I usually don't go for all out "bounciness". So for my taste, the mods I did here with the PC plate are borderline too soft already. But for the "trampoline" lovers out there, I don't think you can beat Scott's "saw mod"! 😁 Just make sure you don't try that on the PC or FR4 plates though, since they would shatter of course. But for the alu or brass plates, the saw mod is a viable option if you're skillful with a hand saw.
I do think the Tape and PE foam mods ended up helping the sound with all materials here. But yeah… the FR4 really hit the spot for my particular taste.
I like a more muted but thocky sound signature. This is exactly the video I've been looking for many months! Thank you! I am currently using double masking tapped Alu plate, C3 Kiwi and Ink Black V2 on gaming keys and a rolled up microfiber cloth under the keyboard. I will try the silicone sheet idea with O-rings. Does the Stupid Fish case and plate foam mute the sound even more? Any other tips? Would love to hear from you.
Hey, you’re very welcome my friend! Answering your question: yes. Stupid Fish foam is very dense and thick (they sell plate foam in two sizes/thickness, but even the thinner 3mm one is far more dense than the stock foam included with the keyboard) and will damp the sound of this keyboard by an additional one or two decibels. If you’re going for a muted GMMK Pro, without making the aluminium plate too stiff, my suggestion for you is to get the thinner 3mm Stupid Fish plate foam and not the case one (do the thin case silicone sheet mod instead, plus the O-rings, to give more space for the plate/PCB assembly to flex a bit more).
Yeah... The challenges of using ISO... So damn difficult to find good deals in nice compatible keycaps (one has to spend hundreds of dollars for luxury caps to get something nice AND compatible with ISO). I also used ISO for most of my life, but eventually gave up and had to accept ANSI (even before I moved to the US) because of this hobby. But it wasn't easy (and still isn't considering that I don't type only in English)... :-/
While I don't have the knob V2 edition here, I understand they tried to fix a few of the issues the original version (the one I have) had out of the box (mostly related to the ping noise of the V1's case). But from everything I've see about the V2 so far, I'm not sure the solutions they came up with are enough to completely fix the problem (it seems the "force break" mod they implemented is not too effective as it turns out). Although my main problem with the new version is its steel plate, which while not a deal breaker per se, I still prefer the softer aluminium plate of the V1. But I think both versions are perfectly fine and can be modded to fix their shortcomings. The main deciding factor will really be if you care about the knob or not, which will be much more consequential in your use of the keyboard than the other differences between the two versions of board.
@@Red.exe7 While I personally prefer the GMMK Pro for its modularity and all aftermarket parts you can get for it (such as the awesome AVX FR4 plate), if I had to buy one of these today I'd go with the prebuilt Q1. For basically the same price, you'll get better stabs out of the box, and the awesome Gateron Pros or Phantoms which are totally worth the extra $20 (not to mention the free keycaps). You'll need to do the force break mod to fix it's ping problem, but that is fairly easy and totally worth the effort!
@@Red.exe7 Honestly, if you already have a GMMK Pro with FR4 plate, I think the Q1 would be just a "side grade" for you. I think these two keyboards are dead even in terms of quality and features, so exchanging one for the other will probably not improve your typing experience by much. I think the next step up from a GMMK Pro for anyone who still wants more, is to start saving some money for the moment when you see a super-premium custom board that really tickles your fancy down the road. You know... one of those group buys that guys like Taeha and Alexotos push in their channels all the time, and which you'll have to wait months and spend hundreds of dollars for it... But then when you actually get it, you'll see and feel a real upgrade in build quality, sound and typing experience! It is much easier to go through the painful group buy process for one of those boards when you already have a nice tricked out GMMK Pro as a daily driver. ;)
Your videos about gmmk pro have been very helpful to me. I really like how well structured they are. On another note, did someone ever tell you that you look a lot like Timothy Olyphant??
Thanks man! Glad to know these videos were helpful!!! And yeah, I heard that before… And to that I can only say that I wish I was that good looking! LOL I think it is in part because of the streaks of gray hair... But at least now I can say I feel “Justified”!! 😂
Absolutely great video, with a lot of effort and time that went into, so I want to say I appreciate it. But one thing to say, I wish you would of used a little louder switches (maybe not using your lubed switches) so that we could really hear the thocky sounds from the board itself.
Thank you so much JC!!! Loved the feedback! And yeah… looking back, I should have added a variation in the sound tests with some sort of long pole stem switches, such as Holy/Glorious Pandas (bit.ly/3HUh6Kb ), Durock POMs (bit.ly/3xRMS6a ) or some of the linear Tecsee (bit.ly/3AQuJsz ), that are louder than the smooth and relatively quiet lubed Gateron Inks I used. But fear not! My next video will have a cameo by the GMMK Pro with a VERY loud switch which will be very interesting! It should drop in the next couple of weeks… Stay tuned! :)
Nice video like always. Can't wait to build my one now but I can't find time for another week 🙄 I got FR4 plate with stupid fish foam, owlab stabs and Lilac switches. I might try tape mod during build. Looking forward to a next video
Thank you Ben! I'm picking up the pace of video production this year, so you'll have more content here soon! :) Also, can you confirm if you'll use PE foam in your build? If so, please let me know how does it all fit with the StupidFish foam, since I heard from one person that switches wouldn't sit properly when they used that foam with the PE mod.
Sadly I don't have kbdfans foam but I'll use VL Switch Tripods so ill post update middle of a week. Also are you planning do community discord in a future?
@@benkornatka6337 Please do! Since I'm very curious about prevailkeyco's switch tripods myself! :) As for your question about a community Discord server, yes... I definitely have plans for that! I'm just putting my workflow in order first, since that will add another workload that I don't want to take in before I smooth out my video production flow. Hopefully, by the time the channel reaches 10K subs, I'll have all the ducks in a row to engage with the discord project (and a few other interesting ideas I'm currently ironing out).
Hey Sam, how you doing? First of all let me tell you, your videos are just amazing. I'm very new to the custom keyboard scene and I would really apreciate it if you could share your thoughs about my questions, maybe we can help someone in the same predicament. I am thinking of building my first custom keyboard using the GMMK Pro, the thing is, I live in the UE so I was thinking of buying the GMMK Pro Iso. The problem is that I find it really hard to find cool keycaps online for that format and with my language characters (I'm a big fan of this ARTIFACT BLOOM: Glow you've just shown). My question is, what would you recomend a complete noob, that lives in EU, in terms of alternative keycaps similar to the ARTIFACT BLOOM: Glow? And what other tactil transparent (or slightly) switchs would you recomend. Thank you so much in advance.
Hey Rodrigo! Thank you so much for your nice words my good Sir!!! Highly appreciated!!! And I know your pain my friend… I, for one, grew up on the ISO layout myself, but had to give up on it as soon as I got serious about mechanical keyboards precisely because of the situation with compatible keycaps. Now, the situation today is much better than it was 10 years ago, that’s for sure! Today, if you go for premium sets (GMK, Signature Plastics and ePBT), you can definitely get compatibility for ISO and its many language variants. The problem is that premium keycap sets are very expensive and they never offer shine through backlighting. And the fact that most premium production and custom keyboards always have south-facing switch sockets just drops the hammer on the whole matter for ISO users: either you go with premium stuff with no backlit keycaps, or you have to settle with the very few production keyboards that come in ISO (big box brands like Logitech, Razer, Corsair and SteelSeries). As most keycaps manufacturers are in Asia (where, interestingly enough, they all use ANSI!), I don’t see a movement to produce more of their (usually) inexpensive backlit keycap sets in ISO. So yeah… I wish I had better news on that regard for you and all ISO brothers out there… But as things stand now, I don’t see a light at the end of the tunnel for ISO users who want backlit caps. You are basically forced to move to ANSI for that and then learn your way around the US-International Windows/Mac keyboard layout to be able to type non-ANSI characters (which is possible, but a bit of pain to learn).
I'd say that if this key can no longer change color no matter what light scheme you chose, it is probably a defective LED (check your warranty and contact Glorious in that case). If that key can change colors in other light schemes (but never in the Rainbow one), than I'd suggest you first try to reset the keyboard's configuration through the Glorious Core App, and then (if that fails) reset the keyboard's firmware (there is a button in the PCB near the USB port for that).
I hate the gmmk pros sound and could not care about it less, but I like your videos and you got a nice voice so here I am watching this video nice work once again! keep it up dude :)
Haha... That's what I call a loyal viewer!!! Thank you so much good Sir! I really appreciate you! And fear not... There are plenty of other "non-glorious" stuff coming up shortly. So, we'll have something more to your liking here pretty soon! ;)
As always, super impressive video with honest detailed review.. Super Like. Btw may i side note abit. GATERON ink vs Aqua King, which one is your favorite Sam? Thank you in advance..
Thank you so much!!! Between the Gat Inks and the Everglide Aqua Kings, I’d say that if you’re willing to lube the Inks, they’ll sound better than the Aquas (lower pitch than the stock Aquas) and will be equally smooth. If you don’t want to bother with lubing, then definitely go with the Aqua Kings, since they are unbelievably smooth out of the box (certainly smoother than the stock Inks)! So, no need to lube them at all unless you want to change their sound with thicker lube and switch films (which should make them sound “bassier”). Oh, and of course, if you care about having accurate RGB lights, you should go with the Aquas as well, since they don’t tint the lights.
I got a GMMK Pro with a PC plate 3 weeks ago. The PC plate was too short and caused pretty severe warping of the PCB because the screw holes weren't lining up unless forced to. I received a replacement plate from Glorious a week later and had the exact same issue happen. No amount of filling with get it to fit because the screw holes just do not line up. The PC plate is a waste of money, be prepared to return or replace it if you order one. The aluminum plate works perfectly fine though.
Yes... I'm getting all sorts of bad feedback from customers like you, who had very bad experiences with these PC plates. As I'm putting together some data about this issue (to be able to produce another piece on this particular matter), would you mind sharing two things? 1) what stabs did you use, and if you had to force the plate around them? 2) did you try to contact Glorious after the second plate and ask for refund/credit (if yes, how did it go)? I'd really appreciate your help in sharing this info, so we can dig deeper into this issue. Thank you!!!
If a full Wowstick set (amzn.to/3iiArsC ) with all possible bits sizes and shapes is overkill for you for $53 (which might be if you only intend to use it with one or two keyboards), then I'd strongly suggest you get a basic "manual" set from Wiha with the main 4 sizes of philips drivers (amzn.to/3XZZG6z ) for $23. I have these types of sets from Wiha (German maker) that are now over 20 years in use and they are still looking brand new. Extremely high quality! The thin long reach of these drivers will ensure you can reach even the tiniest and deepest screws in any keyboard.
One reason I'm looking for more flex is because I'm getting tons of pain in my wrists from typing. Has anyone else with similar issues seen a big difference in comfort with this mod?
Hi chopstix! From my experience, while a softer and flexier PCB/plate assembly can help, it can only go so far (as far as repetitive injuries of this type are concerned). Do you mostly game or type on your keyboard? If this pain is coming from typing you have bigger problems than just the stiffness of the keyboard deck: your sitting position (too high or too low in relation to the board, flexing your wrists too much when typing), lack of a wrist rest, and even your typing technique might be to blame here. Also, if you don't type with 9 or 10 fingers, it might be worth it to go through the trouble of retraining your typing technique using one of the many free online courses that can teach you (with exercises) how to do so, which will force you to keep your hands in the correct position when typing.
@@IOSam I both game and type and noticed the pain when doing both in both wrists. I could try getting a wrist rest but I didn't think it would do much. I type with all fingers.
@@chopstix906 I think the first thing you should try is a wrist rest, and then retrain your hands to keep your wrists less flexed when typing (floating wrists). Then you might give a flex plate a chance, but the position of your wrists when typing is likely to be culprit to your pain.
You'd have to watch my original review of the GMMK Pro to understand the O-ring mod. Check it out here if you haven't seen it yet 👉 th-cam.com/video/J_axv-TkjkE/w-d-xo.html
@@IOSam I am Russian and I don't speak English well. There are no subtitles to understand you either. If not difficult, I will be grateful if you write about this modification in writing.
@@kliment5116 Are you sure you cannot get Closed Captions on my videos? While I have not added Closed Captions manually, I can easily access TH-cam's automated Captions on my video by clicking on the "CC" icon on the bottom right window of the video (and these automated English captions are really good!). But in any case, the whole point of adding the O-rings was to give 1 or 2 mm of space between the top and bottom halves of the case, which, in turn, allows the plate gaskets to move an additional 1 or 2 mm in the up/down direction, and thus increasing the plate flexibility a bit. While increasing the plate flex will change the sound of the keyboard to a certain extent, it does not get louder (but the sound gets cleaner and less resonant as you can see on the typing tests of my original GMMK Pro review video). I have also written an entire article in my blog about the GMMK Pro’s plate flex discussion and I also go over the rationale of my O-rings mod over there 👉 www.iosamfranco.com/post/a-conversation-about-plate-flex On this video here though, you won't see any sound differences attributable to the O-rings, since all configurations I used in these sound tests had the O-rings installed.
🤣 Then I should start my videos saying "Hello good people!"... Lol Jokes aside, that is awesome! I love Dmitry's videos (and I didn't know we can sound alike).
@@IOSam looks great on you also good video! keep up the good work. Something I think you'll have fun with is the Nova65, it is an interesting board that can be modded a lot. I have one myself.
@@tisthegreat7420 Hehe... good to know! 😁😁 From all the reviews I've seen, the Nova65 seems like a very nice entry into the custom keyboards' world from the guys at Odin Gaming! I didn't have the chance to try it out for myself yet...But if I manage to review all the stuff I got here waiting for me already, I'll definitely will try to check it out at some point.
Yeap…. While I have been evolving the way I mix the audio in my videos, one thing I have been keeping constant, since my second video ever posted in this channel, is to keep the audio level in all my typing tests consistent. For that, I always calibrate the typing sound tests by the loudest noise (the Zippo lighter click in the beginning, which I set to around 0 db). That way you know that if the typing test comes very audible is because the keyboard is loud (closer to 60 db on the sound pressure measurement), and if the sound comes out soft, the keyboard is very quiet in real life. I do this to ensure the microphone (that sits above the keyboard, to be able pick up all frequencies) do not pick up more volume than what you’d hear in real life if you’d be sitting in front of the keyboard. It is very challenging to record sound tests in a close to realistic manner. While these recordings will never be lifelike, there are things one can make to avoid “coloring” the sound too much. So, in my case, while I use noise reduction, compression and EQ in my speech, I do not use any processing at all on my typing tests. Unlike other creators out there, I also do not boost the sound of typing tests (in fact, as I explained above, I try to keep them in a more realistic volume compared to my voice). Which is also why I put a visual countdown warning at the end of each typing test when louder speech is about to commence… It turns out, the GMMK Pro is a very quiet keyboard… And then using Gateron Inks (that have mostly lower frequency sounds) makes the whole configuration even quieter. Even with in the Aluminium plate with tape mod and PE foam pads (that lift the volume in any keyboard), this board still never went above 54 db in my sound pressure measurement (which is still reasonably quiet). It was even quieter on the FR4 and PC plates. If you want a bit more sound coming out of your GMMK Pro, I suggest the tape and PE foam mods, sticking to the Aluminium plate, and using long pole stemmed switches (Holy Pandas, Durock T1, Durock POM, etc). Having said all that, I have been improving the “loudness” of my videos on TH-cam. My last video, for example, is closer to the -10 LUFs (recommended by TH-cam), while my previous ones were way quieter. But this doesn’t affect the typing sound tests, since the loudness scale affects the whole mix (so if you set the volume in a comfortable level for the speech, the typing tests will still be “proportional” to the speech volume). Finally, my next video will cover some very loud switches (and keyboards), so it will be a good opportunity for you to compare to the GMMK Pro… ;)
@@IOSam so I got everything done. The tempest mod with the pc plate has definitely opened the gmmk pro up a bunch. I used Polar pandas and 2 layers of painters tape. The keycaps are gmk dark base hammerhead.
This video was perfect! But Honestly, I prefer to buy one Keychron or an Akko keyboard or even a cheap PCB board kit with QMK and do it myself instead to buy this super overly priced keyboard... Glorious products are too much expensive, just to have the "Pc Master race logo" in your setup. Not worth it guys...
At this point in 2023, I agree that it makes little sense to buy a GMMK Pro paying full price with the explicit goal of spending even more money to mod it. And, while I haven’t tried the Akko 75% model yet, I’m not sure a Q1 would be a much better option than a GMMK Pro in terms of sound either… Having said that, for people who bought a GMMK Pro and now want to experiment with different plate materials and mods, that could be a nice way to try new sounds and typing experiences without having to buy a whole new board.
@@IOSam yoooooo 🤗 fun fact: im actually going to buy the gmmk pro (first build ever!!!) :) these vids help a lot since the board isnt the best! tbh best tips guide ive found on yt. ty and keep it up! 👍
@@iotimmiey Thank you Timmiey!!! Highly appreciated! And good luck with your first new build! Don't forget to come back here to let us know how it went!
Dont buy pc or brass plate. They never line up. Trust me, i have pc and brass just collecting dust. If i knew how bad glorious products were i would never have given them a chance. Never buying another glorious product again.
He he… I hear ya! While I’m not opposed to gasket mounted boards with mild plate flex, I’m definitely not onboard with the “bouncy keyboards” craziness that seems to have taken over this hobby 👉th-cam.com/video/TeGHuWK_Gsk/w-d-xo.html
I too had the warping issues with the PC plate, but then again I might have not installed it properly. I went and got an FR4 Plate instead of dealing with the PC plate as I had contacted customer service about it and they sent me the same thing. I followed the instructions they had given as well. Now I am sitting her with 2 PC plates I am never going to use. But your first video helped me mod the GMMK Pro when I had received it. I am happy with it and it is going to be a gift for someone.
Hi Erza! Do you mind telling me which stabilizers did you use with these PC plates? Ever since I posted this video I got a lot of feedback about Glorious PC plate, but it is still not clear to me if the problems with this plate are just random or if there is another factor behind this plate/PCB warping issue.
As for your current build with the FR4 plate, how well did the AVX plate work out for your build?
And so happy to know the mods worked out for you! :)
@@IOSam Hey there, I built it back in October using C3 v2 Stabilizers and I used the provided screws, now they are just gather dust. Ultimately, the decision to go with the FR4 plate has been working out great and I don't regret it as it was much easier to install as well as having to work with less screws than the already screw heavy board. I didn't realize that the recommended plate foam by Stupidfish would be a beneficial factor for tactile switches and did not get them as I was still unfamiliar as to why they would be beneficial until I heard you explanation on it so figured since I am using tactiles they would b e worth a shot. With the light bars being not held in by screws you can hear them if you shake the keeb but that isn't really an issue. Truly appreciate the information you give in videos.
@@Erza69 Thank you so much for confirming all that!!! At this point, it looks more and more likely that getting a good or a bad PC plate is really just the luck of the draw... Which sucks, of course. This is something Glorious should have addressed already at this late in the game.
But happy to know that the FR4 plate (and the thicker Stupid Fish foam) worked well for you (FR4 has been my choice as well since I produced this video and I never looked back). But I agree with you that the light bars rattle a bit, which is why I used the stock screws to secure them a bit better.
Overall, after all these mods (silicone sheet, O-rings, FR-4 plate, C3 stabs, Tape and PE foam mods), the keyboard has been utterly transformed!
Love the production quality of the video! Found your channel through the original GMMK Pro review. I hope you make more quality videos like this one!
Thank you so much!!! And you can bet there are many more quality videos such as this one on the way! Stay tuned! ;)
Always so professional and precise. I know not everyone appreciates the incredibly in depth reviews, but for those of us that do your videos are incredible!
Thank you so much!!! And you're right: these meticulous reviews are not appreciated by the masses. But then, I don't produce these videos for the masses anyway... ;)
I'm building this channel for people who are truly curious and motivated to research these topics in depth. I know people like us are not the majority, but I don't care about building a channel with a million fickle subscribers... I much prefer to build a smaller community of nice, curious, smart and reliable folks!
So, welcome to this channel (you'll be right at home around here :)! While I don't churn out videos by the pound, I'm sure you'll appreciate the few well researched ones I put out here every once in a while!
If there's one thing I love, it's data gathering. And wow did you get every data point! Always a fan of your videos, Sam. Looking forward to the next (teasing the Bakeneko and Devastating I see)!
Thank you my friend! Always nice to see you here!
And yeah... There are lots of nice gear lined up around here as well! ;)
Some cool keyboard content ahead for sure!
Funnily enough, I had ordered this FR4 Plate for my GMMK Pro a day before this video came out. Great timing :) Just like your other GMMK Pro video, this one is great and was a great video to follow when I was installing my plate.
Hey Brad! Nice to know I keep being helpful around here! 😆👍
Let me know how do you like the FR4 plate compared to the stock Alu.
@@IOSam There is a slight change in the noise, I think it would be more apparent if I had two next to each other. I don't really notice a change in the typing feel. The biggest change is that I can use Durock stabs instead of the GOAT ones, this is more than worth the price and time it takes to change the plates and lube the stabs.
You are defiantly being helpful. As many of us have said in the comments, your reviews are so in-depth and packed with useful information. We appreciate the time you put into making these videos, keep up the good work. :)
@@InactiveEO Thank you my friend! Feedback such as yours is what keep small creators like me in this game! Super helpful to us in return!
And yeah... the freedom to use any aftermarket stabs on the AVX FR4 plate is indeed THE BEST reason to go with it! Especially when I see lots of people saying that even though you can force Durocks through the cutouts of the PC plate, that seems to be the actual reason behind the warped PCBs with that plate (people have been filing it by hand to fix that, which is a super boring job!).
This video is just the cherry on top for your previous video about the GMMK Pro. Again, thank you so much!
Thanks again my friend!!! And you can bet that I’ll keep my eye on the GMMK Pro (and its future successor👀) for anything else interesting coming up in the market for modding and improving it!
Just when I thought my 75% build was unique with my Aqua Kings and reverse pudding caps, here's a guy who's already done a review 3 months prior with the exact same design choices! Thanks for this review as well, it's helped me figure out that a white PC plate on my Lychee G80 may be even better than having an all-black board.
Hehe... "Great minds think alike"... XD
Happy to know this helped, my good Sir! And thank you for checking out the channel!
Your TH-cam channel rocks. You desserve more visibility. Lots of relevant informations! Keep going.
Thank you so much Nadine!!! Your words are very much appreciated! And stay tuned for the review of Glorious new "flex kit" coming for the GMMK Pro pretty soon here in the channel! ;)
Thanks, Sam! Your videos have carried me thru being a keyboard novice, and your original GMMK Pro video convinced me to grab one. I've been experimenting with these three plates as well, so just to share some findings...
Both my alu and PC plates from a late 2021 order were giving me problems that I documented to Glorious for replacements. The updated alu plates are indeed fixed and fit my Durock stabs well.
The replacement PC plate still caused bowing and janky knob fitment, scratching the case. I confirmed that PC plates have not been updated and that a revision had been deemed unnecessary. I can force it down to tightly fit my Durock stabs, but found that heavier spacebars like MT3 got stuck on the return due to a slight obstruction from the pinched stab housings.
The FR4 plate fixed all of those previous issues right out-of-the-box, allowing me to focus on the "fun" aspects of modding. Have you tried removing the plate foam? Since you aren't getting metallic reverb anymore, might that open up the sound a bit?
Hello! And thank you!! So nice to read this!!!
Very interesting info you're giving me here! It seems that the tight stabs cutouts are indeed to blame for all the woes of the Glorious PC plate then. Which could explain why I had no issues, since I’m using C3 Equalz (that have very small housings that don’t get “choked” by the plate). If that’s the case, then the only way to make the PC plate work with large stabs housings would be to file the stabs cutouts (which would be a very time-consuming ordeal!).
And then there is the tolerance problem of injection molding Polycarbonate… Since it is a material that will shrink to a larger or smaller degree depending on temperature and humidity (when it is cooling down after the injection process). So, it could also be a "luck of the draw" to determine who gets the good and the bad ones...
And while I did not try the GMMK Pro without the plate foam, I agree that switches will indeed sound a notch deeper (and louder) without it. I had noticed this on my experience with the Portico (on my previous video). I just wouldn’t do it with tactiles though (that usually suffer from some varying levels of leaf spring ping), but it is totally doable with smooth linears. I shall try it out! ;)
I also had compatibility problems with the stock Alu and PC plates and I bought my GMMK Pro in early 2022, however mine is the ISO version in case that makes a difference.
I replaced with the AVX FR4 plate, added extra gasket strips to the bottom case and it’s been flawless in terms of PCB and stab fitment.
I use Durock v2 stabs lubed with Krytox XHT-BDZ, StupidFish case foam, PE foam laid over the PCB and no plate foam at all, along with lubed Everglide Aqua Kings linear switches with translucent housings. The board now looks, feels and sounds excellent, punching way above its price point.
Just picked one of these keyboards up and this video makes me want to really give some of these mods a go. Really glad I found your channel
Hey Nathan! Welcome to the channel!!! We're just getting started here, but you can rest assured I'll do my best to make your time here 100% worth it!
after a lot of struggle on my gmmk pro keyboard, i finally managed to get it to a point i where i wouldn't change anything about it because, for my usage, it''s just that good.
even after watching this video, that's fantastic btw, I'd still keep my aluminum plate as, for some reason it sounds really good and it feels pretty much the same. (even though I have the PC plate as well... I don't really like it anymore)
anyway, keep up the good work ! :D
Thank you!!! And yeah… I totally get it that for most users, there isn’t really a need to change the stock plate. Aluminium is the most popular material for keyboard plates nowadays for a reason: it is very good middle ground between relative softness, durability and sound.
Besides, I know for a fact that most people actually prefer the sound of the Alu plate on the GMMK Pro than PC or FR4. So, preference, as usual, has to be the main factor here.
Thanks for the great video. I own a GMMK pro myself and I didn't like the muted sound so much. Today I got a package. It was in an evelope with those air filled bubbles. Because we enthusiasts stuff everything in our keyboards I tried it and put a layer of this evelope under the PCB. It helped to reduce muted sound in the board and together with lubed Akko Yellow switches it gave my board a good clacky less muted sound.
Happy to know it was helpful my friend! First off, great choice of switches (Akko yellows are awesome)! And second, while I have never tried paper with bubble-wrap under my keyboard’s PCB, I think I can kinda understand why I worked they way it did in your case…
If you kept the paper layer on the top and the plastic air bubbles in the bottom, you would get a similar effect to a tape mod, where the tape/paper would help to bounce the switches’ sound off the PCB without having the sound waves going all the way down into the case, which is how the tape mod helps to increase the volume (and change the overall sound profile) in keyboards.
Very interesting experiment indeed (which is what this hobby is all about :)!
Great video and extended review. I've been playing with this board for a long while now. I've ended up with no PCB or case foam, AVXworks FR4 plate, 2-layer tape mod and 1-layer PE foam and your o-ring case mod. I feel like removing the PCB and case foam really allows the GMMK Pro to breathe. Sound becomes fuller and deeper.
Thank you!!! And yes, it is my experience that removing the plate foam usually makes the switches sound a notch deeper. But I only suggest doing so with very smooth linear switches, since the usual leaf spring ping of most tactile switches could be amplified in that case.
As for the case foam, I agree that the stock one is a bit too thick and will remove space for the PCB to flex (which is why I replaced it with a thinner silicone sheet). At any rate, if you use smooth lubed linear switches and double layer of tape, you can get away with no case dampers at all, since much of the switches' sound resonance will be contained by the tape before it reaches the metal base of the case. And, in turn, you'll probably get another 1 or 2 decibels of sound volume out of the board as well.
@@IOSam Absolutely. It really depends on switches like you say. If the springs or leafs are already prone to making pinging noises, it's just amplified. It's also helped me realize some of the switches I have need a spring swap. Doubles as a great test bed for switches.
I've been using your mix of lubes. I've completely gone this way for linears and tactiles. And It's actually really been a blessing on the legs of a few tactiles without really compromising the tactile feel much at all. Boba U4T and Sunflower switches are two examples (strong bump at the top). Really helped my leaf ping sound in my U4T as well.
Nice to know!!! I know a lot of people freak out when they see someone lubing stem legs of tactile switches, but there is nothing wrong with it if you prefer a more "subdued" tactile event (instead of the "rumble" you can get from some super tactiles out there). As a side bonus, you get a much smoother and ping-free typing experience, which is always nice in my book.
Awesome video, Sam. Quality as always. Keep up the good work!
Thanks a ton my friend!!! Always appreciated!!!
And the good work shall definitively continue! ;)
you're like the Gerald Undone of the mech world, super thorough sir. Well done!
Wow! Can’t think of a better compliment!!! I love Gerald and would watch him reading a phone book if he ever did that! 😂
Thank you so much!!!
A great video that I’ve watched more than once. I recently bought a GMMK Pro from an affiliate link off of one of your videos. I hope something came your way. My kb hasn’t arrived yet, but I’ll be back looking over your videos when it’s time to mod! Thank you, love your content! Much appreciated!
Thank you so much my friend!!! Your support of this channel is extremely appreciated and will help to fund more videos like this! 🙏🏼
Enjoy your new keyboard and I hope to see you around for more good stuff in keyboard mods and other PC peripherals that will be coming to the channel this year!
I just became IO-nized. Thanks for having me!
😂 Welcome to the IO team my friend!!!
Your voice is awesome for reviews!
Hehe... thanks!!!
Nice to put it for good use here! 😆👍
Another awesome and detailed video from Tio Sam :-)
Haha... tIO Sam strikes again! 😂
Nice to see you around again Ivan!
I’ve got 10, err… now 11 mechanical keyboards. Great reviews!
😂 Welcome to the club!!! And thanks again mate!
Another great video! Thank you Sam!
Thanks man!!! Highly appreciated!!!
Your effort; information and detail; is outstanding! Keep up the amazing work. Quite an quality channel u got there! One thing to mention though; the fonts / texts on testing sections are bit unreadable.
In my opinion that information block requires:
- solid or 90% alpha color background
- alignment with the labels and values to "columns" (to make the values start at the same horizontal position
- if the background is dark, then: the main info with clear light color, and the verbose info with darker color to create contrast from the main info
- main info with bigger fatter font, verbose explaining info with smaller thinner font always under the main info
- the main info could have those verbose information with abbreviations like Gateron Ink Yellow Linear 67g, LF ... in which LF means Lubed, Filmed
Case *Short and direct main case details here (mod abbr. here)*
Verbose case details in light text here
Switches *Short and direct main switch details here (mod abbr. here)*
Verbose switch details in light text here
... and so on ...
Just my couple of thoughts about the ONLY downside I found. 😀
Thank you so much for the feedback!!! I had been considering making some improvements to my videos' typography for some time now (to make it more readable in mobile devices for example), and your suggestions came in at the right time!
While I don't want to overuse abbreviations and acronyms (that can alienate newcomers to the hobby who might not know what these are), I already have a few extra ideas about how to deal with that problem as well.
But you gave me some very good suggestions here! I should be able to implement some changes in my upcoming video already… ⏳
@@IOSam Wow, amazing 👍🏼
I plan on getting the Keychron Q1 which is a direct competitor of the GMMK pro and a lot (if not all) of the things you mentioned are doable on that one as well. Great video!
True! In fact, in my upcoming video about the Q1, I will show exactly that! ;)
i love your channel man. i wish you had more views. and review more stuff. you'll get there.
Thank you Christian!!! It has been hard to find the time to keep up, but as I improve my video production skills, I'll eventually be able to put out more content more often.
As for the views, they'll come with time... Turns out this TH-cam thing is a long game for content creators who prefer to stay on the "light side of the force"... (if you know what I mean ;)
Gmk pro was my first keyboard built. I chose it because of your first vid. I really appreciated it. I went with the brass plate . So I would love to hear what these mods sound like on the brass.
Glad I could help!!! While I have not tried a brass plate on the GMMK Pro (I have tried on other keyboards though) I can tell you that brass plates have a louder metallic ring than aluminium, so they definitely will benefit from dense case and plate foam (such as the ones sold by StupidFish), tape and PE foam mods. These will make wonders to kill the metallic resonance!
At any rate, I have a couple of brass plated keyboard reviews coming soon to the channel, where I'll do these mods on them. So you'll be able to verify my claims here on those videos.
@@IOSam Thanks, I really appreciate the reply. I'm going to try those mods.
Looking good IO Sam!!
Haha... Thank you!!! Changing up the hair style a bit! XD
Great video, as always. Still waiting for that epic Keychron Q1 guide hehehe. :)
Thank you!!! And man... I'm so late on my videos schedule that's not even funny. 🤦♂️ Being away from home for 2 months last year didn't help of course...
But I'm working on this Q1 video as I write this, so I can promise you it's coming!
This video definitely made me finally pull the trigger on the GMMK Pro, and getting a fr4 plate as well as doing some of the mods on your first video. However I’m going with some purple panda tactile switches, and still debating on keycaps
I can definitely get behind Tecsee Purple Pandas! I have them here on a NK87 EE and they are fantastic tactiles for an unbeatable price! A great choice for your new GMMK Pro with FR4 plate!!!
Love the videos, keep up the good work!
Thank you my good Sir!!! The good work shall definitively continue! :)
I tried a lot combos, nothing really did good trick with flex for me, so i decided to leave it as is. So the best combo is (pe foam switch pads, poli plate, tape mod, small rubber o rings on the screws and the most important, that i haven't seen people do is car sound deadener on the bottom of the case, that makes the sound pop, no hollowness, try it out, the sound is really good. Also i bought a durock stabs, recommended! I have lubed glorious panda tactiles, very important to lube them. If you are lazy just press the key all the way down and apply lube on walls) Deppends on what sound profile you like, but i ended up with clack-pop, closer to pop soft sound, that is pleasing to any ears i gave a sound test. If you would like to hear my gmmk pro, let me know
Yeah, if you want maximum flex, the GMMK Pro is really not the keyboard for you… Not even with the FlexKit (th-cam.com/video/qdMW9bE947w/w-d-xo.html ) you’ll get the same level of “trampoline flex” you can get from so many other custom boards out there. Having said that, it indeed can be made to sound good (although not loud). If you have a video or sound recording of your (very interesting!) configuration that you’re willing to share here, I’d love to hear it!!!
And if you go with the PC or AVX FR4 plate, yes... Durock stabs will fit and will work wonderfully! Unfortunately for those who want to keep the Alu plate, the only other aftermarket stabs kit that will fit are C3 Equalz.
@@IOSam Honestly I even like, that gmmk pro is stiff. It's like its specialty. I have wooting 60he, that awaiting kbd fans tofu redux case, to build it and also I ordered cannon keys Bakeneko60 with o ring mount, with baby kangaroo gateron switches, it is going to sound amazing, should be close to 1000 bucks unicorn, also it will be flexible, I'm excited to hear that sound
@@IOSam Also I watched all videos you have about gmmk pro)
@@IOSam just uploaded sound test th-cam.com/video/_zwMg1L58IU/w-d-xo.html
Awesome videos, you derserve more subscribers!.
I built a keyboard recently , first time using GMMK Pro, one thing that I find out and like to share: in order to make it louder, use medical grade 3M plastic surgery tape, instead of masking tape, it will make GMMK louder and remove the metallic reverb due the aluminum plate. give it a try!
Thank you so much Greg!!! Appreciated! (we'll get there eventually :)
And thanks for the tip about the medical plastic tape! Would it be something like this? 👉 amzn.to/3vS6pTx
Or silicone medical tape like this? 👉 amzn.to/3QnODQE
Thinking about picking this board up and slotting it with Boba U4 silent tactiles, do you think the polycarbonate board is worth it for the flex?
I'm very inexperienced and likely won't replace the stabilizers until further down the line if they bother me too much.
Hi Ruby! The PC plate can certainly give you more flex and less noise for a silent build with Bobas U4 (Great silent switches by the way! My favorites in 2022!). I’d still suggest you leave some space between the two halves of the case (with my O-rings mod or at least tightening the screws only half way) to give a bit more space for the plate to flex though.
As for the stabs, if you’re keeping the stock ones you should not have any problems fitting the PC plate. But if you ever decide to replace the stabs, I’d strongly suggest you get C3 Equalz from TKC, since I’ve heard a lot of people saying that Durock stabs are difficult to fit and can cause the PC plate to arch and bend your PCB.
Do you know any good place to order samples packs of a variety of switches? I’d like to try putting like 5-10 different single switches from a brand into mine to see which I like best
Hey Caleb! That is a topic more complex than it seems on the surface these days, simply because of the ungodly amount of switch options we currently have on the market, which makes it all but impossible for you to get a switch sample pack that would have all the major brands, types (tactile, linear, silent and clicky), spring weights, etc…
So, that means the only way you could get a comprehensible and large sample of different switches, would be to go to a good switch vendor out there and order the smaller switch quantity (usually 10) available for each brand and type you’d like to try.
I recommend Divinikey (bit.ly/3HB7Yvm ) in the US, not only for their support of my channel, but also because they do offer a fairly large number of brands (and you can get 5% OFF if you use code IOSAM). Another option, if you are anywhere else in the world, would be KBDFans (kbdfans.com/r?id=vrli7d ), which also has a very large catalogue of switches available.
If you have absolutely no idea where to start, my suggestion would be to pick a large brand such as Gateron, Kailh or JWK/Durock (I’d avoid Cherry at this point, since they’re so far behind in terms of smoothness and ping compared to the other brands) and then buy one small quantity of each of their most popular switches to try. To decide which brand to pick, you could either base your decision on the videos you have watched so far, or, if you don’t care about clicky switches, I’d suggest going with JWK/Durock ones (I don’t think they make any clickies) for a slightly smaller subset of very premium switches (when compared to Gateron or Kailh).
Another suggestion is to avoid “meme switches” (meaning switches with funky food/weeb/anime names and colors and stuff like that, since those are all usually JWK recolored switches sold for higher prices… Just get standard Durock branded switches and you’ll get the same thing for lower prices).
@@IOSam currently using Kailh white and like them switching from my Corsair garage to the GMMK pro with those was a system shock at how bad my keyboard was so I really want to try the Gateron switches just don’t want to commit to a full set of linear switches till sampling some options but I think you’ve talked me into trying Gateron switches next haha
@@CalebWarta Honestly, you can't go wrong with Gateron today... Even their cheap "Pro"/KS budget line of switches are incredibly smooth and come pre-lubed from the factory. Sure, you can go with their higher tier stuff (Ink, CJ, Oil King, etc), but Gateron has nailed the quality and typing feel of all their switches from top to bottom.
Hey Sam! I randomly found your video. I have been trying to figure out what keyboard to go with as an entry and not too enthusiast but allows upgrades. I am excited for my GMMK pro to arrive :D Your videos will help me make the mods as the sounds you shared put me in a state of awe. Thank you! I wish KBD wasn't so high in shipping! lol I want those pads but man ahahah
Thanks Vlad!!! Glad you found the channel!! If you're in the US, check out the guys at Divinikey, because sometimes they have KBDFans accessories (such as PE foam pads). They charge a bit more than KBDFans store, but the shipping is much cheaper of course (they're based in California).
@@IOSam Wow! This is amazing! Thank you! Grabbed the pads from there along with some stabs! You rock!
@@TheDiverMS Glad to help man! That's what I'm here for! 👍
And please let us know how your build goes when you finish it.
@@IOSam So far so good! I still have to lube a few more switches(Bottom 3 left are factory lube as an example). Waiting on my keycaps that arrive in June. Also forgot to add tape to the plate, going to try that here in a few days. Overall though I am pleased with my purchased. Here is a quick video: photos.app.goo.gl/7pGzvMcVBVeLW38n6
@@TheDiverMS You clearly did a great job on that space-bar! What stabs are you using?
Amazing video once again. I have a question about what was the final version you chose for this board? I mean did you keep the modifications from the previous gmmk pro video? Which switches, plate and keycaps did you left in board after so many tests? I know this is a question of taste but I'm curious.
Thank you David!!! My final version of the GMMK Pro kept all the case/plate mods (silicone sheet and O-rings) and the same configuration (Gateron Ink Yellows with MT3 W-o-B keycaps) from the end of the first review video plus the AVX Works FR4 plate and the KBDfans PE foam pads from this video. The end result is the clip you can see here: th-cam.com/users/clipUgkx1I2UwhaOJUzP-CHafV6PNURsqImVuTPP
It sounds softer and a bit quieter than the same configuration with the stock Aluminium plate. Honestly, this config with the PC plate sounded the best in my opinion, but the FR4 plate felt the best when typing (a bit sharper when bottoming out) than the PC.
I wanna say thank you first off for helping me decide on the gmmk pro over a drop ctrl , what kind of masking tape did you use in this video? Is it worth doing it if you run tactile switches and might end up with stupid fish foam in it anyways ? This will be my first custom mod keyboard and am coming from a Mountain Everest board.
You're very much welcome and thank YOU for checking out my channel!!! :)
As for the tape I used there, I went with 3M's Scotch Delicate Surface Masking Tape (amzn.to/3BD0BPP ) which is the best in terms of not leaving any residue behind (if I decide to remove the tape in the future, the PCB won't be all sticky and gummy). But for the effect on the keyboard’s sound, any masking tape will work, naturally.
In case you need to know any of the other products and tools I used on that video, I always list EVERYTHING I show in my videos in the video description. So, feel free to check the whole list up there! ;)
Oh, and using tape mod with Stupid Fish foam and tactile switches can be totally worth it IF you want to make the sound a bit lower pitch (“bassier”). The tape mod will also increase the volume of the sound by a tiny bit, which might also help (depending on what you want).
the FR4 plate def wins the look points, I really like the design on it though you don't really see it when it is all put together. At some point I will likely try a softer plate to see how it changes the profile but I am still satisfied with the stock plate on my GMMK Pro. Also, nice lava lamp in the background :)
Hey Zeo! Thank you!! I love lava lamps!!! They’re like a legit certificate that you are a real geek! XD
As for trying new plates I’m very much on the side of not spending money you don’t need to spend if you’re happy with the product. As I mentioned in the video the changes are there, but are mild. At the end of the day, if you’re happy with the typing feel of the Alu plate and just want to spice things up a bit on your GMMK Pro, I’d recommend you play with the Tape and PE foam mods first… Since these will make a much bigger difference in sound than buying a different plate.
The top foam from the PRO box works great when taking the board apart, has the cut out for the knob 😉
Man... How the heck didn't I think about this before? (especially considering I kept the box 😂)
Thanks for the tip!
@@IOSam Well, I figured to share since one of my boards that use still has the O ring set up that you suggested. 😄
@@smj1195 Awesome! I'll have to share that tip with people now... Just too good to pass up (especially considering how tricky it can be to close the case with the O-rings)!
@@IOSam I'll make a deal with you, we can trade ideas and suggestions for the PRO. I am always up for new mods 😄
@@smj1195 Deal! I'll write a Blog post documenting some of the feedback/experiences I'm getting from viewers here and will add your tip in that article as well.
Are you planning on doing a video on Keychron Q1?
I absolutely am! In fact, working on it right now: instagram.com/p/CUl4z0IM6DI/
I am very late for it, I know... 😬
Second half of last year was too busy and I couldn't keep up. But it will be dropping here in the next few weeks for sure!
@@IOSam glad to hear that! I'm waiting for mine to get to me (it's stuck at the airport in China since 22.03), and I was hoping you'd do a video on q1, so i can follow your guide for modding! Can't wait
@@grabarz941 So hold tight! 😁 I'll be reviewing the first version of the Q1: the one with no volume knob (I say that because I understand the two versions have quite a few differences in their design).
What keycaps are you using the black botton letters?
The white-on-black keys are DROP's MT3 "WoB" ( fave.co/37NMitl | amzn.to/38AtiSR )
Thanks
Is this ok with the fox switches? Thanks
@@arziteezy-726 If you like light linear switches, yes. Glorious Fox is basically their version of Cherry MX Reds or Gateron Reds, but with a fully clear housing for better RGB diffusion. If you ever tried red style switches before, the Fox will be basically the same weight and feeling.
Great video.
Thank you my good Sir!!!
I’m thinking of building my first custom keyboard and will be the gmmk pro withe the fr4 plate with the Akko switches
That will make for a fantastic combination! Akko switches are an increadible value for the money!
@@IOSam Yeah i was thinking of getting the MKC75 but i think there's a waiting time for that so that's why im going for the gmmk pro
ive tried the O-ring mod, and ive noticed a major issue of extra input; when i type a letter it would type it twice or thrice. I tried to 1) loosen the screws a bit 2) screw them harder,,, but the issue persists. The switches I have are perfect on a different keeb, so no issues on that part
Hi Tommy! Can you confirm if that happens with just one switch, multiple switches or all switches? Also, have you tried different switches on this GMMK Pro? Does the problem go away if you remove the O-rings? Also, what sound damper are you using on the bottom of the keyboard’s case and how thick is it?
I ask all these questions because I’ve seen this “key chatter” issue before, but in all cases it was either a problem with extremely overlubed switches (between the metal contacts) or a problem with the keyboard’s PCB/controller.
I can’t imagine an O-ring or gasket mod causing chatter on switches unless they are somehow interfering with the distance between the plate and the PCB (and affecting the way the switch sits on the PCB, causing poor contact between the switches’ metal pins and the hot-swap sockets on the other side of the PCB).
I tried the FR4 and Stupidfish Foam. Unfortunately due to the missing middle screws, PE Foam + Stupidfish foam + FR4 did not work on my unit, the switches didn't have good contact with the PCB. I ended up removing the plate foam altogether but I might try using the stock plate foam.
Hey Duy! Thanks for this report! Interesting to know about your issue! May I ask what switches are you using?
But yeah… Thinking about it now, I can totally see something like this happening with a thicker and more dense plate foam between the PCB and the Plate with no screws. Did you try installing the switches on the PCB/Plate assembly outside of the keyboard’s case (to see if by pressing the PCB and Plate against each other with your hands would help in getting the switches all the way in)?
@@IOSam yes I assembled the the switches beforehand but it didn't help. The f row, enter, tab etc worked no problem but the middle region requires unreasonable amount of press to register.
@@Lenduya I see. Also, did you get the 3mm or 4mm StupidFish plate foam? I'm asking you cause I might have to write about this in my Blog, to let my viewers know about this issue.
@@IOSam 3mm. 4mm tends to be too thick for hot swap AFAIK.
@@IOSam also important that my stabs were very overlubed and I think they've fixed that since. Meaning I might've gotten an older unit.
I love the look of the FR4 plate. It always was my favourite but it can’t be used with all switches like Akko. They just wont hold the plate. I ended up getting rid of both my GMMK Pros after they screwed over Alexotos and a few other creators.
Yes… While the polycarbonate housed switches I tried worked out fine, I can totally see situations where different switch designs and softer materials (such as Nylon) would not work well with a screwless plate design such as this. AVX should have put at lest two optional screw holes for the stand-offs for those who need a tighter fit (I’m putting together a list of all the feedback I’m getting from users to summarize these issues on a future blog post).
As for Glorious shenanigans copying Alex TKC set… Well, that is part of a much bigger and complicated topic that I know I’ll have to address at some point. I didn’t mind too much when Glorious copied the Invyr Holy Panda design for their Glorious Panda, which everybody and their sister were already doing at that point anyway (Novelkeys with the Yoks, JWK/Durock with the T1s, etc.), and since no one (but another big company: Drop) was really profiting from that design.
But the situation with Alex is obviously different… Suffice to say that I evidently side with Alex on this matter.
Love your videos! Keep up the great work! SUBSCRIBED, LIKED AND SHARED!
Thank you so much Fayaz (and welcome)!!! Highly appreciated!!! 🙏
With the following config (PC Plate, PE foam stickers), did you have any issues with the switches getting pulled out of the sockets, even easier, when trying to pull just keycaps off?
I have the GMMK Pro, with a recent batch PC Plate, same PE foam stickers, and the switches (Glorious Pandas) are worryingly easy to pull out of the sockets when just pulling keycaps. Issue wasn't as noticeable with the Alu plate as expected, but I didn't check it prior to sticking the PE foam on, just curious about your experience.
As for the sounds, I have a very similar setup and as of right now it sounds amazing, but might have to give the tape mod a whirl and see how I like it. Great vid as always!
Thank you Sir!!! And yes… That has been my experience as well. Although, it depends a bit on the switches used. Switches with nylon housings (such as the Glorious Pandas or the SP Stars I used in my original GMMK Pro review for example) usually don’t sit as well on hot-swap boards, since nylon is very soft and don’t hold the switches as well in the plates’ cutouts. Polycarbonate housed switches (such as the Inks and Aqua Kings I used here) did a bit better in that regard.
But having said that, switches of all types are less likely to sit firmly on soft PC plates than on metal ones (especially when used with few or no screws). So its an unfortunate price to pay when using soft plastics in these high friction keyboard parts (reason why “old school” keyboards used steel plates and soldered switches 😆). And the more you swap switches, the looser the plate’s cutouts (and the switches clips) will get with time, which is another fact of life when using hot-swap keyboards… ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
@@IOSam haha definitely knew the PC plate would hold it less and had a feeling the Glorious Pandas were contributing as well. But like I said I did not test it out prior to using the PE foam pads under the switches so I wasn't sure what the main factor was here. Thank you for your inputT
So far so good with my setup though. Will just have to be careful when I swap around keycaps. Worst case scenario is I give the alu plate another shot or try out the FR4 plate you had.
Agreed! At the end of the day, as long as the switches/keycaps don't pop off while you're typing (that would be bad), I don't mind switches coming out only when pulling keycaps.
great content!
Thank you Austin!!! Such nice feedback is always appreciated! :)
You should check out Keybored’s video on modding the GMMK pro too, he got some crazy flex on the Alu plate.
I have already... :) Great video and fantastic guide! I love Scott's videos!!
In my particular case I like some mild flex, but I usually don't go for all out "bounciness". So for my taste, the mods I did here with the PC plate are borderline too soft already. But for the "trampoline" lovers out there, I don't think you can beat Scott's "saw mod"! 😁
Just make sure you don't try that on the PC or FR4 plates though, since they would shatter of course. But for the alu or brass plates, the saw mod is a viable option if you're skillful with a hand saw.
PE Foam and the tape really helps the Alu config but is pretty much lost on the polycarb and FR4.
I do think the Tape and PE foam mods ended up helping the sound with all materials here. But yeah… the FR4 really hit the spot for my particular taste.
I like a more muted but thocky sound signature. This is exactly the video I've been looking for many months! Thank you!
I am currently using double masking tapped Alu plate, C3 Kiwi and Ink Black V2 on gaming keys and a rolled up microfiber cloth under the keyboard. I will try the silicone sheet idea with O-rings. Does the Stupid Fish case and plate foam mute the sound even more? Any other tips? Would love to hear from you.
Hey, you’re very welcome my friend! Answering your question: yes.
Stupid Fish foam is very dense and thick (they sell plate foam in two sizes/thickness, but even the thinner 3mm one is far more dense than the stock foam included with the keyboard) and will damp the sound of this keyboard by an additional one or two decibels.
If you’re going for a muted GMMK Pro, without making the aluminium plate too stiff, my suggestion for you is to get the thinner 3mm Stupid Fish plate foam and not the case one (do the thin case silicone sheet mod instead, plus the O-rings, to give more space for the plate/PCB assembly to flex a bit more).
@@IOSam Thanks a lot ☺️
I really need an ISO version of those inverse pudding caps. Haven't found any yet.
Yeah... The challenges of using ISO... So damn difficult to find good deals in nice compatible keycaps (one has to spend hundreds of dollars for luxury caps to get something nice AND compatible with ISO).
I also used ISO for most of my life, but eventually gave up and had to accept ANSI (even before I moved to the US) because of this hobby. But it wasn't easy (and still isn't considering that I don't type only in English)... :-/
What do you think of the keychron q1 knob edition?
While I don't have the knob V2 edition here, I understand they tried to fix a few of the issues the original version (the one I have) had out of the box (mostly related to the ping noise of the V1's case).
But from everything I've see about the V2 so far, I'm not sure the solutions they came up with are enough to completely fix the problem (it seems the "force break" mod they implemented is not too effective as it turns out).
Although my main problem with the new version is its steel plate, which while not a deal breaker per se, I still prefer the softer aluminium plate of the V1.
But I think both versions are perfectly fine and can be modded to fix their shortcomings. The main deciding factor will really be if you care about the knob or not, which will be much more consequential in your use of the keyboard than the other differences between the two versions of board.
@@IOSam Between the gmmk pro and keychron q1, which one do you prefer?
@@Red.exe7 While I personally prefer the GMMK Pro for its modularity and all aftermarket parts you can get for it (such as the awesome AVX FR4 plate), if I had to buy one of these today I'd go with the prebuilt Q1. For basically the same price, you'll get better stabs out of the box, and the awesome Gateron Pros or Phantoms which are totally worth the extra $20 (not to mention the free keycaps).
You'll need to do the force break mod to fix it's ping problem, but that is fairly easy and totally worth the effort!
@@IOSamOkay, ty! I have the gmmk pro with a FR4 plate and don't know if I should switch over to the q1 knob or not.
@@Red.exe7 Honestly, if you already have a GMMK Pro with FR4 plate, I think the Q1 would be just a "side grade" for you. I think these two keyboards are dead even in terms of quality and features, so exchanging one for the other will probably not improve your typing experience by much.
I think the next step up from a GMMK Pro for anyone who still wants more, is to start saving some money for the moment when you see a super-premium custom board that really tickles your fancy down the road.
You know... one of those group buys that guys like Taeha and Alexotos push in their channels all the time, and which you'll have to wait months and spend hundreds of dollars for it... But then when you actually get it, you'll see and feel a real upgrade in build quality, sound and typing experience!
It is much easier to go through the painful group buy process for one of those boards when you already have a nice tricked out GMMK Pro as a daily driver. ;)
Your videos about gmmk pro have been very helpful to me. I really like how well structured they are. On another note, did someone ever tell you that you look a lot like Timothy Olyphant??
Thanks man! Glad to know these videos were helpful!!!
And yeah, I heard that before… And to that I can only say that I wish I was that good looking! LOL
I think it is in part because of the streaks of gray hair... But at least now I can say I feel “Justified”!! 😂
Absolutely great video, with a lot of effort and time that went into, so I want to say I appreciate it. But one thing to say, I wish you would of used a little louder switches (maybe not using your lubed switches) so that we could really hear the thocky sounds from the board itself.
Thank you so much JC!!! Loved the feedback!
And yeah… looking back, I should have added a variation in the sound tests with some sort of long pole stem switches, such as Holy/Glorious Pandas (bit.ly/3HUh6Kb ), Durock POMs (bit.ly/3xRMS6a ) or some of the linear Tecsee (bit.ly/3AQuJsz ), that are louder than the smooth and relatively quiet lubed Gateron Inks I used.
But fear not! My next video will have a cameo by the GMMK Pro with a VERY loud switch which will be very interesting! It should drop in the next couple of weeks… Stay tuned! :)
@@IOSam I appreciate the thoughtful response. I also want to reiterate how great of a video this is. Keep up the great work
Nice video like always. Can't wait to build my one now but I can't find time for another week 🙄 I got FR4 plate with stupid fish foam, owlab stabs and Lilac switches. I might try tape mod during build. Looking forward to a next video
Thank you Ben! I'm picking up the pace of video production this year, so you'll have more content here soon! :)
Also, can you confirm if you'll use PE foam in your build? If so, please let me know how does it all fit with the StupidFish foam, since I heard from one person that switches wouldn't sit properly when they used that foam with the PE mod.
Sadly I don't have kbdfans foam but I'll use VL Switch Tripods so ill post update middle of a week. Also are you planning do community discord in a future?
@@benkornatka6337 Please do! Since I'm very curious about prevailkeyco's switch tripods myself! :)
As for your question about a community Discord server, yes... I definitely have plans for that! I'm just putting my workflow in order first, since that will add another workload that I don't want to take in before I smooth out my video production flow.
Hopefully, by the time the channel reaches 10K subs, I'll have all the ducks in a row to engage with the discord project (and a few other interesting ideas I'm currently ironing out).
Number 1. Always leave a like before watching
Thank you my friend!!! Your trust is highly appreciated!!!
Hey Sam, how you doing? First of all let me tell you, your videos are just amazing. I'm very new to the custom keyboard scene and I would really apreciate it if you could share your thoughs about my questions, maybe we can help someone in the same predicament. I am thinking of building my first custom keyboard using the GMMK Pro, the thing is, I live in the UE so I was thinking of buying the GMMK Pro Iso. The problem is that I find it really hard to find cool keycaps online for that format and with my language characters (I'm a big fan of this ARTIFACT BLOOM: Glow you've just shown). My question is, what would you recomend a complete noob, that lives in EU, in terms of alternative keycaps similar to the ARTIFACT BLOOM: Glow? And what other tactil transparent (or slightly) switchs would you recomend. Thank you so much in advance.
Hey Rodrigo! Thank you so much for your nice words my good Sir!!! Highly appreciated!!!
And I know your pain my friend… I, for one, grew up on the ISO layout myself, but had to give up on it as soon as I got serious about mechanical keyboards precisely because of the situation with compatible keycaps.
Now, the situation today is much better than it was 10 years ago, that’s for sure! Today, if you go for premium sets (GMK, Signature Plastics and ePBT), you can definitely get compatibility for ISO and its many language variants. The problem is that premium keycap sets are very expensive and they never offer shine through backlighting.
And the fact that most premium production and custom keyboards always have south-facing switch sockets just drops the hammer on the whole matter for ISO users: either you go with premium stuff with no backlit keycaps, or you have to settle with the very few production keyboards that come in ISO (big box brands like Logitech, Razer, Corsair and SteelSeries).
As most keycaps manufacturers are in Asia (where, interestingly enough, they all use ANSI!), I don’t see a movement to produce more of their (usually) inexpensive backlit keycap sets in ISO.
So yeah… I wish I had better news on that regard for you and all ISO brothers out there… But as things stand now, I don’t see a light at the end of the tunnel for ISO users who want backlit caps. You are basically forced to move to ANSI for that and then learn your way around the US-International Windows/Mac keyboard layout to be able to type non-ANSI characters (which is possible, but a bit of pain to learn).
@@IOSam Your words are much appreciated. Thank you so much for your help. You have my sub.
why is the switch of my letter 'F' always red? i have the rainbow profile, everything is rainbowing but my F key is beeping red
I'd say that if this key can no longer change color no matter what light scheme you chose, it is probably a defective LED (check your warranty and contact Glorious in that case).
If that key can change colors in other light schemes (but never in the Rainbow one), than I'd suggest you first try to reset the keyboard's configuration through the Glorious Core App, and then (if that fails) reset the keyboard's firmware (there is a button in the PCB near the USB port for that).
I hate the gmmk pros sound and could not care about it less, but I like your videos and you got a nice voice so here I am watching this video
nice work once again! keep it up dude :)
Haha... That's what I call a loyal viewer!!! Thank you so much good Sir! I really appreciate you!
And fear not... There are plenty of other "non-glorious" stuff coming up shortly. So, we'll have something more to your liking here pretty soon! ;)
As always, super impressive video with honest detailed review.. Super Like. Btw may i side note abit. GATERON ink vs Aqua King, which one is your favorite Sam? Thank you in advance..
Thank you so much!!! Between the Gat Inks and the Everglide Aqua Kings, I’d say that if you’re willing to lube the Inks, they’ll sound better than the Aquas (lower pitch than the stock Aquas) and will be equally smooth. If you don’t want to bother with lubing, then definitely go with the Aqua Kings, since they are unbelievably smooth out of the box (certainly smoother than the stock Inks)!
So, no need to lube them at all unless you want to change their sound with thicker lube and switch films (which should make them sound “bassier”). Oh, and of course, if you care about having accurate RGB lights, you should go with the Aquas as well, since they don’t tint the lights.
I got a GMMK Pro with a PC plate 3 weeks ago. The PC plate was too short and caused pretty severe warping of the PCB because the screw holes weren't lining up unless forced to.
I received a replacement plate from Glorious a week later and had the exact same issue happen. No amount of filling with get it to fit because the screw holes just do not line up.
The PC plate is a waste of money, be prepared to return or replace it if you order one. The aluminum plate works perfectly fine though.
Yes... I'm getting all sorts of bad feedback from customers like you, who had very bad experiences with these PC plates. As I'm putting together some data about this issue (to be able to produce another piece on this particular matter), would you mind sharing two things?
1) what stabs did you use, and if you had to force the plate around them?
2) did you try to contact Glorious after the second plate and ask for refund/credit (if yes, how did it go)?
I'd really appreciate your help in sharing this info, so we can dig deeper into this issue. Thank you!!!
What electric screwdriver would you recommend for a job like this?
If a full Wowstick set (amzn.to/3iiArsC ) with all possible bits sizes and shapes is overkill for you for $53 (which might be if you only intend to use it with one or two keyboards), then I'd strongly suggest you get a basic "manual" set from Wiha with the main 4 sizes of philips drivers (amzn.to/3XZZG6z ) for $23.
I have these types of sets from Wiha (German maker) that are now over 20 years in use and they are still looking brand new. Extremely high quality! The thin long reach of these drivers will ensure you can reach even the tiniest and deepest screws in any keyboard.
@@IOSam Thanks for the tip!
One reason I'm looking for more flex is because I'm getting tons of pain in my wrists from typing. Has anyone else with similar issues seen a big difference in comfort with this mod?
Hi chopstix! From my experience, while a softer and flexier PCB/plate assembly can help, it can only go so far (as far as repetitive injuries of this type are concerned).
Do you mostly game or type on your keyboard? If this pain is coming from typing you have bigger problems than just the stiffness of the keyboard deck: your sitting position (too high or too low in relation to the board, flexing your wrists too much when typing), lack of a wrist rest, and even your typing technique might be to blame here.
Also, if you don't type with 9 or 10 fingers, it might be worth it to go through the trouble of retraining your typing technique using one of the many free online courses that can teach you (with exercises) how to do so, which will force you to keep your hands in the correct position when typing.
@@IOSam I both game and type and noticed the pain when doing both in both wrists. I could try getting a wrist rest but I didn't think it would do much. I type with all fingers.
@@chopstix906 I think the first thing you should try is a wrist rest, and then retrain your hands to keep your wrists less flexed when typing (floating wrists). Then you might give a flex plate a chance, but the position of your wrists when typing is likely to be culprit to your pain.
Why u use o rings? 0 effect in sound
You'd have to watch my original review of the GMMK Pro to understand the O-ring mod. Check it out here if you haven't seen it yet 👉 th-cam.com/video/J_axv-TkjkE/w-d-xo.html
@@IOSam I am Russian and I don't speak English well. There are no subtitles to understand you either. If not difficult, I will be grateful if you write about this modification in writing.
@@kliment5116 Are you sure you cannot get Closed Captions on my videos? While I have not added Closed Captions manually, I can easily access TH-cam's automated Captions on my video by clicking on the "CC" icon on the bottom right window of the video (and these automated English captions are really good!).
But in any case, the whole point of adding the O-rings was to give 1 or 2 mm of space between the top and bottom halves of the case, which, in turn, allows the plate gaskets to move an additional 1 or 2 mm in the up/down direction, and thus increasing the plate flexibility a bit. While increasing the plate flex will change the sound of the keyboard to a certain extent, it does not get louder (but the sound gets cleaner and less resonant as you can see on the typing tests of my original GMMK Pro review video).
I have also written an entire article in my blog about the GMMK Pro’s plate flex discussion and I also go over the rationale of my O-rings mod over there 👉 www.iosamfranco.com/post/a-conversation-about-plate-flex
On this video here though, you won't see any sound differences attributable to the O-rings, since all configurations I used in these sound tests had the O-rings installed.
The fuck lmao. I thought this was Dimitri from hardware cannucks, the voice is nearly identical lmao
🤣 Then I should start my videos saying "Hello good people!"... Lol
Jokes aside, that is awesome! I love Dmitry's videos (and I didn't know we can sound alike).
Another fantastic video. Not much I can say at this point lmao
Thank you my friend!!! Happy to see you here again!
I dig the new haircut
Thank you! Trying something new... :)
@@IOSam looks great on you also good video! keep up the good work. Something I think you'll have fun with is the Nova65, it is an interesting board that can be modded a lot. I have one myself.
@@tisthegreat7420 Hehe... good to know! 😁😁 From all the reviews I've seen, the Nova65 seems like a very nice entry into the custom keyboards' world from the guys at Odin Gaming! I didn't have the chance to try it out for myself yet...But if I manage to review all the stuff I got here waiting for me already, I'll definitely will try to check it out at some point.
@@IOSam Yeah, it's pretty good but can be confusing to the beginner. you need a 1.5mm allen wrench to open it just so you know...
king 👑
😁🙏
Why are the sound tests so dang soft? It's not even on the same level as your regular vocals that are in the same video.
Yeap…. While I have been evolving the way I mix the audio in my videos, one thing I have been keeping constant, since my second video ever posted in this channel, is to keep the audio level in all my typing tests consistent.
For that, I always calibrate the typing sound tests by the loudest noise (the Zippo lighter click in the beginning, which I set to around 0 db). That way you know that if the typing test comes very audible is because the keyboard is loud (closer to 60 db on the sound pressure measurement), and if the sound comes out soft, the keyboard is very quiet in real life. I do this to ensure the microphone (that sits above the keyboard, to be able pick up all frequencies) do not pick up more volume than what you’d hear in real life if you’d be sitting in front of the keyboard.
It is very challenging to record sound tests in a close to realistic manner. While these recordings will never be lifelike, there are things one can make to avoid “coloring” the sound too much. So, in my case, while I use noise reduction, compression and EQ in my speech, I do not use any processing at all on my typing tests. Unlike other creators out there, I also do not boost the sound of typing tests (in fact, as I explained above, I try to keep them in a more realistic volume compared to my voice).
Which is also why I put a visual countdown warning at the end of each typing test when louder speech is about to commence…
It turns out, the GMMK Pro is a very quiet keyboard… And then using Gateron Inks (that have mostly lower frequency sounds) makes the whole configuration even quieter. Even with in the Aluminium plate with tape mod and PE foam pads (that lift the volume in any keyboard), this board still never went above 54 db in my sound pressure measurement (which is still reasonably quiet). It was even quieter on the FR4 and PC plates.
If you want a bit more sound coming out of your GMMK Pro, I suggest the tape and PE foam mods, sticking to the Aluminium plate, and using long pole stemmed switches (Holy Pandas, Durock T1, Durock POM, etc).
Having said all that, I have been improving the “loudness” of my videos on TH-cam. My last video, for example, is closer to the -10 LUFs (recommended by TH-cam), while my previous ones were way quieter. But this doesn’t affect the typing sound tests, since the loudness scale affects the whole mix (so if you set the volume in a comfortable level for the speech, the typing tests will still be “proportional” to the speech volume).
Finally, my next video will cover some very loud switches (and keyboards), so it will be a good opportunity for you to compare to the GMMK Pro… ;)
Pc plate with tempest mod is what I'll be doing
Good luck and let us know how it goes!
@@IOSam so I got everything done. The tempest mod with the pc plate has definitely opened the gmmk pro up a bunch. I used Polar pandas and 2 layers of painters tape. The keycaps are gmk dark base hammerhead.
@@TechGuy42ilm Wow, congrats man! That is a fancy build! Would love to check it out!!
@@IOSam I'd be happy to send you a sound test and video of it.
@@TechGuy42ilm I'd love to! Have you posted it somewhere (Reddit, Instagram, TH-cam)?
This video was perfect! But Honestly, I prefer to buy one Keychron or an Akko keyboard or even a cheap PCB board kit with QMK and do it myself instead to buy this super overly priced keyboard... Glorious products are too much expensive, just to have the "Pc Master race logo" in your setup. Not worth it guys...
At this point in 2023, I agree that it makes little sense to buy a GMMK Pro paying full price with the explicit goal of spending even more money to mod it. And, while I haven’t tried the Akko 75% model yet, I’m not sure a Q1 would be a much better option than a GMMK Pro in terms of sound either…
Having said that, for people who bought a GMMK Pro and now want to experiment with different plate materials and mods, that could be a nice way to try new sounds and typing experiences without having to buy a whole new board.
IM BACK………
Hey there cousin!!! ✌😁
@@IOSam yoooooo 🤗
fun fact: im actually going to buy the gmmk pro (first build ever!!!) :) these vids help a lot since the board isnt the best! tbh best tips guide ive found on yt. ty and keep it up! 👍
@@iotimmiey Thank you Timmiey!!! Highly appreciated! And good luck with your first new build! Don't forget to come back here to let us know how it went!
Dont buy pc or brass plate. They never line up. Trust me, i have pc and brass just collecting dust. If i knew how bad glorious products were i would never have given them a chance. Never buying another glorious product again.
flex in a keyboard = yuck
He he… I hear ya! While I’m not opposed to gasket mounted boards with mild plate flex, I’m definitely not onboard with the “bouncy keyboards” craziness that seems to have taken over this hobby 👉th-cam.com/video/TeGHuWK_Gsk/w-d-xo.html
First comment
I love how Sam did to reply to this. 🤣
¯\_(ツ)_/¯