The Glorious Modular Mechanical Keyboard was the world's first modular RGB mechanical keyboard, released in 2016, and remains one of the best keyboards available. We'll call it the GMMK from here on out (or else it would be a real mouthful), but it's modular in that you can hot-swap any of the 104 RGB keyboard switches to create your own custom-made board.

Glorious's initial goal was to create an affordable line of "high-performance PC gaming accessories" for the masses, a line of high-quality gear to rival the industry leaders, and they have certainly cleared that hurdle. In the process, they managed to set some pretty impressive records, including the Glorious Model O Mouse, which took the title of lightest RGB gaming mouse in 2020.

The Glorious store offers a combination of clicky, tactile, and linear Kailh or Gateron switches on the baseboard. If you are particular about switches not on the list, you can choose "none," and if you take it home, you can stuff it with Cherry MX switches. Replacing the switches is a bit tricky, but just use the included switch puller tool to force them out. In any case, before Glorious opened its doors, replacing the switches required either investing in a homebrew board or a serious enthusiast board, or getting out the soldering iron.

I think dealing with a labor-intensive puller tool takes precedence over voiding a warranty.

The GMMK seems to stand up to the switch. It feels heavy and durable, as if it were carved from a solid block of metal. It certainly does not feel cheap. The design is minimalist, with a small border surrounding the keys wrapped in a gorgeous 2mm silver bevel. Other than that, there are no frills, no decals printed on the shell, and the status indicator is just a small red LED without a label.

Nor are there any dedicated media controls other than the function keys, but there is no need for fancy bells and whistles here. In the pursuit of maximum minimalism, quality is left to itself.

Nothing is meaningless, not even software, and that is exactly the theme Glorious has aimed for with this model. There are only three customizable profiles, but they can be imported and exported. Macros are provided and easy to record, but assigning them was not as intuitive as I would have liked.

Thankfully, GMMK has some nice features to complement the baseline software. For example, N-key rollover (NKRO) means that all keystrokes are registered no matter how many are pressed at once, and the variable polling rate (report rate) may excite some users who feel the need to adjust how often the board reports information to the CPU. However, I am still skeptical that the ability to change the polling rate will really make a difference. [If you don't want to tinker with polling rates, assign macros, or set up complex profiles for specific tasks, you don't have to install it.

Even without the software, you don't have to forgo the pleasures of RGB illumination; you can cycle through the various light shows with just the function keys. In fact, there are more color variations than the Glorious Model O mouse can handle, and the color picker even has a cute retro windows theme that made me feel very nostalgic. Speaking of nostalgia, there is also a Kamehameha mode for Dragon Ball fans.

Also, if your typing power is over 9000, the stunning double-shot-injected ABS keycaps should be able to withstand the pressure. And while some have complained that the ABS fades quickly, at least it comes with a cherry stem and the caps are easily replaced. The white Aura Printop keycaps are also a nice accent to make certain keys stand out among the plain black caps, especially when paired with the black frame. It is also unfortunate that there is only one LED across the entire length of the space key, but it is clear that some LEDs are not brighter than others.

The GMMK may be a bit lacking when it comes to software. It also lacks USB, audio pass-through, and dedicated media controls, but it functions as a simple, modern, everyman mechanical board. Also, the price point is comparable to many of the best mechanical keyboards.

The full-size version of the GMMK comes with inexpensive Gateron switches, plain keycaps, no wrist rest or O-ring damper, and costs around $130. Only the GMMK has a full set of keys and a fancier metal chassis, allowing your wild key potential for your switch fantasies.

The Glorious Modular Mechanical Keyboard not only was the world's first fully modular board, but also upholds this legacy with a sleek, minimalist style and an engineering quality that makes you think you can ignore the functionality trade-offs. Since then, with the launch of the Wooting One and Two and the powerful ErgoDox option board, and soon to be newcomer Mountain shipping its Everest board, the GMMK is truly tough, simple, and very affordable. But the GMMK is really tough, simple, and affordable.

Thus, while I am not happy with the creepy Glorious marketing strategy, it is a win for the "corps."