"Customization shouldn't be locked behind a paywall" - Glorious's latest gaming keyboard has one feature few budget decks can rival

Hands using Glorious GMBK 75% gaming keyboard on a desk
(Image credit: Glorious)

Glorious has just launched its latest gaming keyboard, and this one's a little different. Gone are the three-figure price tags and esports-focused feature lists. Instead, the $59.99 / £49.99 Glorious GMBK 75% concentrates on providing the typing experience the brand is known for at a much lower rate.

The main focus here is customization, but we're not talking hot-swappability or the Hall effect switches you'll find in some of the best gaming keyboards on the market. Instead, Glorious is donning swappable MX-stem compatible keycaps - a rarity in cheaper decks.

Glorious GMBK 75% | $59.99 at Glorious

Glorious GMBK 75% | $59.99 at Glorious
Glorious keyboards usually cost a pretty penny (the Glorious GMMK 3 Pro HE comes in at over $300). The latest release takes things back to basics, though, with a sturdy build, plenty of functionality, and more customization options than you'd usually find at this price.

UK: £49.99 at Glorious

If you've been researching more expensive keyboards, that could raise an eyebrow. One can remove the keycaps from the vast majority of decks on the market right now, using an MX-shaped stem is pretty par for the course in the more expensive seats.

It's a little less commonplace in this sub-$60 category, though, where you're more likely to be shopping among the best membrane keyboards. The SteelSeries Apex 3 sits at about $50 and you're stuck with those ABS clickers and it's a similar story with the Razer Cynosa V2.

Glorious GMBK 75% gaming keyboard on a black desk with keycaps removed from stems

(Image credit: Glorious)

The Glorious GMBK 75% is still a membrane keyboard, so you're not getting the clack of a more expensive mechanical switch - but you'd be surprised how much of a difference those caps can make.

These affordable decks generally cheap out with oily, thin, rattly ABS keycaps - swapping those over for a more durable set of PBT toppers is going to keep that experience fresh for much longer.

Elsewhere, the GMBK offers a 75% form factor, with a full function row, navigational keys, and a dedicated media dial, as well as ten-zone RGB lighting, a 1,000Hz polling rate, three onboard memory profiles, and compatibility with Glorious Core software.

Of course, these rubber dome switches aren't for everyone. If you're unsure whether you should save a little more for a full mechanical suite, check out my guide to membrane vs mechanical gaming keyboards.

I'm also hunting down all the best wireless gaming keyboards and the best hot-swappable keyboards for more personalization options. Or, check out the best Razer keyboards if you're sticking with one brand.

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Tabitha Baker
Managing Editor - Hardware

Managing Editor of Hardware at GamesRadar+, I originally landed in hardware at our sister site TechRadar before moving over to GamesRadar. In between, I've written for Tom’s Guide, Wireframe, The Indie Game Website and That Video Game Blog, covering everything from the PS5 launch to the Apple Pencil. Now, i'm focused on Nintendo Switch, gaming laptops (and the keyboards, headsets and mice that come with them), PS5, and trying to find the perfect projector. 

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