// PC GAMER — GAMING
Glorious GMMK Eternal review
A solid, fuss-free step-up mechanical keyboard that nails the fundamentals of sound and build quality, although the ABS keycaps, wired connectivity and dated aesthetic mean it isn't quite as strong as rivals.
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It seems Glorious is intent on converting you out of that old Amazon Basics keyboard you might have sat on your desk and into something with a little more of, well, everything. The new GMMK Eternal is the second product in the brand's seemingly entry-level line of peripherals after the excellent Glorious Model O Eternal gaming mouse I tested a few months back. If that's anything to go by, this is a keyboard that homes in on the fundamentals to make for a solid step-up mechanical product.
The brand's own marketing materials focus on all the compromises you potentially make by going for a more affordable keyboard, such as a case that sounds like a biscuit tin, or even simply a sacrifice for a smaller layout. The GMMK Eternal aims to provide a magic bullet to all of the ailments to save you from, at best, a dissatisfactory keyboard that was at a tempting price in a sale.
The 96% layout the GMMK Eternal opts for provides virtually all of the functionality you could ask for. It squishes up the number pad and moves the nav cluster on top of it to provide a full-size keyboard in a reduced footprint to make for one of the easier abnormal key layouts to get used to.
Physical touches otherwise include some doubleshot keycaps with a pleasant texturing to them to aid grip under finger. I am quite sad to report they're ABS rather than PBT, though. This is a marker of a cheaper keyboard, even though PBT has made its way down the price ladder to more wallet-friendly options in recent years, such as the Gamakay x NaughShark NS68. That said, I'm a fan of the side-printed legends on the function row for quick access to media controls, hotkeys for a calculator, web browser and more, plus access to RGB backlighting level and different patterns.
Switch type: Glorious FoxKeycaps: ABS, doubleshotLighting: RGB, controllable in software and on keyboardOnboard storage: 3 profilesExtra ports: NoneConnection type: Wired USB-CCable: USB Type-C/USB Type-A, detachableWeight: 886 g/1.95 lbsPrice: $100/£90
You don't get any additional extras such as a rotary encoder for volume or any form of toggle switches for OS selection, though. The rear side has a set-in cut-out for a USB-C cable, and the underside has some grippy two-stage feet to raise the angle of the GMMK Eternal up. Otherwise, that's about it.
I'm happy to report that, as much as the frame of this keyboard is virtually all plastic, build quality is largely okay. There's a good amount of heft to the chassis and no deck flex to speak of thanks to an aluminium top plate—Glorious has at least put some thought into making a keyboard that's not flimsy.
My only issue here is the aesthetic it has opted for—the open housing and all-black look gives the GMMK Eternal more of a dated aesthetic that takes me back to when this was the standard look for a 'gaming' keyboard. Rather, it'd have been pleasant to see a closed housing or some different colours used to differentiate this from a more non-descript finish. There's barely even a Glorious logo anywhere, apart from underneath where you can't see it.