DROP + MiTo GMK Laser Custom Mechanical Keyboard Novelty Keycap Set - 44-Keys, Doubleshot ABS, Cherry Profile (Novelties)

Product Information

The reason why GMK keycaps have garnered millions of loyal fans around the world is because of multiple reasons. They are known for their bright and distinct colourways that can be found on all their keycap sets. Unlike a lot of keycap sets, GMK keycaps use ABS (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene) plastics rather than PBT (polybutylene terephthalate) plastics. You can find other keycap sets that come close to the level of quality that GMK offers. SP, JTK and Maxkey are some notable examples. But most would agree that none of them really stand out compared to GMK keycaps. The concept of stamping is to use as little material as possible to 'form' a sturdy keycap: laser cut the 'foldable-shape' and character/typeface, then stamp/bend into keycap shape, finally brazing or welding in a cast/MIM/extruded 'stem'. Even if I shared with you what I think the best GMK keycap sets are, the chances are that you probably will not be able to buy it.

When comparing the GMK clone to the GMK set, there's obvious differences in both quality and material (or how its applied). I know that GMK is getting a lot of hate on this subreddit, but the quality of GMK is better. The clone set can't replace that, if money isn't a factor.There you have it! That’s everything you need to know about GMK keycaps if you’re someone who’s just getting into mechanical keyboards. This is the biggest caveat you will have to deal with when you’re in the highly competitive world of mechanical keyboards. Patience is key, and there really is no other way around it if you want the best keycaps on the market. Conclusion

When buying GMK keycap sets, it is important to know whether or not they are fully compatible with your key switches. But fret not! I’m here to guide you through all you need to know about the most well respected and undoubtedly the most popular keycap manufacturer in the world. What is GMK? Photo by Jay Zhang on Unsplash The first is that, since they are part of group buys, every GMK keycap set needs to wait till they reach or exceed their MOQ to even begin to move ahead with production. So, it doesn’t matter how early you cash in on the group buy, you will almost always have to wait months to receive your set of keycaps. Jul 4th 2023 HYTE in Collaboration with hololive English Unveils the New Limited-Edition Mori Calliope Y40 Bundle (2)

Customer reviews

Aug 4th 2023 Corsair Gaming Reports Second Quarter 2023 Financial Results, Revenue up 14.6% YoY (0) Among die-hard mechanical keyboard fans, GMK is considered the holy grail of keycap manufacturers. Mechanical keeb connoisseurs on the internet (especially on Reddit) would go above and beyond to praise GMK for the excellent quality and craftsmanship that they put into all their keycap sets. But the name GMK might not mean anything for a novice who has only just dipped their toes into the world of mechanical keyboards. Although there are some occasions where a fan favourite keycap set will return as part of a group buy, it is not the case for every GMK set. I'd also have thought more people would 'take issue' with spending premium-pricing on what are otherwise: keycaps made from sewer pipe ( ABS))

I can see in my head how to 'make' stamped keycaps, affordably; but, I have 0 access to laser cutters, sheet metal, and presses. The main advantage that ABS plastics have over PBT is that they’re much softer. This allows manufacturers to easily include a large variety of colours than what is possible on PBT. Since they are able to use double or triple shot processes to integrate colours, ABS keycaps tend to be much brighter and vibrant than PBT keycaps. Personally, I can’t stand dye-sub keycaps, which why I specifically looked for ABS doubleshot keycaps. For all three sets, the legends are crisp. Absolutely no fuzziness. Until dye-sublimated PBT keycaps become much more easily accessible, ABS keycaps are the only way to go. And since GMK offers the best of the bunch, they’re more than happy to charge whatever they want because of the high demand in the market! Are GMK keycaps worth it? If I were to give a more concrete answer on what the best GMK keycaps are, I can only list out my personal favourites. Some of my favourite GMK sets are the ones that go against the mould, with bright, flashy colours that really make your entire setup pop.

Whoops!

One of the biggest reason I wanted to switch from the ePBT keycap set is that the spacebar produced produced an incredibly hollow sound. I used these keycaps on a RAMA U80, which requires a 7U spacebar. Take a look at the underside of the 7U spacebar from the ePBT and GMK clone set. The GMK Bento R2 is one of those keycap sets that you need to see to really understand its appeal. Aptly named after the cutesy Japanese meal boxes, the GMK Bento R2 has a subtle muted look, with colours that are almost pastel but not quite. This works in the Bento R2’s favour though, as it’s one of the most popular GMK keycap sets out there. Secondly, these wait times have doubled and tripled recently due to COVID, with production delays colliding with a staggering increase in demand. A lot of group buys that took place last year won’t ship until 2022! The ePBT spacebar is hollow. I don’t know the correct term for it, but it’s just a single layer of plastic, while the GMK and GMK clone set has a second ridge layer of plastic. I'm not sure the reasoning behind this, but, personally, it ruined the typing sound for me. Interestingly, the ePBT 6U spacebar has two layers, so it’s just the 7U that’s like this. But no matter how expensive they get, ABS keycaps are well, ABS. this means that shine is unavoidable. Even the most well-crafted GMK keycap sets will start to see shine after around six months of regular use. That’s the ultimate price you need to pay for the bright colours and flexibility of customization.