Thank you for the sub my friend!!! Can't wait to resume making more videos like this here in the channel (will be back soon)!
@Dude3ro5 күн бұрын
Awesome video, I know I'm late to the party but I'm just getting into keyboard modding and I have this board (well the first gen purple clicky) but I'm definitely gonna use these mods and swap out my WASD , space bar and other common gaming used keys. I've always like this board but man the loud clicky switches got old real fast....
@IOSam3 күн бұрын
Thank you Sir!!! It seems that Razer's new "snap tap" feature on their Huntsman Pro Mini V3 (which shares exactly the same case, switches and keycaps as the V1) will bring a lot more people back to this model (and to this modding tutorial! :). And yeah, while I like clicky switches myself, I usually only use them for typing when I'm in a more "vintage keyboard" mood. But for most of the time, when gaming or typing in the office, liner or non-clicky tactiles is the way to go.
@GalaxiusPilgrim9 күн бұрын
phenomenal video brother, thanks a million.
@IOSam8 күн бұрын
Glad to read this my friend! 👊😎
@NeoAsylum14 күн бұрын
IS THERE JUST A CABLE MAKING VIDEO ?! :)
@IOSam8 күн бұрын
There should have been one (I have countless hours of footage of custom cable making of all types)... But for some reason I never got around to edit and post it. I guess I should still revisit this topic in 2024 (after most of the hype about custom cables seem to have died down). If for nothing else it would make for a much more grounded video on the subject nowadays.
@alsacs363522 күн бұрын
Nice video. Question, Can I replace the stock switches on the K96 with the Wisteria Switches from Nuphy Air96?
@IOSam21 күн бұрын
Thank you!!! And while both the RK96 and the K98 are hot swappable, they are only compatible with regular height MX style switches. So the Nuphy Wisteria, which is half-height (low profile) won't fit on neither keyboard. You'll only be able to use those switches in other boards that are designed to be used with half-height switches as well.
@alsacs363521 күн бұрын
@@IOSam Ok, Thanks for the info Sam.
@aTtsbАй бұрын
thank you. i did not mod mine much. however, my gmmk pro has served me very well for over 2.5 years now, but it is time to upgrade to a fancier keyboard. i may not use the gmmk pro much longer, but it will always be in my heart as my first custom keyboard.
@IOSam3 күн бұрын
You have basically described my feelings about this keyboard: this was the perfect "gateway drug" for so many mechanical keyboard enthusiasts in the last 3 years! And the fact that Glorious shipped this thing so undercooked, gave people the perfect reason to get into upgrades and mods (which is where the real fun is within this hobby! :). So, I totally agree with you the the GMMK Pro has secured its honorable place in the history of the mechanical keyboards "renascence" of the last few years! It was the first relatively affordable heavy metal mech that was widely available, and highly "moddable"! Which, in turn, inspired hordes of factories around the world to start making cheaper mechanical keyboards. This hobby probably wouldn't be where it is today without the GMMK Pro!
@gorkskoal9315Ай бұрын
the sound of a buckling spring KB is almost like sex for the ears.
@DisposalistАй бұрын
Excellent guide, still, but I'd be very interested to see an update. For example I think, these days, factory lubed switches make it even easier. The full removal of the stab legs was indeed a game-changer! My custom keyboard was very quiet except the spacebar upstroke clunk driving me wild. With the full removal, the bump is the same down and up. Why the hell do they make the stabs the way they do when the leg removal is so effective and makes no difference to the stability? Anyway, thanks again!
@anthonyt219Ай бұрын
Thanks for clarifying why someone like me doesnt just get a model f or m from ebay. 1. Price is ridiculous 2. Severely old tech that you have to buy adapters for. 3. Lack of customization and modern colors. Why i love that vintage look and authentic feel, i still would like the option of swapping the usb cable for a coiled replaceable one and swap the switches for whatever i want like zeal clickies or kaihl navys. Right now i have my eye on the 8bitdo c64 version where im gonna install kailh navys just to see how it feels. It has alot of features and i love the retro look with SA keycaps. Im not at that stage where i want to build my own kb... yet anyway. But ideally, i want to get the command 65 kb case with zeal clickies
@IOSamАй бұрын
8bitdo seems to be killing it right now with their retro inspired boards. I keep seeing people raving about them on Reddit. As for “building your own keyboard” in 2024, it seems it is as optional as ever (as far as practical reasons go). Production keyboards are 1000X better today than they were just 3 or 4 years ago! It’s kinda crazy (and awesome!) really… So, your idea of getting an 8bitdo c64 + SA or MT3 caps + Clickiez sounds like an incredibly nice build, that will feel as good as a vintage board without any of the hassle of going ‘full vintage’ or ‘full custom’.
@MQhelperАй бұрын
Found you via this video and thanks to you, I made up my mind on buying the Royal Kludge RK96! I bought mine on a budget for 52 USD (was on sale!), and it has worked amazingly for me in both games and even work! I LOVE your video formats, will be subscribing for more!
@IOSamАй бұрын
Awesome to know this video helped you to find your new best typing friend! :) And thank you for the sub!!! While the channel is unfortunately on hiatus this year (changes on my day job and a house move got in the way), I can’t wait to come back with new videos sometime later this year. I have a ton of content that I still want to produce and a bunch of new ideas I want to pursue with this channel! So, I’ll see you around here with a new video soon… ⏳
@justanobody4983Ай бұрын
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.
@Shadowstompa2 ай бұрын
The detail 👌
@IOSam2 ай бұрын
I can't help myself! 😂
@Sean-vn7bt2 ай бұрын
What is the tool that he uses to lube the switch at 35:55 ?
@IOSam2 ай бұрын
Hi Sean, that is an eyelash micro brush (amzn.to/3iUsQkr ) that I use to lube switches. I find those to be much easier to use (to apply the correct amount of lubricant on switches) than a regular oil or water color paintbrush.
@KalebandPups3DShop2 ай бұрын
I can’t believe I bought the GMMK Pro, purchased the bare bone edition white ice thinking I was going to get a white keyboard as the name would suggest but no the stupid thing is silver why I call it silver ice why in the world would you call it white I think that’s false audvertisement no with the research I’ve done you’re telling me that I have to purchase $110 if I’m lucky $60 on sale flex kit to have a white base and then on top of that spend I don’t know offi the top of my head $50-$60 for a new top plate just to have a white keyboard like I thought I was going to have E❤gv
@IOSam2 ай бұрын
Yeah, this was one of the major f*ck ups that Glorious did from the beginning... It was something reviewers called out (including myself here 👉 kzread.info/dash/bejne/fJOV2thmhM7Qm6g.html ), but anyone who missed those launch reviews in 2021, would probably not know that. Especially considering that the marketing stock images they have for the silver board actually make it look like real white. So yeah, that is terrible marketing! Now, having said that, for anyone who is in the market in 2024 for an e-White 75%, luckily there are other options out there today --mostly group-buy customs, but at least you'll be getting more modern designs for much less money today than you would have paid for in 2021 when the GMMK Pro came out. There is ZERO reasons to get an e-white GMMK Pro for its current price in today's market.
@KalebandPups3DShop2 ай бұрын
@@IOSam yeah and I really only have me to blame I guess I was at Best Buy and they had a black one on display so I knew I liked it and I wanted it just wanted a white keyboard so instead of just waiting and making sure I did my research I just bought it and found out when I got home my mistake
@87engr2 ай бұрын
So, I'm sorry for the dumb question, but it it possible to assemble the NCR80 with a PrintScreen-ScrollLock-Pause kay cluster instead of LEDs? Do the case, PCB, and plate actually allow this?
@IOSam2 ай бұрын
Unfortunately not. The case is not modular in that way and the PCB doesn't have switch sockets in that area. However, you do have VIA compatibility in the latest PCB models, so you'll be able to easily put those functions on a second layer of that cluster.
@87engr2 ай бұрын
@@IOSam I am now looking at Vortex Model M SSK (plastic case version), which seems to have a more standard layout and a roomy plastic case. I will be very curious how Clickiez sound in it...
@87engr3 ай бұрын
Is it possible to transplant a click leaf from Alps or Matias switches into Clickiez, or are they incompatible?
@IOSam3 ай бұрын
Unfortunately, no. They are incompatible (Alps or Matias click leaves are much larger). As far as I know, the Clickiez are a unique project 100% owned by Zeal. So it doesn't share parts' dimensions with any other switches in existence today.
@87engr3 ай бұрын
@@IOSam That’s unfortunate. Thanks for letting me know; maybe Zeal will eventually make a new issue of Clickiez.
@YaBoyJon3 ай бұрын
I took a while to get around to just even opening the keyboard and put it together. It was my first ever custom build so I had zero experience. I ran into an issue where the keyboard would connect to PC. I reached out to CC support and they were super. No hassle and just had me try a few things, they ended up sending me a new PCB and daughterboard. It can pretty quick. While it was something nobody ever wishes for when buying something, CC was there for me. I will definitely recommend and continue to see other items they will have.
@IOSam3 ай бұрын
Good to know that your build came out well in the end! There aren’t many group-buy vendors out there doing the type of customer service that ClickClack does… Their reputation so far has been spotless! Which is why they are one of the very few GB vendors I feel comfortable recommending to beginners and veteran keyboard builders alike.
@rockets4kids3 ай бұрын
I'd be interested to get your take on the Matias clicky switches.
@IOSam3 ай бұрын
Man, I have a Matias project in the works for literally years now... But unfortunately, since last year, life keeps getting in the way... But I have all the parts to build a Matias 60% board (I have a batch of clicky and "quiet clicky" switches, that I haven't decided which way to go, or if I should put the clicky leaf on the quiet clicky body, as Chyrosran did years ago on his channel and ended up recommending it). I also have 3 other projects of custom TKLs with vintage Alps boards (Geon Frog with SKCM Orange Alps, Geon F1-8X with Ambers, and FreeBird with Whites). Again, all parts on hand, but didn't have the time to build them yet. Hopefully the keyboard gods will bless me with a bit of extra time in the next few months to finally produce all these videos.
@cjmillsnun3 ай бұрын
Thankfully I have a couple of vintage keyboards from old computers I had back in the day.. Including a gen 2 IBM Model M and a Dell bigfoot. But if I didn't then yes, I think I would be putting one of these together. It sounds perfect.
@IOSam3 ай бұрын
Yeah, you're very well served there. In fact, I finally got my hands on a "new old stock" WKL bigfoot (in its original box and all) and... my goodness! That thing sounds sooo nice!!
@fa1r3bo9y83 ай бұрын
how to setup 2.4 in this mouse ?
@IOSam3 ай бұрын
If you mean how to pair the mouse with its 2.4 Ghz dongle 👉 glorious.ladesk.com/527479-How-To-Pair-Your-V2-Wireless-Mouse-With-The-Wireless-Receiver
@joshsmith52323 ай бұрын
too much yapping ohh my goddd
@IOSam3 ай бұрын
Thank goodness for TikTok, eh? ;)
@ElectricTrumpet3 ай бұрын
awesome video and wonderful detailed explanation of the switches, the chassis interaction, everything. I very much enjoyed watching this. Did you ever test out these switches in the Vortex KBT RE68? Interested to hear about it if so. As you described, I am an older guy who grew up on 90s PCs and the sound of those vintage ALPS is simply unmatched by anything on the market today which is kind of astounding considering the huge variety of choice available these days. I have a Focus FK2001 with ALPS blue, an Apple IIGS keyboard with Monterry Blues and tophat keycaps, and both of those, IMO, are better than any keyboard available brand new today in terms of sound at least for the chassis/switch combos I have heard or tried. I was talking about this with a coworker last week which is what led me here after he said, "really, there isn't anything nowadays that can come close?" It would be amazing if someone could marry the sound of yesterday with the keycap choice and reliability of modern products. Maybe someday. Looks like Zeal has still not come out with a less tactile version either. :/
@IOSam3 ай бұрын
Thank you so much!! And I did try a couple of innovative clicky switches on the Vortex PC66 (I couldn’t get the KBT version of this board, but other than the KBT branding, it is basically the same thing) and after removing its silicone dampers, it sounded great! Not as good as the much larger NCR80, but good enough for a small 65% board. While I wanted to have produced this video ages ago, between a new day job and a house move this year, all KZread projects got severely delayed… But I hope to get back on track later this year and the Vortex PC66 will be one of the first keyboard videos I’ll put out from my new studio. As for trying to get the same feel of a Focus FK2001 on a modern chassis with MX style switches, I don’t think that will ever be possible unfortunately… Clicky keyboards don’t get any better than blue or white Alps on plastic vintage boards I’m afraid. Other than the Vortex PC66, I have a few other spacious plastic boards here that I intend to show how they sound with some of the newer types of clicky switches that have arrived in the market in the last 18 months or so. But while they sound better than any gaming keyboard with Cherry Blues, I don’t think any of them can beat a classic 90’s board with blue Alps. And while Zeal didn’t release a lighter Clickiez, Gateron came out with something very close (Melodic switches) in terms of typing feel that does feel lighter than the Clickiez, but it doesn’t sound as good. So, for now, we still don’t have a perfect replacement for Alps SKCM White or Blue unfortunately. At any rate, I have a ton of interesting projects to fit Alps switches on modern custom boards, and those will definitely land here in the channel (although probably only next year, after I spend months rebuilding my studio 😰).
@mirzahadzic86663 ай бұрын
Wow, my whole life was a lie
@IOSam3 ай бұрын
😂 Been using Cherry MX Blues by any chance?
@mirzahadzic86663 ай бұрын
use smaller keyboards with clicky switches, never knowing that makes difference.
@IOSam3 ай бұрын
Well, the difference is only on sound of course. So the tactility of clicky switches is obviously not affected by the amount of "empty space" on the keyboard. But it might be something to consider for future builds, if you prefer a "vintage keyboard" sound for these types of switches.
@mirzahadzic86663 ай бұрын
sure, it is the amount of difference in sound that surprises me.
@OkieDokieSmokie4 ай бұрын
Subbed for quality content. You certainly deserve it. 10/10.
@IOSam4 ай бұрын
Welcome aboard my friend!!! And thak you so much for the nice words!!🙏
@klofisch4 ай бұрын
Can this keyboard configured with QMK or ZMK?
@IOSam4 ай бұрын
Unfortunately not. QMK compatibility until very recently had been a feature usually found on custom and/or premium production keyboards commanding higher prices. Although that is starting to change now, so we might see models from RK and Womier with QMK/VIA compatibility soon.
@klofisch4 ай бұрын
@@IOSam well i have two custom Lily58 running on ZMK with Bluetooth...no cables even with split layout. And ported my Gherkin as well yesterday.
@sinchrotron4 ай бұрын
21:20 - 22:00 and next - American Psycho flashbacks😂
@IOSam4 ай бұрын
😂😂 Hey... let's put that OCD to work on something positive instead, eh?
@sinchrotron4 ай бұрын
@@IOSam Yes Sir! o7
@wolf18934 ай бұрын
I have been daily driving this board for a few years now, having only just recently gotten a handful of Keychron V series (V1 Max for the living room, V5 for the office). Sure those boards sound and feel better than the mini, but post modded, I'd say the Huntsman still one of my favourite boards for mixed used. One thing I've grown to appreciate is the North Facing LED's, which I've been finding on the Keychrons to peek just under the keycaps and the angle kinda shines in my eyes, and finding south shine through keycaps has been a nightmare. This board can easily just be shifted to a low white or a dull red, meaning for low to no light scenarios it holds up kinda better than my other boards. Speaking of keycaps, Razer really hit it out of the park with these PBT double shot keycaps as they've held out pretty well over the years of strenuous use, at the very least, compared to other keycaps. Only my WASER are smoother than the rest of the keycaps, as is a one inch stretch of my space bar, but it's only noticeable if you are looking for it. Normally, I would start getting chatter after a year or two, having to replace a key switch or three, but this board is still going strong. But this board is so easy to mod compared to other boards which needs substantial disassembling to do so. The layers have become so second nature to me, I've used QMK/VIA on my other boards to mimic this one, even though they physically have the keys I'm just using with layers (on the mini, my caps lock is another FN key, where the \| key is layered to be my caps lock) which has substantially sped up my layer use. On top of their 'hypersense' compatibility with my mice and tartarus keypad, it's easy to keep my productivity going through synapse. I like QMK/VIA, but Razer's cross peripheral interactivity is really hard to one-up. I really feel like this board is kinda underappreciated due to it being a gaming board from Razer. Also, spied the Tartarus keypad in this video and in your most recent one (the Platinum PT990), so nice to see your still driving that keypad 😎
@wolf18934 ай бұрын
addendum: they changed the mini's layer mapping sometime ago, where you can now change ALL of the keys in synapse to whatever you want now, which greatly improved what I can set my board to
@IOSam4 ай бұрын
Man, did you ever think about doing product reviews? 😁 Seriously, you raised so many interesting points about this board (a few of which I had not paid attention myself until you mentioned, such as the north facing backlighting that doesn't "leak" between the keycaps). And I agree with you wholeheartedly about Razer's PBT sets: one of the best backlit PBT sets out there (at any price range). As for the durability/reliability of this board, it speaks volumes about the application of optical technology to keyboard switches (nothing to physically wear down). And I also agree with you 100% that this keyboard was always looked down by "serious keyboard people" as a toy... And they couldn't have been more wrong! Sure, it is still to this day one of the best gaming keyboards out there, but that doesn't mean it isn't a fantastic productivity keyboard as well. PS: my Tartarus is not going anywhere… It is my number one video editing tool!
@IOSam4 ай бұрын
And that my friend, is a fascinating piece of information that I will check out this coming weekend! I was not aware of this software upgrade to the Mini, since I barely change any of its configurations on Synapse anymore.
@AT-vj2mz4 ай бұрын
Fixing my gfs GMMK and your video is literally the only one I can find that shows how to install the stabs. Thank you!!
@IOSam4 ай бұрын
Happy to know this was helpful my friend!!! And it is kinda crazy that Glorious sold boatloads of these boards, but at a time almost no one was making keyboard modding videos yet... So, that might explain the shortage of content for such a popular keyboard.
@cdeshaw19864 ай бұрын
OVERPRICED af
@IOSam4 ай бұрын
Metal wireless numpads are a pretty niche product with low production numbers (and few options in the market), so there's not enough economies of scale to make them affordable (at least the stuff from big brands). The alternative is to go with smaller brands. I've been testing this Cidoo V21 (cidootech.com/products/cidoo-v21) for $60 (plus shipping) and it is surprisingly well built for it's price (and it is VIA compatible!).
@tranmeister4 ай бұрын
hi IO Sam. Can you explain what the different options in the Flexkit does? I am trying to understand what the different in thickness in the g-foam bottom case foam does and the different type of gasket strips does to the board. G-foam/edpm/poron. What does it do to the sound and feel?
@IOSam4 ай бұрын
The difference between the thick and thin bottom case foam boils down to the level of sound and plate flex you’re going to get: For sound, the thick foam is the quietest and more muffled option, and the thin foam ended up being the loudest (to my surprise, since I was expecting the board to be the loudest with no case foam at all). Going with no foam, made the board a tiny bit quieter than with thin foam. But considering how quiet the overall design of the GMMK Pro is, nothing here will make this board actually loud (PE foam pads and Tape mod on the Aluminium plate will give you more sound volume than just these choices of case foam). In terms of plate flex, going with no foam at all will give you the most amount of space under the PCB and thus give you the most amount of flex. The thick foam would be the opposite: pretty much no space under the PCB and thus almost no flex (which makes it a bit pointless in a “flex kit” like this). The thin foam is the middle ground option here, with some space and some flex (mostly on the perimeter of the keyboard and not so much in the center). As for the different gasket strips options, the idea here is to give you multiple levels of plate flex resistance and responsiveness (meaning how fast the plate “resets” height wise after each keystroke): Poron is the softest material and the slowest to return the plate/PCB assembly to its original position after each keypress; EPDM being the hardest will give the fastest and most responsive rebound; and the G-foam is the middle ground option between the three (which was my preferred choice for my own use case).
@tranmeister4 ай бұрын
@@IOSam Thank you IOSam. Your explanation is very clear. I think i am going to copy your build. I like the sound of your build. I tried to put in an additional PE foam with the flex kit and the switches werent able to make a full connection. I ended up trying to force it and it bent a few of my switches.
@treighpedroche15164 ай бұрын
Amazing overview! As an "older millennial" who started typing on Model Ms in school in the 90s, the chance to own an Alps-like new keyboard is an opportunity I could only have dreamed of some years back. I thought about trying Matias switches, but all accounts are that the Matias Alps whites clones fail quickly and often. Thoughts on the Matias switches?
@IOSam4 ай бұрын
Thanks man! While I have Matias switches here waiting to be used on a build (both quiet clicks and linears), I didn't get around to complete a build with them yet to be able to test them (and I have also never tested a Matias pre-built/production keyboard). What I do know about Alps in general, and Matias in particular, (from reading other people's anecdotal accounts in forums over the years) is that they don't like lube and tend to fail (chatter) when manually lubed. Now, I don't know if that is because people overlube them, or because they apply lube on the wrong parts of the switch, or because they use the wrong type of lube. So, a custom project with Matias (as well as other types of Alps clones that I already have in my inventory) is definitely in the wings here, since I am truly curious to see how they feel and how well they work on a custom board. At any rate, just from testing them individually, I can tell their springs are noisy and crunchy. So, what I will probably do in my custom build with Matias switches, will be to replace the stock springs with a higher quality set from Sprit.
@treighpedroche15164 ай бұрын
@@IOSam Looking forward to that video!
@treighpedroche15164 ай бұрын
@@IOSam Interesting though that even those who purchase the official Matias Tactile Pro, without any additional modding, report the same chatter and failure issues. I can't seem to find a recent review of the Matias Tactile Pro from a keyboard enthusiast I trust either!
@IOSam4 ай бұрын
@@treighpedroche1516 Yeah, I think Thomas (Chyrosran) is the only one who has tested a few models, but his reviews for those are pretty old now. Then there is the issue with us (keyboard reviewers), that rarely get to use a single keyboard for long enough to spot long term issues (such as QC problems that will only show up after years of use). So this will be a case where Deskthority (and possibly Reddit) reviews and comments (from real users) would be the only record of actual long term experience with Matias boards QC.
@GibusGang4 ай бұрын
I don't think id ever give up my bakeneko65
@IOSam4 ай бұрын
For it's price, a bakeneko65 is possibly the best bang for the buck in a 65% custom. It is not a luxury board... But then again, not everyone needs to commute in a Mercedes Benz... Toyotas and Volkswagens can do that job perfectly well.
@GibusGang4 ай бұрын
@@IOSam The bakeneko is pretty much a delivery device for switches and keycaps for me haha. I think my "nicest" keyboard is a tofu60 still. I still appreciate the higher end keyboards that have a unique design but theres so many "budget" offerings i have difficulty spending anything over 200 on a case.
@IOSam4 ай бұрын
@@GibusGangHehe... Switches delivery service is a good one! And you know what? There is no practical reason to spend more than $200 on a good kit at this point in 2024... Anything over that, is mostly for bragging rights really.
@facundosilva24495 ай бұрын
Congratulations on such an amazing video, the production value and the quality of information is unlike I've ever seen in the custom keyboard community
@IOSam5 ай бұрын
Thank you so much for your nice words Facundo! This video obviously resonated well with the wider mechanical keyboards audience, but I can promise you I always put the same amount of effort in all my videos (even the ones covering less popular products).
@facundosilva24495 ай бұрын
@@IOSam That's why I'm subscribed ;)
@IOSam5 ай бұрын
@@facundosilva2449 And that is highly appreciated my good sir!
@floffice9765 ай бұрын
your content is top notch
@IOSam5 ай бұрын
Thank you!!! A lot of work is poured over my videos, so your nice words are very much appreciated!
@floffice9765 ай бұрын
@@IOSam it is very evident
@thumbwarriordx5 ай бұрын
I think an alps click leaf is the ultimate vertical force drop technology fundamentally. Cuz the spring doesn't just hit a flat spot on the plastic it basically yeets itself into another timezone and it's that disengage action that does the trick.
@IOSam5 ай бұрын
That is true! Which is why no clicky Cherry MX switch had been able to emulate the same feel of Blue SKCM until now: the way in which the Alps achieves tactility (and sound) is so different from what we had with Cherry Blues. So, it is nice to finally have a viable option on the MX world with the Zeal Clickiez. The only issue here is the “weight”, of course, which still feels much steeper than Blue Alps… But despite that, it is still the best clicky MX design alternative out there for Blue Alps enthusiasts.
@ExEiszeit5 ай бұрын
Don't bother with this mouse, I got it for Christmas and it stopped working mid ranked match, even though it was connected and charging. I have a basic battery powered mouse from 2016 from another company that's never had this issue. I threw the Model O2 in the garbage after that. Typical for a company to dump money into ads and fancy lights instead of making sure their mouse works.
I hope your ears were able to heal from the punctures. Best wishes.
@IOSam5 ай бұрын
😂😂They did! Thank you!!! Jokes aside, the hyperbole there obviously only applies to silent keyboards... (when I build a silent keyboard, I want EVERYTHING to be dead silent, including the stabs ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ )
@PapadopoulosSotiris5 ай бұрын
Perfect review , very thorough
@IOSam5 ай бұрын
Thank you Sir!!! Glad this video was helpful!!
@nanashiboyz5 ай бұрын
Pro tip: you can save a lot of time making the surface of the case "smooth" if you use an automotive "filler" primer rather than just a regular "thin" primer. The filler primer goes on quite thick and is designed to fill all the minor variations, bumps, and scratches in the surface. You'll still need to sand a couple of times but it reduces the number of sanding times required dramatically.
@IOSam5 ай бұрын
That is an appreciated pro tip! (anything to reduce the number of sanding sessions!!🙏) But automotive filler is not a spray, is it? Maybe I’m wrong, but I think the last time I saw something like this it looked like a “putty”.
@nanashiboyz5 ай бұрын
@@IOSam auto filler comes in many formats. One of the common ones is as a putty. However, automotive primer/filler also comes in a rattle spray can. It is the one in the spray can that I am suggesting
@IOSam5 ай бұрын
@@nanashiboyz Awesome! Thanks again man!! Do you have a brand that you prefer (or any recommended specification that you think would be the best for plastics)? I take it that you have some experience with this, so I'd really appreciate your recommendation.
@nanashiboyz5 ай бұрын
I use the Rustoleum primer/filler because it is widely available and reasonably priced but they are all basically the same I think@@IOSam
@jeremyquiros54835 ай бұрын
Interestingly, the soldered PCB for the NCR-80 R3 has ALPS compatibility now.
@IOSam5 ай бұрын
Now, that is good news!!! Or bad...since now I'll end up buying another one! 😂
@jeremyquiros54835 ай бұрын
@@IOSam Lol, same for me. Though I should’ve mentioned YMDK doesn’t sell an ALPS-compatible plate, nor does anyone else right now. @Karolus, the channel from which I learned about the ALPS compatibility, plans to sell ALPS plates for the NCR-80, but I don’t see anything on their site yet.
@IOSam5 ай бұрын
@@jeremyquiros5483 Interesting! I'll definitely keep an eye out for this project! At any rate, it shouldn't be too difficult to design an Alps plate for the NCR80, given it's simple design. And a plate will definitely be needed for Alps here, since it would be a nightmare to try to solder Alps switches without one (given their lack of alignment pins of any kind).
@franksam86105 ай бұрын
I read on Reddit and discord for the company and there is a lot of bad feedback ? What you think I was thinking and looking for a new keyboard but hate group buys not knowing what will happen
@IOSam5 ай бұрын
I believe most of the negative feedback about Percent Studio has to do more with their business practices than with their designer “chops”. Even their biggest critics will admit that Percent was a pioneer in the custom keyboards world and they have created some of the most memorable and original keyboard designs ever. BUT they suck at customer service! And, in the end, that’s the part people will always remember first. So, while it is nice to see them getting help from business Pros (like the team at ClickClack.io) it might be too late for Percent Studio to turn things around as far as their business image and brand perception goes. Having said all that, I ALWAYS tell people that NO ONE starting in this hobby should begin with group-buy products (be them from Percent Studio or any other designer team out there)! Ideally, one should play around with entry level or some slightly more budget-oriented stuff first (like a more wallet friendly kit from KBDFans for example), before you can commit to a long-term, ultra-exclusive “project” such as an expensive group-buy keyboard from a fancy designer brand. If for nothing else, that will help to avoid making some basic (and expensive) mistakes when choosing which group-buys you should or should not back with your hard-earned cash later on.
@Jamesfart1235 ай бұрын
how the fuck is this video an hour long
@IOSam5 ай бұрын
I see you and raise you 2X!!! How the fuck is this video ONLY one hour long?!? 😂 I could easily spend at least twice as long talking about vintage keyboards to other nerds like me!!! lol
@WhitefoxSpace5 ай бұрын
The fact that you only have 10k subscribers is testament to how broken the YT algorithm is - because you don't upload daily garbage, but fewer, higher quality videos, you're punished and it's honestly infuriating.
@IOSam5 ай бұрын
Yeah, for as much as I’d love to disagree (and repeat what a lot of people say: that “the algorithm just gives people what they want”), I can’t really… There seems to be plenty of evidence that YT tends to favor quantity over quality. Which considering their business model, it makes sense for them to do so on the short term (hook people to channels with more videos and with more opportunities to display ads). On the long run though, everybody loses: viewers get lower quality content (and might go watch Netflix instead), YT’s higher quality audiences might shrink and content creators get less exposure to good demographics. But it sure feels like YT is cranking up their gears to increase their revenues in the short term (and future be damned!).
@WhitefoxSpace5 ай бұрын
@@IOSam 100% - I can elaborate on my initial frustration: I am a tech and keyboard enthusiast. I've been on Massdrop (now Drop) for at least 10 years. I bought the GMMK in 2016. I even made my own tech and space videos in 2019/2021. There is something deeply wrong with the algorithm that your channel was never recommended. There is no reason why you shouldn't have come across my front page. Only because I very recently decided to upgrade to the GMMK Pro, did I manually find your channel and subscribe. Day in and day out they show me hot garbage, front page after front page of meaningless shorts and sensational news- I don't want to click on any of them but eventually, out of desperation, I do. Then I come across your channel and I love everything I see. I ask again: how is it that I am your perfect demographic and I only see you now? I know there is something wrong because it is the same reason that led to me stopping my KZread journey. Ironically it's because one of my videos went viral: a short wouldn't you know... I realized then and there that this is the game they force you to play.
@IOSam5 ай бұрын
Thanks man!! I really appreciate reading your comment, because it also perfectly describes my own feelings about KZread as a platform (as well as other social networks), and the impact that it has on this hobby (and so many others!). I never thought I’d do KZread in any capacity (hobby or otherwise) until I felt like no one was making the type of videos that I wanted to see about computer peripherals (as was the case with you, most of what I was finding here on this topic… was junk). But it didn’t take long for me to understand that making videos approaching this (or basically any other) topic as an intelligent adult, with grown up language, humor and style, wouldn’t take my channel very far… And that was, of course, even more frustrating than not finding the types of videos I wanted to watch here in the first place, because I knew that meant most people that could make the types of videos I want to watch, would have little incentive to do so. But after a few months of introspection about this topic last year, I finally concluded that I should continue to make videos my own way, with only one correction: I should make them with ZERO expectations! Just continue to produce the content I’d like to watch and let the chips fall where they may. If I get 0, 1k, 10k, 100k or 1 million views, so be it… But I should continue to make videos in a way that is fun for me to make, and that can be educational (without being boring of course) to as many INTELLIGENT and CURIOUS people as possible... And forget about the masses! I want these videos to be extremely helpful, even if it is only to a handful of people (as long as they are open minded people)! So long as someone leaves a comment saying they found the information they were looking for, or that they learned something new, interesting or valuable, I accomplished my mission here! So now I don’t think about algorithms anymore... I don’t try to appeal to the masses in any way (I figured the masses will never care for the things I care about, so no reason to even bother trying). I just want to do what feels right, and what looks and sounds interesting to me. Luckily, if there are a few other people out there that share similar interests, they’ll eventually find my content (even if it takes years, as it did on your case). It seems serendipity can do for my content what social media algorithms will clearly never do… and now I’m perfectly fine with that! As for Google and KZread, we might as well just let them do this business the way they think it works for them. If they’re right to pander to immature audiences with the attention span of a fruit fly, their stock prices will keep going up and is all good… If they’re wrong, they’ll fail and something else will come along to take their place, and then all we’ll have to do is to move our content over there… No skin of our backs, that’s for sure! 😏
@WhitefoxSpace5 ай бұрын
@@IOSam because my previous comment said that I did what you're doing (make videos)- it got deleted 🤦🏻♂️ but I hear you on all fronts. That's very mature of you- I couldn't keep myself from expecting *_something_* for my work and that's a very unsustainable way of doing KZread which lead to it fizzling out. I'm super excited that you're going to keep making vids though and I'll be here to watch them. Do you have any recent videos going through your favorite keyboards? Every search I made resulted in the GMMK Pro so I eventually just picked up that (I'm a sucker for the aluminium build anyway), but it would be great to see your personal recommendations for Q1 2024- could also be a good quarterly video where you could give us your take on the best keyboards in that quarter.
@IOSam5 ай бұрын
@@WhitefoxSpace Super weird that KZread is hiding your second comment! I can read it on KZread Studio, but when I come here to the actual commenting section, it doesn't show up... Meanwhile, Telegram scammers' comments are everywhere on KZread... Go figure! 😒 As for your suggestion to produce videos where I cover my favorite boards, the issue with that would be that many of those would end up being group-buys, which is not something I want to push too hard here on the channel. It is true that, 9 times out of 10, an expensive luxury keyboard sold through a group-buy will beat the snot out of any production board (even good ones). But that still doesn't mean custom keyboards are the best option for everybody. So, I’d like to avoid becoming one more of those channels that only focus on ultra-expensive kits. I guess I could make something along those lines for production and "always-in-stock" keyboards. The only issue there is that I would want to try all the boards I would recommend, of course, and that would we be tricky (not impossible, but challenging in terms of time and money). But this is certainly an interesting idea for me to consider for the channel (even if I can do this only once or twice a year). Thanks a lot for the suggestion!!!
@ernestogutierrez78775 ай бұрын
About to pull the trigger on performing a mod on my own GMMK full size keyboard. The level of detail on your video was a great reference :) at the end of the day would you say its worth the effort? is the sound difference that noticeable?
@IOSam5 ай бұрын
Hey Ernesto! Glad to know my friend!!! If silence is what you're going for, I'd say that these mods do make a VERY noticeable difference to the noise level! While I have built quite a few keyboards with silent/damped switches in the last 3 years, this GMMK TKL I build on this video is still the quietest keyboard I own to this day! While you don't need to go with such expensive switches today (there are loads of good silent switches in the market now that cost a fraction of the Zealios I used here), the sorbothane inside the case + the stabilizers mod will definitely take any silent keyboard to the next level in terms of low noise levels.
@ernestogutierrez78775 ай бұрын
@@IOSam I would say what I want is try to reduce the keyboard's "ping" or extra noise due to the lack of padding + empty space that the GMMK has, so i can hear the real sound of my tactile switches. Is making the "keyboard silent" what I'm after? I'm new to mechanical keyboards and modding, so I may be all over the place with this.
@IOSam5 ай бұрын
If reducing ping is what you're after, then I'd say "silencing" it with this video’s mods would be overkill. The best way to kill switches ping would be to lube their springs with a reasonably thick lube (such as Krytox 205 Grade 0 or equivalent). Additionally, a regular foam padding in the bottom of the case can also help in reducing ping, but then you wouldn't need to use expensive sorbothane (that will almost completely mute the keyboard). Some regular poron or high-density foam would be enough.
@jammies7015 ай бұрын
Has to come back for a 2nd run, these are too good, quality off the charts
@IOSam5 ай бұрын
Well, we'll definitely have other projects like this here in the channel! The next one will be an even more radical makeover for my Filco Majestouch TKL... ⏳
@jammies7016 ай бұрын
nice vid mate
@IOSam6 ай бұрын
Thanks man!!! Appreciated!!
@Lepard_eatspie6 ай бұрын
Wheres the subs this is quality content
@IOSam6 ай бұрын
Hehe... To blow up as a KZreadr you can't put TOO MUCH depth, insight and, yeah... quality, in your videos (it can hurt the brains of the masses😂). But jokes aside, I'm thankful for the select audience I have here (with folks like yourself)! I much prefer a smaller, smarter and nicer community, than having millions of "bros" competing to be the biggest a$$h0l3s on the comments section... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
@Lepard_eatspie6 ай бұрын
lol
@johntee20126 ай бұрын
Love your vids <3
@IOSam6 ай бұрын
Thanks man!!! Glad you're here!!👊 (currently working on the 0 2/D 2 Pro video)
@FeArhsma216 ай бұрын
Wow, that sounds really good and great job with the video I'm always real impressed with the layout of your video's. Not the biggest fan of the 65% keyboards, but it is really nice. God Bless my friend and have a good one.
@IOSam6 ай бұрын
Right? I'm more of a TKL guy myself, but I have to tip my hat for the Percent team on this design... It is something really unique! Thank you for dropping by the comments section with such nice words my friend! This is always highly appreciated!!
@FeArhsma216 ай бұрын
@@IOSam DUDE! Hell Yeah your GMMK TKL was the best keyboard build BAR NONE. I watched that full video like three times. I want to re create that keyboard soooo bad it's was amazing. I am telling you I am going try to do something like that some day. I still have my GMMK full size with Kailh Box Browns and I am just in love it. They don't make a better keyboard, but you know you do have those keyboard snobs out there that would beg to differ. They have opinions just like me and stink just like mine do, so what do I know other than what i like. Thank you so much for commenting and chatting back in for with me it's pretty amazing that you do that. God Bless and have a Great Day!
Пікірлер
F keys no number row numpad best keyboard
Very nice review. You just earned a sub, my dude.
Thank you for the sub my friend!!! Can't wait to resume making more videos like this here in the channel (will be back soon)!
Awesome video, I know I'm late to the party but I'm just getting into keyboard modding and I have this board (well the first gen purple clicky) but I'm definitely gonna use these mods and swap out my WASD , space bar and other common gaming used keys. I've always like this board but man the loud clicky switches got old real fast....
Thank you Sir!!! It seems that Razer's new "snap tap" feature on their Huntsman Pro Mini V3 (which shares exactly the same case, switches and keycaps as the V1) will bring a lot more people back to this model (and to this modding tutorial! :). And yeah, while I like clicky switches myself, I usually only use them for typing when I'm in a more "vintage keyboard" mood. But for most of the time, when gaming or typing in the office, liner or non-clicky tactiles is the way to go.
phenomenal video brother, thanks a million.
Glad to read this my friend! 👊😎
IS THERE JUST A CABLE MAKING VIDEO ?! :)
There should have been one (I have countless hours of footage of custom cable making of all types)... But for some reason I never got around to edit and post it. I guess I should still revisit this topic in 2024 (after most of the hype about custom cables seem to have died down). If for nothing else it would make for a much more grounded video on the subject nowadays.
Nice video. Question, Can I replace the stock switches on the K96 with the Wisteria Switches from Nuphy Air96?
Thank you!!! And while both the RK96 and the K98 are hot swappable, they are only compatible with regular height MX style switches. So the Nuphy Wisteria, which is half-height (low profile) won't fit on neither keyboard. You'll only be able to use those switches in other boards that are designed to be used with half-height switches as well.
@@IOSam Ok, Thanks for the info Sam.
thank you. i did not mod mine much. however, my gmmk pro has served me very well for over 2.5 years now, but it is time to upgrade to a fancier keyboard. i may not use the gmmk pro much longer, but it will always be in my heart as my first custom keyboard.
You have basically described my feelings about this keyboard: this was the perfect "gateway drug" for so many mechanical keyboard enthusiasts in the last 3 years! And the fact that Glorious shipped this thing so undercooked, gave people the perfect reason to get into upgrades and mods (which is where the real fun is within this hobby! :). So, I totally agree with you the the GMMK Pro has secured its honorable place in the history of the mechanical keyboards "renascence" of the last few years! It was the first relatively affordable heavy metal mech that was widely available, and highly "moddable"! Which, in turn, inspired hordes of factories around the world to start making cheaper mechanical keyboards. This hobby probably wouldn't be where it is today without the GMMK Pro!
the sound of a buckling spring KB is almost like sex for the ears.
Excellent guide, still, but I'd be very interested to see an update. For example I think, these days, factory lubed switches make it even easier. The full removal of the stab legs was indeed a game-changer! My custom keyboard was very quiet except the spacebar upstroke clunk driving me wild. With the full removal, the bump is the same down and up. Why the hell do they make the stabs the way they do when the leg removal is so effective and makes no difference to the stability? Anyway, thanks again!
Thanks for clarifying why someone like me doesnt just get a model f or m from ebay. 1. Price is ridiculous 2. Severely old tech that you have to buy adapters for. 3. Lack of customization and modern colors. Why i love that vintage look and authentic feel, i still would like the option of swapping the usb cable for a coiled replaceable one and swap the switches for whatever i want like zeal clickies or kaihl navys. Right now i have my eye on the 8bitdo c64 version where im gonna install kailh navys just to see how it feels. It has alot of features and i love the retro look with SA keycaps. Im not at that stage where i want to build my own kb... yet anyway. But ideally, i want to get the command 65 kb case with zeal clickies
8bitdo seems to be killing it right now with their retro inspired boards. I keep seeing people raving about them on Reddit. As for “building your own keyboard” in 2024, it seems it is as optional as ever (as far as practical reasons go). Production keyboards are 1000X better today than they were just 3 or 4 years ago! It’s kinda crazy (and awesome!) really… So, your idea of getting an 8bitdo c64 + SA or MT3 caps + Clickiez sounds like an incredibly nice build, that will feel as good as a vintage board without any of the hassle of going ‘full vintage’ or ‘full custom’.
Found you via this video and thanks to you, I made up my mind on buying the Royal Kludge RK96! I bought mine on a budget for 52 USD (was on sale!), and it has worked amazingly for me in both games and even work! I LOVE your video formats, will be subscribing for more!
Awesome to know this video helped you to find your new best typing friend! :) And thank you for the sub!!! While the channel is unfortunately on hiatus this year (changes on my day job and a house move got in the way), I can’t wait to come back with new videos sometime later this year. I have a ton of content that I still want to produce and a bunch of new ideas I want to pursue with this channel! So, I’ll see you around here with a new video soon… ⏳
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.
The detail 👌
I can't help myself! 😂
What is the tool that he uses to lube the switch at 35:55 ?
Hi Sean, that is an eyelash micro brush (amzn.to/3iUsQkr ) that I use to lube switches. I find those to be much easier to use (to apply the correct amount of lubricant on switches) than a regular oil or water color paintbrush.
I can’t believe I bought the GMMK Pro, purchased the bare bone edition white ice thinking I was going to get a white keyboard as the name would suggest but no the stupid thing is silver why I call it silver ice why in the world would you call it white I think that’s false audvertisement no with the research I’ve done you’re telling me that I have to purchase $110 if I’m lucky $60 on sale flex kit to have a white base and then on top of that spend I don’t know offi the top of my head $50-$60 for a new top plate just to have a white keyboard like I thought I was going to have E❤gv
Yeah, this was one of the major f*ck ups that Glorious did from the beginning... It was something reviewers called out (including myself here 👉 kzread.info/dash/bejne/fJOV2thmhM7Qm6g.html ), but anyone who missed those launch reviews in 2021, would probably not know that. Especially considering that the marketing stock images they have for the silver board actually make it look like real white. So yeah, that is terrible marketing! Now, having said that, for anyone who is in the market in 2024 for an e-White 75%, luckily there are other options out there today --mostly group-buy customs, but at least you'll be getting more modern designs for much less money today than you would have paid for in 2021 when the GMMK Pro came out. There is ZERO reasons to get an e-white GMMK Pro for its current price in today's market.
@@IOSam yeah and I really only have me to blame I guess I was at Best Buy and they had a black one on display so I knew I liked it and I wanted it just wanted a white keyboard so instead of just waiting and making sure I did my research I just bought it and found out when I got home my mistake
So, I'm sorry for the dumb question, but it it possible to assemble the NCR80 with a PrintScreen-ScrollLock-Pause kay cluster instead of LEDs? Do the case, PCB, and plate actually allow this?
Unfortunately not. The case is not modular in that way and the PCB doesn't have switch sockets in that area. However, you do have VIA compatibility in the latest PCB models, so you'll be able to easily put those functions on a second layer of that cluster.
@@IOSam I am now looking at Vortex Model M SSK (plastic case version), which seems to have a more standard layout and a roomy plastic case. I will be very curious how Clickiez sound in it...
Is it possible to transplant a click leaf from Alps or Matias switches into Clickiez, or are they incompatible?
Unfortunately, no. They are incompatible (Alps or Matias click leaves are much larger). As far as I know, the Clickiez are a unique project 100% owned by Zeal. So it doesn't share parts' dimensions with any other switches in existence today.
@@IOSam That’s unfortunate. Thanks for letting me know; maybe Zeal will eventually make a new issue of Clickiez.
I took a while to get around to just even opening the keyboard and put it together. It was my first ever custom build so I had zero experience. I ran into an issue where the keyboard would connect to PC. I reached out to CC support and they were super. No hassle and just had me try a few things, they ended up sending me a new PCB and daughterboard. It can pretty quick. While it was something nobody ever wishes for when buying something, CC was there for me. I will definitely recommend and continue to see other items they will have.
Good to know that your build came out well in the end! There aren’t many group-buy vendors out there doing the type of customer service that ClickClack does… Their reputation so far has been spotless! Which is why they are one of the very few GB vendors I feel comfortable recommending to beginners and veteran keyboard builders alike.
I'd be interested to get your take on the Matias clicky switches.
Man, I have a Matias project in the works for literally years now... But unfortunately, since last year, life keeps getting in the way... But I have all the parts to build a Matias 60% board (I have a batch of clicky and "quiet clicky" switches, that I haven't decided which way to go, or if I should put the clicky leaf on the quiet clicky body, as Chyrosran did years ago on his channel and ended up recommending it). I also have 3 other projects of custom TKLs with vintage Alps boards (Geon Frog with SKCM Orange Alps, Geon F1-8X with Ambers, and FreeBird with Whites). Again, all parts on hand, but didn't have the time to build them yet. Hopefully the keyboard gods will bless me with a bit of extra time in the next few months to finally produce all these videos.
Thankfully I have a couple of vintage keyboards from old computers I had back in the day.. Including a gen 2 IBM Model M and a Dell bigfoot. But if I didn't then yes, I think I would be putting one of these together. It sounds perfect.
Yeah, you're very well served there. In fact, I finally got my hands on a "new old stock" WKL bigfoot (in its original box and all) and... my goodness! That thing sounds sooo nice!!
how to setup 2.4 in this mouse ?
If you mean how to pair the mouse with its 2.4 Ghz dongle 👉 glorious.ladesk.com/527479-How-To-Pair-Your-V2-Wireless-Mouse-With-The-Wireless-Receiver
too much yapping ohh my goddd
Thank goodness for TikTok, eh? ;)
awesome video and wonderful detailed explanation of the switches, the chassis interaction, everything. I very much enjoyed watching this. Did you ever test out these switches in the Vortex KBT RE68? Interested to hear about it if so. As you described, I am an older guy who grew up on 90s PCs and the sound of those vintage ALPS is simply unmatched by anything on the market today which is kind of astounding considering the huge variety of choice available these days. I have a Focus FK2001 with ALPS blue, an Apple IIGS keyboard with Monterry Blues and tophat keycaps, and both of those, IMO, are better than any keyboard available brand new today in terms of sound at least for the chassis/switch combos I have heard or tried. I was talking about this with a coworker last week which is what led me here after he said, "really, there isn't anything nowadays that can come close?" It would be amazing if someone could marry the sound of yesterday with the keycap choice and reliability of modern products. Maybe someday. Looks like Zeal has still not come out with a less tactile version either. :/
Thank you so much!! And I did try a couple of innovative clicky switches on the Vortex PC66 (I couldn’t get the KBT version of this board, but other than the KBT branding, it is basically the same thing) and after removing its silicone dampers, it sounded great! Not as good as the much larger NCR80, but good enough for a small 65% board. While I wanted to have produced this video ages ago, between a new day job and a house move this year, all KZread projects got severely delayed… But I hope to get back on track later this year and the Vortex PC66 will be one of the first keyboard videos I’ll put out from my new studio. As for trying to get the same feel of a Focus FK2001 on a modern chassis with MX style switches, I don’t think that will ever be possible unfortunately… Clicky keyboards don’t get any better than blue or white Alps on plastic vintage boards I’m afraid. Other than the Vortex PC66, I have a few other spacious plastic boards here that I intend to show how they sound with some of the newer types of clicky switches that have arrived in the market in the last 18 months or so. But while they sound better than any gaming keyboard with Cherry Blues, I don’t think any of them can beat a classic 90’s board with blue Alps. And while Zeal didn’t release a lighter Clickiez, Gateron came out with something very close (Melodic switches) in terms of typing feel that does feel lighter than the Clickiez, but it doesn’t sound as good. So, for now, we still don’t have a perfect replacement for Alps SKCM White or Blue unfortunately. At any rate, I have a ton of interesting projects to fit Alps switches on modern custom boards, and those will definitely land here in the channel (although probably only next year, after I spend months rebuilding my studio 😰).
Wow, my whole life was a lie
😂 Been using Cherry MX Blues by any chance?
use smaller keyboards with clicky switches, never knowing that makes difference.
Well, the difference is only on sound of course. So the tactility of clicky switches is obviously not affected by the amount of "empty space" on the keyboard. But it might be something to consider for future builds, if you prefer a "vintage keyboard" sound for these types of switches.
sure, it is the amount of difference in sound that surprises me.
Subbed for quality content. You certainly deserve it. 10/10.
Welcome aboard my friend!!! And thak you so much for the nice words!!🙏
Can this keyboard configured with QMK or ZMK?
Unfortunately not. QMK compatibility until very recently had been a feature usually found on custom and/or premium production keyboards commanding higher prices. Although that is starting to change now, so we might see models from RK and Womier with QMK/VIA compatibility soon.
@@IOSam well i have two custom Lily58 running on ZMK with Bluetooth...no cables even with split layout. And ported my Gherkin as well yesterday.
21:20 - 22:00 and next - American Psycho flashbacks😂
😂😂 Hey... let's put that OCD to work on something positive instead, eh?
@@IOSam Yes Sir! o7
I have been daily driving this board for a few years now, having only just recently gotten a handful of Keychron V series (V1 Max for the living room, V5 for the office). Sure those boards sound and feel better than the mini, but post modded, I'd say the Huntsman still one of my favourite boards for mixed used. One thing I've grown to appreciate is the North Facing LED's, which I've been finding on the Keychrons to peek just under the keycaps and the angle kinda shines in my eyes, and finding south shine through keycaps has been a nightmare. This board can easily just be shifted to a low white or a dull red, meaning for low to no light scenarios it holds up kinda better than my other boards. Speaking of keycaps, Razer really hit it out of the park with these PBT double shot keycaps as they've held out pretty well over the years of strenuous use, at the very least, compared to other keycaps. Only my WASER are smoother than the rest of the keycaps, as is a one inch stretch of my space bar, but it's only noticeable if you are looking for it. Normally, I would start getting chatter after a year or two, having to replace a key switch or three, but this board is still going strong. But this board is so easy to mod compared to other boards which needs substantial disassembling to do so. The layers have become so second nature to me, I've used QMK/VIA on my other boards to mimic this one, even though they physically have the keys I'm just using with layers (on the mini, my caps lock is another FN key, where the \| key is layered to be my caps lock) which has substantially sped up my layer use. On top of their 'hypersense' compatibility with my mice and tartarus keypad, it's easy to keep my productivity going through synapse. I like QMK/VIA, but Razer's cross peripheral interactivity is really hard to one-up. I really feel like this board is kinda underappreciated due to it being a gaming board from Razer. Also, spied the Tartarus keypad in this video and in your most recent one (the Platinum PT990), so nice to see your still driving that keypad 😎
addendum: they changed the mini's layer mapping sometime ago, where you can now change ALL of the keys in synapse to whatever you want now, which greatly improved what I can set my board to
Man, did you ever think about doing product reviews? 😁 Seriously, you raised so many interesting points about this board (a few of which I had not paid attention myself until you mentioned, such as the north facing backlighting that doesn't "leak" between the keycaps). And I agree with you wholeheartedly about Razer's PBT sets: one of the best backlit PBT sets out there (at any price range). As for the durability/reliability of this board, it speaks volumes about the application of optical technology to keyboard switches (nothing to physically wear down). And I also agree with you 100% that this keyboard was always looked down by "serious keyboard people" as a toy... And they couldn't have been more wrong! Sure, it is still to this day one of the best gaming keyboards out there, but that doesn't mean it isn't a fantastic productivity keyboard as well. PS: my Tartarus is not going anywhere… It is my number one video editing tool!
And that my friend, is a fascinating piece of information that I will check out this coming weekend! I was not aware of this software upgrade to the Mini, since I barely change any of its configurations on Synapse anymore.
Fixing my gfs GMMK and your video is literally the only one I can find that shows how to install the stabs. Thank you!!
Happy to know this was helpful my friend!!! And it is kinda crazy that Glorious sold boatloads of these boards, but at a time almost no one was making keyboard modding videos yet... So, that might explain the shortage of content for such a popular keyboard.
OVERPRICED af
Metal wireless numpads are a pretty niche product with low production numbers (and few options in the market), so there's not enough economies of scale to make them affordable (at least the stuff from big brands). The alternative is to go with smaller brands. I've been testing this Cidoo V21 (cidootech.com/products/cidoo-v21) for $60 (plus shipping) and it is surprisingly well built for it's price (and it is VIA compatible!).
hi IO Sam. Can you explain what the different options in the Flexkit does? I am trying to understand what the different in thickness in the g-foam bottom case foam does and the different type of gasket strips does to the board. G-foam/edpm/poron. What does it do to the sound and feel?
The difference between the thick and thin bottom case foam boils down to the level of sound and plate flex you’re going to get: For sound, the thick foam is the quietest and more muffled option, and the thin foam ended up being the loudest (to my surprise, since I was expecting the board to be the loudest with no case foam at all). Going with no foam, made the board a tiny bit quieter than with thin foam. But considering how quiet the overall design of the GMMK Pro is, nothing here will make this board actually loud (PE foam pads and Tape mod on the Aluminium plate will give you more sound volume than just these choices of case foam). In terms of plate flex, going with no foam at all will give you the most amount of space under the PCB and thus give you the most amount of flex. The thick foam would be the opposite: pretty much no space under the PCB and thus almost no flex (which makes it a bit pointless in a “flex kit” like this). The thin foam is the middle ground option here, with some space and some flex (mostly on the perimeter of the keyboard and not so much in the center). As for the different gasket strips options, the idea here is to give you multiple levels of plate flex resistance and responsiveness (meaning how fast the plate “resets” height wise after each keystroke): Poron is the softest material and the slowest to return the plate/PCB assembly to its original position after each keypress; EPDM being the hardest will give the fastest and most responsive rebound; and the G-foam is the middle ground option between the three (which was my preferred choice for my own use case).
@@IOSam Thank you IOSam. Your explanation is very clear. I think i am going to copy your build. I like the sound of your build. I tried to put in an additional PE foam with the flex kit and the switches werent able to make a full connection. I ended up trying to force it and it bent a few of my switches.
Amazing overview! As an "older millennial" who started typing on Model Ms in school in the 90s, the chance to own an Alps-like new keyboard is an opportunity I could only have dreamed of some years back. I thought about trying Matias switches, but all accounts are that the Matias Alps whites clones fail quickly and often. Thoughts on the Matias switches?
Thanks man! While I have Matias switches here waiting to be used on a build (both quiet clicks and linears), I didn't get around to complete a build with them yet to be able to test them (and I have also never tested a Matias pre-built/production keyboard). What I do know about Alps in general, and Matias in particular, (from reading other people's anecdotal accounts in forums over the years) is that they don't like lube and tend to fail (chatter) when manually lubed. Now, I don't know if that is because people overlube them, or because they apply lube on the wrong parts of the switch, or because they use the wrong type of lube. So, a custom project with Matias (as well as other types of Alps clones that I already have in my inventory) is definitely in the wings here, since I am truly curious to see how they feel and how well they work on a custom board. At any rate, just from testing them individually, I can tell their springs are noisy and crunchy. So, what I will probably do in my custom build with Matias switches, will be to replace the stock springs with a higher quality set from Sprit.
@@IOSam Looking forward to that video!
@@IOSam Interesting though that even those who purchase the official Matias Tactile Pro, without any additional modding, report the same chatter and failure issues. I can't seem to find a recent review of the Matias Tactile Pro from a keyboard enthusiast I trust either!
@@treighpedroche1516 Yeah, I think Thomas (Chyrosran) is the only one who has tested a few models, but his reviews for those are pretty old now. Then there is the issue with us (keyboard reviewers), that rarely get to use a single keyboard for long enough to spot long term issues (such as QC problems that will only show up after years of use). So this will be a case where Deskthority (and possibly Reddit) reviews and comments (from real users) would be the only record of actual long term experience with Matias boards QC.
I don't think id ever give up my bakeneko65
For it's price, a bakeneko65 is possibly the best bang for the buck in a 65% custom. It is not a luxury board... But then again, not everyone needs to commute in a Mercedes Benz... Toyotas and Volkswagens can do that job perfectly well.
@@IOSam The bakeneko is pretty much a delivery device for switches and keycaps for me haha. I think my "nicest" keyboard is a tofu60 still. I still appreciate the higher end keyboards that have a unique design but theres so many "budget" offerings i have difficulty spending anything over 200 on a case.
@@GibusGangHehe... Switches delivery service is a good one! And you know what? There is no practical reason to spend more than $200 on a good kit at this point in 2024... Anything over that, is mostly for bragging rights really.
Congratulations on such an amazing video, the production value and the quality of information is unlike I've ever seen in the custom keyboard community
Thank you so much for your nice words Facundo! This video obviously resonated well with the wider mechanical keyboards audience, but I can promise you I always put the same amount of effort in all my videos (even the ones covering less popular products).
@@IOSam That's why I'm subscribed ;)
@@facundosilva2449 And that is highly appreciated my good sir!
your content is top notch
Thank you!!! A lot of work is poured over my videos, so your nice words are very much appreciated!
@@IOSam it is very evident
I think an alps click leaf is the ultimate vertical force drop technology fundamentally. Cuz the spring doesn't just hit a flat spot on the plastic it basically yeets itself into another timezone and it's that disengage action that does the trick.
That is true! Which is why no clicky Cherry MX switch had been able to emulate the same feel of Blue SKCM until now: the way in which the Alps achieves tactility (and sound) is so different from what we had with Cherry Blues. So, it is nice to finally have a viable option on the MX world with the Zeal Clickiez. The only issue here is the “weight”, of course, which still feels much steeper than Blue Alps… But despite that, it is still the best clicky MX design alternative out there for Blue Alps enthusiasts.
Don't bother with this mouse, I got it for Christmas and it stopped working mid ranked match, even though it was connected and charging. I have a basic battery powered mouse from 2016 from another company that's never had this issue. I threw the Model O2 in the garbage after that. Typical for a company to dump money into ads and fancy lights instead of making sure their mouse works.
👉 www.gloriousgaming.com/blogs/guides-resources/glorious-warranty-program
I hope your ears were able to heal from the punctures. Best wishes.
😂😂They did! Thank you!!! Jokes aside, the hyperbole there obviously only applies to silent keyboards... (when I build a silent keyboard, I want EVERYTHING to be dead silent, including the stabs ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ )
Perfect review , very thorough
Thank you Sir!!! Glad this video was helpful!!
Pro tip: you can save a lot of time making the surface of the case "smooth" if you use an automotive "filler" primer rather than just a regular "thin" primer. The filler primer goes on quite thick and is designed to fill all the minor variations, bumps, and scratches in the surface. You'll still need to sand a couple of times but it reduces the number of sanding times required dramatically.
That is an appreciated pro tip! (anything to reduce the number of sanding sessions!!🙏) But automotive filler is not a spray, is it? Maybe I’m wrong, but I think the last time I saw something like this it looked like a “putty”.
@@IOSam auto filler comes in many formats. One of the common ones is as a putty. However, automotive primer/filler also comes in a rattle spray can. It is the one in the spray can that I am suggesting
@@nanashiboyz Awesome! Thanks again man!! Do you have a brand that you prefer (or any recommended specification that you think would be the best for plastics)? I take it that you have some experience with this, so I'd really appreciate your recommendation.
I use the Rustoleum primer/filler because it is widely available and reasonably priced but they are all basically the same I think@@IOSam
Interestingly, the soldered PCB for the NCR-80 R3 has ALPS compatibility now.
Now, that is good news!!! Or bad...since now I'll end up buying another one! 😂
@@IOSam Lol, same for me. Though I should’ve mentioned YMDK doesn’t sell an ALPS-compatible plate, nor does anyone else right now. @Karolus, the channel from which I learned about the ALPS compatibility, plans to sell ALPS plates for the NCR-80, but I don’t see anything on their site yet.
@@jeremyquiros5483 Interesting! I'll definitely keep an eye out for this project! At any rate, it shouldn't be too difficult to design an Alps plate for the NCR80, given it's simple design. And a plate will definitely be needed for Alps here, since it would be a nightmare to try to solder Alps switches without one (given their lack of alignment pins of any kind).
I read on Reddit and discord for the company and there is a lot of bad feedback ? What you think I was thinking and looking for a new keyboard but hate group buys not knowing what will happen
I believe most of the negative feedback about Percent Studio has to do more with their business practices than with their designer “chops”. Even their biggest critics will admit that Percent was a pioneer in the custom keyboards world and they have created some of the most memorable and original keyboard designs ever. BUT they suck at customer service! And, in the end, that’s the part people will always remember first. So, while it is nice to see them getting help from business Pros (like the team at ClickClack.io) it might be too late for Percent Studio to turn things around as far as their business image and brand perception goes. Having said all that, I ALWAYS tell people that NO ONE starting in this hobby should begin with group-buy products (be them from Percent Studio or any other designer team out there)! Ideally, one should play around with entry level or some slightly more budget-oriented stuff first (like a more wallet friendly kit from KBDFans for example), before you can commit to a long-term, ultra-exclusive “project” such as an expensive group-buy keyboard from a fancy designer brand. If for nothing else, that will help to avoid making some basic (and expensive) mistakes when choosing which group-buys you should or should not back with your hard-earned cash later on.
how the fuck is this video an hour long
I see you and raise you 2X!!! How the fuck is this video ONLY one hour long?!? 😂 I could easily spend at least twice as long talking about vintage keyboards to other nerds like me!!! lol
The fact that you only have 10k subscribers is testament to how broken the YT algorithm is - because you don't upload daily garbage, but fewer, higher quality videos, you're punished and it's honestly infuriating.
Yeah, for as much as I’d love to disagree (and repeat what a lot of people say: that “the algorithm just gives people what they want”), I can’t really… There seems to be plenty of evidence that YT tends to favor quantity over quality. Which considering their business model, it makes sense for them to do so on the short term (hook people to channels with more videos and with more opportunities to display ads). On the long run though, everybody loses: viewers get lower quality content (and might go watch Netflix instead), YT’s higher quality audiences might shrink and content creators get less exposure to good demographics. But it sure feels like YT is cranking up their gears to increase their revenues in the short term (and future be damned!).
@@IOSam 100% - I can elaborate on my initial frustration: I am a tech and keyboard enthusiast. I've been on Massdrop (now Drop) for at least 10 years. I bought the GMMK in 2016. I even made my own tech and space videos in 2019/2021. There is something deeply wrong with the algorithm that your channel was never recommended. There is no reason why you shouldn't have come across my front page. Only because I very recently decided to upgrade to the GMMK Pro, did I manually find your channel and subscribe. Day in and day out they show me hot garbage, front page after front page of meaningless shorts and sensational news- I don't want to click on any of them but eventually, out of desperation, I do. Then I come across your channel and I love everything I see. I ask again: how is it that I am your perfect demographic and I only see you now? I know there is something wrong because it is the same reason that led to me stopping my KZread journey. Ironically it's because one of my videos went viral: a short wouldn't you know... I realized then and there that this is the game they force you to play.
Thanks man!! I really appreciate reading your comment, because it also perfectly describes my own feelings about KZread as a platform (as well as other social networks), and the impact that it has on this hobby (and so many others!). I never thought I’d do KZread in any capacity (hobby or otherwise) until I felt like no one was making the type of videos that I wanted to see about computer peripherals (as was the case with you, most of what I was finding here on this topic… was junk). But it didn’t take long for me to understand that making videos approaching this (or basically any other) topic as an intelligent adult, with grown up language, humor and style, wouldn’t take my channel very far… And that was, of course, even more frustrating than not finding the types of videos I wanted to watch here in the first place, because I knew that meant most people that could make the types of videos I want to watch, would have little incentive to do so. But after a few months of introspection about this topic last year, I finally concluded that I should continue to make videos my own way, with only one correction: I should make them with ZERO expectations! Just continue to produce the content I’d like to watch and let the chips fall where they may. If I get 0, 1k, 10k, 100k or 1 million views, so be it… But I should continue to make videos in a way that is fun for me to make, and that can be educational (without being boring of course) to as many INTELLIGENT and CURIOUS people as possible... And forget about the masses! I want these videos to be extremely helpful, even if it is only to a handful of people (as long as they are open minded people)! So long as someone leaves a comment saying they found the information they were looking for, or that they learned something new, interesting or valuable, I accomplished my mission here! So now I don’t think about algorithms anymore... I don’t try to appeal to the masses in any way (I figured the masses will never care for the things I care about, so no reason to even bother trying). I just want to do what feels right, and what looks and sounds interesting to me. Luckily, if there are a few other people out there that share similar interests, they’ll eventually find my content (even if it takes years, as it did on your case). It seems serendipity can do for my content what social media algorithms will clearly never do… and now I’m perfectly fine with that! As for Google and KZread, we might as well just let them do this business the way they think it works for them. If they’re right to pander to immature audiences with the attention span of a fruit fly, their stock prices will keep going up and is all good… If they’re wrong, they’ll fail and something else will come along to take their place, and then all we’ll have to do is to move our content over there… No skin of our backs, that’s for sure! 😏
@@IOSam because my previous comment said that I did what you're doing (make videos)- it got deleted 🤦🏻♂️ but I hear you on all fronts. That's very mature of you- I couldn't keep myself from expecting *_something_* for my work and that's a very unsustainable way of doing KZread which lead to it fizzling out. I'm super excited that you're going to keep making vids though and I'll be here to watch them. Do you have any recent videos going through your favorite keyboards? Every search I made resulted in the GMMK Pro so I eventually just picked up that (I'm a sucker for the aluminium build anyway), but it would be great to see your personal recommendations for Q1 2024- could also be a good quarterly video where you could give us your take on the best keyboards in that quarter.
@@WhitefoxSpace Super weird that KZread is hiding your second comment! I can read it on KZread Studio, but when I come here to the actual commenting section, it doesn't show up... Meanwhile, Telegram scammers' comments are everywhere on KZread... Go figure! 😒 As for your suggestion to produce videos where I cover my favorite boards, the issue with that would be that many of those would end up being group-buys, which is not something I want to push too hard here on the channel. It is true that, 9 times out of 10, an expensive luxury keyboard sold through a group-buy will beat the snot out of any production board (even good ones). But that still doesn't mean custom keyboards are the best option for everybody. So, I’d like to avoid becoming one more of those channels that only focus on ultra-expensive kits. I guess I could make something along those lines for production and "always-in-stock" keyboards. The only issue there is that I would want to try all the boards I would recommend, of course, and that would we be tricky (not impossible, but challenging in terms of time and money). But this is certainly an interesting idea for me to consider for the channel (even if I can do this only once or twice a year). Thanks a lot for the suggestion!!!
About to pull the trigger on performing a mod on my own GMMK full size keyboard. The level of detail on your video was a great reference :) at the end of the day would you say its worth the effort? is the sound difference that noticeable?
Hey Ernesto! Glad to know my friend!!! If silence is what you're going for, I'd say that these mods do make a VERY noticeable difference to the noise level! While I have built quite a few keyboards with silent/damped switches in the last 3 years, this GMMK TKL I build on this video is still the quietest keyboard I own to this day! While you don't need to go with such expensive switches today (there are loads of good silent switches in the market now that cost a fraction of the Zealios I used here), the sorbothane inside the case + the stabilizers mod will definitely take any silent keyboard to the next level in terms of low noise levels.
@@IOSam I would say what I want is try to reduce the keyboard's "ping" or extra noise due to the lack of padding + empty space that the GMMK has, so i can hear the real sound of my tactile switches. Is making the "keyboard silent" what I'm after? I'm new to mechanical keyboards and modding, so I may be all over the place with this.
If reducing ping is what you're after, then I'd say "silencing" it with this video’s mods would be overkill. The best way to kill switches ping would be to lube their springs with a reasonably thick lube (such as Krytox 205 Grade 0 or equivalent). Additionally, a regular foam padding in the bottom of the case can also help in reducing ping, but then you wouldn't need to use expensive sorbothane (that will almost completely mute the keyboard). Some regular poron or high-density foam would be enough.
Has to come back for a 2nd run, these are too good, quality off the charts
Well, we'll definitely have other projects like this here in the channel! The next one will be an even more radical makeover for my Filco Majestouch TKL... ⏳
nice vid mate
Thanks man!!! Appreciated!!
Wheres the subs this is quality content
Hehe... To blow up as a KZreadr you can't put TOO MUCH depth, insight and, yeah... quality, in your videos (it can hurt the brains of the masses😂). But jokes aside, I'm thankful for the select audience I have here (with folks like yourself)! I much prefer a smaller, smarter and nicer community, than having millions of "bros" competing to be the biggest a$$h0l3s on the comments section... ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
lol
Love your vids <3
Thanks man!!! Glad you're here!!👊 (currently working on the 0 2/D 2 Pro video)
Wow, that sounds really good and great job with the video I'm always real impressed with the layout of your video's. Not the biggest fan of the 65% keyboards, but it is really nice. God Bless my friend and have a good one.
Right? I'm more of a TKL guy myself, but I have to tip my hat for the Percent team on this design... It is something really unique! Thank you for dropping by the comments section with such nice words my friend! This is always highly appreciated!!
@@IOSam DUDE! Hell Yeah your GMMK TKL was the best keyboard build BAR NONE. I watched that full video like three times. I want to re create that keyboard soooo bad it's was amazing. I am telling you I am going try to do something like that some day. I still have my GMMK full size with Kailh Box Browns and I am just in love it. They don't make a better keyboard, but you know you do have those keyboard snobs out there that would beg to differ. They have opinions just like me and stink just like mine do, so what do I know other than what i like. Thank you so much for commenting and chatting back in for with me it's pretty amazing that you do that. God Bless and have a Great Day!