The Glorious GMMK Eternal Review: Nailing the Fundamentals, But Struggling Against Modern Rivals

Executive Overview

For years, peripheral manufacturers have targeted the entry-level and mid-range PC gaming markets with cheap membrane keyboards or hastily manufactured mechanical boards that often feel and sound like hollow biscuit tins. Glorious, a brand well-known for its modular enthusiast hardware and high-performance gaming mice—such as the impressive Model O Eternal—is looking to change this narrative. Enter the Glorious GMMK Eternal, the second product in the brand’s budget-conscious ecosystem designed to bridge the gap between low-cost compromises and premium custom mechanical keyboards.

Priced at $100 / £90, the GMMK Eternal positions itself as a no-nonsense, step-up mechanical keyboard. It focuses heavily on acoustic dampening, build stability, and a practical layout. Yet, entering the sub-$100 market today is no easy task. Competitors like Ducky and Keychron are offering wireless connectivity, ultra-durable PBT keycaps, and superior aesthetic diversity at comparable price points.

While the GMMK Eternal successfully delivers on core tactile satisfaction, solid construction, and pleasant out-of-the-box acoustics, its reliance on a wired connection, ABS keycaps, and a dated, all-black aesthetic leaves it in a precarious position. This comprehensive review dives deep into the hardware, performance, customisation options, and market viability of the Glorious GMMK Eternal.

Detailed Chronology: The Evolution of Glorious’s Budget Lineup

Glorious has carved out a distinct space in the PC gaming community by offering modular, enthusiast-grade features at scale. Historically, the company’s GMMK line targeted users who wanted hot-swappable capability without soldering. However, as the custom mechanical keyboard hobby exploded into the mainstream, entry-level requirements shifted drastically. Users no longer tolerated pingy cases, scratchy switches, or flimsy plastic bodies.

The rollout of the "Eternal" hardware tier marks a strategic pivot for Glorious. Rather than throwing every high-end feature at a wall to see what sticks—and driving the price past the $150 mark—the Eternal lineup targets the fundamental pain points of cheap keyboards. Following the release of the Glorious Model O Eternal mouse, the GMMK Eternal keyboard aims to dismantle the compromises typical of budget boards: hollow chassis resonance, cramped compact layouts, and severe flex.

By adopting a 96% layout, the GMMK Eternal attempts to solve the eternal desktop real estate debate. It condenses a full-size numerical pad and navigation cluster into a footprint only slightly larger than a tenkeyless (TKL) board. Over the course of testing, transitioning to this layout proves remarkably intuitive, though it lacks some of the avant-garde aesthetic updates seen in competing models.

Hardware Architecture, Specifications, and Build Quality

Specifications Overview

• Switch Type: Glorious Fox (Linear, pre-lubricated)
• Keycaps: ABS, Doubleshot
• Layout: 96% Compact Full-Size
• Lighting: Per-key RGB, onboard storage for 3 profiles
• Connectivity: Wired USB-C (detachable braided cable)
• Chassis Materials: Plastic frame with an internal aluminum top plate
• Dampening: Three-layer acoustic foam stack
• Weight: 886g (1.95 lbs)
• Price: $100 / £90

Construction and Layout

At first glance, the GMMK Eternal eschews flashy external design flourishes in favor of a utilitarian, all-black industrial look. Weighing in at a substantial 886 grams (1.95 lbs), the keyboard feels reassuringly dense. Glorious has utilized an internal aluminum top plate that successfully eliminates structural deck flex, ensuring that aggressive typists or frantic gamers won’t experience bending or bowing during high-intensity sessions.

However, the choice of an open housing and a stark all-black finish borders on the dated. It invokes memories of early 2010s "gamer" aesthetics. Given how far closed-housing designs and pastel or dual-tone colorways have come in recent years, the GMMK Eternal feels visually uninspired. Furthermore, branding is kept to a minimum, with the Glorious logo discreetly tucked away on the underside.

Keycaps: A Missed Opportunity

One of the most disappointing hardware choices on the GMMK Eternal is the inclusion of ABS doubleshot keycaps rather than PBT. While the doubleshot injection ensures that legends will never fade, and the keycaps feature a pleasant, lightly textured finish to maximize finger grip, ABS inherently wears down faster, developing an undesirable shine over time.

Given that wallet-friendly competitors (such as the Gamakay x NaughShark NS68) have successfully integrated durable PBT keycaps into sub-$100 boards, Glorious’s decision to stick with ABS feels like a compromise that shouldn’t be necessary at this price point. On the bright side, the keycaps feature clever side-printed legends along the function row, providing instant, unobtrusive visual cues for media controls, web browsing shortcuts, and on-the-fly RGB lighting pattern adjustments.

Performance, Switches, and Customisation

Glorious Fox Switches and Acoustics

Underneath the keycaps, the GMMK Eternal relies on Glorious’s tried-and-tested Fox linear switches. These are essentially factory-tuned Cherry MX Red alternatives, featuring a light 45g actuation force and a completely linear travel path. Crucially, these switches come pre-lubricated from the factory.

In practice, the Fox switches offer commendable consistency across the board. They break in smoothly, making rapid-fire double-taps in fast-paced shooters effortless and long typing sessions fatigue-free.

Where the GMMK Eternal truly shines, however, is in its acoustic profile. Glorious has packed the internal chassis with a triple-layer foam dampening stack. This engineering choice successfully absorbs unwanted case ping, hollow resonance, and reverberation. The result is a deep, muted, and satisfying acoustic signature straight out of the box—a massive upgrade over the tinny, hollow sound profiles typical of Amazon-tier budget boards.

Hot-Swappable Versatility

For those who prefer tactile or clicky feedback over linear switches, Glorious has ensured the GMMK Eternal is fully hot-swappable. Supporting both 3-pin and 5-pin MX-style mechanical switches, the board ships with a bundled keycap and switch puller.

Swapping out the stock Glorious Fox switches for alternative options—such as tactile Cherry MX variants—is straightforward. The hot-swap sockets are robust enough to withstand multiple switch changes without feeling loose or prone to snapping traces on the PCB. This high degree of customisability ensures that users can grow into the keyboard, upgrading switches down the line as their personal preferences evolve.

Software and Onboard Profiles

Software control is managed via Glorious Core, an application that has undergone several iterations to improve stability and user experience. Compared to older iterations bundled with legacy keyboards, Glorious Core is cleaner and less resource-intensive.

The software suite handles per-key RGB customisation, macro recording, and key remapping. However, the depth of customisation remains relatively basic compared to power-user suites like Wooting’s configuration software or QMK/VIA architecture. For users who prefer a plug-and-play experience, the keyboard stores up to three profiles onboard, allowing you to toggle lighting and key assignments without keeping the software running in the background.

Supporting Context and Competitive Market Analysis

Priced firmly at $100 / £90, the Glorious GMMK Eternal enters one of the most cutthroat segments of the PC peripheral market. At this exact valuation, consumers are spoiled for choice, and rival manufacturers are offering features that Glorious has omitted.

The Rivals

1. Ducky Zero 6108: For a comparable price, Ducky offers wireless flexibility, superior PBT keycaps, and genuine Cherry MX2A switches out of the box, though its software ecosystem is less refined than Glorious Core.
2. Keychron K8 Ultra 8K: Pushing slightly higher up the price ladder, Keychron delivers an all-aluminum chassis option, rock-solid multi-device wireless connectivity, and robust enthusiast firmware support.

By sticking strictly to a wired USB-C connection, omitting wireless capabilities, and using ABS keycaps, the GMMK Eternal risks feeling dated right out of the gate for tech-savvy consumers who expect cord-free desk setups.

Future Outlook and Verdict

Buy the Glorious GMMK Eternal if:

• You want a fuss-free, well-built mechanical keyboard: It provides an exceptionally sturdy chassis, zero deck flex, and stellar acoustic dampening straight out of the box.
• You value easy customisation: The hot-swappable PCB allows you to swap out switches effortlessly as your preferences change.

Do NOT buy the Glorious GMMK Eternal if:

• You demand modern quality-of-life features: The lack of wireless connectivity, reliance on ABS keycaps, and a somewhat dated aesthetic put it behind wireless-first competitors.
• You want out-of-the-box switch variety: Being restricted to Glorious Fox linear switches limits choice for those who prefer tactile or clicky feedback without buying a separate set of switches.

Final Verdict

The Glorious GMMK Eternal is a commendable exercise in nailing the absolute fundamentals. Its build quality is robust, its acoustics are remarkably polished for the price point, and its 96% layout strikes a phenomenal balance between desktop footprint and full functionality.

However, in an era where wireless freedom, PBT keycaps, and sleek modern designs are increasingly standard at the $100 mark, Glorious’s conservative approach leaves the GMMK Eternal feeling slightly behind the curve. It is a solid, reliable step-up keyboard for office environments or entry-level gaming setups, but enthusiasts looking for peak value will find stiffer, more feature-rich competition elsewhere.