High-end keycaps for mechanical keyboards are the specialty of the German company GMK. The company’s founders, Gunther, Meinhardt, and Kredler, are represented by the initials GMK. The unusual customized and limited-edition designs on gmk keycaps are frequently only offered through group buys six months in advance for a steep fee. Many people feel that because their keycaps get made of ABS plastic that is exceptionally thick and has a Cherry profile, they sound and look better than other keycaps.
This article explains why GMK keycaps are so expensive.
Cherry Thick Keycap Profile
On GMK keycaps, the well-known Cherry profile, which describes the keycaps’ overall form and height, is offered. Because it is broader and shorter than other common keycap profiles, the Cherry profile stands out. The size of the gmk keycap is ideal for typing and gaming since the keycap profile feels cozier than other profiles. Because of the thick plastic, typing also generates a pleasing acoustic sound.
GMK bought Cherry’s keycap tooling to design the genuine Cherry profile for their keycap. Other keycap manufacturers create their tools instead of buying the rights, which leads to keycaps that are simply facsimiles of the Cherry profile rather than the real thing.
Quality faults are minimal to nonexistent
When you purchase a regular keyboard, the keycaps get made of flimsy ABS plastic, which degrades over time and develops a greasy sheen. Most people recommend switching up your keycaps for a set made of PBT plastic because it is more durable and long-lasting.
GMK adopts a different strategy and uses thick ABS for its premium gmk keyboard keycaps. Although switching from PBT to ABS initially appears counter-intuitive, there are good reasons to do so. Thanks to the sturdy ABS plastic, your keyboard will have no warping, few faults, bright colors, and higher acoustics.
Most PBT keycaps, especially larger keys, have the propensity to warp during manufacturing, resulting in twisted spacebars and off-center legends. Due to their ABS plastic construction, the keycaps are always exceedingly precise and rarely have any defects. Note that you will continue to have a greasy sheen even after a year or two of heavy use.
Special Edition Keycaps
A limited number of new gmk botanical keycaps with distinctive designs get produced by GMK. If you don’t take advantage of a sale, you can’t order keycaps from GMK again unless you wait for another one to come around or buy them from the aftermarket. GMK can charge much anything they want for their keycaps thanks to a constrained window for ordering and highly unique designs.
High Bar for Consumers to Enter
You typically have to wait six months for a set of gmk red samurai keycaps to be delivered if you order them through a group buy. The majority of individuals cannot even wait for Amazon’s two-day shipment. You must also be active in online communities to learn about the newest group buys. It will help you find the greatest keycaps from GMK. When these elements are combined, there are many hoops to pass through to receive the keycaps, allowing GMK to demand a high price if clients are ready to put in all the effort to order keycaps.