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| PC World - 11 Sep (PC World)At a glanceExpert`s Rating
ProsIncredible customization optionsHall-effect switches and MX hot swapGreat typing feelConsSoftware is deeply lackingPoor wireless stabilityExtremely short battery lifeOur VerdictThe GMMK 3 offers more buying and customization options than any other keyboard on the market, and its hot-swap HE functionality is a technical marvel. Unfortunately its poor wireless performance and battery life, combined with sub-par gaming software, drag it way below the competition even before you consider its high price.
So you’re looking for an “endgame” mechanical keyboard, the ultimate in luxury, performance, and customization. Then you should build one.
Okay, that’s a bit elitist. Say you’re intimidated by the build process, and you’d prefer to just buy one. Then get a boutique keyboard from a small custom shop…and maybe a bank loan to go with it.
The GMMK 3 has a trick that no other keyboard can pull off: hot-swap with MX and magnetic switches.
Alright, so you don’t want to build a keyboard, and you don’t want to spend a month’s rent on one. Then Glorious has a pitch for you with the GMMK 3. (That’s “Glorious Modular Mechanical Keyboard,” if you’re wondering.) It’s a fully modular, hot-swap keyboard, it has three different layout options, it comes with plenty of bling options in lighting and accessories, it offers wireless, and it has an online configurator that lets you customize every single part of the keyboard.
Oh, and it has a trick that no other keyboard can pull off: hot-swap compatibility with both standard MX switches and magnetic adjustable actuation switches.
Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
That’s a huge amount of customization, some seriously premium parts, and tons and tons of options for a keyboard. It’s also a lot of money to pay. While the base wired model of the GMMK 3 costs $135 in 65 percent size, if you want all those options maxed out on a wireless, hot-swap board with adjustable actuation, you’re looking at a $370 keyboard.
That makes the GMMK 3 Pro HE that I’m testing one of the most expensive keyboards I’ve ever reviewed, and the priciest gaming keyboard from a major vendor. And as amazing as its options and technical capabilities are, there are some definite low points in this design, like the wireless connection, battery life, and software support.
So unfortunately a full-fat, all-the-trimmings GMMK 3 is almost impossible to recommend. Cheaper configurations might make more sense, especially if you don’t need wireless. But as the ultimate, no-compromises gaming keyboard that Glorious advertises, this package just doesn’t add up.
A hot-swap first
First thing’s first: Glorious has managed a trick no other keyboard company has so far, combining the popular and very important hot-swap switch capability with adjustable actuation.
To be clear, other keyboards have gotten close. Keychron offers hall-effect boards that can swap out switches, but only among a tiny selection of HE-modified options. The GMMK3 HE lets users choose between those limited hall-effect switches, and hundreds of different switch options using the standard MX format.
See those little black squares next to the central switch holes? Those are the magnetic sensors. That’s the special hot-swap sauce here.
See those little black squares next to the central switch holes? Those are the magnetic sensors. That’s the special hot-swap sauce here. Michael Crider/Foundry
See those little black squares next to the central switch holes? Those are the magnetic sensors. That’s the special hot-swap sauce here. Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
Glorious told me that it has managed this by placing the magnetic sensor to the side of the switch under the PCB, instead of directly below it. I had to open it up to take a look for myself. As you can see, moving the sensor allows the board to preserve compatibility with standard two-pin switches and their electrically simple design.
Also worth noting here: The GMMK 3 is crazy-easy to open, just pop off the four rubber feet (no glue!) and take out four screws. That’s it. A big boon for the small amount of people who want to buy a keyboard this expensive, then mod it further.
Hot swap plus hall effect is a huge deal for that middle of the Venn diagram which includes both dedicated PC gamers and premium keyboard fans. In addition to the usual approach of putting the same type of switch on every key, you could, for example, use only hall-effect switches on the WASD keys, the ones most crucial for analog-style game movement. The rest of the keys could be reserved for Holy Ice Cream Red Panda Deluxe Edition switches, or whatever the trendy one is at the moment.
Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
And you can make these adjustments at any time without needing to buy a new board, or even open up this one. If you care about this, it’s an incredible selling point for the HE variants of this keyboard. But if you care about this…you’ll also be very disappointed that the adjustable actuation feature is undercut by the Glorious software, which fails to take advantage of it in one key area. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
Tons of features
The GMMK 3 in all its variants offers a ridiculous amount of both features and customization. Here’s what you’ll get in every version of the keyboard, at every size:
Hot-swap switch sockets
RGB lighting, including side RGB strips
Internal padding, including gasket mounting
Rotary volume knob
Swappable switch plates (plastic by default)
Doubleshot PBT plastic keycaps
1,000Hz polling rate
Switch between Mac and PC layouts
Detacheable USB-C cable
Glorious switches (various)
The “Pro” version of the GMMK upgrades the base model with a full aluminum case, wireless in Bluetooth and 2.4GHz flavors, again with a dedicated switch. A “barebones” version of the Pro comes without switches or keycaps, and also omits wireless.
Both the standard and pro GMMK 3 come in “HE” upgraded versions to add compatibility with adjustable actuation switches (again, preserving backwards compatibility with older MX switches). Notably, the Pro HE model only comes in a wired version if you go barebones.
Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
And finally, most of these variants are offered in three sizes: 65 percent (no function keys or number pad), 75 percent (no number pad), or full 100 percent. The Pro HE does not come in 100 percent size, and the Pro HE Barebones is 75 percent only.
Whew, that’s a lot of keyboard variations. Glorious will sell all of these as standard boxed packages in black or white/silver color options, but if you want the full, customized experience, you can use the Glorious online store to pick what you want at every step. Notably, this includes tons of options for color variations in the case and keycaps, plus extras like the braided cable or even the removable, magnetic badge that covers the status LED.
Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
And, naturally, you can choose from a wide selection of Glorious-branded switches with choices for linear, tactile, clicky, and “silent” switches with interior foam. There are even hall-effect switches that are tactile — that’s a combination that doesn’t really make sense in terms of gaming optimization, but Glorious wanted people to have the choice anyway. You can also pick your plate materials: plastic, metal, or “limited edition” brass.
I was invited to use a sneak-peek version of the Glorious online customization tool before this review. The one I picked out uses a blue anodized aluminum case, some swanky blue gradient keycaps, and a matching upgraded USB cable. The badge I kept yellow (if only so it’s easy to see in photos), but that’s a customization option too. Since I’d be testing out the adjustable actuation switches I went with the Lynx HE option, which happily gels with the aesthetic choices I picked.
The online configurator is pretty darn good — it reminds me of endlessly “designing” Timbuk2 bags back in high school. It walks you through all the options and upsells, explaining the differences where necessary. If you’re a keyboard fan, go check it out. As is typical with this sort of thing, you can try out all the different choices without buying anything.
Glorious
Glorious
Glorious
With the blue metal case, Lynx HE silent switches, themed keycaps, and premium matching cable, the total for this configuration is an eye-watering $499.99. That’s not as much as the most expensive boutique design I’ve ever seen…but it’s in the same time zone.
Inside the very fancy box, the GMMK 3 Pro HE came with both a metal switch puller and plastic keycap puller, a pretty decent little screwdriver, alternate gaskets for mounting, and some sample switches for other HE variants. I was informed that unlike some gaming keyboards I could mention, the GMMK 3’s two-year warranty will not be voided merely for the case being opened.
Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
I also got the extra keycaps for a 100 percent layout, in the same box as the fancy upgraded USB-C cable. I don’t know if that will be a standard inclusion for regular buyers or not.
Typing and gaming
As you might expect with all those high-priced components, the GMMK 3 Pro HE is great to type on. But it’s a surprise to me exactly how nice it felt, since as I said, I’m using the HE switches. Due to their linear nature and complex construction, hall-effect and similar optical switches are known to be a bit loud and chattery.
Not so with these Lynx HE “silent” switches. I think that, thanks to the expanded plastic housing that extends further below the PCB, they have a more mellow feel and sound. Between that and the internal foam that reduces the noise (not completely silent but far quieter than any other hall-effect switch I’ve used), they’re far smoother and quieter than other HE keyboards I’ve used.
Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
That might be due to some of the internal sound and vibration absorbing materials, too — less elaborate gaming keyboards aren’t as interested in the “feel” or sound of the switches, with a few exceptions like Razer’s BlackWidow V4 75%. I can say that this keyboard with these switches is the best for typing that I’ve used in the small but growing adjustable actuation market.
Gaming was also a highlight, as it was even easier to adjust to my Fortnite setup since I’d been using the board for hours of work already. While I prefer stiffer switches with stronger springs, that’s an option thanks to the hot-swap capability. Of course, if you go with anything outside of the six HE switches offered by Glorious, you’re back to standard single-point actuation.
Since adjustable actuation is highly reliant on software support, let’s talk about that next.
Software
The Glorious Core software package is serviceable for most tasks, but notably lacking in a few others. The layout is nice and straightforward, eschewing a lot of the “gamer” flourishes that other companies can’t resist. You can pretty quickly get to the sections for custom binding, adjusting lighting settings, changing up the polling rate, et cetera.
Adjustable actuation includes per-key or global settings in 01mm increments, and “rapid trigger” mode, a desirable feature for gamers. You can set up to four individual actions for each key at different actuation points, though actually setting this up is a lot more cumbersome than in other gaming boards.
Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
But there are deficiencies here that are going to grate on some users, especially the high-end gamer market that Glorious is explicitly courting. Easy binding for analog, controller-style movement inputs wasn’t included. There’s also no “snap tap” mode. Although this is a controversial feature, if I was Glorious, I’d put that choice on gamers and developers and definitely include it.
Perhaps most damning for the Core software is its complete lack of per-game profiles, which activate a specific layout when the relevant game launches. I’ve dinged Keychron/Lemokey for this more than once when advertising a keyboard specifically for gaming. On a design that starts above $100 and goes way, way up, it’s an inexcusable omission.
It looks like at least some Glorious customers have been asking for this feature for a long time, and combined with the new and far more complex adjustable actuation customizations in this version of the software, its absence is felt deeply.
Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
You can set up to three profiles to switch between manually, more if you use the cloud sync function. And you can do some of the heavy lifting that Glorious Core can’t within a game’s settings menu. But to be blunt, not being able to load up a custom layout and actuation for each game will probably be a deal-breaker for gamers relying upon this feature, especially for adjustable actuation. They’ll go to brands like Razer or Corsair instead, even without the far deeper options for customizing the keyboard’s physical parts.
Lighting customization is decent, with more than a dozen pre-programmed animations available, but no option to create your own animated pattern beyond simple key colors and brightness. I found the layout editor to be missing some specific options that are important to me: I couldn’t bind the Print Screen function to a custom key, instead being forced to stick with the Fn+F12 default, since the 75 percent layout doesn’t include it. Since Print Screen is a pretty crucial tool for my job, I brought up this issue with Glorious, but it was still unaddressed when I finished up my review.
Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
You could get around this by snubbing the Glorious software and using QMK, which I appreciate. And I’d encourage you to do so if you need that custom binding…but QMK can’t handle the per-game profiles either since it isn’t gaming software, and it doesn’t make up for the missing adjustable actuation software features.
Put plainly, Glorious is way behind the competition when it comes to software. The layout gaffes are personally irksome, but I know gamers will find the basic adjustable actuation choices and lack of per-game profiles particular sticking points, especially considering the premium price of those models.
Wireless woes
I’m a huge fan of wireless keyboards. All of the ones I buy for myself (too many) are wireless, so I was glad to see the option here, where many boutique vendors assume you’ll be sticking to USB. Sadly this is another area where the GMMK 3 isn’t living up to its high price tag.
Wireless performance using the 2.4GHz dongle was fine…until it wasn’t. At regular intervals the keyboard would simply lose signal or just turn off entirely. And that’s when the battery wasn’t dying.
Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
I got a maximum of three days of battery life in wireless mode, which is in line with Glorious’ official estimates. Unfortunately, those estimates are with the LED lighting enabled. And I always turn the lights off, whether I’m working or gaming. That should give me weeks of performance on even the most power-hungry keyboard.
I suspect that the hall-effect sensors are sucking down that battery at a rapid pace, but even that doesn’t account for such a brief lifespan unless there’s something very wrong with the software. And given the connection issues I’ve experienced, that seems like a definite possibility. At several points I had to disconnect and reconnect more than once in an eight-hour workday. Sorry if this sounds like a broken record, but that’s not acceptable in a keyboard this pricey.
Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
Both the connection and stability issues disappear when you plug the keyboard in, so it’s nice that that’s an option. But given my experience, I would recommend that anyone interested in this keyboard avoid the wireless upgrade, especially if you want the HE variant with its magnetic switches. The wireless fan in me hates to do it, but needs must.
Is the Glorious GMMK 3 worth it?
A lot of the problems I’ve outlined with this keyboard can be ignored if you’re not interested in software customization or wireless. The hardware is great, and the high price doesn’t bother me as much as it would without all those customization options. On paper, and without changing anything when you plug it in, the GMMK 3 is pretty darn good.
Anyone looking for value needs to look somewhere less glorious.
And it’s also true that some of these issues might be fixed in the future, with a firmware update or a lot of work put into the Glorious Core software. But as always, I can only review what I’ve got in front of me right now. A device can’t get points for what it might be in the future.
Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
Michael Crider/Foundry
The GMMK 3 might make sense in an extremely specific situation. If you want a completely customized keyboard, you don’t care about adjustable actuation or wireless, you don’t need individual game profiles, you’re okay with using QMK for full layout customization, it fits the bill…if you’re okay with paying a considerable premium, too.
That’s a whole lot of caveats for what’s marketed as an endgame keyboard. Anyone looking for value, or hoping to get the most out of that adjustable actuation feature, needs to look somewhere less glorious. Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
| | | PC World - 11 Sep (PC World)The new Apple Intelligence within the new Apple iPhone 16 provides a surprisingly practical approach to AI. It’s straightforward, helpful, and well, boring — a stark contrast to Microsoft’s Copilot+ PCs, which position themselves as the cusp of a revolutionary new era of computing, complete with a mandatory new keyboard button.
Apple, which touts itself as the foundation for creative work, could have used AI to allow creatives to generate “photos” of imaginary objects, as Google’s Pixel now does. It could have used AI, either running locally on in the cloud, to produce AI-generated art, or AI-produced facsimiles of celebrity voices. It did none of that.
Instead, the Apple iPhone 16 uses AI as a productivity tool, first and foremost, with a focus on supercharging existing features with machine smarts.
Apple is revamping Siri with a new AI foundation to help it better understand what you yourself are looking for, and follow complex conversations. AI organizes your photos into albums of your favorite people. Visual intelligence will summon information about objects you’re looking at. Apple Intelligence will create summaries of your meetings — and in a very quick, blink-and-you’ll-miss-it feature, it even uses a “semantic index” to surface information you’re looking for and forgot about, which is its own version of the controversial Windows Recall feature.
Searching for a lost detail seems like Recall to me.
Searching for a lost detail seems like Recall to me.YouTube / Apple
Searching for a lost detail seems like Recall to me.YouTube / Apple
YouTube / Apple
In fact, Microsoft and Apple seemed to have swapped places. While Microsoft splashes generative AI art inside Photos and Paint, Apple presented the ability to rewrite an email as something special!
Apple took such a conservative approach to AI that it barely implemented it all as part of photo or video creation. Yes, you’ll see it in features like live previews of various camera filters, but the only feature I’d associate with traditional AI art was the ability to use generative AI to create your own “genmoji,” or custom emoji. Really, using a prompt to find specific photos and combine them together into a “movie,” or to search your albums for a specific scene that you describe, feels like features that have been in various operating systems and apps for years… because they have been!
Honestly, I kept waiting for more: Maybe the ability to capture the scene of a dancer, say, and then to use AI to remove the dancer and insert her into another video. Yes, Apple showed off the ability to highlight and then remove an object from a photo. But we’ve seen that before, too.
Rewriting a book review? How very… Microsoft.
Rewriting a book review? How very… Microsoft.YouTube / Apple
Rewriting a book review? How very… Microsoft.YouTube / Apple
YouTube / Apple
It all felt very muted, and that’s probably not surprising. If Apple had pushed all of its chips in on generative AI as a feature, rather than a tool to enhance other features, it would have risked angering and alienating the cadre of creatives that traditionally turn to Apple and its iPhones. What Apple seemed to imply is that it doesn’t plan to use iOS or the iPhone to promote generative AI itself. Instead, its A18 silicon will instead be the foundation of AI, which app developers can write to. If a developer wants to build AI into its app, and if that user wishes to buy and download that app, that’s fine — Apple’s hands are clean.
Apple’s Craig Federighi, Apple’s senior vice president of software engineering, said that there are “multiple generative models on the iPhone in your pocket.” There most certainly are, doing all sorts of things. But Apple seems determined to let those features speak for themselves, without using “AI” in every other sentence.
Apple, then, is walking a fine line: AI as a productivity solution and a helpful tool that makes existing more powerful is A-OK; AI as a creative aid feels much more controversial. Apple even downplayed Siri’s newfound AI powers. All that leaves an opening to rivals like Microsoft and Google to keep pushing their own AI capabilities. Remember, Apple leans heavily on preserving privacy. Apple appears to be betting that consumers are as distrustful of AI as they are as of tech giants slurping up their data, and acting accordingly. Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
| | | ITBrief - 10 Sep (ITBrief)NetSuite has launched its new Redwood UX and a suite of AI features at SuiteWorld 2024, promising a more intuitive and efficient user experience Read...Newslink ©2024 to ITBrief | |
| | | - 10 Sep ()Apple’s new phones are slightly less expensive and more powerful and will arrive in a matter of weeks, though its generative AI features won’t be there at launch. Read...Newslink ©2024 to | |
| | | - 10 Sep ()Apple launches iPhone 16 and Apple Intelligence` AI technology. Read...Newslink ©2024 to | |
| | | RadioNZ - 10 Sep (RadioNZ)Apple says the iPhone16 will be the first of their smartphones designed around AI features. Read...Newslink ©2024 to RadioNZ | |
| | | PC World - 10 Sep (PC World)TL;DR: Get a lifetime subscription to Babbel for $179.97 until September 29 and master 14 languages at your own pace.
Ever dream of speaking a new language fluently? Whether you’re planning your next international trip, looking to advance your career, or simply wanting to broaden your horizons, learning a language can open doors you never knew existed.
Babbel makes it easier than ever to start that journey, offering a lifetime subscription to all 14 languages they teach for just $179.97 through September 29.
With Babbel, you’re not just memorizing phrases — you’re engaging with a technology-driven approach that adapts to your learning style. Features like speech recognition ensure you’re getting the pronunciation just right, while personalized lessons keep you on track and motivated.
And the benefits go beyond personal growth. Imagine navigating foreign cities with ease, making new friends across the globe, or even enhancing your business relationships by speaking your client’s language. Babbel is your ticket to becoming a global citizen, all at your own pace, for a one-time fee.
Until September 29, take advantage of this lifetime deal for Babbel Language Learning on sale for $179.97.
Babbel Language Learning: Lifetime Subscription (All Languages) – $139.97
See Deal
StackSocial prices subject to change. Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
| | | PC World - 10 Sep (PC World)One of the best and easiest ways to upgrade your home entertainment system is to get a Fire TV Stick, and now’s a great time to do it because the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is now just $40 on Amazon.
That’s a notable 33 percent discount off its usual $60 price tag, and this is a fantastic price for a device that’s useful for anyone who wants to stream content to their TV. It’s compatible with most streaming services, and Microsoft recently made it possible to play hundreds of Xbox games on Fire TV even without an Xbox console.
The Fire TV Stick 4K Max in particular lets you watch movies and TV shows in 4K quality from Netflix, Disney+, and more, complete with superb colors and sharp details, along with both Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos.
It’s the ultimate home entertainment experience, and the best of the Fire TV Stick models. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max features a strong processor, so it’s smoother and faster than its siblings, and when you aren’t watching anything, you can turn your TV into a piece of art by picking from the thousands of wallpaper options in the Fire TV gallery.
If you’re ready to upgrade your home entertainment setup, grab this Fire TV Stick 4K Max for just $40 on Amazon while this deal lasts.
The Fire TV Stick 4K Max is fantastic at this priceBuy now on Amazon Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
| | | PC World - 10 Sep (PC World)Neowin reports that Mozilla has decided to extend support for the Firefox browser on older versions of Windows. The original plan was to end support this September, but that’s been postponed to 2025.
According to the Firefox release calendar, the version of Firefox that supports Windows 7, Windows 8, and Windows 8.1 will continue to receive updates until April 1, 2025. Mozilla will make more official statements about the browser’s support for older platforms later.
Notably, Microsoft itself cancelled support for its own Edge browser on older versions of Windows back in early 2023. This is just one of the many reasons to prefer Firefox over other browsers.
As a whole, Mozilla continues to make improvements to the Firefox browser, not just fixing numerous security flaws with every release but also making quality-of-life boosts like a better Reader View (in Firefox 129) and introducing new features like AI chatbot integration (in Firefox 130).
Further reading: Web browser speed showdown, compared Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
| | | PC World - 10 Sep (PC World)Getting your hands on a good monitor doesn’t have to cost a fortune, especially when we’re hunting down amazing deals for you — like this 25-inch Samsung Odyssey G4 that’s down to $180 on Amazon, a huge drop from its usual $350 price tag.
The Samsung Odyssey G4 features an IPS panel, so you’ll have color-accurate visuals in your games, movies, and editing work on images and videos. Its 1080p resolution and wide viewing angle also serve well when it comes to both day-to-day productivity and general gaming.
But what stands out is this monitor’s 240Hz refresh rate, which is super-fast and provides buttery smooth, blur-free frame rates. And it also has a 1ms response time for minimal lag. Of course, performance will ultimately boil down to how powerful your setup is, so make sure you have a machine that can take full advantage of this refresh rate.
This 21:9 aspect ratio monitor supports screen sync technologies like Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync Premium, so you’ll have a great experience no matter what GPU brand you have on board.
If you need a solid gaming monitor at the cheapest price, you can’t go wrong with this 240Hz Samsung Odyssey G4 for just $180 on Amazon. Grab one while this sale lasts!
This 240Hz Samsung monitor is 49% off right nowBuy now on Amazon Read...Newslink ©2024 to PC World | |
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