The LAST Keyboard You'll Ever Need - G.Skill KM360 Review

[James]

Buy KM360:
On Amazon: https://geni.us/PZVC2lK
On Newegg: https://lmg.gg/8KVPc

 

This is the cheapest mechanical keyboard with Cherry MX key-switches on the market! The G.Skill KM360 has an MSRP of just 49.99!

 

https://youtu.be/yGFZK6Ru28o 

[Guest]

 

[laughs in a post Cherry MX world]

Yes, I'm being an elitist on purpose.

[Gegger]

7 minutes ago, Den-Fi said:

snipity schnoz

stop making my head hurt with switchloob like sowon does

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Gegger said:

stop making my head hurt with switchloob like sowon does

I'll leave all the lubing to her.

I live the clicky life.

[jiyeon]

Interesting video concept with the three blind keyboards and their respective Red switches, but I wouldn't advocate your statement regarding Cherry as "Arguably indsustry's gold standard when it comes to reliablity, feel, and sound", but I guess the blind test proved it doesn't really matter to people who simply want a mechanical keyboard with no strings attached.

 

Calling the G.Skill KM360 as the 'last keyboard you'll ever need' is far from the bullseye when the Glorious GMMK - short for Glorious Modular Mechanical Keyboard - exists.

It comes in full-size, TKL, and 60% layouts, and features a hot-swappable PCB which supports PCB-mounted switches, so think any modern keyswitch under the sun that uses an MX stem and housing.

You can't choose Cherry switches as far as I'm aware, but you can choose Gateron switches which are arguably a step-up in quality. Yes, Kailhs are also available.

[PotatoSupremacist]

@James

I love you guys, I really do, but sometimes the lack of prior research is appallingly clear in thesd videos. 

 

Cherry MX switches are by no means the industry standard anymore. While clones may have been indeed inferior right after the Cherry patent expired, it's been years now, and honestly Kaihl and Gateron offer far superior switches. 

 

The only manufacturer that are somewhat inferior would be Outemu.as an example, Outemu Blue switches amp the already annoying hollow, plastic rattle that Cherry MX Blue tries to pass off as a click into an ever high pitched rattle. 

 

But then look at Kaihl. They're actually innovating. Their clickbar switches are far superior to Cherry's click jacket switches. Cherry MX Brown has laughably little tactility. Kailh browns and to a greater extent their Box browns are significantly better in this regard. Their Pro Burgundy switches are significantly less scratchy than MX speeds or reds. 

 

On the gateron side, even if we discount the fact that they manufacture some of the most highly regarded MX style switches for Zealpc, their own offerings are still great. Gateron ink switches are renowned for how smooth their are, especially the Ink blacks. On the budget side, Gateron yellow and red switches offer maybe 70% of the smoothness of a Tealio or Ink, but at a fraction of the cost. 

 

Kaihl and Gateron also cover a vastly larger market, offering a multitude of different weightings, different levels of click, deep click vs higher pitched click, and different levels of tactility.

 

 

But even then, looking just at the most common switches, their "knockoffs" of Cherry's traditional lineup, they are by no means inferior, they've had years to refine and having Cherry MX switches really should not be considered some great advantage. You're laying more for essentially the same or inferior quality. 

 

Of course, in the end it comes down to personal preference, but this means the presence of Cherry MX switches should be a mere talking point, not the reason as to why it's the LAST KEYBOARD YOU'LL EVER NEED! And definitely not trying to spin them as a gold standard. 

 

 

 

 

[PopReference]

Cool test actually. Based on mostly guessing and less the scientific method I can make 1 interesting conclusion from it:

Cherry has slightly improved their switch quality recently and Kaihl, so. On the assumption you are using an older Corsair board (or one with older switches), most testers chose the Corsair(No.2) to be the "inferior" one due to the scratchier/rougher feel of the switches.

 

So advice for the best keyboard is to pick can based on what many of the community already suggest, for smoothness and feels.  

[Ashley MLP Fangirl]

An LTT Store ad in the middle of the video? are you actually for real? 

 

look, i know a lot of people use adblock, and i know LMG have to make money, but like, here's the thing. i have adblock disabled on youtube. i always have and always will. so with this new middle of the video ad i have to view 5 ads per LTT video i watch. 

 

- the one at the start of the video

- the youtube ad that pops up at the bottom of the screen

- the youtube ad at the side of the video, in the sidebar thing

- the ad in the middle of the video

- the ad at the end of the video

 

i'm happy to watch ads to support the creators i enjoy, but this is getting a bit crazy don't you think?

[Ein0r]

Are you willing to make a contract with me to prove your sales pitch is true? The last keyboard I will ever need?

 

No? Thought so much. Credibility issues?

 

The blind test wasn't really all too helpful. It helped the testers more with finding out which keyboard they prefer, without being biased. It is hard to test quality with a blind test. And the argument that people that use keyboards daily for work and gaming "can always figure out which is our really good keyboard, even in a blind test" is nothing more than an empty sales promise.

 

On the other hand, if they had just used that one simple trick to improve keyboard quality, they might have gotten really good results.

 

The price point is nice for what you get, if you like this type of keyboard. And if you find one that actually feels nice to you, while also heaving a high durability, what more could you possibly want for basic needs.

 

 

 

 

[Streetguru]

Is G-skill good with not actually showing their product in the thumbnail? Seems like a bad idea, especially for search results.

[John Snow]

Quote

This is the cheapest mechanical keyboard with Cherry MX key-switches on the market! The G.Skill KM360 has an MSRP of just 49.99!

Wrong

 

https://www.ebay.com/i/372683086588?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&itemid=372683086588&targetid=809743891865&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9032184&poi=&campaignid=6470742440&mkgroupid=80119806400&rlsatarget=aud-496202329659:pla-809743891865&abcId=1141156&merchantid=127684907&gclid=Cj0KCQjwqs3rBRCdARIsADe1pfRo2sglSC4LnY9wnSW8JgQt5kfFEUikP_1NorTxJ7-Gu_pUcFsnCXMaAgUOEALw_wcB

 

Not that I'd pick Cherry (especially Reds...) when Gateron is much smoother.

[Guest]

1 minute ago, Caroline said:

I like the one with the orange keys, what keyboard is that?

 

Input Club Kira

[LukeSavenije]

1 hour ago, PotatoSupremacist said:

Outemu Blue switches amp the already annoying hollow, plastic rattle that Cherry MX Blue tries to pass off as a click into an ever high pitched rattle

but in their defence... they sure are a lot cheaper

 

but that's just me, a hw nerd being slowly introduced to the keyboard world

 

edit: and for the notice, I'd call most popular fair, but not golden standard

[seon123]

From the video's comment section

Spoiler

Have Cherry MX switches ever been considered superior to ALPS or Topre switches, though? Those have also existed for decades. High quality keyboards typically used those, and not Cherry MX. Mainstream, low quality keyboards, sure, but usually not high quality ones.

Adding to the theme of LTT not doing enough research, here are two other descriptions of the term "gold standard".
 

Spoiler

From https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/gold standard

 

 

And from https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/gold-standard

Clearly, people are using this description of the term, and it is this that can be inferred from how the term is used in the video.

 

Something I found amusing:

Spoiler

You notice those "funny" reactions? We use those when we find a post funny, because we're laughing at it, not only with it. We found that statement to be ridiculous. If someone said the earth is flat, we would react the same.

[imcaspar]

https://www.reddit.com/r/MechanicalKeyboards/

 

Joining this subreddit is on your own risk.

You mind end up spending more on keyboards than your car.

[Blademaster91]

2 hours ago, PotatoSupremacist said:

@James

I love you guys, I really do, but sometimes the lack of prior research is appallingly clear in thesd videos. 

 

Cherry MX switches are by no means the industry standard anymore. While clones may have been indeed inferior right after the Cherry patent expired, it's been years now, and honestly Kaihl and Gateron offer far superior switches.

 

I haven't trusted those switches since Razer used them in their shitty keyboards, how are Kaihl and Gateron switches superior? I just find it ironic MX was the standard now everyone claims how amazing lubed switches are,yet I see nothing comparing unlubed Kaihl or Gateron to MX or the reliability of them.

[Signature]

1 hour ago, Blademaster91 said:

I haven't trusted those switches since Razer used them in their shitty keyboards, how are Kaihl and Gateron switches superior? I just find it ironic MX was the standard now everyone claims how amazing lubed switches are,yet I see nothing comparing unlubed Kaihl or Gateron to MX or the reliability of them.

No real difference than lower price per switch and more variety. Cherry has lost its "quality" status and I´d say they are slightly below Gateron and Kalih as of now looking at plastic smoothness and stem types in switches. Tho their retooled blacks were a good showing!

[justpoet]

@James  Looking forward to the followup as somebody that has considered mechanical/optical switches for a while, but hasn't made the jump.  Hopefully that video uses the same keyboard base with all the different switch types for a true comparison of just the switch.  Actual metrics about their performance (depression distance to activation, speed of activation once that point is hit, etc) would make it more helpful, since it wouldn't just be "we like the feel of this the best".  Hopefully you'll also include some of the newer switch types, such as Bloody's LightStrike and other optical based switches, and that odd magnetic analog one you did a video on a while back too.

[geo3]

2 hours ago, Blademaster91 said:

I haven't trusted those switches since Razer used them in their shitty keyboards

Kailh Razer switches and Kailhs own modern Box switches are in no way the same thing and exist at opposite ends of the spectrum.  

[kirashi]

6 hours ago, James said:

This is the cheapest mechanical keyboard with Cherry MX key-switches on the market! The G.Skill KM360 has an MSRP of just 49.99!

 

But it's not offered in Cherry MX Brown, therefore it will remain inferior for my needs. /s

 

(but not really /s because brown is ; is life)

[Blademaster91]

1 hour ago, Signature said:

No real difference than lower price per switch and more variety. Cherry has lost its "quality" status and I´d say they are slightly below Gateron and Kalih as of now looking at plastic smoothness and stem types in switches. Tho their retooled blacks were a good showing!

Yeah that seems to be the case, more variety is good although i'm used to MX Browns or MX Reds, some of those box switches are over $1 each so i'd like to find something similar with a bit of tactile feel. I've tried the Romer-G tactile switches,really smooth and quieter than an MX switch but those were too light and couldn't feel any tactile bump in those, not sure if MX Speeds are a new or retooled version though Speeds definitely felt smoother than a regular Cherry switch.

[IAmAndre]

Damn it! I think one of the points of this video was to offer an easy purchase decision, especially for people like me who don't know shit about mechanical keyboards. But then when you read those comments you get even more confused. I guess ltt should make more buying guides in this area.

[Guest]

24 minutes ago, IAmAndre said:

Damn it! I think one of the points of this video was to offer an easy purchase decision, especially for people like me who don't know shit about mechanical keyboards. But then when you read those comments you get even more confused. I guess ltt should make more buying guides in this area.

Niches are a battlefield lol.

Sometimes people get too passionate and just start throwing around info and at the end of the day no one is helped. Let's hope this doesn't turn into that.

[IAmAndre]

12 minutes ago, Den-Fi said:

Niches are a battlefield lol.

Sometimes people get too passionate and just start throwing around info and at the end of the day no one is helped. Let's hope this doesn't turn into that.

It already did.

[FezBoy]

I hope the comparison video comes soon, 'cuz I thought I settled on gateron browns, but am getting less sure by the minute.

6 hours ago, Twilight said:

-snip-

Just keep calm and press L