Move over, Keychron — here’s why the Gamakay LK75 just became my favorite keyboard
More than just a pretty face
I’m privileged that I get to test a lot of keyboards as a reviews writer here at Tom’s Guide — that means that I’m testing at least two keyboards a week. The Keychron V1 has been my daily driver for about two months now, and I was under the impression that keyboards didn’t get any better. Enter the Gamakay LK75, and now, I don’t even want to look at the V1 again. Is this one of the best mechanical keyboards around? You betcha.
Out of this world
As far as aesthetically-pleasing keyboards go, the Gamakay LK75 might be the prettiest board I’ve ever seen. I’m a sucker for anything space-themed so it’s great to see a company bring us a design that doesn’t look gimmicky or pretentious (unlike the MelGeek CYBER01 that hit every branch on the way down).
The little astronauts and planets gracing the MDA profile keycaps put a big smile on my face. And even though the LK75’s body is made of ABS plastic, it feels and looks premium, and the keycaps feel lovely under my fingertips.
Typing never felt so good
I type approximately 7,000-10,000 words a week, so having the right keyboard is a necessity. I’ve always been a fan of the clickity clackity sounds of tactile switches, but I’ve recently turned into a quiet-typing fan. I know my loud typing distracts my coworkers, even if they don’t say it. That’s why linear switches are a lifesaver, and they make the LK75 the quietest keyboard I’ve ever used. Don’t get me wrong, the V1’s linear switches are great too, but the layers of acoustic silicone implemented throughout the construction of the LK75 make it much better dampened, and therefore quieter. The Phoenix switches I tested sound smooth, almost buttery, and my goodness do they feel good to press.
I consider myself a productive person, and once I put my head down, I can bash out a thousand words in one sitting on my MacBook Air M2 (2022). Sometimes I need to swap operating systems as a lot of apps I test are Windows-only, which is why I adore the fact that the LK75 — when plugged in — automatically detects the OS and remaps the keys. I don't need to pull out a separate keyboard or sigh in exasperation as I mistake Alt for Cmd.
The importance of being you
I’m very lucky to work with people I’m not afraid to be myself with. Oftentimes, your IRL-self can feel very detached from your work-self, and the LK75 has just reaffirmed that you shouldn’t hide who you are. Yes, it’s a typist and gamer’s dream because it serves both purposes, but its customizable smart dial is my favorite feature. It’s unlike any other I’ve seen on a keyboard, because you can upload any image or GIF to it. Combine this with the keyboard being hot-swappable and you’ve got a peripheral that you can truly make your own.
Puffins are my favorite birds so I uploaded a photo of two cuddling, and even tried adding a GIF of Gale throwing a fireball in Baldur’s Gate 3 — so everyone knows I’m a geek. I love that I can show off my love for certain things in a subtle way, bringing more personality into the professional space. I haven’t been able to do this with any other peripherals, so the LK75 earns a bunch of brownie points from me.
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My preciousss
Not only is this keyboard stellar for productivity and gaming, to me, it emphasizes the important of letting your personality shine. The LK75 is the antithesis of the Ducky One 3 TKL and the MelGeek CYBER01.
If there was only one keyboard I had to use for the rest of my life, it would be the Gamakay LK75 (for now, at least).
More from Tom's Guide
- Gamakay LK75 review: Oodles and oodles of charm
- I ditched my Magic Keyboard for this $39 Keychron — and I'm blown away
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Nikita is a Staff Writer on the Reviews team at Tom's Guide. She's a lifelong gaming and photography enthusiast, always on the lookout for the latest tech. Having worked as a Sub Editor and Writer for Canon EMEA, she has interviewed photographers from all over the world and working in different genres. When she’s not working, Nikita can usually be found sinking hours into RPGs on her PS5, out on a walk with a camera in hand, at a concert, or watching F1. She's also a licensed drone pilot. Her work has appeared in several publications including Motor Sport Magazine, NME, Marriott Bonvoy, The Independent, and Metro.
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COLGeek
The smart dial. It is described in the article.10basetom said:What's the little bump on the right side for? It's a little odd. -
10basetom COLGeek said:The smart dial. It is described in the article.
Not the dial, the bump on the side. -
Nikita Achanta
Hi! That's a dongle compartment for storing the 2.4GHz dongle. It magnetically snaps into place — very handy.10basetom said:Not the dial, the bump on the side. -
wolf7 Okay so first I am all about keeps but you say this is better than the V1. First Keychron has way better legends, and supports QMK/VIA. This keyboard has trash legends and does not support VIA. It does have 2.4GHz support though which is great. I would also like to hear how this thing sounds.Reply -
null_ptr
Suppose I don't remap my keyboards very often - is that the main draw of QMK/VIA? I've been looking at the Keychron and this alternative caught my eye too!wolf7 said:Okay so first I am all about keeps but you say this is better than the V1. First Keychron has way better legends, and supports QMK/VIA. This keyboard has trash legends and does not support VIA. It does have 2.4GHz support though which is great. I would also like to hear how this thing sounds. -
kuangmk11
Remapping keys is only the most basic functionality of QMK. I use the tap dance functions all the time as well as key layers, autocorrect, auto shift and macros. I won't even consider a keyboard without it.null_ptr said:Suppose I don't remap my keyboards very often - is that the main draw of QMK/VIA? I've been looking at the Keychron and this alternative caught my eye too