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.
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
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