The GPBT Kabuto keycaps are Glorious’ latest KeyCapsules drop. For those unaware, Glorious is releasing monthly drops of limited-run keycaps. On the first Tuesday of each month, a new batch of keycaps will be made available for early birds to buy. This time around, it’s the black and red Kabuto style, inspired by the Japanese Samurai. Are they any good? This is my review.
Black and red
After launching KeyCapsules with the impressive Sketch set, which sold out in under 48 hours, Glorious has followed that up with some more subtle designs. Despite not being quite as “out there” as Sketch, I still appreciate the novelty keycaps included alongside the regular ones, and the use of red accents works well.
The 142 keycaps included in the Kabuto set are made from PBT polymer and use the conventional Cherry profile. This should allow for compatibility across most full-size, tenkeyless, and smaller keyboards. However, if you’re on the hunt for some niche keycap sizes, you may need to double-check what’s in the box.
The text on the keys is dye-sublimated, meaning they should remain clear and resist fading. You shouldn’t need to baby these keycaps.
1 out of 1000
While the outer packaging is pretty generic compared to other keycap boxes, I do enjoy the unique numbering that emphasizes how limited the product is. Ultimately, it’s what’s inside that matters. Happily, the build quality and finish of GPBT Kabuto are great. For the price, I’d say buyers will be happy with the quality on offer here. As for how they look, I’d say they’re more impressive in person. While the website photos are perfectly fine, there’s just something extra about the red coloring and contrast when viewed in person.
My only gripe with the GPBT Kabuto keycaps is that they mute RGB lighting on certain boards. There’s no shine-through here, so if you’re big into RGB, then you might be disappointed.
Final Verdict
At $59.99, the Glorious GPBT Kabuto KeyCapsules offer good quality and a unique design. Made from durable PBT polymer with clear text, these keycaps fit most keyboards and feature a striking color scheme. The limited edition numbering adds exclusivity. While the packaging is simple and there’s no shine-through for RGB lighting, the overall build quality is impressive, making them a great pick-up if you like what you see.
Positives and Negatives
Disclosure: Review sample provided by Glorious.