Tom’s Guide Verdict
The MCHOSE GX87 is an astounding mechanical keyboard for the money.
Its built like a tank, is highly customizable and compatible with VIA software.
Its thocky sound is addictive, and its a dream to punch in on.
Oh, and it packs a humungous 8,000mAh battery.
But dont let any of that put you off buying the GX87.
The MCHOSE GX87 is a custom mechanical keyboard sporting an 80% TKL layout.
Ever heard of MCHOSE?
The shouty, all-caps styling doesnt lend any clues as to the correct pronunciation of MCHOSE.
I have no idea either, but my favorite is M.C.
Ive been asked by the brands representatives to refer to it as MCHOSE and MCHOSE only.
So be it: if they want me to shout, Ill shout.
Anyway, is this board any good?
Well, yes actually, it is.
And Ill admit that surprised me.
Happily, I stand proven wrong.
The GX87 is a beautifully built, wonderful-sounding mechanical deck thats glorious to punch in on.
Its highly customizable, too, and even has a nifty trick up its sleeve in that regard.
Could this be one of thebest mechanical keyboardsfor enthusiasts on a budget?
Find out more in my full MCHOSE GX87 review.
Its built like a tank, types well and, best of all, sounds incredible.
How about 1,000Hz polling and an 8,000mAh battery, too!
YOUNGS CHOICE!
If the MCHOSE name wasnt confusing enough, the brands similarly-capitalized catchphrase will solidify the bamboozle: YOUNGS CHOICE.
Or a sachet of cat food.
Theres something fishy going on.
I guess youthfulness implies freshness; something different, something new.
But in that case, theres nothing particularly youthful about the GX87s design.
In fact, its relatively sober.
Aluminum top and bottom cases with squared-off edges cubism matched pound-for-pound by blocky Cherry-profile keycaps.
A few interesting colorways can be had, sure, but nothingavant garde.
All that sounds pretty negative, but it isnt.
Low-key looks also lend themselves well as a neutral base to facilitate future customization.
And thatll be important later on.
Not an issue; simply interesting.
That thickness, though
What cannot be disputed is the MCHOSE GX87s build quality.
Theres no flex, there are no rattles, and no QC issues visible whatsoever.
And with its solid aluminum case and doubleshot PBT keycaps, the GX87 is built to last.
The counterpoint to the GX87s build is its weight.
At 4.5lbs, its tied in thickness with the beasty Keychron Q3 Max.
Plenty of thock
The MCHOSE GX87s thick is matched only by its thock.
As much as I hate the term, this board sounds truly creamy, with a muted thocky sound.
And thocky sounding linear Vintage White switches, which Ill get into more in the section below.
Honestly, the sound is addictive, especially the Space bar.
Id go as far as saying this is the best sounding stock keyboard Ive ever heard.
Even better than theNuPhy Halo75 V2(although only just).
And all this is with no modifications whatsoever.
If youre after a thocky board straight out of the box, this is it.
It isn’t fastest, but it feels great.
The Vintage White pre-lubed linear switches I tested are glorious.
I say relatively as its still much softer than a top or plate-mounted PCB setup.
Besides, I can live with the firmer ride if thats what it takes to get acoustics this good.
No tools are needed to open up the case and start tinkering.
Both of these are features youll find in the Chilkey NDTKL, too.
However, where the GX87 keyboard has a serious leg up over the Chilkey is its firmware.
This board runs open-source QMK firmware, which can be remapped using the VIA web app.
Now, Ive mildly criticized VIA in the past.
And I stand by it.
you could quickly and easily remap keys, tweak lighting and set macros.
I had no issues playing my usual first-person games, like Isonzo and Counter-Strike 2.
But for casual gaming, the Vintage Whites are just fine.
If these will be an issue, consider a smaller board like theKeychron K2 HEorNuPhy Air60 HE.
That is to say: pretty darn well.
With an 8,000mAh battery, this thing goes forever.
By contrast, the Chilkey NDTKL sports two 1,800mAh cells, while most Keychron decks pack 4,000mAh batteries.
In testing, I havent actually run out of charge yet.
Show me the money
The MCHOSE GX87 costs $109.
Need I say more?
Well, I will.
$109 is cheap for a keyboard of this caliber.
In short, the GX87 is phenomenal value for money.Et voila: Nuff said.
MCHOSE GX87 review: The downs
The issues are only minor.
Ill cover the limited switch choices below, but you could still go ahead and buy this keyboard.
like sir, can I have some more?
The MCHOSE GX87 can be purchased with one of two switch choices at checkout.
Both linear, and very similar in operation, except for their max/min operating forces.
There are no tactile options.
No clicky options either, although if you want those, Id recommend spending the $109 elsewhere.
This is far from a major issue, given the GX87 is hot swappable.
But more choice at checkout is objectively better.
Buy a NuPhy keyboard, and youll almost always have the choice of five or six switches.
Even Keychron usually offers at least three (even if they are always the same).
As a tactile fan, it wouldve been nice to see a panda-style tactile switch to maximize the thockiness.
MCHOSE GX87 review: Verdict
WHAT A KEYBOARD!
Now Im shouting because I want to.
The MCHOSE GX87 offers as much bang for buck as I think Ive ever seen when reviewing keyboards.
For $109, there is absolutely nothing serious to fault this board on.
But good grief, what a keyboard.
Exquisite build, incredible sound, strong typing and gaming, and plenty of modding potential.
If youre a mechanical keyboard enthusiast on a budget, there really isnt any board Id recommend more.
