The KBD75 full aluminum frame with foam inside was the perfect soundstage for these switches, not to mention the switch film prevented an of the wobble from muddying the sound. The KBD75 was an excellent keyboard to put these switches inside of as the aluminum build really lets these switches shine, both in terms of aesthetic and sound. Regardless of the type of Gateron switch, you can rest assured that you will get a 50 million keystroke lifespan for each switch. Gateron is known to have some of the smoothest keystrokes on the market. With a full aluminum keyboard and all of the switch mods, lets see just how well these Gateron Ink switches perform. The Verdict I haven’t personally tested them myself yet, so I can’t quite give them a glowing recommendation, but they could be an excellent substitute.

However, they offer a lot of value with some variants of the Gateron switches having more quality than some Cherry MX. If you want a switch with the right value and quality, Gateron is the brand. With both switches, you won’t be getting anything wrong. The fact is they are both clones of the original Cherry switches. Gateron switches are popular around the world for their durability and distinct tactile and sonic characteristics. We offer the Gateron Optical switches, which have a much smoother press than traditional Gateron switches and have a longer lifespan of 100 million keystrokes. The Gateron Blue switch gives a tactile sensation and sound, with a noticeable bump with each press to ensure every keystroke is on point.

The plastic is different for the Inks although Gateron will not release the specifics. We can tell by the feel that the plastic most likely has a lower coefficient of friction due to the increased smoothness of the keystroke. Others use low-profile switches purely for gaming purposes because of the lower actuation distance, but based on a test that I did, I found no improvement when using a shorter actuation distance for gaming. All of the switches in this classification are considered “clones” since they mirror the design of the Cherry MX switch and use the same descriptive names where the colors represent the actuation type and spring force. They offer more stability to different types of users. Further, their reputation for being best suited to typing isn’t the case. Sure, you can get a lot done with them while working, but they are also a good fit for gamers. The sound levels with a silent switch are significantly lower, in a test we found that silent switches are 16% more quiet than a normal switch.

As mentioned before, lubing and filming the Gateron Inks brings them to a whole new level. I found that Krytox 205g0 was the most effective as improving the smoothness and getting rid of the spring ping. As a rule of thumb, the only time you actually need to film a switch is when you experience wobble.Some keyboard users are not a fan of silent switches due to the rubbery feel when logging a keystroke and the fact that the sound is muted, while others really enjoy this aspect of the switch. THE GOOD POINTS: It’s almost as this is an upgrade from a Cherry MX Red or from any lighter, scratchier linear switch. In fact, I preferred to use these whilst gaming compared to any other switch made by Cherry. Kailhs are one of the best clone switches available on the market. This brand features a unique style of switches well-adapted from the Cherry series. A great line of switches here includes the Box and Speed switches. We’ve tested out hundreds of switches, so we’ll also give you our thoughts on each style of Gateron switch to help you give an idea of how they feel and sound (along with our opinions). Gateron Switches: A Deeper Look