For those who are unfamiliar with keyboard switches, the biggest switch company is called Cherry MX. Cherry MX has high-quality switches that are a little more on the expensive side, but worth their price. There are many other switch companies out there that may have nicer switches or cheaper switches. Today, I want to focus on the best-cheap keyboard switches out there. That would be Gateron switches.
The Gateron Family
Keyboard switches are represented by their colors. For example; Cherry MX Red, Cherry MX Blue, Cherry MX Brown, Cherry MX Black, etc. Each color switch is different. Some are more clicky than others or don’t click at all. Each key is different so that it can fit your personal preference.
Now that you know how keyboard switches mainly work, I want to show you the Gateron Family. Gateron is another key switch brand, like Cherry MX. Gateron just has cheaper switches, making it a great budget-friendly option for cheap keyboard builds. Many companies make cheap switches, but Gateron is different. Gateron makes switches just as good as Cherry MX, yet they are much cheaper. Which makes Gateron arguably the best key switch company. When I say “best”, I mean value. There are better switches, but they are much more expensive.
The Gateron family of key switches has colors as well. However, these colors are a little different from others. The Gateron switches are:
- Gateron Reds (Linear)
- Gateron Blues (Clicky)
- Gateron Browns (Tactile)
- Gateron Yellows (Linear)
- Gateron Green (Clicky)
- Gateron Black (Linear)
- Gateron White (Linear)
Ultimate Gateron Switches Typing Sound Test: Red, Blue, Brown, White, Yellow, Black, Green
(Video on each of the Gateron key switches, and what they sound like. This video is not mine so credit goes to Keychron for making this video.)
Key Switch Types
As you can see, Gateron has many options for their switches. Each has a different type of feeling between them. Linear, clicky, and tactile. Each type of key switch has benefits for certain things you will be using that keyboard for.
Linear switches are my personal favorite. This key switch does not have a bump when you press it. It just goes down and activates very smoothly. This switch is very nice for custom keyboard builds, it can have a nice feeling and sound with it. Linear switches are good all-around switches. They can be used in the office, gaming, and just typing and they work well for all three of those.
The next switch on the list is the clicky switches. These switches are pretty self-explanatory. They are extremely clicky switches and have a big bump when you press them down. I own a keyboard with blue switches which are clicky and they are nice for typing. Typing is about the only thing that works well with this kind of switch, it is not ideal for gaming or office work. Just because of how loud it is.
The final switch to talk about is the Tactile. I’d say that tactiles are the most popular kind of switch because they are in between clicky and linear. They have a small bump, and they are not very loud. This switch is also a good all-rounder for typing, gaming, and office work.
Conclusion
As I’ve said, Gaterons killed it on their price and the quality of their switches. I vote Gateron to be the budget kind of keyboard switch. Every switch is valued the same, at only 10$. This 10$ gets you 35 switches, bringing the price per switch to only 28 cents per switch, which is amazing. Long story short, if you are in the market for a keyboard, I highly recommend the Gateron switches. Especially if you are looking for a cheap custom build that will last you a long time and not break the bank.
