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geekhack Community => Keyboards => Topic started by: DzyDzyDino on Mon, 03 November 2014, 01:36:55

Title: Opinions on Gateron switches? Where to find them or what boards have them?
Post by: DzyDzyDino on Mon, 03 November 2014, 01:36:55
From the few posts and reviews that exist on Gateron switches that I've been able to find, they all seem really favorable. Like... most of the reviewers make them sound better or preferable to their Cherry counterparts.

The general consensus on the Gateron White which is a knockoff of the red is that it's slightly heavier than the red, but the switch is incredibly smooth... which pretty much sounds like my perfect switch, as I would want a vintage black with a slightly lighter spring in it.
That's the main reason I've been trying to find if there's a board that has these in them. I've never used taobao before -- does anyone with experience using it know where and how I could go about ordering some gateron switches?

From what I've read, people say the plastic for all the stems feels really smooth, and that the browns knockoffs feel more tactile than mx browns... like a smooth mx clear. That the mx blue knockoff feels just like an mx blue, and that the mx black knockoff is absurdly heavy and uncomfortable.

I read that the Noppoo Lolita is shipping with "Gaote" switches. I don't know if that's another spelling of Gateron or if that's an entirely different company, as I know Kailh goes by Kaihua at times.

Ideally, I'd be able to just find a board that's shipping with these Gateron White switches that's available stateside. Unless there's a source for switches, in which case I'd like to try them all.

Does someone have their hands on a bunch already that they'd like to sell maybe a handful or even one of each or even just one of? Or are there more people interested in this that we might be able to pull together a mini buy for some gateron switches?

Found a video on Youtube of someone with Gateron switches in a custom board finally --
-- "55g Gateron Brown switches" .

Hard to tell what the switches really sound like since there's no real point of reference, but one thing is undeniable -- the clear housings with the clear acrylic case look damn awesome. :D

I have no opinion of my own since I haven't seen or tried the switches myself, but the general impression I get is overwhelmingly positive for Gateron, which is a massive contrast to the impression I get for Kailhs. I also haven't seen anyone go out of their way to put together a custom board and put Kailhs in it yet... so there's that too.

Anyone?
Title: Re: Opinions on Gateron switches? Where to find them or what boards have them?
Post by: hwood34 on Mon, 03 November 2014, 07:33:00
Hmm, never heard of these before. Considering the varying opinions of Kalih, I'm interested to see what people think of these, though if they're anything like other clones probably pretty similar.
Title: Re: Opinions on Gateron switches? Where to find them or what boards have them?
Post by: feizor on Mon, 03 November 2014, 07:53:25
But these gateron come stock with semi clear switch tops. Definitely a plus.
Title: Re: Opinions on Gateron switches? Where to find them or what boards have them?
Post by: BlueBär on Mon, 03 November 2014, 08:36:27
Caps Lock switch is not properly closed. Not making a good impression already :p
Title: Re: Opinions on Gateron switches? Where to find them or what boards have them?
Post by: FoxWolf1 on Mon, 03 November 2014, 09:03:33
I read that the Noppoo Lolita is shipping with "Gaote" switches. I don't know if that's another spelling of Gateron or if that's an entirely different company, as I know Kailh goes by Kaihua at times.

As far as I know, Gaote and Gateron are unrelated. The switches that Noppoo is using look like straight up (attempts at) Cherry clones, while Gateron switches, in addition to the clear housings, are also using a revised stem design (picture stolen from a random review of the switches):

(http://i.imgur.com/2bUl8Lp.jpg)
Title: Re: Opinions on Gateron switches? Where to find them or what boards have them?
Post by: dorkvader on Mon, 03 November 2014, 09:55:51
I read that the Noppoo Lolita is shipping with "Gaote" switches. I don't know if that's another spelling of Gateron or if that's an entirely different company, as I know Kailh goes by Kaihua at times.
I think Kailh is just the "brand" name of the switches, and Kaihua is the name of the company that makes them. Just like "mustang" is the brand of the car, made by "Ford".

IIRC, Gaote makes the matias switches and they are pretty awesome. I hope their entrance into the cruciform stem arena is as impressive.

From what I hear, these chinese switch companies really want to make a great product at a "much-better-than-cherry" price. I hope they can do it, but I suspect it will only be possible from abandoning cherry's 30-year old design and fixing some inhereant problems with it, then sticking a compatible slider on top.
Title: Re: Opinions on Gateron switches? Where to find them or what boards have them?
Post by: hwood34 on Mon, 03 November 2014, 11:05:37
I read that the Noppoo Lolita is shipping with "Gaote" switches. I don't know if that's another spelling of Gateron or if that's an entirely different company, as I know Kailh goes by Kaihua at times.
I think Kailh is just the "brand" name of the switches, and Kaihua is the name of the company that makes them. Just like "mustang" is the brand of the car, made by "Ford".
I can't seem to find the thread, but it basically said that Kaihua is the chinese phonetic pronunciation, and Kailh is the English name they gave themselves like lots of Chinese companies do
Title: Re: Opinions on Gateron switches? Where to find them or what boards have them?
Post by: HPE1000 on Mon, 03 November 2014, 11:10:53
I am also interested in these. I LOVE linear switches and I feel like being really smooth is a requirement for a linear switch to feel nice.

Title: Re: Opinions on Gateron switches? Where to find them or what boards have them?
Post by: dorkvader on Mon, 03 November 2014, 11:13:34
I am also interested in these. I LOVE linear switches and I feel like being really smooth is a requirement for a linear switch to feel nice.



well it's not really linear then is it? :p
Title: Re: Opinions on Gateron switches? Where to find them or what boards have them?
Post by: HPE1000 on Mon, 03 November 2014, 11:21:40
I am also interested in these. I LOVE linear switches and I feel like being really smooth is a requirement for a linear switch to feel nice.



well it's not really linear then is it? :p
I am confuse
Title: Re: Opinions on Gateron switches? Where to find them or what boards have them?
Post by: dorkvader on Mon, 03 November 2014, 11:24:38
I am also interested in these. I LOVE linear switches and I feel like being really smooth is a requirement for a linear switch to feel nice.



well it's not really linear then is it? :p
I am confuse

scratchiness: or a "rough" force curve are by definition not linear, so the ore linear a switch is the more smooth it is, with a perfectly linear being perfectly smooth by definition.
Title: Re: Opinions on Gateron switches? Where to find them or what boards have them?
Post by: HPE1000 on Mon, 03 November 2014, 11:29:28
I am also interested in these. I LOVE linear switches and I feel like being really smooth is a requirement for a linear switch to feel nice.



well it's not really linear then is it? :p
I am confuse

scratchiness: or a "rough" force curve are by definition not linear, so the ore linear a switch is the more smooth it is, with a perfectly linear being perfectly smooth by definition.
:-X

 :-\

 ^-^

 :rolleyes:

 :))
Title: Re: Opinions on Gateron switches? Where to find them or what boards have them?
Post by: ablooga on Wed, 18 February 2015, 17:04:06
where can you find keyboards with this switch
Title: Re: Opinions on Gateron switches? Where to find them or what boards have them?
Post by: Sygaldry on Wed, 18 February 2015, 17:08:45
where can you find keyboards with this switch
Good luck finding one. I've never seen one.

There are three ways to easily get the switches now - hwood's GB, Massdrop, or ZealPC.

I got mine through Zeal (ordered yesterday) and they were delivered today (I was not home to accept shipment though ><'')
Title: Re: Opinions on Gateron switches? Where to find them or what boards have them?
Post by: chicken on Wed, 18 February 2015, 17:17:21
The terminus mini can be sold with Gaterons, and it's 20 bucks less then genuine cherries.
 http://uniquekeyboard.com/store/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=128